They Might Be Giants Granada Theater Thursday, February 2 When nerds sell out a show, you know you’re in for it. Scanning the crowd at the Granada last night, I could tell there were quite a few folks paying babysitters until 11 p.m., who were maybe a bit pudgier than…
Craig Finn, Mount Moriah, Beau Jennings & the Tigers Dada Wednesday, February 1 Craig Finn stepped on stage with his four bandmates and declared, “I’m Craig Finn. This is my band. We need a name.” Serving as the opening date for a two-month tour ahead of them, the erstwhile Hold…
Remember when we said it was a busy week for Bad Design? Add the premiere of their new video for “Stained Glass,” directed and shot by Christopher Bryan and starring Ally Hoffmann, both of Denton’s Peopleodian. In this week’s print edition, a shorter version of the My First Show Q&A…
A Lull, Deleted Scenes, Botany Dan’s Silverleaf Tuesday, January 31 Chicago five-piece A Lull took the Dan’s stage at 11:30 p.m. with two drummers in tow, in front of roughly 20 people. Raucous, tribal beats rolled along for a majority of the set and, propelled by these rhythms, the high-pitched,…
Shelby Lynne The Kessler Theater Friday, January 27 Shelby Lynne does things her way, and that’s how it was Friday at The Kessler. She has a voice that rivals anyone in terms of control, clarity and power, with a honeyed Southern twang used to good effect. She applies that amazing…
The doors just opened on January 3 and the paint is barely dry, but Sandaga 813 has a long history leading up to their current revival of the former Minc space in Exposition Park. Co-owner Darryl “Sandaga” Thomas has been in Dallas 26 years and spent a portion of that…
Deleted Scenes, a four-piece from the Washington D.C. area, comes to Denton Tuesday, January 31, as they continue a lengthy tour through the states. As a little preview of the band’s post-rock/post-hardcore sound, we asked vocalist/guitarist Dan Scheuerman about his first show experiences. Not only did Sheuerman get to see…
The Kills Granada Theater Monday, January 23 Better than: No! No no no no no no!!!!! A mediocre performance by The Kills has more rock star quality than an excellent night for most bands. Hate to say it, but last night at the Granada, the band was a bit on…
The Kills blazed a sold-out Granada Theater last night, along with Jeff the Brotherhood and Hunters. Oh yes, blood pressures were raised. Take a gander via Mike Brooks’ photos…
The Boom Boom Box LaGrange Saturday, January 21 With the release of Until Your Eyes Get Used to the Darkness this week and Saturday night’s preemptive strike at LaGrange, the Boom Boom Box’s long-awaited return to the stage was met with a full house, rife with a who’s-who of Denton/Dallas…
Tool Verizon Theatre Friday, January 20 Hitting a Tool show is a little like stepping back into the mid- to late-’90s, in all the best ways. As we threaded a packed Verizon Theatre lobby before the sold-out Friday night show in an herbally-induced state of euphoric nostalgia, draining plastic cups…
Erykah Badu & the Cannabinoids Granada Theater Friday, January 20 First of all, props to Erykah Badu for putting on close to a two-hour show while wearing those boots. Those amazing white boots with a stiletto heel that looked like modified ice skates and haunted my dreams. Just after midnight,…
Kendrick Lamar Trees Thursday, January 19 Since the last time Kendrick Lamar graced a Dallas stage, his star has only been on the rise. His most recent mix tape, Section.80, has garnered buzz, rave reviews and a spot on Drake’s upcoming tour with ASAP Rocky. That’s one buzzy tour, but…
The Life and Times, The Cush, Calhoun Dan’s Silverleaf Thursday, January 19 The Life and Times didn’t get their set going until 15 minutes after midnight, but almost everyone who came stayed until the very end. The trio, lit only by four lights placed at waist level around the stage,…
Calhoun frontman Tim Locke will be live and full in effect on Thursday night at Dan’s Silverleaf. Opening for The Life and Times, the Fort Worth four-piece will deliver a show that could be as inspiring as the shows Locke saw as a kid, which range from John Denver all…
Blixaboy, Convextion, Betdat Bryan Street Tavern Saturday, January 14 Less than a quarter of the people packed into Bryan Street Tavern on Saturday night were there to support one of the most significant local album releases of 2012. People interested in the show had to swim through the crowds in…
Starfucker, Painted Palms and Alexico The Prophet Bar Friday, January 13 An interesting sampling was in attendance at Friday’s sold-out Prophet Bar show, one that spanned teens, 20, 30 and 40-somethings. Monterrey-based one-man band Alexico’s computer-assisted performance was, at first, an acquired taste, but as the set progressed, his hip-hop…
Wu-Tang Clan House of Blues Friday, January 13 Contrary to popular belief, a majority of Wu-Tang Clan crowded the House of Blues stage Friday night, opening with “Clan in da Front.” While most rappers I review these days present their speech in fragments, groups like Wu-Tang Clan remind us how…
Before Erykah Badu completed the PM Nightlife Lounge’s final DJ set last night, there was a motorcade and funeral band in the streets. The New Orleans-style procession started late, ’round 11:30, at Pegasus Plaza, and completed its “final voyage” outside the Joule Hotel. The funeral band was, of course, The…
Every year, on Friday the 13th, Elm Street Tattoo’s talented staff executes small pieces that must include the number 13 somewhere, for $13 and a $7 tip. On most sleeves in Dallas, you can spot the 13s hidden among larger décor, identifying the shop’s fans and loyalists. I was inside…
Usually with this column, we might interview one or two people from a band. With Darstar, all five members were kind enough to share the first shows they saw and played. And, if you wanted a reminder of how effective Smashing Pumpkins were in their heyday, listen to what Lisa…
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra Plays The Legend of Zelda Music The Meyerson Symphony Center Tuesday, January 10 Better Than: Playing the games in 1998. Also, the childish “in your face, in your face!” chant I’m going to throw at my mom later for all those years she limited me to…
