Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Grace Potter and the NocturnalsPalladium ShowroomSeptember 23, 2010Better than: well, not beholding the power of music that can make a white man try to dance. Last night, an audience of about 600 people at the Palladium Showroom (formerly Gilley’s Saloon) were treated to the power…
Kings of Leon, The Black KeysSuperpages.com CenterSeptember 23, 2010Better than: the last time Kings of Leon came through town. It just felt so comfortable–all of it, from the band’s performance to their crowd’s reaction and their own on-stage demeanor. Kings of Leon, for better or worse, is finally comfortable with…
Shiner Rising Star Competition: Semi-Finals, Night One.Hat Tricks, LewisvilleSeptember 23, 2010After eight weeks worth of first-round performances, and then last week’s wild-card round, the semi-finals of the annual Shiner Rising Star contest, hosted by KHYI-95.3 FM The Range and Shiner Bock Beer, began in earnest. To open up the semis…
Smashing PumpkinsPalladium BallroomSeptember 22, 2010(A Little) Better Than: Staying home and listening to the first four Smashing Pumpkins’ albums. This show at the Palladium last night, featuring Bill Corgan and a whole new cast of Smashing Pumpkins behind him, was said to be a sell out. It was also supposed…
Pixies, Fuck ButtonsVerizon TheatreSeptember 19, 2010Better than: listening to the stacks and stacks of albums from bands that claim the Pixies and Doolittle as an influence. The first thing you noticed was the crowd. And it was tough not to take note: The audience at the Verizon Theatre last night…
KISS, Daughtry, Pat Green, Drowning Pool, The Academy Is…, The Envy, RevengeancePizza Hut ParkSaturday, September 18, 2010(Way) better than: getting drunk and watching KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park. Billed as “The Hottest Show on Earth,” the crowd that came out to Pizza Hut Park had plenty of space…
In Darryl Smyers Q&A with Tommy Thayer, who has played guitar in KISS since 2002, Thayer mentioned his weight-loss from the strain of the tall shoes and heat of the lights. Bottom line: it’s hard work to dress up like KISS. Clearly, fans don’t mind. This past Saturday, KISS headlined…
Shiner Rising Star CompetitionSeptember 16, 2010The Kessler TheatreThe lineup for last night’s wild card round for this year’s Shiner Rising Star competition provided a slight case of déjà vu. As has been the case in the competition’s previous years, a couple of bands that just missed winning the first time…
Crystal Castles, Mr. KittyHouse of BluesSeptember 14, 2010Better than: the last time Crystal Castles came through town. A blown-up, ghostly image of the cover of Crystal Castles II served as the band’s backdrop, while blue strobes intermittently illuminated the stage. Then Ethan Kath emerged, and stood behind his synths–where he…
Sarah Jaffe, Seryn, Jonathan Evan ClarkGranada TheaterSeptember 11, 2010Better than: Jaffe’s CD release show at Sons of Hermann Hall back in May.There still remain a sign or two of her youth and inexperience–like when, just a few songs in to her headlining slot at the Granada Theater on Saturday night,…
The first 50 people in line for Tegan and Sara’s in-store on Friday, September 10, got to meet the adored duo. But plenty others waited for the chance–and early, too. Good Records’ Chris Penn reports that people were lining up at the Greenville Avenue record store as early as 5…
Autolux, Golden PandaThe LoftSeptember 10, 2010Better than: waiting six years between albums. The distinctive, spectacular drumming of Autolux’s Carla Azur is enough to draw a crowd. Consider, too, though, the elegant mystery of this credit for her work with Joe Henry on the album Fuse: “Carla Azur appears like the…
Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Music Festival with Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold, Hellyeah, more… Superpages.com Center September 10, 2010 Better than: expected, but not as good as watching the Rangers sweep the Yankees Hot, humid air filled seemingly every crevice of Superpages.com Center as the behemoth known as the Rockstar Energy Drink…
Some people spend their Labor Days grilling by the pool. Others wallow pool cues and eat fire. The Hellzapoppin Sideshow Revue, which features “electrical death defying stunts” and fire eating, stopped by Trees on Friday night–and it was merely one of our photographers Ray and Peter Lek’s stop this Labor…
In yet another, suburban location outside of Dallas proper–this time at Plano’s Last Chance Saloon–independent country music, in its myriad forms, reigned supreme. A couple of hundred folks (if not a tad more) crammed themselves into the Last Chance Saloon for Week Seven of the Shiner Rising Star competition last…
Titus Andronicus, Soft Envirtonmental Collapse, Bizarro KidsSons of Hermann HallAugust 31, 2010Better than: sitting through Shakespeare, even at his goriest. Titus Andronicus may have been the headliners at Sons of Hermann Hall last night, but even that band admitted while on stage last night that the true heroes of the…
Sorry. No more. We wouldn’t want you to get angry and blow up like T.N.T., would we?(Dry cough.) Uh, just go check out Rachel Parker’s full slideshow for more photos of Iron Maidens and Dshe’s show. Cool? Cool…
Not sure when the last time we posted show photos from a hookah lounge was, but it’s probably time for a new one. Those bubbling up at the H2O hookah lounge (over in Denton) caught DJ Baby Ruthless, DJ Vivid and the Dub Commission crew playing Dubstep and Drum ‘n…
Hot Hot Heat, The 22-20sThe LoftAugust 26, 2010 Better than: Sitting alone in your efficiency apartment making mixtapes. It’s not hard to believe that Canadian New Wavers Hot Hot Heat have been around for over 10 years now. Credit the fact that the band was quick to step into the…
Green Day, AFI Superpages.com CenterAugust 26th, 2010(Way, way ) better than: reading Marc Spitz’s book, Nobody Likes You: Inside the Turbulent Life, Times, and Music of Green Day. How is it possible to put on a three-hour arena rock show that doesn’t lag or feel self-indulgent? Green Day has somehow…
Shiner Rising Star Competition: Week SixLa GrangeAugust 26, 2010For night six of the still ongoing first round of this year’s Shiner Rising Star competition, hosted by KHYI-95.3 FM The Range, things reverted back to the local flavor that had been largely missing over the previous couple of weeks. Two of…
Memoryhouse, Twin Sister, SLEEP ∞ OVERThe LoftAugust 25, 2010 Better than: ironing out the kinks of that new Windows XP installation. Each of the two non-Texan touring bands who took the stage last night at The Loft have enjoyed a busy summer of touring the United States, with Memoryhouse even…
