For those who think they’ve experienced a downright dirty electric blues show, but haven’t managed to catch a set from Scott Biram, you haven’t gotten electro-nasty just yet. The Austin resident recently released Bad Ingredients on the dependably great Bloodshot label, and while the record is another fine example in…
As leader of The Hold Steady, Craig Finn has never been at a loss to find ways to pepper his musical odes to youthful indiscretions and offbeat characters with a dose of lyrical holy water. Not that Finn has used his tunes as a pulpit to preach; he’s merely employed…
KNON’s tagline, “Voice of the People,” is fitting not only because the publicly funded station has been a mainstay of the Dallas landscape for almost 30 years, but also in the choice of music for this 13th annual benefit concert. In Texas, we have our own inflection when it comes…
Nashville’s The Features may have a couple of marks against them in the eyes of elitist hipsters who don’t like to let actual facts get in the way of a too-cool-for-school argument. It’s true, the no longer en vogue Kings of Leon, themselves fellow Tennesseans, have lent a helping hand…
Loretta Lynn keeps it rather simple when summing her progression from childhood cabin in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky to the illustrious Winspear Opera House, where she performs Sunday night. “It really has been an interesting journey. It’s a hard story to believe, but it really is interesting.” Recently removed from not…
For all of the praise and fond memories of fans heaped upon the early stages of Martin Short’s legendary career in comedy, the recent past is as compelling a study in his overall talents as any period of time. The last few years have witnessed the diminutive Canadian explore the…
As I was standing in the photo pit of the Murder City Devils’ stage the Friday evening of Fun Fun Fun Fest, a band started playing on the other side of the large, divided stage. I couldn’t see them, as I was 40 yards to the band’s right, literally with…
Magnolia, Texas’ Folk Family Revival are yet another example of a young band making their mark in the world of Red Dirt by leaning on a rootsier vibe than many of the current regional chart-toppers.The fact that a young band can produce a mature album like last year’s Unfolding their…
Games of chance and great causes go together as well as burgers and Sharpie pens at Adair’s Saloon. Sure, one could roll the dice an hour north of Dallas in hope of supporting the cause of their bank account in a casino. But that gambler has to deal with the…
While the demo tape-carrying waiters and baristas of Nashville fantasize about hitting it big as a session player, songwriter or performer, Darrell Scott has been a key figure in each of those realms for some time now. After getting noticed for his solo albums, Scott had a fortuitous streak of…
As Deep Ellum regains its footing, one of the bands that gave the district its funky vibe in the ’90s is doing the same. Fever in the Funkhouse brought an eclectic sonic mix and legions of fans to each gig back in those golden days. Now, they’re hoping to bring…
Beth Hart understands the hand she’s currently playing consists of the cards she’s dealt to herself. After winning some cash on a latter-day version of Star Search in the ’90s, the Los Angeles resident tasted fame after her 2000 hit, “L.A. Song (Out of This Town),” found its way onto…
The rivalry between the Dallas Stars and Detroit Red Wings isn’t quite as tense or meaningful as it was when the sweaters with the grand names of Yzerman, Belfour, Federov and Hatcher were skating around the rink, battling for Western Conference supremacy in the late 1990s and into the new…
In case you’re already blinded by the golden aura of 2012’s major releases — The Shins, T.I., Soundgarden, Nicki Minaj, Mumford & Sons, Muse, Sigur Ros — we want to make sure you don’t forget about some other sure-to-be-top-notch albums that will see release next year. They may not shine…
In 2011, we witnessed a refreshing surge of new talent blend in with some of the scene’s long-time favorites. Sure, 1100 Springs offered up yet another blissfully classic album, but Madison King and Gaston Light (aka Jason Corcoran) made their presence known with personal twists on the traditional country sound…
In a development that’s led north Texas hoops fans to proclaim that one “can’t make this stuff up,” the Dallas Mavericks will (finally) begin the defense of their NBA title against the hated, demonic trinity of the Miami Heat. Did we mention that this game, in which the franchise’s first…
While it’s been a great year for concerts in the ‘hood, it’d be too easy to simply list my favorite concerts of 2011 (Bon Iver/Kathleen Edwards at the Winspear Opera House in September edges out the Carolina Chocolate Drops at the Granada that same month). Instead, let’s focus on the…
Local alt-country maestro Ronnie Fauss hasn’t been a stranger to area coffeehouses since the release of his excellent 2009 Brent Best-produced LP, New Songs For the Old Frontier. Since then, he’s released two more EPs, with each one not only improving in overall quality, but also in general range. The…
Ask most musicians to describe their sound, and a generic answer is likely to be proffered quickly. Such a response is fair: An artist works hard to create a product that can’t be lumped into the bargain bin of buzzwords. When Erik Berry of Trampled by Turtles is asked what…
Certain images not only have a lasting power, but remain relevant for generations to come. Few images in the world can boast such credentials like the Virgin of Guadalupe icon can. Of course, it stands to reason that one of history’s most prominent works of art would go on to…
The yearly docket of holiday outings can be relatively predictable — that’s why some call it tradition. Many families and holiday arts revelers flock to yet another production of the appropriately titled The Nutcracker, or to drown their credit card sorrows in peppermint mocha at Starbucks. For a young family…
Never fear, oh young, hipster parents: The Polyphonic Spree’s Holiday Extravaganza has returned. After keeping a relatively low profile in 2010, Spree leader Tim DeLaughter has burst back into the region’s consciousness in multiple ways. A buzzed-about band (Preteen Zenith) and a revamped record label (Good Records Recordings) are just…
