Willie Nelson’s All-Time Biggest Gambles

While Willie Nelson is a legendary artist from Texas (and we certainly love that fact), he’s long since transcended simple regional borders. It’s almost too limiting to even refer to him as an American icon, though he is obviously that without question. The man is a survivor, an activist and…

The Best North Texas Country Shows in July

We’re halfway through the year and for most of the past week we’ve been turning our gazes back at these six months past, taking stock of all the fine music that’s been released in North Texas since the start of the year. It’s been a fun trip, boys and girls,…

Toadies Announce 7th Annual Dia De Los Toadies Lineup

It’s been more than 20 years since the Toadies dropped their signature record, Rubberneck. In fact, maybe you’ve heard about it. But what really makes the occasion seem significant is that the boys from Fort Worth are still going strong all these years later, gigging regularly around Texas and even…

The Best North Texas Music Videos of 2014, So Far

We’re halfway done with 2014 and, before we know it, it will be time to bring in the New Year. (Okay, maybe that’s a little premature. There’s something like another five months of summer left first.) There have been plenty of exciting things happening for Dallas artists through the first…

The 10 Best Concerts in Dallas This Week, 6/30-7/6

With July 4th coming up this Friday, this will be that most patriotic of weeks where we can sit back and bask in the glory of our homeland: Texas. (Well, America too.) And can mean only one thing: lots of and lots of country music. From singer-songwriters to outlaws and…

Merle Haggard at Billy Bob’s, 6/28/14

Merle Haggard Billy Bob’s Texas, Fort Worth Saturday, June 28, 2014 Country music is built on a bedrock of incredible artists like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, but you’d be an idiot to not consider the tremendous influence of everyone’s favorite former felon, Merle Haggard. His career has certainly seen…

Deafheaven at Club Dada, 6/28/14

Deafheaven With Wreck & Reference and Pallbearer Club Dada Saturday, June 28, 2014 Having Deafheaven play the patio at Club Dada seemed like a good idea. It was a breezy, cool (for June) night with occasional wafts of barbeque smoke floating in the air. But a mere minute before the…

José James Was Alluring But Crowd Distant at the Kessler

José James With Dustin Cavazos and Buffalo Black Kessler Theater Tuesday, June 24, 2014 By Thierry Peremarti José James’ 2010 album, For All We Know, is an authentic jazz album that’s won its share of jazz prizes. But although the jazz community has accepted James as one of theirs, you…

Blake Shelton Was Unapologetically Country at Gexa Energy Pavilion

Blake Shelton With the Band Perry and Neil McCoy Gexa Energy Pavilion Saturday, June 21, 2014 Saturday night was the first official night of summer and to celebrate some of country music’s biggest contemporary acts performed to a sold-out crowd at Gexa Energy Pavilion. Blake Shelton was the headliner, but…

Mountain Goats Played Like Hometown Heroes at Dan’s Silverleaf

The Mountain Goats With Loamlands Dan’s Silverleaf, Denton Friday, June 20, 2014 By Jezy J. Gray I first saw the Mountain Goats in 2006 at The Opolis in Norman, Oklahoma. I was 19 and the band had just released their Get Lonely LP, songwriter John Darnielle’s most polite and somber…

Kris Kristofferson Embraced His Own Mortality at Bass Performance Hall

Authenticity and impeccable simplicity have always been Kris Kristofferson’s stock-in-trade. On Saturday night in Fort Worth it couldn’t have been more apparent, as he performed a couple dozen of his plainly poetic songs in two nearly one hour-long sets at the classically beautiful Bass Performance Hall. It was the evening…

Kessler Theater to Host Trees Reunion Party on July 11

Next month, the Kessler will open its doors to hundreds of people in celebration of Trees, a music venue long revered for its contributions to the historic Deep Ellum community. As one of the neighborhood’s earliest and most popular venues, Trees has been part of Dallas nightlife for over 20…

Future Islands Top First Round of Index Festival Bands

What a production. The folks at Index Festival have gone out of their way this year to build up anticipation for the show, now in its third year, which will happen in late September. Case in point was last night’s announcement party at Trees, which was sponsored by Chicago brewer…

The Octopus Project Bring the Party and Go Lightly on the Vocals

Austin’s the Octopus Project are bringing their brand of lively, technicolor “indietronica” to Dallas on Thursday for the latest installment of Red Bull Sound Select. If you hate impassioned performances, dancing and having a good time, stay far away. This will be the first time the Octopus Project will play…