Sarah Jaffe Breaks In Plano’s New Music Venue, Box Garden

Singer-songwriter Sarah Jaffe serenaded a crowd of craft beer-sipping food hall patrons under violet hues and an LED screen flashing static visual art Friday night in Plano. Denton’s soulful indie-rock icon was the centerpiece for Legacy Hall’s four-day grand opening for the Lexus Box Garden, the establishment’s new multi-entertainment venue…

A Day in the Life of Musician and Chef Madison King

The last time the Dallas Observer profiled Madison King was in 2014, just before King released her second country record, Onward & Upward. In March, King released her third record, the EP Livin’ Right. In the intervening years, King says, she has drifted further from music and closer to another…

How Four Players Brought Metal to the Cello With Apocalyptica

The deep, cavernous sounds of the cello are perfect for heavy metal. They can be dark and brooding. They provide a nice, long bass sound that provides a perfect backup to songs about sadness and destruction. They can also give a band that extra foundation underneath the sounds of guitars…

Mike Portnoy Tells Us About His New Band, Sons of Apollo

Mike Portnoy likes to joke that he plays drums in dozens of bands, which is a slight exaggeration. Since 2010, he’s recorded and toured with Avenged Sevenfold, Twisted Sister, Adrenaline Mob, Metal Allegiance, the Winery Dogs and the Neal Morse Band. This year, he’s touring with a new band called…

Are We Witnessing the Death of Objective Concert Photography?

For some up-and-coming bands, snapshots of their shows seem priceless. There is, for the most part, a symbiotic relationship between concert photographers — who offer free press, promotional material and a glimpse into the magic onstage — and the performers they shoot. Once these acts reach a certain level of stardom,…