There’s been some short-notice news at Dallas’ beloved volunteer-run community radio station, KNON 89.3 FM which calls itself “The Voice of the People.” The station has to move out of its 5353 Maple Avenue location by the end of September. The space, a garish brown office building next to the…
If you’ve been waiting for the Elm St. Music & Tattoo Festival to come around to get that (next) Friday the 13th tattoo, then you’re getting a pretty good exercise in patience. Now in its third year, the annual music, tattoo and burlesque marathon has made it a habit of…
Dallas has a long and somewhat hidden history of electronic dance music producers that have made their marks far beyond the Texas borders. House, techno and drum and bass all have deep roots here that tie directly to the larger international scene. Producers from here have caught the ear of…
Staying in one place just isn’t in Edwin Cabaniss’ nature. Before he reopened The Kessler Theater six years ago, Cabaniss had been a successful businessman — so successful that he could afford to retire in his early 40s. Now that his “retirement” has seen him rebuild The Kessler into one…
Dr. Dre releasing a new album is big news for any hip hop fan, but for his new (and supposedly “final” album) Compton: The Soundtrack it’s especially big news for Dallas fans. Compton will feature the long-awaited release of material Dre recorded with Dallas rapper Justin Mohrle, who it turns…
Very early yesterday morning word started to leak out that Fort Worth’s favorite son, newly minted next big thing, and apple of Dallas’ eye Leon Bridges was making his way around Deep Ellum after a brief appearance at the Bomb Factory earlier in the night. The way the story goes…
The members of KISS have done just about all there is to do in rock ‘n’ roll. After selling millions of records thanks to hit songs like “Detroit Rock City,” Rock ‘N’ Roll All Nite” and “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” over the past 40 years, the band was…
Michael Roos is not only a veteran of the DJ scene, but also the definition of a working DJ. Straddling that barrier between commercial DJ, working wedding and private parties, and club DJ, he makes a living and manages to push his craft by integrating the latest technology into his…
Last week, the results of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission’s “Bottoms Up” sting revealed that in at least a few bars across Texas, you might not be getting that top-shelf booze that you ordered. The operation, the first ever of its kind, identified that at least five Dallas-Fort Worth Bars…
Something tells us that in the not-too-distant future we’ll look back on 2015 as a vintage year for Erykah Badu. Dallas’ Queen of Neo-Soul has been riding a hot streak this year with some pretty memorable public appearances: ushering in the new era at The Bomb Factory, performing an epic…
In your face, Jerry Jones. The Cowboys owner may get to boast the biggest indoor concert venue in the state of Texas, but Garth Brooks can sell plenty of tickets in Dallas without it, thank you very much. His strategy? Play seven — yes, seven — shows at the American…
The Texas Musicians Museum has been more than a decade in the making. The brainchild of Tom Kreason and local radio legend George Gimarc, the privately run museum has previously been housed in Hillsboro and Waxahatchie, but this weekend it opens with new digs in Irving and an impressive collection…
Allen McDonald is a staple in the Dallas house and techno community mostly know for his affiliation with the Soundslike crew and one half of the DJ duo Dragonlazer. Dragonlazer was the first mixtape in this run of the Observer mixtape series almost a year ago. Allen is overdue for…
One of Texas country’s biggest stars is in some serious trouble. As News 9 in Oklahoma City first reported, Stoney LaRue was arrested on Monday, July 20 for domestic violence. According to Oklahoma City police, LaRue (whose real last name is actually Phillips), threw his girlfriend down a flight of…
Yesterday, Robert Wilonsky ruined all our mornings in short order. The Dallas Morning News reporter had decided to head to Ships Lounge on Lower Greenville for a morning-beer, and via a quick discussion with owner Charlie Red, learned that the bar would be on a short hiatus. Wilonsky reports that…
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Erykah Badu must be blushing right now. Back in 2007, she released a music video for the song “Honey” in which she peruses a record store, pulling iconic records off the racks in which she’s worked herself into the cover artwork…
The Observer needs a part-time clubs editor. The job includes: — Data entry to keep our clubs listings current and managing the Dallas Observer concert calendar. — Processing reader-submitted calendar items. — Writing brief descriptions for notable concerts. Ideal candidates will be familiar with local concert venues, but all talented…
For almost a decade and a half, Chris Rodriguez — better known as C Rod — has been a staple in the local music scene as a musician, producer and DJ. C Rod is most often aligned with Dallas house music, but his depth of knowledge casts a wider net…
What is a “Glorp”? The legends are hazy, but the story goes that Charles Knowles, in a state of alcohol-induced clairvoyance, sent a noble Snapchat message containing the mystic word. From there, it was only a matter of time before he and his roommate, Keelan Tollefson, named their home studio…
Lars Warn brings a wealth of deep track knowledge that is well beyond his ears to the production and DJ table. Warn’s versatility comes from an exploratory nature that has found him spinning in a variety of niche genres. From the earliest days of proper dubstep to the deepest reaches of…
Is Alex Trebek an Old 97’s fan? The jury is still out on that one, but this much we do know: Monday’s episode of Jeopardy! gave a shout out to Dallas’ favorite cow punk — uh, alt country — band, and it was a pretty cool nod to Rhett Miller and…
Oaktopia Festival is heading into its third year in 2015, which means it’s about time for things to get serious. Last year the upstart Denton festival upped its game in a serious way, bringing in artists like Aesop Rock, Immortal Technique and Neon Indian for three days of music in…
