Local new media artist Eric Trich was thrilled when he got the call that Canton Hall needed his help. He’d attended the Grizzly Bear concert in November, the Deep Ellum venue’s first, and walked away impressed by the space. “I like how it’s straight to the point,” Trich says. “You…
When the sun finally set on the short-lived tiki bar Sunset Lounge in June, Dallas waited and watched the corner of Liberty Street and Ross Avenue to see what would be next for the location. The Sunset Lounge failed to capitalize on the recent growth along Ross in the no…
Concert promoters haven’t yet slowed down for the holidays. This week brings a bevy of new announcements with the likes of Kesha, Jack Johnson, Yanni and Jeezy all revealing Dallas performances in 2018. Also, a crew of Celtic rockers comes through, an up-and-coming rapper will appear on a larger stage,…
Michael Todd is a seasoned DJ who has been on the frontline of dance music culture since the ’90s. In that early era, he helped launch the Groov-e Company crew with Britton Schweitzer, DJ Merritt of Edge Club fame and Rob Vaughn. The crew hosted a who’s who of ’90s Dallas…
Photographer Will von Bolton was born Will Bolton in Belton. His “stage name,” as he calls it, is a remembrance from his earlier marriage to model Veda von Bergen, as friends referred to the couple as “the Von Boltons.” He sold all his possessions four months ago and is without…
Bucks Burnett has met most of his music idols, and he’s not afraid to share the details. In this column, he reveals tales from the front lines and backstage. I found about about the 2007 Led Zeppelin reunion when I received an email with “Led Zeppelin Reunion” in the subject…
Gary Numan plays Trees on Thursday, Dec. 14. Over the nearly 40 years Gary Numan has been recording and performing, he has made forays into punk, new wave, funk, jazz funk, R&B and straight ahead rock. Through all of these phases, his sweeping melodies, roaring hooks and introspective lyrics have…
Lewisville’s Vista Ridge Mall has a new owner and a new name: Music City Mall Lewisville. ICA Properties, an Odessa-based real estate management company, purchased the floundering, 1.05 million-square-foot Vista Ridge Mall for $17.3 million through an online auction in September. ICA is planning to attract tenants and shoppers to…
Dimevision Vol. 2: Roll With it or Get Rolled Over, the follow-up to Dimebag Darrell Abbott’s video memorial set, debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s DVD music video chart in its first week of release. The DVD/CD set includes more footage of classic moments of Abbott’s life and five previously unreleased…
It seems unthinkable that the “King of Country” has yet to be named Texan of the Year, but the Texas Legislative Conference announced this week that it will fix the problem in March at its annual forum in New Braunfels. The nonpartisan collection of Texas business and political leaders chose country…
Last week, we published a profile of Jimmie Vaughan in which the guitarist talks about his new album, Live at C-Boy’s, and coming up as a musician in Dallas. Vaughan also had a lot to say about the equipment he plays with, and we’re sharing our conversation about his favorite…
This week’s Dallas concert announcements include a pair of unique evenings out in Grand Prairie, a showcase at one of Deep Ellum’s newest spaces, and some big names at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, the Granada and House of Blues. Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox has become a huge sensation over…
Red Animal War plays Three Links on Saturday, Dec. 23, with Casey Hess & the Alexander. This month, a rock band that gained steam in Dallas in the late ’90s is celebrating the reissue of one of its first albums. Red Animal War originally released Black Phantom Crusades through North…
Chris Houlihan has been working as a DJ in Dallas since the ’90s. House music is a staple of his sets, and he explores all of its many subgenres, from the techy side to more old-school sounds. Houlihan just wrapped up a successful run at the Ivy, where he hosted…
When Bryce Butler was a little kid, he often waddled into the kitchen while his parents watched old Eagles concerts and beat on bowls with wooden spoons. Twenty-two years later, Butler is still beating on things as the drummer of North Texas metal bands Seeker and Lizard Professor. But he…
Here at the Dallas Observer, we show love to local music year round, but last night concluded our annual celebration of the Dallas music scene. At Saturday’s Dallas Observer Music Awards showcase in Deep Ellum, our ears were overwhelmed by talent. Some of our favorites from Saturday were Dome Dwellers,…
About a dozen U.S. veterans who served in Korea, Vietnam and the Middle East are gathered for band practice at the Veterans Administration building in Fort Worth. The Guitars for Heroes program is helping them cope with their trauma and injuries through music. Some sing Merle Haggard tunes, strumming acoustic…
More than a year and a half after Joe Cripps’ disappearance, what happened to the internationally recognized percussionist is a still an unanswered question. Cripps was best known for his work with Denton-based, Grammy Award-winning polka band Brave Combo. He moved from Denton to his hometown of Little Rock in…
In a world gone digital, a Denver-based record-a-month club called Vinyl Me, Please is keeping the analog party rockin’, one record at a time. The 5-year-old company has been making a name for itself locally with events and local artist spotlights at Dallas bars such as Shoals Sound & Service…
Dallas bluesman Jimmie Vaughan carved his nickname, “Jimbo,” into the back of a 1951 Fender Broadcaster before handing it down to his younger brother. Guitar lore has it that Stevie Ray Vaughan, after altering it somewhat, eventually traded the instrument for a red Epiphone. He later regretted it, but “Jimbo”…
“A Day in the Life …” is a series that focuses on the daily routines of prominent figures in the local music scene. Jeff Liles asks me to meet him at the Kessler Theater around 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17. As the Oak Cliff theater’s artistic director and talent buyer since 2008,…
Oak Cliff reality rapper C. Struggs has always rapped about his struggles. He now has a big new one: his health. Last week, a video of the 31-year-old rapper being rushed to the hospital went viral on social media after rap blog Say CheeseTV posted it. The video didn’t indicate…
