Can’t decide between going to the concert or seeing a movie? The Texas Theatre has a solution. Why not both? An upcoming screening of director Gordon Parks Jr.’s blaxploitation classic Super Fly on Saturday, part of the Oak Cliff movie theater’s Black Cinematheque Filmmaker series, will feature DJ Spinderella from Salt-N-Pepa and…
“In Bed With” is a Dallas Observer series in which we delve into the homes and personal lives of Dallas music industry professionals. Sammy “Rat” Rios and Rob Martinez are two of Dallas’ most promising artists. Rios is a singer and stage actress, and Martinez is a videographer. They’re both…
Getting your name out there in the music business was tough before the internet came along. Things got way more complicated with emerging media, so old business models have been trying to hang in there ever since. Frisco-based Music Audience Exchange, known as MAX, is taking a modern approach to…
Whether you’re celebrating a relationship or treating yourself this week, love is in the air — and not just Book of Love (although the ’90s synth-pop band’s show at Granada Theater on Friday night is sure to spark some romance). The week’s musical possibilities seem endless, with indie rock icon…
Retirement announcements seem to be happening on a weekly basis for some of our most beloved musical acts. On the heels of last week’s farewell call from Elton John, Paul Simon and Ozzy Osbourne are making plans for life away from the road. Fortunately for us, they’ll both hit Dallas…
Given the continued decline in CD sales overall for the past 15 years, it’s only been a matter of time for big-box stores to stop selling them. The dominant format from the early ’90s to the early ’00s is about to be gone from all Best Buy locations, and Target…
On a chilly Sunday morning, Bill Wisener turns on the “open” sign at his vinyl record store, one of the oldest in Dallas. You’ll recognize Wisener’s shop when you spot the red “Bill’s” sign hanging outside the store, which is nestled next to Poor David’s Pub on Lamar Street in Dallas’…
Dance music genres go in and out of popularity, and electrofunk is about to have its moment again. DJ Flash 45s is best known for spinning his vinyl 45s, but this week he takes a stab at electro. Today, the genre is most commonly associated with techno, but it has…
Dallas hip-hop artist Bobby Sessions announced today that he has signed with Def Jam. The announcement comes almost three years to the day since Sessions quit his day job to pursue music full time. In a 2015 interview with the Observer, Sessions said that he only had $50 in his…
Ozzy Osbourne is slowing down, but not before he goes on one last, epic tour. This week the 69-year-old heavy metal legend announced “No More Tours 2,” the sequel to his 1992 tour. So far, 47 dates have been revealed, but the tour is anticipated to continue into 2020, so…
EDM is a visual experience as much as it is an aural one. Dallas’ Lights All Night, which has grown to be one of the largest music festivals in the state, features giant LED boards, complex lighting systems and a troupe of ethereal performers hired to enchant the crowd of…
Unlike most musicians, Sealion bassist Sam Villavert wakes up at 4:30 a.m. “It’s a ridiculous hour,” Villavert says, “but it helps jumpstart my morning and puts me in a healthier mental state.” For Villavert, 26, exercise is indispensable. Usually, she works out before her 8 a.m. arrival at Nature’s Plate,…
It’s three months away, and anticipation is building for the sixth annual JMBLYA, which is expanding to Houston this year. ScoreMore Shows just released the locations for each date of the hip-hop and EDM festival — which stops in Dallas and Austin first — as well as the majority of…
Former DJ and morning show host Jerry Lentz loved what he did for a living. Lentz, who died at age 54 on Jan. 27, was one of the first on-air personalities for the now-defunct station The Edge KDGE-FM, and he made the job look easy. “He was extremely devoted to the…
We’re one month into 2018 and the concert calendar continues to fill up. There’s good stuff ahead, including a pretty cool alt-rock/metal pairing, a classic blues double-bill, and a visit from the Vampire Weekend mastermind. Also, a local favorite hits a big stage and a couple international acts make rare…
Most DJs go through phases as their musical palette evolves, and Shawn Kasal’s DJ journey has brought him to his current alias, Mala Strana, under which he recently signed to local label Audiophile. It reflects the new, deep techno sound Kasal is channeling behind the decks and in his production…
On a nondescript cul-de-sac off of Haskell Avenue, across from the Cityplace Target, sits an even more nondescript building. Some of the biggest names in Dallas music have recorded here. Jeff Saenz started Modern Electric Sound Recorders almost six years ago. Beau Bedford of the Texas Gentlemen joined him soon…
If you have purchased tickets to a show in Dallas lately, you may have noticed a new payment option: Bravo. Some local venues, such as Three Links, are partnering with the service online. Bravo allows users to pay for goods and services without sharing personal information and without any fees…
Top Ten Records in Oak Cliff will host a special event tonight featuring electronic music pioneer Gil Trythall and Dallas avant-pop composer Lily Taylor. The late-’60s and early-’70s saw the release of a series of albums composed on a Moog synthesizer. Inspired by Wendy Carlos’ synth masterpiece Switched-On Bach in…
Six Shooter is a recurring feature in which we highlight six new releases by North Texas-based musicians. T.Y.E. — “Playground” & All About Money T.Y.E. is not only one of Dallas’ premiere rappers, but he’s also one of its most prolific. Last year, the Oak Cliff rapper released two full-length…
Declan McKenna plays Trees on Friday. When he was just 16, Declan McKenna made a name for himself in 2015 with “Brazil,” a single he self-released on his YouTube channel. It’s a catchy tune that criticizes FIFA for hosting the World Cup in a poverty-ridden country. McKenna hopped on the…
There was a feeling of history being made Saturday night in the stagnant, sticky air of the basement at J&J’s Pizza. Minor Threat performed its first show in a basement, and other punk acts, such as Hüsker Dü, Black Flag and Social Distortion, all got their start in basements. In Denton…
