Critic Jessica Hopper has played in and managed bands, toured internationally, booked shows, produced records, worked as a publicist and is the author of The Girls’ Guide to Rocking, a how-to for teen ladies. She is here to help you stop doing it wrong. Send your problems to her –…
Reporter Scott Parks had an excellent “get” Friday in The Dallas Morning News revealing that Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings has been running a secret task force to come up with ideas for the future of Fair Park. Fair Park — the 277-acre 1930s Art Deco exposition park in the heart…
By Andrew W.K. Editor’s note: Every week Andrew W.K. takes your life questions, and sets you safely down the right path to a solution, a purpose or — no surprise here — a party. Need his help? Just ask: AskAWK@villagevoice.com] Dear Andrew, I have serious trouble letting things go. For…
Drill down into the Trinity East lawsuit against the City of Dallas, and it tells one hell of a story about how Dallas City Hall really operates. The question is whether or not to believe it. That story started in 2007 when the city was facing a $90 million budget…
Not too long ago, we at DC9 took a look at the value of supporting music with the local tag. It’s tempting to apply the tag to anyone with any ties to North Texas, but how often is it accurate? Two notable releases will be widely, and perhaps wrongly, deemed…
Yesterday morning after I read the story in The Dallas Morning News about the so-called Trinity lakes the city is going to build, I went straight to the kitchen and put my face under the cold water tap, then gave myself a couple of sharp slaps and said loudly, “No,…
“I will be coming from the gym. I hope it’s okay if I am a little grubby.” The message appears on my phone with a ting. “Oh, same,” I reply. “Now we can both be a little grubby.” That shared agreement is important. Two gym outfits cancel each other out…
Dear Mexican: Why is there in every Mexican family a jealous cousin driven by insecurity? Must Excuse Vulgar-Ass Lingual Expression Dear ME VALE: Take your pick. It’s because a) your dad unwittingly insulted their dad back in the rancho when they were boys, and your cousin was taught to hate…
“Grow South” is Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings’ initiative to erase or at least soften the hard economic border dividing white North Dallas from black and Hispanic southern Dallas. When Rawlings ad libs about it from a chair out front of his desk in his City Hall office, he can reel…
Yesterday I came in and found a fat suspicious-looking Fedex package waiting for me not on my desk with other mail but propped alone on my chair. Normally with potentially harmful mail, I leave it unopened and dispose of it safely in the trash can in the advertising department But…
Yes, I, too, love the Shakespeare T-shirt about first kill all the lawyers, and I bet I’ve got five good lawyer jokes to your one, but then again, I do dearly love it when good lawyers get elected to the City Council. In Dallas, as a result of having had…
Very interesting press conference Friday in the Flag Room at Dallas City Hall … wait … wait. Oh, no. Did I just tell you there was an interesting press conference in the Flag Room at City Hall? Tell me I did not just say that. No, what I meant to…
Wait. The State Fair of Texas spent $30 million to start up a new summertime amusement park at Fair Park. It ran one season — two months plus a week — last summer. Now they’re giving up already? No second season? What is this, Broadway? You put in $30 million,…
Matt Hooker”David Lee Pan” combines the best of Van Halen and Big Trouble in Little China.One of the most painful feelings in the world is when you encounter someone who desperately wants you to see their art. If you’re not overcome with waves of panic and dread, you’re already plotting…
You know, I’m beginning to think a million bucks, maybe a couple million, just flat does not matter in today’s world, at least if it’s “public” money (that would be yours and mine sorta). Maybe whenever people say “a million bucks” on a public document or in a public hearing…
Dear Mexican: Do you agree with gente who think you can’t be vegetarian if you’re Mexican ’cause meat is an essential part of our diet? I think it’s babosadas. Like, my parents growing up in Zacatecas only had meat on Friday when the pollero came knockin’, or other rare occurrences…
The powers that be made sure leadership of the Dallas City Council’s Trinity River project committee would go to Vonciel Hill, their biggest suck-up. Therefore, most of the good information about the project dies right there. Everything would die if it were not for Sandy Greyson and Scott Griggs. Griggs,…
It’s been a ride. For nearly four years, I’ve enjoyed writing the Local Music ‘Mericans column, getting to know some of my neighbors who are in love with music at least as much as I am. As a tribute to this column known as Local Music ‘Mericans, I’ve been asked…
Editor’s Note: Shea Serrano is an award-winning music writer and goofball whose recent exploits include Bun B’s Rapper Coloring and Activity Book. In his new column, he writes about his life and times. 3:20 p.m.: Today I am chaperoning our school’s Valentine’s Day dance. A line of about 100 kids…
Whether you love the Winter Olympics (“Guns plus skiing equals yes!!”) or hate them (“Stupid Winter Olympics need more gymnastics less ice dancing!”), everyone knows all Olympics are better with beer. Or whiskey. Or and whiskey. Welcome to the 2014 Sochi Olympics Drinking Game, the only way to enjoy the…
Just when you thought I would never talk about the Kennedy assassination and the Sixth Floor Museum again, I’m baaack. But, look, I’m only baaack because Robert Groden is baaack, this time with a state district court lawsuit against the city for malicious prosecution. Groden is the nationally known New…
We’ve been talking here off and on about land owners near the new UNT-Dallas campus in southern Dallas who want a sewer. They think City Hall is deliberately holding back on a system they were promised years ago. And, yeah, I always feel I need to stop and stipulate that…
