Blogs

Shock of Pleasure delighted fans Saturday night at the release party its It's About Time. We know there was a ton going on this weekend, though. (One of our stops this Saturday was our Best of Dallas party.) So, the members of Shock of Pleasure are allowing us to share a couple of their new tracks, "This is a Test" and "Xenophobia," with the DC-9 readers.

If you love it, you can pick up the new disc at Good Records or on iTunes. -- Chelsea Ide

Your best bets for this weekend's musical shenanigans:

Frontier Brothers, Luke Boor, Acadia and the Asteroid, Coming Down, Epitas
Gypsy Tea Room. Friday, Sept. 8. $10-$12.

The hasty closing of the Dallas Door site to make room for condos (there's a joke in there somewhere about closing one door to open another, or something, but DC-9 is too allergy-laden to come up with it) has also pushed up the re-opening of the Gypsy Tea Room space (owned, of course, by the Door folks). Sentimentality would probably lead us to point out this show as a keeper, but since the Frontier Brothers are playing it's a genuinely good pick. These Austin/Fort Worth folks rock a quirky little piano-centered vibe, kind of like Randy Newman if he didn't take himself so seriously or Ben Folds with more ragged, punkish edges.

Theater Fire, Oso Closo, Buttercup
Wreck Room. Friday, Sept. 28. $5.

You already know all about Theater Fire's timeless, soulful tunes that waltz around genre like a genteel Southern lady. What strikes us about this show is its variety--Theater Fire's slow-tempoed throwback, plus Oso Closo's updated prog rock wherein strange piano lines are followed closely by echoing guitar, plus Buttercup's quiet love-pop. I'd skip the latter unless you're curious; it's a bit cloying. Theater Fire and Oso, however, should be an interesting juxtaposition.

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We just got word that local promoter, manager, blogger and all-around music gal Amanda Newman is officially the new co-owner of Club Dada. Newman joins David Seeberger and Bob Cummins at the helm of the venerable club, which has been around for 21 years.

Newman sponsored Thursday Night's Listening To... evenings at Dada as part of FineLineLive (along with Cindy Chaffin) and later on her own as part of the Bocatinta blog fare. "I'm excited and scared," she says. "When they [Seeberger and Cummins] asked me I said, 'Hell yeah! Where do I sign?"

Sign she did, and now she'll be handling the booking and promotion while keeping her day job. Newman is planning on bringing back the Thursday Night series and also the artist in residence program. The first artist in residence will be Chris Gonzales for the month of October.

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Atmosphere teased the crowd with new songs Thursday night. (Matthew Blake)

When I rolled up to the Loft just before 9 p.m., the line for Atmosphere wrapped around the building. And anyone foolish enough to think they were buying tickets at the door seriously mistook the following the Minnesota rap team had in Dallas. The holdup was heavily due to checking IDs and getting a ridiculous over 21 wristband with your full name etched onto it. Talk about Big Brother at his finest.

DJ SKU set the scene for the tour’s unofficial host, Luckyiam of the Living Legends crew, to open the show. The audio wasn’t the best and I couldn’t actually catch his lyrics, but he kept it moving, nonetheless, ending his first song with an emphatic, “What’s crackin’?” that immediately woke up the room. Sometimes prowling, sometimes bouncing across the stage, not missing a breath, Luckyiam performed a few singles from his upcoming album Most Likely to Succeed before he gave way to Mac Lethal.

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Interpol engages the Palladium crowd Thursday night. (Matt Mueller)

Interpol is one of those bands I managed to only see at festivals up to this point. Let’s face it, festivals suck for technical bands. Luckily, I was able to catch the New York band Thursday night at the Palladium Ballroom (photos).

Opening band The Liars were just starting their set when I arrived. Liars’ frontman Aaron, clad in a tailored white suit, was flapping his arms to a tribal-esque beat. As the band shifted moods and mimicked bagpipe drones in the throbbing tune, the Liars came off animalistic yet cerebral. Unfortunately, as the set progressed the band proved to be less intellectual. The music shifted to noise, and the band was trying too hard to be weird. However, the one song dedicated to Dallas, “Freak Out,” had more of a disco-meets-The Cure feel – and was good.

Following a brief set change and reminder that strobe lights were being used during the show, the lights dimmed readying the stage for Interpol. An image of a lion stalking a goat illuminated the stage’s back wall as the five dapper men of Interpol appeared. Each in dressy duds – OK, drummer Sam Fogarino was wearing shorts – the band members hit their marks and launched into “Pioneer to the Falls.” (ed. - Thanks Matt!)

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A Wednesday night out on lower Greenville offered a couple of surprises. First, parking was a bitch. Is Wednesday the new Friday? The second surprise was President George Bush with pasties. Did I really drink that much?

Zubar celebrated its 11th anniversary with a prison themed party, Lock Down, and if the packed house on Hump Day is any indication, the joint may just be there for another 11. DJ team Kold Komfort Farm (a.k.a. Redeye and Robert Taylor) spun the tunes as cellmates hung out on the patio, crowded in the front bar or bumped-and-grinded in the back room. The club fashioned itself with lots of chain link fences and a jail cell surrounding the bar, a clever look although it gave to awkward exchanges when ordering with the bartenders.

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We're watching the clock, waiting until it's time for tonight's Atmosphere show over at The Loft. If you're like us, and can't wait to hear the group's rhymes, we have a treat for you. Here's the track "Sunshine" from the band's latest Sad Clown Bad Summer Number 9 (Rhymesayers). Listen while you wait for this evening to arrive.

And, in the event you can't make it tonight, DC-9 has your back. We're heading out with a camera and a notepad. Check back tomorrow for the details and pictures. -- Chelsea Ide

Sarah Jaffe

Two weeks ago, we mentioned the forthcoming documentary titled At War, about U.S. combat troops stations in Afghanistan. It was directed and shot entirely by a former soldier-turned-photojournalist from Portland named Scott Kesterson, who spent a year in Afghanistan and is currently in Dallas editing the movie with producer David Leeson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer for The Dallas Morning News.

Today, The Oregonian has a piece on the film as well, and we noticed there was a new trailer available -- this one, scored by multi-Dallas Observer Music Award-winner Sarah Jaffe. The song is called "Swelling," which you can also hear on her MySpace page. -- Robert Wilonsky

Dallas' soul musician Montrose is a fan of fashion mags. Can you tell? (Clark Perkins)

Rock-soul musician Montrose isn’t unlike many other Dallas hidden gem, waiting patiently in the wings of local notoriety for his moment to shine. He, his band and his partner in prose Rhonda Nicole zig zag the city performing everywhere from the Opening Bell (back when it was Standard & Pours) to Miso Café to the Taste of Dallas Festival.

Those appearances earned him a rag-tag cult following. Dallas Mavericks’ Don Nelson is counted as a fan. He recognized Montrose at the LFT Universe Party and rained complements on him about a performance at Brooklyn’s Jazz Café before pulling him into a few photos.

The soulful singer agreed to sit down with DC-9 and give us the inside scoop on fashion shows, pet peeves and his favorite fan.

When did you know you wanted to be a musician?

Montrose: I’ve always had an interest in music. I guess when I got out of college, I decided to see if I could do it full time.

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DC-9 just got an e-mail announcing 2008 Austin City Limits Festival three-day passes are now on sale at special early-bird prices. If you buy ’em, the ACL folk will send you a confirmation e-mail and mail the tix later in the year. (So you don’t have to hang on to a ticket for 12 months.) The downside is the lineup is unknown; the upside is a three-day pass is only $135 during the special. This deal is for ACL e-list subscribers only. If you haven’t subscribed, go here. -- Jonanna Widner

Just opened up my press materials from the House of Blues fall schedule. Scrolling through, I noticed there are a few changes, and also the return of the best ’90s comeback band so far the past two years, Dinosaur Jr.

Check it:
Swizz Beatz’ Oct. 16 show is cancelled.
Ringo Deathstar opens for the Dandy Warhols Oct. 29.
The opener for M.I.A.’s Nov. 4 show is the Cool Kids.

Newly announced HOB shows:
Buck 65 -- Nov. 8
AC/DC tribute band Back in Black -- Nov. 23 (early show)
Fabulous Thunderbirds -- Nov. 23 (late show)
Dinosaur Jr. -- Dec. 8.
Café Tacuba -- Dec. 10. -- Jonanna Widner

Just got word the Bonde Do Role's Dallas' show scheduled for Oct. 5 at the Palladium has been nixed. No word as to why. When we get the skinny, we'll be sure to share. -- Jonanna Widner

Red Monroe, The Lifters, Oliver Future
Central Market, Fort Worth. Free

Get your broke ass down to Fort Worth on Thursday, Sept. 27, for a trio of nu-nue-nuevo-nouveau pop from this trio of bands. First off, Red Monroe shakes and shimmies with a style that culls from everything from new wave to the disco-era Stones to the choppy, danceable rock of the likes of Modest Mouse. The Lifters take a less frenetic approach; their radio-friendly sound is a blend of modern alt-country and weepy pop. Finally, Oliver Future, some of whom hail from right here in Big D, have found bit of success in L.A. with their glossy, well-written and trickily soulful tunes. Should be a good one, and you can also pick up some hummus on Aisle 5. Or, if you’re really broke, work the free sample circuit. –- Jonanna Widner

Dammit, I heart Austin City Limits. The show, not the festival. Well, the festival’s fun, too, but right now I’m talking about the show. The venerable PBS show, a music-lovers wet dream and a good excuse to stay home on a Saturday night, has announced the schedule for its upcoming season -- its 33rd. Things kick off with our very own Norah Jones on October 6, and the list is peppered with a good number of Texas bands, some with ties to DFW: Explosions in the Sky (October 13, with the Decemberists), Jimmy Reed Highway with Jimmie Vaughan (October 27), Ghostland Observatory (December 29, with Bloc Party) and Roky Erikson (January 19, with Kings of Leon). Get the ol’ TiVo ready. The rest of the schedule can be found here. (Also, go here to read a transcript of the 2004 ACL backstage interview with Tim DeLaughter of Polyphonic Spree. It’s old stuff, but good stuff.) -- Jonanna Widner

(Hal Samples)

I don't know much about Slider Pines -- yet -- except that, oh, frontman Joey Shanks wrote the band's new album, Road, Avenue, Railroad while moving back and forth between Dallas and Memphis, where he grew up. (Got that from the bio -- and, like, straight from the bio.) And I did know that Paul Williams produced the disc; but I saw that on Paul's Web site. And I did know that the great Hal Samples had done the band's publicity photo.

Other than that, nada -- at least, not till the band's publicist rang with the news that Road, Avenue, Railroad was being released today on Wire to Ear Records and would I like a copy and did I need to know more and could I use an MP3 and here's the link to a photo. And after spending a little time with the record, the entirety of which you can hear here, well, I'd like to know more about Slider Pines and maybe buy 'em a beer. Here's a taste. -- Robert Wilonsky

MP3:

Slider Pines - "The Missing Street Sign" (Road, Avenue, Railroad)