Blogs

Ghostland Observatory
Dec 30, 2007
House of Blues

Better Than: Watching oily robots make sweet love under a banana tree.

Hippies love Ghostland! Hipsters love Ghosltand! Geeks and freaks and the wannabe sheik all love Ghostland!

And I love Ghostland Observatory, too. Like…crazy-love.

Last night the Austin-based electro-soul duo played its gyrating anthems to a soul-ed out crowd at House of Blues. And I’m not sure if it was that fact that I chose to remain dead-sober last night or the annoyance of waiting 30 minutes to enter the building and another ridiculous amount of minutes to get a glass of water from the bar, but everyone inching around the watertight Chamber Room seemed completely wasted. The massive representation of SMU-bags (pronounced smew-bags) and douchebags may have had something to do with the beer-reeking, awkwardly dancing crowd. Every little crevasse I attempted to comfortably slither into (without success) felt like another pocket of wasters flailing around on a pungent pool of spilled Jack Daniels. Before the show even started, a young blonde was hurried away on a stretcher from neglectfully allowing the party meter to explode through the heels of her leopard print pump. And I actually saw a dude dancing away while his severely intoxicated girlfriend clung to him like a hairy fanny pack. It was sort of lame and a lot of annoying.

The fellows on stage, however, were vibrant and seemingly sober –- if you consider flapping around like a cod in frying pan something a sober person would do. (And, as always, looking very sexy doing so.) Frontman Aaron Behrens belted his eerie-underbellied lyrics to the fanatic coup and wiggled his little girl-jean butt across every inch of the stage. The beat-maestro, in his usual phantom cape, flawlessly finger-tapped his synthesizer creating loud, boisterous dance grooves that slipped and slided off the quivering HoB walls. All this magic -- plus lasers -- cool.

Van Morrison
Myerson Symphony Center
December 29, 2007

Better than: Pretending you have Celtic roots getting drunk at O’Malley’s.

Saturday night, in the stuffy and polite confines of the Myerson Symphony Center, Van Morrison finally let loose. After a disinterested performance of “Moondance,” the legendary singer consumed just enough wine to start feeling the grooves put forth by his top-notch backing band. Spirited takes on “Stranded” and “Magic Time” were punctuated with Van’s trademark grunts and hollers and a clearly audible “motherfucker.” Later on, Van decried various “assholes” that didn’t understand “that I don’t fade away unless I choose.” One wonders if such vernacular has ever been heard at this particular venue. The crowd certainly didn’t mind even though the standing ovation at the conclusion of “Moondance” was appallingly misplaced. Ironically, the best moments of the evening were covers. Two songs commonly associated with Ray Charles, “I Can’t Stop Loving You” and “Georgia on my Mind,” were tributes not so much to Charles, but to soul music in general. Unlike Dylan, at 62, Morrison’s voice is still a marvel. During an upbeat version of the slightly schlocky “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?” Van’s animated stage presence belied his fedora, ill-fitting suit and dark glasses. Even though he turned his back to the audience, Morrison was having a good time, and as always, on his own terms. -- Darryl Smyers

So many parties, so little time. With 2008 a few days away, we here at DC-9 thought we’d help you sort out some of your New Year’s Eve club partying options. (See our NYE concert picks.) Everybody’s doing something around town but these top few stuck out to us with ratings of course (out of 10).

'80s Dance Party with DJ Baby Ruthless (6)
(The Meridian Room, 3611 Parry Ave., Exposition Park.)

For those inclined to grooving up to the midnight hour at the pace of The Go-Gos, Duran Duran and Culture Club, The Meridian Room is the one-stop for you as Baby Ruthless takes patrons back to the '80s while heading toward 2008. Ironic, huh? What’s better is their flyer for the night uses the words “free” and “half-price” to appeal to the financially-challenged. Free champagne and party favors will be on hand while drafts will be going for half. But the more curious part of their party will be the advertised smoke machine, hot chicks and “lots of dirty dancing.” The latter parts I get, but that bar might get smoked out pretty quick and that midnight kiss won’t be much fun out on the sidewalk.

Ricki Derek’s Fifth Annual New Year’s Ring-A-Ding (8)
(9 p.m., $50, Scat Jazz Lounge, 111 W. Fourth St., Fort Worth.)

Ricki Derek and the Vegas Five take their annual show to Derek’s new club in the Sundance Square. Sure we’re going to miss him doing his jazz and comedy on this side of the Trinity for New Year’s, but his new club offers up swank that we may just not find this way. At least without a hotel attached to it. To party it up old school Vegas style, spend a little cash, dust off the tux (OK, some kind of dressy digs) and go west. $50 doesn’t just get you in, but it gets you a table. Does anybody remember those in clubs? Champagne and favors also will be handed out at midnight. And if it ends up being a truly hammered night, there are several hotels in stumbling distance.

New Year’s Party Event with DJ RPM (7)
($1000 table, $50 person, Obar Ultralounge, 160 2B Main St.)

We don’t do the Ultralounge scene too much, and you know how we feel about the douchebags who live there. This downtown underground bar, however, is the exception. RPM spins tunes that you can sing along to as opposed to boring techno beats, and distracts from the fact that this sliver of a bar gets crowded fast. If 10 of you pool together a grand for a table, you get the total VIP treatment with two bottles of Grey Goose vodka and a bottle of champagne. And everybody gets to toast at midnight with the bubbly.

Money, parking, overcrowded venues and quality of music; these are just a few things that come to mind when deciding where to go this New Year’s Eve. Here is a list of 1- possibilities followed by a scaled score (10 being the best bet) to rate the perspective overall experience. (Or you can always scope our list of top NYE club events.)

Spoonfed Tribe, Oso Closo at the Granada (4)

Spoonfed Tribe are yet another in the long line of bands in the spirit of Phish, Widespread Panic and, of course, the Grateful Dead. After Denton’s Oso Closo gets the audience interested, Spoonfed will lull them right into deep slumber.

The Old 97s, Drams, Boys Named Sue at Longhorn Ballroom (9)

OK, so the Old 97’s are kind of, well, old. That doesn’t detract from this great triple bill of Americana/country/rock/whatever. Rhett Miller might be prettier, but Brent Best writes a better song and them Boys Named Sue could kick their collective ass.

The Tejas Brothers at Dan’s Silver Leaf (5)

If you can’t get drunk and dance to Tejano-inspired rock and soul, well you best get out of Texas.

Chris Knight, Darryl Lee Rush at Love and War in Texas (7)

Local roots rocker Darryl Lee Rush just released his sophomore disc, Live From the River Road Icehouse, so this should be a chance to catch his full band in a rowdy environment. Along with headliner Chris Knight, a better duo of songwriters is not likely to be found.

Apocalypse Dudes, Thunder Nut at Double Wide (10)

It costs only $7 and includes a “Champagne of Beers” toast at midnight with Miller High Life all around. Add in two tribute bands that play respect to Turbonegro and New York Dolls and you have yourself the white trash New Year’s Eve every trailer park calls for. No wonder it’s at the Double Wide.

Burgeoning blues beau Jonathan Tyler and his talented stage posse will be rocking the damask walls of the Granada tonight in support of their surprisingly soulful album Hot Trottin’.

As House of Blues favorites and recent targets of major label A&R pursuance, Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights are scaling the kind of publicity pedestal that could land them on the stages in which they certainly belong: festival tours.

Tyler is a roots rocker savant, and buzz on the street is, he’s got the young-buck moxie to exclaim his gruff and melodious self-expression. Backed by equally gypsy musicians, a.k.a. the Northern Lights, this herd of a band is truly destined for jam-band following the likes of…oh, I don’t know…G. Love. (I’m not much of a festival girl these days, but I keep my thumb on the pulse.) Their feverish whaling, jamming and heartstring-pulling rocks-out with mass appeal and a sweet, devilish charm that would find itself right at home at sweat-fests like ACL and Bonnaroo.

Regularly playing and alluding to their love of Austin, I, personally, think it’s a blessing that Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights are from Dallas. The popularity and abundance of boot-scraping rhythm and grass bands in Austin may have bullied the troupe into dog paddling in the Colorado –- like so many talented Austin bands. But, in Dallas, and most likely (according to my magical 8 Ball of fury and duh) more American cities to come, J.T. and the Northern Lights stand out quite like the name of their act implies.

Kicking off an intensive Texas tour, these brazen youngsters may never return to their dirty concrete roots. They have seeds to sew from here to Bumbershoot and Thursday’s show could go down as one of the last chapters of their wily Texas tale. -- Krissi Reeves

Due to a major oversight on my part, the music and concert listings in this week's issue are reprinted from last week. I offer my sincerest apologies to our readers, bands and the venues who allow me to include them each week. Shows for the dates of December 27 through January 2 can be found in our online music section. -- Rich Lopez

If you conduct a Wikipedia search for “Fair to Midland,” you find…well, the facts. Just the facts. And, in your wee hours of MySpace music hunting, you find that Fair to Midland is a band. A “Progressive / Folk / Metal” band with 38,812 fans, a partiality to swamp-pants and a handful of cryptic, chromatically de-saturated videos to visually narrate its sepulchral lyrics.

If you research further, here, in this verbal writhing, you discover that Fair to Midland, a Dallas heavy rock unit, is a genuine collaborative-creative-success story …and for most “bands” attempting to stake their flagpole in the music industry moon rock, that’s a pretty big deal.

After eight years of grinding the axe in efforts to actualize the collective dream of rockin’ the fuck out, Fair to Midland recently consummated its rock ‘n roll fantasy by signing to Universal Republic records via the personal enamor of System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian to release the LP Fables From a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times Is True. The combination of diligence, a brutal touring schedule (including a 2007 Coachella appearance) and the metaphorical lubing of the industry bigwigs has created quite the vertiginous woo for one of Dallas’ most commercially successful seedlings.

Driven not by intimate brethren, but, rather, a loyalty of proximity, these five North Texan musicians have found a way to maintain their musical stamina and bring their vehemently sweet metal anthems to fanatics worldwide.

So, cheers to you, Fair to Midland. Despite the esoteric nature of their rugged sound, the band has found a way to continue its grassroots efforts to gain acceptance not only form the honchos with the money, but its hometown patrons. Making a sweet yuletide homecoming at the House of Blues on December 26, we checked in with the humble lead singer Darroh Sudderth to evaluate Fair to Midland's 'holidaze' state of being; a state of blessings and gratitude. Hallelujah. (Q&A after the jump.)

If you're dying to something to listen to other than Perry Como holiday songs, we've got you covered. Listen to the classic and the amusing below.

”Christmas in Hollis” by Run-DMC.

This late '80s take on Christmas by hip-hop pioneer Run-DMC has worked its way into everyone's top holiday tunes list. We're no different. It's on the iPod, the radio and “Christmas in Hollis” is available alongside “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” on a handful of Christmas compilation discs. Once you hear, “It's Christmastime in Hollis, Queens/Mom's cooking chicken and collard greens” you're surely grinning and bobbing your head to the beat.

”Merry Mex-mas” by El Vez

Somehow El Vez manages to turn “In the Ghetto” -- er, 'in the barrio' – into a Christmas song. No, seriously. Just see what we're talking about. The video below is from a live show in Houston.

Still need a present for that one cousin or brother? Think you're screwed? Not quite. We've been sharing shopping ideas throughout the month. Here are all of our ideas in one place. Go to town.

25 Toys for Those 25 and Older
Yodeling pickles, boxing nuns, flying ninjas and four-legged women -- it doesn't get more fun or more quirky than these 25 toys. All of them are great for the childlike grown-up in your life.

Music-related stocking stuffers
Last week we did a five part series on box sets, books and discs that will elate your audiophile friend.

Part 1: Badfinger's Back
Part 2: Worthwhile Beatles Bio
Part 3: Bob Dylan Box
Part 4: Van Morrison Singles
Part 5: Reliving Husker Du

Actually Good Christmas Music

If your buddies need to get in touch with some holiday cheer, try picking up one of these discs. The list is varied from Hawaiian rockers Go Jimmy Go to country crooner Conway Twitty. -- Chelsea Ide

From the 7th Annual Polyphonic Spree Holiday Extravaganza, last Sunday night at the Lakewood Theater. A dozen other options, from the John Lennon original to U2's take, available here. --Robert Wilonsky

This weekend should really be the time you finish up your holiday shopping and wrapping and cooking and whatever else you’re more than likely behind on. Or if you’re like me and waiting until Monday to do it, then we have a few shows to keep your mind off the prize this weekend. If you actually get all the holiday prep done this weekend or, Santa forbid, finished your shopping back in October, well, then I’m giving you some coal if I run into you.

Local Honey's Holiday Mix Show
8 p.m. Friday, December 21. Lakewood Theater, 1825 Abrams Parkway.

Let go of the need to check out hip indie rock this weekend and go indulge yourself in some holiday cheer. Do you have to be emo all the time? This “15-piece all-star pop-orchestra” is looking to make the holiday (not Christmas mind you) a new tradition with this show now in its second year. Miss Kelly Brown, the guru behind the show, has assembled local musicians including Andy Timmons (guitar), Bryan Wakeland (drums), Reggie Rueffer (fiddle), Freddie Jones (trumpeter) and brought in Linda Proch from the Richardson Symphony Orchestra. In fact, Proch is the Assistant Concert Master of the RSO so this is going to be a snazzy show. But don’t worry. They promise pop, jazz and original music against classical holiday pieces. Tickets are $12 and $15 at the door.

The Crash That Took Me
8 p.m. Friday, December 21. Good Records, 1808 Lower Greenville Ave.

OK, so if you’re not in the holiday spirit and perhaps a little low on funds, scooch on over to Good Records for their free in-store performance of TCTTM. Yes, we do love us some Crash. The band will be premiering its debut video “Julianne” and then rocking out the place with tunes from its recent release, Orchestrated Kaleidoscopes. The group's buzz is growing so maybe get there a tad early. At the very least, you can be first in line for the booze and treats they will be serving. But according to the Web site, Good is telling everyone to dress accordingly. Yeah, not sure what they’re meaning either.

We're out to steer you toward the best in last minute stocking stuffers for the music junkie in your life. (We're also quick to point out those gifts to avoid.) We've got five great picks -- one a day this week. Our final piece is perfect for that person who always says, "I remember when..."

Part 1: Badfinger's Back
Part 2: Worthwhile Beatles Bio
Part 3: Bob Dylan Box
Part 4: Van Morrison Singles

Reliving Husker Du
As the heralded leader of Husker Du and Sugar, Bob Mould hasn’t had the consistent solo career fans of either band had hoped for. Murky attempts at electronica and sub-par songwriting have derailed several recent efforts. Circle of Friends is a DVD of a 2005 live performance where Mould actually embraces instead of retreats from his celebrated past. Amps are set at 11 as Mould and a top-notch assemblage offer up several Husker Du chestnuts such as “Celebrated Summer” and “I Apologize.” Rarely as engaging and cheerful, Mould’s mood certainly mirrors that of the Christmas season. -- Darryl Smyers

9th Annual Songwriter's Showcase
December 19, 2007
House of Blues

Better than: Being at a BAR Association mixer.

Last night, country hunk Roger Creager hosted the 9th Annual Songwriter’s Showcase at the House of Blues. Despite the Mavs/Suns game going on concurrently, the crowd was large, lubricated and loud. Greg Williams, former sports talk show host on KTCK, the Ticket, once referred to the fans at the Mavericks’ games as the “cocaine and boob job crowd.” Well, if that’s the case, then the folks at House of Blues last night should be called the barbecue and boob job crowd. Cleavage was more than ample as fans hooted, hollered and yeehawed at every chance. Sitting in front of me were some quite attractive lawyers (why do they always tell you what they do?) who were fairly representative of this urban hillbilly phenomenon: Dallasites educated at SMU, who love to dress up all countrified, drink too many Bud Lites and scream whenever Texas gets mentioned.

And last night, Texas was mentioned A LOT. Opening the show was a trio of great songwriters: John Evans, Gary P. Nunn and Max Stalling. Each got as intimate with the crowd as the cavernous main hall would allow. It was obvious the fans knew their country as Nunn’s “London Homesick Blues” was treated with the reverence and ruckus it well deserves. The next trio of singer/songwriters was Roger Creager, Bruce Robinson and Willy Braun from Reckless Kelly. The cute Creager was an audience favorite, but he’s almost too pretty to make music of consequence. Braun, on the other hand, really quieted the chatty crowd with the soulful and yearning “Wicked Twisted Road,” the title track of his band’s quality 2005 effort. Each performer alternated, but it was always Braun who turned the show away from redneck party central to a meaningful event. Roots music doesn’t need to be relegated to cornpone and Braun reminded the surgically enhanced crowd of this with every word he sang. -- Darryl Smyers

We're out to steer you toward the best in last minute stocking stuffers for the music junkie in your life. (We're also quick to point out those gifts to avoid.) We've got five great picks -- one a day this week. Part four is a decent compilation that doesn't cost a ton.

Part 1: Badfinger's Back
Part 2: Worthwhile Beatles Bio
Part 3: Bob Dylan Box

Van Morrison Singles
An artist desperately in need of a box set is Van Morrison. The just released Still on Top is a single disc compilation limited to 21 singles Morrison has released over the last 40 years. It’s a decent enough overview seeing that “Gloria,” “Brown Eyed Girl” and “Moondance” suffer nothing from the fact that they happened to be singles, but there’s enough classic Van Morrison available to fill three, maybe even four, discs. -- Darryl Smyers

We've been thinking about it, and sometimes a Q&A doesn't cut it when we're talking about our favorite local bands. So, we're trying something new: the video segment on our favs. This time out, DC-9 photographer/videographer Jonathan Finley met up with The Crash That Took Me at a recent show. Watch the band members perform, hear them talk about their band and contemplate how badly you wish you were there. Luckily, the band is playing tonight at the 8.0 in Fort Worth. -- Chelsea Ide