No guarantees, but they might be at your neighborhood Oak Cliff McDonald's. Because, apparently, as this video shows, they were there last year...
The caption for the video's pretty priceless, too: "Is he drunk or just having fun being homeless?"
(Sorry, Hal.) --Pete Freedman
If you skipped out on the Dallas International Guitar Show a couple weeks ago at Dallas Market Hall, you missed some serious shreddage from the Malmanator. This video, recently posted by user JRGuitar, shows master guitar wanker Yngwie Malmsteen doing what he does best: making a bunch of technically impressive, absolutely pointless noise.
If you listen closely enough, you can actually hear the cameraman’s eyes rolling. JRGuitar sums it up perfectly with his single-word title for the clip: “Malm-sturbation.” --Jesse Hughey
We get a LOT of press releases mailed and emailed to our offices. Very few actually turn into anything. Until now. Presenting Out of Context Press Release Quote of the Week, in which we quote only our favorite part of a music-related press release...and barely mention what the release is promoting.
"With that said, the possibilities for great radio are endless."
Thinking so is your prerogative, I guess. --Pete Freedman
A video project created by Dallas artist/musician Paul Slocum, known around these parts for Tree Wave and the And/Or Gallery, has become something of a viral phenomenon on the web, racking up more than 27,000 views on YouTube alone.
The video is a hypnotic loop of a scene from the sitcom Full House faithfully re-enacted by Internet-recruited actors from six U.S. cities and London. The 10-second scene shows Uncle Joey pointing at his niece, DJ, and angrily saying her name. “You can’t tell me what to do. You’re not my father!” DJ retorts and storms off. As the recreations go on, loops of the original music intensify until it almost drowns out the dialog.
Jetscreamer’s Will Kapinos directed the first scene following the source clip, with his bandmate Samantha Moss and Shiny Around the Edges’ Michael Seman starring as DJ and Joey, respectively. In spite of the tension between the two characters, the repetition and music makes it strangely soothing.
Enjoy. --Jesse Hughey
...and it's hilarious. --Pete Freedman
In a dated suit and a bad comb-over, Hamburger is the comedic persona of Gregg Turkington. The idea is very Tony Clifton, but at least he was funny. Hamburger is so not funny, which might be where his genius lies… or his idiocy.
He quietly walks on stage as the crowd follows him almost in curiosity rather than as fans. Apparently, his signature is the gross hacking he does loudly into the microphone (there was a little too much of this.) His set isn’t typically anecdotal. Delivered with uncomfortable abrasiveness, his set is merely how, what and why questions answered with a zinger -- make that “zinger.”
“What do you get when you cross Sir Elton John with a saber-toothed tiger?
I don’t know, but you better get it away from your ass.”
Ho-hum.
Just came across this video, and it's pretty funny. Comes to us via the Teenage Prayers, an indie rock act out of NYC with some heavy '60s pop influences. It's part of the touring band's video diary.
In this clip, the band swings through Dallas on the way to SXSW, stopping off at the House of Blue's Cambridge Room on March 11 to play a gig. Oddly, though, they were mostly infatuated with the fact that Lifehouse was performing on the main stage on the same night.
(Warning: Don't play the video too loud if you're gonna watch it at work. The screaming of the word "Fuck!" could very likely get you fired.)
"This is is like a bigfoot sighting! All the pictures of me in the press are all grainy and shit," he said before freezing in a half-stride, looking-over-his-shoulder-at-the audience pose.
"It's just nice to get out of the house," he said later. "Only Erykah can do that."
Chappelle then urged the crowd and the 20 or so people on stage to sing Erykah a "sexy" version of "Happy Birthday" before he returned to the background and side of the stage for the rest of the night.
As for if we'll see him again any time soon, Chappelle had this much to say: "I'm just waiting till Obama gets in office. Then I'll be on TV again saying all types of shit." -- Pete Freedman
From the inbox: "A couple of months ago, the Observer ran with the cover story about the $30K millionaires roaming Dallas, or a better descriptive title, 'Douchebags.' This video explores this concept." Courtesy of local hip-hoppers The Triggermen comes...
French Cuff City
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Funny, sure. The whole suicide thing toward the end though... ? Not sure what that's about.
Also: Can anybody tell where this was shot? I'm assuming somewhere in town? -- Pete Freedman
Search "Dallas music" on Youtube, and this is what comes up near the bottom of the first results page.
That's straight up embarrassing. For all parties involved. You. Me. Her. Especially her. -- Pete Freedman
Better than: Tivo-ed American Idol premier featuring our proud Dallas wannabes.
He has one of those faces that makes you scratch your noggin and say, “I know that guy…what has he been in?”
The familiar, chiseled face of Michael Ian Black has appeared in numerous cameo television spots including Sierra Mist commercials, VH1’s I love the 80s and Best Week Ever and, last night, delivered subtle comic narrative at House of Blues with fellow funnyman Michael Showalter.
I enjoyed house of Blues more than ever last night. The crowd was thin but energetic, no long lines to acquire things and the folding-chair seating was intimate –- not confining. The venue, which I have certainly detested at times, was the perfect spot for stand-up comedy, and the massive, spotlighted stage illuminated with a classic theater warmth. Trust me, it looks different when there are no lasers and sweaty rock stars.
Showalter delivered list-y details of trivial to-dos with quirk and ease. He and Black both read from their laptops on stage, which I have never seen a comedian do. They would break into interludes of essay reading -– which, at first, I thought was cheating -– but the polished narratives were funny and dirty. I like dirty. Showalter is like your lovable buddy who regales party goers with hilarious recounts of tedious nothings.
Sorry kids! Laughcast was on vacation last week in sunnier climes. Or so we hear—Laughcast sees the sun like Britney sees her drug counselor. But there is some serious, serious funny blowing through Fort Worth this weekend. If you've got to stay in town, though, Dallas won't be fogged up with a complete cloud cover of mediocrity.
Friday
Fort Worth Hyena's has Chad Daniels, who may not be able to actually get through his whole set due to the extreme amount of oral sex administered to him by the local comics who love him. When he was in town last, Laughcast heard one Dallas headliner lament, "He's so good, he makes me want to quit comedy." Local guy Mark Agee features.
If you've got to stay in town, Backdizzle it. Linda Stogner and Jan Norton's stellar lineup of local never disappoints. Show's at 9 p.m.
Saturday
Cleverer writers would make puns and use clever euphemisms when talking about Ken "The Tie-Dye Guy" Mathias headlining the Comedy Corner Café in Fort Worth. But Laughcast will just lay it out for you: If you like smoking a big fat bowl of marijuana, you'll like this show. Snoochie boochies.
Gary Valentine is at the Addison Improv. He admits to being a writer and recurring character on The King Of Queens, which takes bigger balls than you have, compadre. -- Andrea Grimes
Performing at Opening Bell tonight with Salim Nourallah will be Noted Regional Comic (if that title isn’t on his business card, it should be) Dave Little. The pairing makes perfect sense, of course. Who better to open for a heart-on-his-sleeve roots-rocker than a dry-witted smart-ass comic?
Really, the combo makes a little more sense than you’d think if you only knew Little from his stand-up comedy performances. Little is in the middle of recording at Nourallah’s Pleasantry Lane studio, at least when the Old 97’s aren’t in the way. His Nourallah-produced 2006 CD Uncomfortable Moments has songs with the comedy he’s known for, but also includes a few (mostly) serious songs. His third album (possible title: Critically Ignored) will have the same split personality. We spoke with Little before a recent Section 8 performance to find out more about his musical endeavors, uncomfortable sex and why he hates punchlines.
Were you a musician before you went into comedy?
I was kind of writing songs, and they just kind of turned out funny. So that’s where I went. If I do a comedy song, it’s a funny bit. If it doesn’t have four or five or six laughs, why do it at, say, The Improv? So I just started writing all these other songs. I hang out with musicians more than comics -– Danny [Balis] and Salim, Carter [Albrecht], Ward [Williams], Chris Holt and those guys -– and I’ve always thought music and comedy is a great mix. It really opens up the audience and makes for a really good show. What I like to do now is the songs I wouldn’t normally do at the Improv. I’ll talk a little, but won’t do any stand-up per se.
Some of your songs are not totally serious, but definitely not comedy, and others are comedy songs. Why mix the two on one CD?
I think it’s natural. I would just write songs, and even my serious songs--I love John Prine, one of my favorite songwriters, and Randy Newman, guys like that, Loudon Wainwright III--even when they’re singing about something serious, they’ll have a dark lyric in there or something. It’s just my personality.
Once again, the weather is spotty in Tarrant County for the weekend. Best guess: Icy roads are preventing funny from rolling into town. Stay warm and dry with comedy goodness in Addison and Dallas.
Friday
I didn't know Robert Hawkins was local because he's too damned successful to hang around Dallas with us losers. Hawkins was a writer and actor on Titus, he's got a Comedy Central special and you've seen him on Conan, too. He's back home for the weekend at the Addison Improv. Local up-and-comer (and semi-finalist in the HBO Las Vegas Comedy Contest) Justin Foster opens.
But maybe 45 minutes of some guy doing an Austin Powers impression sounds more like your idea of a good time. If so, Hyena's Fort Worth has Steve Hirst, a Dallas transplant originally from Manchester, England, whose headshot includes the full on velour suit and coke bottle glasses. Somebody please write in and assure me that he does more than the Powers thing.
Saturday
I don't know how many times I have to tell you, but I'll never get tired of it: The Backdoor Comedy Club's lineup of star locals is the best way to kill a weekend evening. They're at the Double Tree Hotel on Caruth Haven, and the show's at 9 p.m.
Got an early date? Head over to the Pocket Sandwich Theatre for late night comedy with stand-up/sketch mish-mash Seven Layer Burrito Cake. Show starts at 11:15 p.m., and it's $10 on the cheap.
Sunday
Come party with the bikers and the hottest bartenders in town at Reno's Chop Shop in Deep Ellum. You never know who's going to show up, but it's always a good time. Show gets rolling around 7:30 p.m., and the chances are excellent that you'll see a naked breast or two. It's just that kind of bar. -- Andrea Grimes
