All photos by Alex Scott

More in the slide show: the fans of Lights All Night

​

Update January 1: Photos from night two are up. Right here.

Man, seems like just a few minutes ago that we were telling you about the Spin Off at Artopia for Lights All Night, which would turn the Dallas Convention Center into a buffet of spinning DJs. Well, here we are.

Lights All Night, which is not the name for what's been happening at Reunion Tower (my eyes! my eyes!) kicked off last night with Diplo, Tiesto and much, oh-so-much more. It continues this New Year's Eve night, of course, with Ghostland Observatory and Girl Talk. Surely, there will confetti.

In the meantime, check out a batch of shots from our contributing photographer Alex Scott (with more photos and review-age to come) from his slide show on the fans from the Convention Center last night. Below.

More >>

Mike Brooks

Zach Condon, not in East Harlem

​Zach Condon and crew packed 'em in at the Prophet Bar last night for Tactics Productions' Beirut show. The band is touring for their August-released album The Rip Tide, which, as the pictures by contributor and roving photographer Mike Brooks indicate, have plenty of trumpets (we're literally listening to the Mona-Lisas-and-Mad-Hatter-sounds of "East Harlem" right now).

So, let's get to it: ten photos from Beirut's performance at the Prophet Bar last night. Enjoy, after the jump.

More >>

Mike Mezeul

I know, bro, we're sad too.

​Closing out October, for us, is a sad deal.

For starters, we're still feeling nostalgic over the incredible time we had at the Dallas Observer Music Awards Showcase and Ceremony. Second, we're waving goodbye to Pete Freedman as he sails off into the Grey Havens.

But before we break the bottle of champagne over his fine ship, we're looking back at the best damn concert photos of October.

So (as we put aside our used tissues), let's get to it -- our picks for the best concert photos of October 2011.

More >>

Since I just stumbled across the above video of Erykah Badu and The Cannabinoids just owning the stage at our awards ceremony at the House of Blues on Tuesday night, here's one last post about the 2011 Dallas Observer Music Awards -- and then, promise, we're done.

In case you missed it: Badu announced during her headlining performance that fans can finally expect to see her debut Cannabinoids album to come out "at the top of 2012."

Good thing, too -- and not just because it's been a long time coming. Her work with the collective -- which features among its members Symbolyc One (lauded of late for his production work with Kanye West, Jay-Z and Beyonce, Picnictyme (producer of A.Dd+'s phenomenal When Pigs Fly), Badu's longtime musical director R.C. Williams, longtime Badu producers Jah Born and Rob Free (both of whom have worked with Badu since her 1997 debut, Baduizm), DJs Big Texas and A1, and drummer Cleon Edwards -- gives her songs gritter, more hip-hop and less neo-soul vibe. So here's looking forward to that.

In the meantime, let's take one more stroll back through these last few, epic days.

More >>

Roderick Pullum

12 Inch Pimps' Willie Trimmer on the 1s and 2s. For more, check our slideshow.

​Throughout each week, droves of Dallasites enjoy the plethora of clubs, lounges, bars and restaurants that our city has to offer.

It seems simple enough, no? Call up your friends, choose a spot, get dressed up and commence an evening of drunken memories accompanied by elaborate lighting systems and good music.

But most partygoers aren't aware that there is a well-oiled machine behind the nightlife that brings you so much joy. There is, in fact -- and the task of consistently enticing droves of people to come out and spend money is an art form.

So we set out to prove as much, meeting up with the people behind this scene.

More >>

Kanye West
Bud Light Stage -- Austin City Limits
September 16, 2011

Better than: what you probably heard about the show, unless you heard it from Kanye.

Pete Freedman

Kanye West

​
More >>

Smith Westerns, SundressMore >>

All photos by Mike Brooks

Nekromantix clearly brought the goods last night.

​Right around the same time that DMX was performing and blowing minds on the other side of downtown at the House of Blues, and just as Leagues was impressing a captivated crowd at Prophet Bar, iconic psychobilly act Nekromantix rocking out last night at La Grange.

From the looks of things, they too brought the goods. Or, well, they at least brought frontman and band namesake Kim Nekroman's familiar "coffinbass." And, well, whatever they did, they sure inspired the audience to get pretty rowdy.

Friend of DC9 and ace photographer Mike Brooks was there to take it all in, and he checks in this afternoon with plenty visual evidence of as much. Check more of the fruits of his labor after the jump.

More >>

Mike Mezeul

This is your son on rock.

​Fuckin' Slayer!

No, we don't mean that. We're actually referring to this perfect photo from last year's Iron Maiden show at Gexa Energy Pavilion. Over the last year, we've collected a number of great fan photos from concerts around Dallas, but few fans display their rock horns in photos as aggressively as the fans of hard rock and death metal.

Yesterday at Gexa was no different: Disturbed, Megadeth and Godsmack led the music-of-the-devil fest that is the Rockstar Mayhem Festival. Photographer Mike Mezeul was in the crowd, and he's brought back an incredible collection of band shots along with some of the most rock-horned fans you'll see for a while.

More >>

All photos by Mike Brooks / commiebike.com

Mickey Avalon at Trees

​Friend of the Program Mike Brooks was out and about in Deep Ellum on Friday night, toting his trusty camera along as he bounced around from venue to venue, snapping up shots of all things visually interesting and arresting.

In particular, he found himself holed up at Trees for a performance Mickey Avalon. And, OK, maybe a couple of scantily clad attendees and dancers, too. But, right across the way at La Grange, he found something else entirely -- a set from one-time Dallas resident and Rockabilly Hall of Famer Kim Lenz at La Grange.

The two performances, really couldn't have been much different. But their dichotomy serves to tell the tale of the suddenly resurgent Deep Ellum quite well: Once again, on any given night, you can pretty much see anything down in the storied Dallas music 'hood. Well, almost anything.

Hit the jump for your visual proof.

More >>