Sunday, September 29, 2013

Featured Shows; Week of 9/29/13

Sunday 9/29
Starting out this week in music, we have Austin-Based Soul band, Mingo Fishtrap playing at Levitt Pavilion Arlington on Sunday. These guys met at UNT in Denton back in the 90's and have since gone on to become a nationally touring, festival circuit band. Check 'em out, and did I mention it was Free? Show info here.



Monday 9/30
Impulse of Will plays the Magnolia Motor Lounge on Monday. Self-describing their music as Black Sabbath meets Weather Report, these guys put on a hell of a show. More info can be found here.



Tuesday 10/1
Bryan Joyner is at Adair's Saloon on Tuesday for a little Alt/Country music. Whether playing alone and acoustic, or playing with the band Hard country, there should be something for every country loving cowboy. Adair's is always Free, show info here.



Wednesday 10/2
A night of Ska at the Grotto in Ft. Worth with Rude King, Stop The Presses, The Holophonics. Check it out, and bring those dancing shoes! Show info located here.



Thursday 10/3
Two very talented Drummers/Percussionists, Mike Dillion & Earl Harvin play at the Kessler on Thursday. Dillion, who beats the hell out of a vibraphone and fronts an exquisitely trippy ATX party act, has collaborated with fellow virtuosos Les Claypool and Stanton Moore. Harvin, a top-shelf Dallas percussionist known for both jazz and rock chops, boasts credits with Seal and Jeff Beck. Show info here.



Friday 10/4
MilkDrive is at Dan's Silverleaf in Denton on Friday for a night of Jazz-grass. They bring their Folk/Bluegrass/Jazz music to Denton from their hometown of Austin TX. More info here.



Saturday 10/5
And Saturday is the Canned Fest in Denton with musical acts: Menomena, The Helio Sequence, Joe Pug, Pageantry, Hares on a Mountain, AM Ramblers.




That is all for this week, thank you for reading. Go out and support some live, local music, and report back to us! We would love to hear from you; what you like, what you don't like, if there is a band we should feature. You name it. Have a great week everybody and keep jammin' my friends!
SW

Monday, September 16, 2013

Featured Shows; Week of 9/16/13

Sorry guys, been a hectic couple of weeks. I'm getting a late start on this, but it is important to get the music out there. So, may I present to you, Live Music DFW's featured shows for the week of 9/16/13.

Monday 9/16 Starting out the week with a little bit of The Funky Knuckles at The Free Man Cajun Cafe in Deep Ellum. We've featured them before, a true talent. They have just returned from a tour, and pick up their Freeman residency Monday at 10pm. Their sound is Funk/Jazz, more info here.



Tuesday 9/17
Soul sister, Ms. ZZ Ward comes to the House of Blues, for an unfortunately sold out show. If you are lucky enough to be a ticket holder, you will thouroughly enjoy yourself. More infor here.



Wednesday 9/18
Made up of Heavy Rockers from Chicago, SOIL rides the success of their new album "Whole" to Trees in Deep Ellum. Together since 1997, and about to embark on a UK tour, these guys are the real deal when it comes to Heavy Rock. More details here.



Thursday 9/19
Indie Rock from Seattle Thursday night at the Granada, when Minus the Bear performs. Formed in 2001, they boast 5 albums and 4 EP releases. More info located here.



Friday 9/20 Blues guitarist Tab Benoit, from Louisiana who got his start on a Texas label, plays Granada for a second time this year. The last one was so popular, it sold out. Definitely get a ticket while you still can. Details are here.



Saturday 9/21
Saturday boasts a big show for Jazz and funk lovers; Snarky Puppy will be playing at Trees. Born out of the University of North Texas Jazz program in Denton, Snarky Puppy is now an internationally recognized name in instrumental jazz music. That being said, their 2013 albums AMKENI and Family Dinner Volume 1, feature them as a backing band for a medley of different vocalists and songwriters. Below is a video off of Family Dinner. Show info is located here.



Another week, another round of great shows. If you guys are reading this, it means you are die hard. If you ever see us at a show, feel like we can work together, want to contribute, or just say hi, please feel free; we encourage this as a community. We are the Live Music community of DFW! Have a great week and keep jammin' my friends.

SW

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Nevermind the Darkness Show Recap

In early September, Dallas-local hard Rock act Nevermind the Darkness played the head-liner spot at the Boiler Room in Deep Ellum. Not personally being one for the harder Rock shows, I ventured into unknown territory hoping I'd like what I found.

I had never been to the Boiler Room, and I was surprised at two things; how small the venue actually was, and the quality of their house lighting and sound systems. All of their systems were excellent, the lights especially working hard to create a great show. Now, the nature of the acts that play at this venue tends to be loud, and this night was no different. It was indeed loud, but it was suiting.

I got a chance to chat with this petite lady at the merch table, that just so happened to be Trica Weaver lead singer of the band I was there to see. She was very sweet, and fun, cracking jokes and having a good time. When it was time for NtD to take the stage, that fun-loving girl's demeanour changed; it was time to rock!

Made up of 4 members reigning from Dallas, and formed in 2010, Nevermind The Darkness is comprised of vocalist/keys Trica Weaver, guitarist Gene Grinolds, bassist Benjamin Bachman and Eric Sipe on drums. Drawing on a sound of hard, heavy Rock, with vocals resembling that of Heart, NtD has created a loyal following in the DFW area. On several songs, members of the audience even joined in on the vocals as if they were hardcore fans that knew the music.

Upon speaking with he band, I found that these 4 individuals did not know each other before starting this musical endeavour three years ago. Their band is a product of one of the Bandmate finder sites. Needless to say, they had a distinct sound, and have a strong fan-base here in their hometown of Dallas. If you are interested in finding out about this band check out their facebook page and their reverbnation page.



SW

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Fort Worth Rock Assembly II Recap



Fort Worth Rock Assembly II 
J&J’s Blues Bar
Sept 6, 7 & 8th


This past weekend, September 6th-8th,  a slew of Fort Worth music scene-sters got together to put on an EPIC show with 23 bands covering various iconic bands from 1965-1985.  The result- one of the best weekends in Fort Worth Music for 2013.  Music played for 8 hours, three days in a row at J&J’s Blues Bar complete with food trucks, and great memories.  There were plenty of sponsors, including Coors Light.  There were two stages, one outside with a huge Red Bull tent and beer bar, and the one inside J&J’s. 



Saturday 9/7
I arrived a bit early on Saturday, catching Sun City covering Velvet Underground.  There weren’t that many people in attendance at this point in the evening to enjoy this band.  They did a commendable job, and really conveyed the essence of Velvet Underground.  The female lead has a clear, precise voice and it resounded outside as she sang “Sweet Nothing”, by far the best song of their set. 

Back inside, Igneous Grimm covered King Crimson.  The first song, “I talked to the Wind” was by far my favorite.  I will definitely get in the know on both King Crimson AND their local tribute counterpart, Igneous Grimm.  More people had arrived and definitely enjoyed this performance.

Outside,  Siberian Traps started their R.E.M. set and they did an amazing job.  Tony Diaz, conceiver of the Fort Worth Rock Assembly event, bragged that Siberian Traps are Fort Worth’s best kept secret.  They definitely did R.E.M. justice.  One of the guitar/vocalists, Parker, confessed he didn’t know about R.E.M. before taking on this project.   Replicating someone else’s work, and learning a whole set of songs to perform, is definitely not an easy task!  One of the many reasons this idea is genius. 

I had to leave and go to work at this point, thankful the next day I would catch all 8 hours! 

Sunday 9/8
Sunday I arrived at J&J’s super early.  A couple of bands had dropped out, so they pushed the start time from 3pm to 5pm.  Probably best because no one really showed up until then anyways.

The Vatican Press started the day outside embodying The Clash.  Not only did Vatican Press cover great hits like “I Fought the Law”, but they did a few of their own songs toward the end which I thought were awesome.  I’ve never heard this band before, but they did play an original and I dug it!  They’re an old school punk band so it made sense why The Clash was their choice to cover.  Good to see diverse genres in the Indie Rock scene. 

Inside, The Frisky Disco was covering Creedence Clearwater Revival.  Hayden not only is lead vocalist, but he plays guitar and keyboard as well.  He is such a talented performer, very animated with a voice of a Rock God.  They covered songs like “Good Golly Miss Molly” where at one point both Tyler and Hayden got down on the guitar.  One lady in the crowd asked me after that song “They’re over 21, right?”  When I asked Tyler how old he is, he responded “22”.  She goes on to tell him how talented he is, goes on and on with me how she’s seen guys in their 60’s who have half the talent of these guys.  Frisky Disco, you got yourself a new fan that night.  One of the best was “I Put a Spell on You”; a great cover of a great song by a spectacular band!  Always fun to watch and at the end, they performed one of their rocking originals with Hayden on the keyboard, belting out “You can take away my home, but you can’t take away my heart.”  Such talent. 

Kevin Aldridge & the Appraisers played The Cars outside. Hearing them brings flashbacks to the late 70’s early 80’s, right?  They replicated the music of The Cars near flawlessly.  Top three were “My Best Friends Girl”, “You Might Think”, and of course, “Drive”.  Such a great set choice and Kevin & the Appraisers did The Cars justice. 

Next was Secret Ghost Champion inside covering The Beatles.  John Lennon came down from Heaven and took over the stage this night.  The microphone had that eerie echo to it that made it feel like Lennon was actually there in the room.  They covered “Strawberries Fields Forever”, “She Said, She Said”, “Hey Bulldog”, and “Dear Prudence.”  The crowd was getting thick at this point, and everyone was hypnotized by Secret Ghost Champions performance.  I’m sure watching the Beatles in their day was similar to the experience this night. 

The next act I caught was Panic Volcanic’s version of Deep Purple.  Panic Volcanic has an interesting set up with Ansley “The Destroyer” on vocals, Zach on bass and Chris on drums.  You read right, no lead guitar.  But with Zach’s skills on the bass, you’d never know it.  Besides, how can you get past Ansley’s voice to even CARE about the guitar!  This girl has a set of pipes like Janis Joplin, sharp like a knife and full of soul that comes from deep within.  Witnessing a Panic Volcanic performance is a treat in itself, but watching them cover a band like Deep Purple and pull off a song like “Space Truckin’” with such enthusiasm and pizazz is one of those moments you tell your grandkids about.  Zach announces that “It wouldn’t be Rock n Roll without breaking some rules,” so they played Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire”.  The crowd applauded and screamed after every song, packed up against the stage.  Everyone was digging their performance.  .

Last band of the night, The Hanna Barbarians, took the stage inside and covered Rod Stewart.  Any performance of Rod Stewart wouldn’t be complete without a mullet wig and tights, which is what the lead singer sported.  The rest of the band donned wigs and printed tights as well.  There were so many good performances, but two of the most notable were “Hot Legs” and “Maggie”.  By this time the place was so packed and full of life, people were dancing, enjoying the Hannah Barbarian’s antics.  They put on a great show, as they are known to do. 

Rock Assembly brought everyone out for the pure love of Rock n Roll.  I discovered some new acts I hadn’t seen before. Every band put a great effort into learning the style of the band they covered but definitely gave it their own Fort Worth Indie Rock flair.  It was a good weekend for the Fort Worth music scene and I'm always grateful to be a part of it.  

-CD

Video and pictures on my Facebook Fan Page


Full line up with bands covered:

Friday Sept 6th
5pm - Big City Folk as TOWNES VAN ZANDT
6pm - The Diabolical Machines as THE BEACH BOYS
7pm - The Neptune Locals as THE POLICE
8pm - The Dangits as JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS
9pm - The Apapche 5 as ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS
10pm - We The Sea Lions as THE CURE
11pm - The Longshots as ELVIS PRESLEY
12am - Pablo & The Hemphill 7 as PINK FLOYD

Saturday Sept 7th
2pm - Ronnie Heart & Friends as E.L.O.
3pm -
Sun City as THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
4pm - Igneous Grimm as KING CRIMSON
5pm - Siberian Traps as R.E.M.
6pm - We'rewolves as CREAM
7pm - Whiskey Folk as THE VIOLENT FEMMES
8pm - War Party as THE KINKS
9pm - Lindby as DAVID BOWIE
10pm - Goodwin as THE WHO
11pm - Un Chien as JOY DIVISION
12am - Son of Stan w/ Nathan Brown as GENESIS

Sunday Sept 8th
5pm - The Vatican Press as THE CLASH
6pm - The Frisky Disco as CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL
7pm - Kevin Aldridge and The Appraisers as THE CARS
8pm - Secret Ghost Champion as THE BEATLES
9pm - The Me-Thinks as CHEAP TRICK
10pm - Panic Volcanic as DEEP PURPLE
11pm - RTB2 as BIG STAR
12am - The Hanna Barbarians as ROD STEWART

Monday, September 9, 2013

Featured Shows; Week of 9/9/13

Monday 9/9
Paul Slavens and Friends perform Monday night at Dan's Silverleaf in Denton. J. Paul Slavens, a composer, pianist, improv musical comic, voice over actor, and the host on KERA 90.1 FM on Sundays from 7-10pm CST. He was the frontman for former Deep Ellum regular Ten Hands. His sound is hard to classify; everything from classical to comedy to singer/songwriter pop. More info on the show is here.


Tuesday 9/10
Tuesday's featured show has actually been sold out, so if you are lucky enough to get to see Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite at the Granada, more power to you. Info here.



Wednesday 9/11
Radical Something comes to The House of Blues on Wednesday bringing their own flavor of Hip-hop/Rock/Pop. A Trio based out of Cali, they are following the success of their new album Ride it Out. Full show info can be found here.



Thursday 9/12
Luke Wade and No Civillians will play Sundown on Thursday night. The sound is Lively Pop/Rock, and he puts on a very energetic performance. Releasing his first album in 2010, and nationally touring a year later, Luke Wade and No Civillians are trully up-and-comers in the DFW music scene. They play at Sundown; FREE, Never a cover. Show info here.


Friday 9/13
Terrance Simien and The Zydeco Experience to come to The Kessler on Friday night. Terrance Simien is the recipent of a 2008 Grammy award for best Zydeco album. Simien and his band have toured internationally, presenting over 7000 live performances in more than 40 countries, and released dozens of solo recordings and collaborations. He has shared studio and stage with the likes of Paul Simon, Dr. John, The Meters, Marcia Ball, Dave Matthews, Stevie Wonder, Robert Palmer and the roots rockers Los Lobos. More info here.


Saturday 9/14
The Grotto on Saturday will host Bomb Atomic's EP Release Party in Fort Worth. A local funk band, obscure enough to not have videos on youtube (sorry guys), but I have included a sample of their music. Check 'em out here, it's going to be a lot of fun!



Those are our shows for this week. Please feel free to email or facebook us if you have show suggestions, want you event added to our calendar, or want to inquire about contributing. Our journey is just getting started, and we would love to have people jump on at the ground floor. Thanks everybidy, have a great week, and keep jammin' my friends!

SW

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Featured Shows; Week of 9/1/13

Hello, and happy September! You've dropped by the right place for your Labor Day week live music shows in DFW! Another great week of quality music here in North Texas with our featured shows. As I have mentioned, we have become a nonprofit in Texas, working on setting everything up, but we are always looking for more people to join our cause. Also, mark your calendars, Friday November 29th is Live Music DFW's first event! Full lineup to come soon. Without further ado, our featured weekly shows for the week of 9/1/13.

Sunday 9/1
Join in for the Bedford Blues and Barbeque festival, closing out tonight with Buddy Guy, the man, the musician, the legend. A powerhouse in Chicago Blues for half a century, this man is an influence to many of the greats; Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton...the list goes on. I've seen Guy on 3 seperate occasions, and had a chance to meet him when I was in High School. Buddy Guy is definitely Someone you should see before you or he (he's 70+) die. Show info can be located here.



(Buddy and I at Legends in Chicago 2008)

Monday 9/2
The Reggae Monday Sept. Residency at the Sundown at Granada, is noneother than Sensible, a local Reggae act that will be taking the stage every Monday in September at 11pm. Show details are here.



Tuesday 9/3
Pearl Street Riot is at Love and War in Texas - Plano on Tuesday, bringing their Alt-Country/Rock n' Roll soundtrack with them. This quartet comes from Paris Texas, and will give Plano a night of great tunes. Show info here.



Wednesday 9/4
BOYFRNDZ and Cleanup play at Hailey's on Wednesday, playing a Phychedellic/Jam/Rock show. Boyfrndz are from Austin and Cleanup is from Ft. Worth. Show info can be found here.


Thursday 9/5
The Kessler Theater hosts Ray Wylie Hubbard on Thursday for a live album recording. Riding that line of Blues, Folk, and Americana, Ray Wylie Hubbard is exactly the type of act to see at the intimate Kessler. Show info is here.



Friday 9/6
Govinda is to play at the Green Elephant on Friday. A classically trained violinist, Shane Madden "Govinda" produces and composes what I'd like to call a cross between Trance, Experimental, Tribal, and Classical. He will be at the Green Elephant for a Friday Night show. Info is located here.



Saturday 9/7
NOLA's Jazz Revival Movement post-Katrina gave birth to many Funky new Jazz groups out of the city. One such group is the Rebirth Brass Band, who are in Dallas Saturday at the Granada Theater. With local opening acts The Effinays and Gravity Feed (Two of our close friends), this should be a great night of music! Show info is located here.



Well that's it, those are our shows! I will soon be starting a Venue Spotlight Column, as well as other cool things coming from Live Music DFW all the time. Stay posted, and keep jammin' my friends!

SW