Become Part of the Live Music DFW Team!

Attention Bloggers, Photographers, Videographers, Promoters…

Live Music DFW, an organization devoted to the unification and promotion of live, local music in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex, is looking for contributors.  As of recent, I have been the only contributor to the blog and Facebook pages, but seeing as this strives to be a community, we are opening up for interested candidates.

This will be an unpaid endeavor, as all parties involved are doing this as a labor of love. As we become more established, there might be paid opportunities in the future. However, contributors will have a lot of freedom when it comes to articles, pictures, videos, etc.  Specifically, we are looking for people to cover shows based on location or genre; i.e. Denton-based blogger, Arlington-based photographer, Metal-genre videographer, Country-genre promoter…

Bloggers must develop story ideas, and always need to have new ideas for content on the blog that people want to read. They will be challenged with the task of writing pieces that intrigue readers, making them want to keep coming back and reading their new posts.

Promoters need to get the word out about the blog to new readers to get more clicks. To do this, they can do a number of things, including commenting on other blogs and putting a link to Live Music DFW blog in the comment, linking to other blogs on the blog, and using social media to get the Live Music DFW blog posts in front of people who might be interested in reading it.

Videographers/Photographers must have an excellent eye for creative detail when capturing, editing, and assembling footage into a video/album. Need to provide own equipment, and have a working knowledge of all software involved (i.e. Photoshop, Instagram, Vine, Adobe Premiere, Final Cut, Avid…)

Live Music DFW’s objectives are to:

• Create a community of music in DFW, and be a resource to all parties involved (Bands, Venues, Show-goers)
• Provide show and journalistic content for the Live Music DFW Blog (Featured Shows, Reviews, Interviews, Band Profiles, Photo/video, Free Shows, Digital Concerts…)
• Promote local acts, labels and venues. (Work in conjunction with venues, Bands, Promotions companies, Booking agents, organizations…)
• Find and post all live music to all media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Create Blog Calendar)

If you believe that this seems right for you, please apply. To do so, please email a sample of your work (blog post, pictures, video…if you don’t have one for a local show in DFW, please go to one and submit that as your sample) to livemusicdfw@gmail.com along with your current contact information. We are very excited at the prospect of everybody’s involvement, and look forward to receiving the applications.

Scott Wayne
Founder/Editor
Live Music DFW

Big Sam's Funky Nation @ Levitt Pavilion 6/7/13

Levitt Pavilion, in the heart of Down Town Arlington, is filled with music-goers and their families. Levitt is an outdoor pavilion that offers FREE live music all summer long, and I figured Big Sam’s Funky Nation was the show to check it out.

I’d only ever been to Arlington for Texas Rangers’ games or one of the amusement parks. But after this show, Levitt Pavilion will definitely be one such amusement park on my list! Let me paint the scene for you; Levitt lists capacity on their website at 2,500, which would easily quantify the patronage for Funky Nation. Almost completely full, Levitt Pavilion housed families with lawn chairs and blankets, seemingly arriving way before my friends and I did (30 mins before performance) to snag a great spot.

We start at the back, not wanting to upset these nice families who have waited, but the Upbeat, Funk/Rock seemed to be lost on all but the small children. As expected the music was excellent, but it was a family-type function, which made for significantly less Funk-tion. 

 

“Big Sam” Williams, a New Orleans Trombonist/Singer/Band Leader, got his start with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band at the age of 19.  After one year with the Dirty Dozen, Williams began a broadening his musical goals. Big Sam played with Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint in 2006 on their Grammy-nominated "The River in Reverse" album and ensuing international tour. Big Sam's Funky Nation has become his main band, touring nationally, internationally, and at major festivals such as Bannaroo, Gathering of the Vibes, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Voodoo Music Experience, South by Southwest, & Austin City Limits.

Big Sam’s Funky Nation describes their sound as a “signature Noladelic Powerfunk sound masterfully combin[ing] a rock sensibility with improv-style associated with jazz and the horn-heavy front section that’s the hallmark of big band funk.”

In my opinion the highlight of the show was, after the band had left the stage, our music-going group started to chant the Parliament lyrics “We want the funk, gotta have that funk!”. The band came back out for an encore performance which combined of several songs; “The Treme Song”, “Everybody Needs Somebody”, and a special shout out to yours truly with the camera-phone “You Better Tweet About Me”. They invited people from the audience up on stage, and what had started out as an encore, quickly became a dance party!

All and all, this was a great, did I mention FREE, community event put on by Levitt Pavilion and the city of Arlington. I’d highly recommend catching some more of those shows, I know I will, and will keep ya’ll updated on what will be playing when. 

Thanks Big Sam and Funky Nation for a funky good time, and keep on jammin’ my friends!

SW

Peace, Love, and Understanding brothas and sistas, is what makes the world go round.

Free Music Player for Myspace at ReverbNation.com

The Hilltop Crawlers & The Roaming Soldiers @ Barley House 5/31/13

So it’s Friday Night, and I have a veritable smorgasbord of music to choose from here in Dallas. Being the poor, post-grad early twenty something that I am, I decide on a free show. Me and a couple of buddies head down to Barley House, a local SMU beer garden, that frequents shows with little to no cover. Just our luck, tonight was a free night.

Never hearing of either band, I was skeptical at first, but it was suggested by a member of the DFW Deadheads Facebook group I created, so I figured it wouldn’t be all that bad. Well as far as a free show with two local blues/jam acts, I couldn’t have asked for more! I enjoyed myself so much in fact, I figured that this would be an opportunity to write a review, as well as create a new page on this blog; Local Acts. This will be among the first in this category, but I definitely won’t be the last.

So we get there, just as the music starts (my favorite feeling), grab a table, order a pitcher and enjoy the music. Now, on this particular night, the bar is pretty empty considering. Maybe 40 people not including the bar staff, needless to say it’s intimate.

The first act was The Hilltop Crawlers, a Blues/Jam band pulling influences from Classic Rock. The way I’d describe their sound is Stevie Ray Vaughn and ZZ Top, meet Derrick and The Dominoes. Of course they have a sound all their own, but they play some deep tracks from such artists as The Band, The Grateful Dead, The Doors (They played a killer version of Maggie M'gill, in honor of Ray Manzareck’s passing), and others. Upon speaking with them after the show I found out, this was only their 5th gig together as a band. Needless to say, very impressive. Here is a video I took to share with my blog-following friends!



The Hilltop Crawlers are based out of Dallas, and their members consist of Don McCann – Lead Guitar/Vocals, Eric Snead – Rhythm Guitar, and rotating members Jake Murphy - Bass, and Daniel Slatton - Drums. They are currently working on an album titled “Highway Miles” set for release by August. More info on the band can be found here.

Next up was The Roaming Soldiers. Based out of Fort Worth, their sound is Southern Rock with a hint of Blues. Think Lynyrd Skynyrd and Allman Brothers, meet Pearl Jam. Also very cool and different enough to make this a dynamic show with the HT Crawlers. The Soldiers are a little more established than the Crawlers, playing together since 2009. What I remember the most; big belting vocals, and intricate guitar solos. Not only did these guys put on a great show, they sent us home with party favors! Demo CDs and bumper stickers, not too Shabby Roaming Soldiers! Here is a video of their performance:


The band is made up of David George – Lead Vocals/Guitar, Jesse Anderson – Guitar, Bo Kjorvestad – Bass, and Brent Baker – Drums. They too are working on an album, no release date has been disclosed. More info on the band, here.

Well, it was a good night, with great music. I couldn’t have asked for a better, cooler, and mellower show to catch on a Friday with nothing better to do! Please, if you have read this far, it means you are interested in what I am offering. The only way that this thing works is if you share, share, share! I will create the content and you guys share! Also you can now subscribe to the blog via email or through an RSS feed, in addition to being available on the site, the Facebook, the Twitter… Thanks for the support guys! (And there are obviously people reading, as I needed no introduction when I spoke with the band that night. I guess I’m a local DFW Live Music scene hero!)

Leave a comment, share us, and keep jammin’ my friends!
SW

Mix Magyk @ Indie in the Big D 5/25/13

Saturday May 25th, located on some property east of Downtown Dallas, the "Indie in the Big D" was underway. It was a hot day, and while the event was well put together, there was not much variety. A small vendor village had been erected, but consisted of mainly local clothing designers who had shared the same screen printer (The Alexa Machine Company who coordinated the event), and not much else. The musical entertainment was stale, numerous computer loops and profanity-laden rap attempts. But amidst all this mediocrity, Mix Magyk, a Local jazz/funk band rocked the house with their short 3 song set.

It would be an understatement to say that these guys were the highlight of the event. Not that I have bad things to say about "Indie in the Big D", it is just new (1st annual) and trying to find it's groove. Needless to say, I needed to find out more about this fantastic Jazz group here in DFW.

Mix Magyk was started back in 2009, when friends Craig Kleinman, Matt Garcia, and Jullian Ayacannoo decided to make an attempt to create a hip-hop group. They were all acquainted through their Tarrant County College Jazz class, but were unsure how to start this new project. While striving for a hip-hop sound, their music transformed into an instrumental jazz combo, upon not being able to recruit a serious lead vocalist. Additional members would come along later including the other current members Marcus Ybarra, Marquise Jones, and Michael Daniels.

Self described as Neojazz/Jam/Funk/Fusion, Mix Magyk has been creating a name for themselves in DFW. They have played at many local venues including Trees and House of Blues, and are even nominated for best Jazz Band in Ft. Worth Weekly.

Entering their 4th year together, Mix Magyk is on the cusp of breaking into the next level. The plan is to release an EP sometime soon, expected this summer. With all this good fortune, and a groovin' contemporary jazz set-list, Mix Magyk is definitely an up-and-coming name in the DFW live music scene. If you have not had a chance to see them, I highly recommend it! It won't be difficult as I expect we'll be seeing a lot of them.

Keep jammin' my friends!
SW

(Left to Right) Marquise Jones - Tenor Sax, Matt Garcia - Bass, Marcus Ybarra - Tenor Sax, Julian Ayacannoo - Keyboard, Craig Kleinman - Drums. (Not Pictured) Michael Daniels - Guitar.

"Indie in the Big D" Setlist:
G.C.
Inevitable
Turismo

Free EPK from ReverbNation.com