Articles about Music

Kiss Poster on Train Amuses Local Editor

imageI’d like to offer congratulations to whoever it was that sold Kiss’ record label on the idea of advertising on a DART train. When you consider that there’s virtually no demographic overlap between the band’s fanbase and the transit agency’s clientele, that’s an impressive bit of salesmanship.

Because He’s Not On The Court Yet, Why Not Watch Dirk Nowitzki Sing “Born In the USA”

(via Gorilla vs Bear’s Chris Cantalini)

Tomorrow: Election Results Paired With Live Music, It’s D Election Night Live at the Granada

D Election Night Live With The Burning HotelsSure, you were probably planning on curling up on the couch under a blanket in front of the TV tomorrow evening, a three-finger bourbon in one hand, a smart phone in the other, ready to play amateur comic on your Twitter feed as you braced yourself for elation/heartbreak/apathy. But why wallow alone when you can join us at the Granada Theater for D Election Night Live, an evening featuring live music, live coverage of the election, drinks, and friends. Performances will include The Burning Hotels, AiR DeeJay of Track Meet, and DJ Paris Vidal, and it all kicks-off at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are just $5, and you can get them right here.

Spend Election Night With D Magazine at the Granada: Music, Entertainment, Live Coverage of Results, and More

Join us Tuesday, November 6th at the Granada Theater to celebrate or commiserate with cocktails, live election coverage on giant screens, and live music from Burning Hotels, AiR DeeJay of Track Meet, and Paris Vidal. It’s called D Election Night Live, presented by Chevrolet.  Tickets are only $5. It all goes down from 8:30 p.m. – 11 p.m. Get your tickets right here today.

12-Year-Old Jackie Evancho Sang for Everyone’s Supper at Klyde Warren Park Donor Dinner

Jackie Evancho

Despite causing a traffic jam around downtown Dallas last night, the Klyde Warren Park donor dinner was a hit. Stilettos were left at home and flats were making the rounds.

Everywhere you looked there were power types like Mayor Mike Rawlings, Margaret McDermott, Ross Perots Jr. and Sr., Ebby Halliday, Elaine Agather, Owen Wilson and other boldfacers.

Despite the famous and familiar of Dallas, the one who had everyone talking was 12-year-old singing phenom Jackie Evancho, who performed with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. What a voice!

The Polyphonic Spree Looks To Kickstarter To Fund Live Album, Studio Album, and Documentary

They’ve already funded some of it themselves — recording the live album, parts of the studio disc, and hiring a six-person crew to film the documentary — but there’s a bit more to do. Using Kickstarter makes sense, since the band is so big it’s hard to tell where who’s not in it. It’s basically always crowd-sourced anyway.

Blake Shelton Gets Friendly With Mark Chesnutt

Blake Shelton and Mark Chesnutt

C&W singer Mark Chesnutt got a surprise at Southfork Ranch in Parker Saturday night from country superstar Blake Shelton, the 2012 Cattle Baron’s Ball musical headliner–and notorious prankster.

While Chesnutt, who performed for the fundraiser’s VIP party, was talking with a reporter, Shelton sauntered over and swooped in, preparing to kiss the Beaumont-born singer. “Go ahead,” Chesnutt said, offering up his cheek. Shelton walked away after planting the wet one (photo by Jeanne Prejean) and called back, “Look on the Internet. There’s a bunch of pictures of him kissin’ me.”

Well, not exactly. But there are lots of photos there of Shelton kissing other guys. Guys like Carson Daly, who hosts NBC’s “The Voice,” where Shelton appears as a coach. Trace Adkins, the country singer. C&W star Brad Paisley. Shelton also admits to having a man crush on Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine–one of his fellow “Voice” coaches–but apparently hasn’t been able to buss him yet.

Delaney Jackson, Chesnutt’s tour manager and lead guitar player, laughed at Shelton’s antics and said, “You ought to be used to it by now.” “It’s fine, now that he’s married to Miranda,” Chesnutt muttered, referring to Lindale-reared country singer Miranda Lambert, who tied the knot with the irrepressible Shelton last May at a ranch near San Antonio. “Course, she probably don’t kiss him.”

Wanda Jackson, 74, Rocks the Granada

When Jack White asked Wanda Jackson to record the risque Amy Winehouse song, “You Know I’m No Good,” the legendary rock/rockabilly singer balked. She is 74, after all, and a born-again Christian to boot. “It’s too sexually explicit,” Jackson said she told White. “And besides that, it’s not age appropriate.” So, the two compromised. The music producer wrote some new lyrics for the problem parts, and Jackson wound up recording the song for her White-produced album “The Party Ain’t Over.”

The Oklahoma-born singer with the distinctive growl did “No Good,” plus a ton of hits from a career that began in the 1950s, at the Granada Theater last night. Highlights: “Riot in Cell Block #9″ and “Mean, Mean Man.” The smallish but adoring crowd included fedora-wearing hipsters as well as oldsters with mile-high, bouffant hairdos. They made it clear that Jackson is revered big-time as a gutsy pioneer among rock/rockabilly women.

And, so did Wanda. She recently toured with Adele, who credits Jackson’s “Funnel of Love” song with inspiring Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” Wanda said. And, she revealed that author Stephen King has written the liner notes for her new album, Unfinished Business, coming out Oct. 9. “He said some nice things about me,” Jackson said matter-of-factly. “If he hadn’t, I wouldn’t have used him.”

Robert Jenkins and Nick Leggatt List “Inchoate Versions of Band Names” For McSweeney’s

If you’ve ever been at Barley House, you’ve probably seen these two fellas. They are clever. Proof of this now lives on the internet here. (“Inchoate” means not fully developed, and I had no idea how to pronounce it until moments ago.)

The Polyphonic Spree, Trombone Shorty To Play Klyde Warren Park Opening

Peter has this up at FrontRow, so go there for the full release. Below, their cover of Nirvana’s “Lithium.”

Hank Jr.’s Rowdy Rant Offends DMN Writer

OK, I agree that Hank Williams Jr. shouldn’t have been taking potshots at “queer guitar pickers” during his Sunday show in Fort Worth. But the DMN‘s Thor Christensen is flat wrong writing off Hank’s anti-Obama political rant as mere narrow-mindedness. Sure, the country singer’s a profane, hell-raising redneck–he’d wear the tag proudly, I bet–but his rowdy conservative take on the country’s direction is a legitimate part of the political conversation. Even if it offends progressive city slickers.

Then again, Thor needs to fine-tune his politics-and-country-music understanding in general. He writes, for example, that Merle Haggard is “almost as conservative” as Hank, which ain’t exactly true. The ever-evolving Hag championed Hillary Clinton in ’08. And he has had nice things to say lately about the president. As part of his homework, Thor might want to check out the song “Guns and Religion” by Garland’s great Austin Cunningham. It’s a more artful take on Hank’s basic rural view, recorded awhile ago.

Randy Travis, Drunk Again, Cited by Police Outside a Church Again

TMZ says so. This time in Plano, early this morning, got into a fight with a guy.

This is just getting sad. Actually, sadder.

UPDATE: Our more reserved local media outlets are stating that the police report doesn’t indicate that Travis was intoxicated. TMZ hasn’t changed its story, but they’ve probably done all the reporting they’re going to, having moved on (one assumes) to more of Prince Harry’s hijnks.

Randy Travis Arrested For DWI

Randy Travis' mug from February.

Randy Travis' mug from February.

Back in February, country music singer Randy Travis was arrested for being drunk outside the Sanger Baptist Church.

This morning I read a blog post on the Morning News site about him being arrested in Grayson County for driving while intoxicated,  obstruction, and retaliation. There weren’t many details, so I clicked through to the TMZ article that the DMN post cited. I was greeted by this headline:

RANDY TRAVIS
BUCK NAKED
During DWI Arrest

There are times when I envy the freewheeling recklessness of TMZ.

UPDATE: DMN has also confirmed the nudity, in which case I just have to credit TMZ with a stronger headline.

Belated Congrats to Lisa Loeb

Friday former Dallas songbird Lisa Loeb presented her husband Roey Hershkovitz with the ultimate pre-Father’s Day gift – second child, Emet, who weighed in at 7 lbs., 7 oz. and 20 inches long.

There is no truth to the rumor that Emet was born strumming a guitar and wearing Lisa Loeb-designed glasses.

This Thursday: FrontRow Live Presents STRFKR, Onra, Ben Aqua, Free Drinks, Art, Theater, And More

strfkr

STRFKR

FrontRow Live, presented by Chevy, kicks off this Thursday at 8:30 p.m. at the Dallas Contemporary, and it will bring together performances by pop-dance group STRFKR, French electronic musician Onra, and Austin DJ Ben Aqua. The beer will be free thanks to Bud Light Platinum. There will also be food trucks and live theater by Upstart Productions. Plus, sound installations by Oliver Francis Gallery, and all of the wonderful exhibitions currently at the Dallas Contemporary.

It all takes place this Thursday, May 31, and if you still haven’t secured tickets, you should go purchase them now. Because when will you get a chance to see this level of musical talent coupled with free drinks and art and theater for just fifteen bucks? Exactly. See you there.