Monthly Archive for September, 2008

I thought I might break my recent tradition of late posts, and actually publish my Dallas area live music picks for a given month, at the beginning of the aforementioned month; however, I may not be able to completely follow through. I started doing my research for October music around town, I not only found way too many great shows to put in one post, but 3 of those shows fall on the same night. In this article I will tell you all about that night. In a week or two I will follow up with part duex, covering the rest of the month.

October 11th, it would seem, is the night all of the planets align in a harmonic orbital pattern, and shine good live music down on Big D. If I was able to be in three places at the same time, you would see me at these three shows. There is a reasonable chance that you might also see me in the Cowboy’s Cheerleader’s locker room (well, if I could be in four places that is instead of just 3….and could you blame me?).

October 11th, Patrice Pike and BAcksliders at Dan’s Silverleaf

First up for the Denton crowd we have Patrice Pike and The BAcksliders at Dan’s Silverleaf. How can you not go and see a killer double bill like this one? Patrice is a Texas girl who first made her name on the rock scene from the mid 90’s until 2001 heading up Sister Seven. I saw Patrice play a solo show in 2006, and was amazed by her performance. At that show her style was more acoustic/signer songwriter than rock and roll, and the music was amazing. She is a little microblonde with this huge voice, that is much too large to fit in her tiny body, and will absolutely blow you away. She as many tattoos as any glam rock front man, and a million dollar smile. What’s not to like?
Shortly after I saw her play she was picked to be on Tommy Lee’s show “Rock Band Supernova”. She did pretty well on the show, but they seemed to giver her trouble because her music wasn’t “ROCK!” enough in her performances on the show. See the clip below for a performance of one of her original songs, and some “not rock enough” criticism from Tommy and the boys. By the end of the season, she had changed her style up back to her more rocky/ Sister 7 sound and moved away from her singer songwriter flow. I’m not sure what style her show will be in Denton, but it is sure to impress.

Also playing at Dan’s that night is the great local Dallas band, The BAcksliders. These guys are also headed up by a talented lady lead singer(Kim Pendleton-Bonner). Their sound is rocky, but not too heavy; which is a little odd to me because they won the D.O.M.A this year for hard rock. Maybe I need to re-think my classification . When the band gets going, and Kim is feeling it, her tambourine starts to fly and that slightly raspy and very sultry voice comes into it’s own. The BAcksliders put on a great show that is full of energy and fantastic music. This is a band of seasoned musicians who know how to entertain and keep the crowd jamming along with them. If you are in Denton, head just past the square, and pull in to park when you hear the guitar (pronounced Geee-Tarr) jamming.

Kristy Kruger at Opening Bell (Mosaic location) October 11th.
Dallas, you guys are going to have some decisions to make! First, Opening Bell (Mosaic location) is having their official Grand Opening on the 11th. This new venue rocks (click here for my review of the new location, and here for the Pegasus News post), and is ideal for fantastic live music. The Southside on Lamar location is one of my favorite spots around town, and the owner, Pascale, has really outdone herself with the Mosaic location in the Main Street District of downtown Dallas. According to their myspace, Kristy Kruger is playing a full band show for the evening. Kristy Kruger is one of a kind, and has a permanent spot on my house play lists and car music. Kristy has a sound that is unique and amazing. She is a little bit country, a little bit retro, a touch of electronica (dark stranger) with a hint of folk/Americana. She is difficult to describe, but I can assure you her sound is her own and one that you need to hear for yourself. Her stage presence is one of the most entertaining in Dallas and this show is one that you need to make sure you see.

Salim Nourallah and Vanessa Peters at Opening Bell, October 11th (South Side location)
Speaking of Opening Bell on South Side, they also have a must see double bill that night. Salim’s myspace doesn’t have it listed, but according to Opening Bell’s page, Salim Nourallah and Vanessa Peters will be playing at the Southside on Lamar location. If you follow Dallas music at all, Salim needs no introduction. He is a local singer/songwriter with a strong following (for good reason), he won the”Best Producer” award for the 2008 D.O.M.A’s, and he has been known to fight devils on the behalf of angels when necessary. His style is a little bit is pop, with a light rock and songwriter feel to it. There is a reason people come out of the woodwork to see this guy, and that is the same reason you should check him out.

I hear you out there. You are saying: “Zach, I need more to close the deal. There is a lot of good live music out there, and I need something else to convince me to see this live music extravaganza you are staying up all night writing about. I require that you sweeten the pot. You need to show me just what you are willing to do to make this deal happen.” Well Sirs and Madams, I have the icing on the cake for you; I have the extra cherry on the sunday. I have a little something extra for you, that might just make it worth your while to head down to Opening Bell. In fact, I have Vanessa Peters and Ice Cream on Mondays as an added incentive to get you out of the lazy boy, and down to the big red building on South Lamar. Corny, yes, but true just the same. Vanessa Peters and Ice Cream on Mondays will be there on the 11th along with Salim. Vanessa doesn’t play Dallas very often because she keeps busy traveling across the pond (read: Europe) to tour places like Amersfoort, Den Haag, and Heerlen. Unless you happen to be hanging out in any of those places any time soon, you should make sure you see Vanessa play her folk/folk rock music while she is in Dallas.

This concludes part one of my live music pics for October. You have almost 2 weeks to get your stuff together and figure out which show you are going to go see. I will have part Duex posted soon; there are some unfunkingbeliveable shows in the second half of the month that I have to tell you guys about. In fact, my favorite live show/act will be in Dallas before the month ends. Member’s only sneak preview.

For the last few years, Opening Bell at South Side Lamar has been one of my favorite spots to hang out, have an adult beverage or two, and enjoy some of Dallas’s finest live music. I guess it was about a year ago when Pascale, the owner of Opening Bell, told me that she was planning to open a second location in the Main Street District of downtown Dallas. As with most construction projects, there were a few obligatory delays, many moons past before the doors finally opened last month for business. After much anticipation, Opening Bell has officially opened their sister location in the bottom floor of the Mosaic Building in the heart of Downtown. The soft opening was a few weeks ago, but Pascale has kept things pretty low key and hasn’t really marketed or put the word out about the new spot just yet. All of that should be changing soon, as the grand opening scheduled for October 11th is sure to get some attention. I hope to have more details on the grand opening soon, and it looks like it might be Kristy Kruger with a full band show (authors note: Kruger Rocks).

My first impressions of the new location were very positive indeed! First of all you have to love the location; it is in the Main Street District of Downtown Dallas, which has been growing exponentially and is now one of the places to be for Dallas Night Life. It is within easy walking distance of the Dallas City Tavern, Ten Sports Bar, Sol Irlandes, Iorn Cactus and many other great spots. The space itself is pretty large compared to the South Side location, and it is broken into two connected areas; I think this is one of the coolest, and key features of this location. On one side you have the coffee shop with the main ordering counter and plenty of seating. Don’t let the term “coffee shop” fool you; along with great espresso and brewed coffee you can also order from their large selection of beer, wine, and daiquiris. This side of the shop has plenty of space to hang out, and is more quiet and relaxed than the stage side of the shop.

A view of the coffee shop or quiet side of Opening Bell, through a connecting window on the stage side.

Connected to the coffee shop side by a small walkway, and a large glass window is a larger room with a large elevated stage, surrounded by tables, chairs, and cushy bench seating. This area is really cool, and opens up so many possibilities for Opening Bell. I’m sure this area will be used for overflow seating, or like the Saturday night it will be used for it’s primary purpose of hosting live music. The stage is much larger than the small corner stage at the South Side location, and is even better laid out for larger bands. However, I think there are even more things that could happen on this side than just music and coffee consumption. I could see it becoming the night club side of Opening Bell; there is plenty of room for a dance floor area, and room to stand and mingle. The two area’s are separated well enough that you can enjoy your coffee and surf the net on one side, while just a few feet away there is a live performance rocking out. Pascale tells me that she has already had people show interest in renting out the room for private events.

A wide view of the stage side of OBC.

The entertainment for the evening was Merry and the Mood Swings. This was a great show, and I can honestly say I’ve never seen a band that was anything like this one. The group is made up of all girls…..well, actually it is made up of all middle age-ish ladies. I know what you are thinking, and all I can say is you are terribly mistaken! These gals came to rock, and they did just that. The band was a 5 piece band, with a few brass pieces and at least 3 people taking on the lead vocals for different songs. Even though they did play up the middle aged/mom/girl band theme a little bit, these ladies are real musicians and not just some novelty band. Their sound was pretty rocky with a 80’s/90’s flare; I’m confident they could pull off anything from Joan Jett, to B-52’s covers/style music if they wanted to. Some of the tunes were funny/satire songs, and others were just good old fashioned rock and roll. They had several original songs, and played a few covers including some 90’s era Aerosmith. Their show was a lot of fun to listen to, and you could really see how much the ladies enjoyed what they were doing up there. You should defiantly check them out of you get the chance; don’t be afraid to let the middle aged mom band kick you in the teeth a little bit.

I realize it might not exactly be the recommended procedure to post picks for a given month half way into that month. What can I say? I have always been a bit of a procrastinator, and there are several good shows coming up in the second half of September in the Dallas area.

Eli Young Band, playing at the Rockn’ Rodeo in Denton- 9-15-2008.

These guys are really doing well and are making a name for themselves. This week they are number 33 on the Country Top 40 countdown. Now, if you follow my blog, you will know I usually don’t do reviews on mainstream radio bands; I opt for the local Dallas/Texas area local scene bands. Fear not! This is not a pop-country band! This band is a local group from Denton, and their song “When it Rains” is the song they have been playing around town and has enjoyed limited local radio play for a few years now. I think it’s pretty sweet that these guys from Denton have done so well, and that their Texas country song is now on the radio and the charts right next to the Pop-Country giants with their purchased songs, marketing machines, and multimillion dollar videos. Well done guys! When I was in grad school, Mike Ely was in one of the classes I was responsible for teaching. I remember him talking about his band and how excited he was that they were playing around town. He would come in to class so proud when they would get their first gig in Fort Worth, or anywhere outside of Denton. They have come along way since Zach’s Comm 1010 class in 2001, and you should check out their show in Denton.

Shane Whalen- Playing at The Tipperary Inn 9-18-2008

I really think this guy will be the local act that everyone is talking about in a year or so. He’s low on the radar right now, but I think all of that will change soon. He is a fantastic singer songwriter who is starting to get noticed, and someone who I recommend to anyone looking for good live music. His music is well written, fun, and well performed. If you find yourself twiddling your thumbs on the 18th, get off your sofa, call a few friends, and go check out Shane at the The Tipperary Inn. If you do, I’m sure you won’t be let down. Take a listen to his music on his myspace (he’s always adding new tunes); allow me to recommend “Tejas” and “Women and Beer”. My bet is that Women and Beer will be on the radio one of these days. I love that song, and not just because the title consists of my two favorite things in life.

Dan Dyer, at Club Dada 9-19-2009

This time of year is you shouldn’t even need an excuse to want to hang out at Club Dada. Their huge back patio area is a nice spot to hang out and have a few drinks with your friends, and should you choose to venture indoors you find a nice vibe and great live music. If you head down on the 19th, that music will be the vocal styling of Mr. Dan Dyer. Dan’s style is a lot of fun, and also a little bit difficult to describe. His voice is similar to Jamiroquai, with a lit of range and just a little bit raspy around the edges. I’ve seen him play three or four times, and I would describe the music as light acoustic, with strong vocal emphasis. Some of his recorded music, and a lot of what he has on his Myspace right now has more of a funky/70’s feel to it.

The Slack at Lakewood Bar- 09-26-2008 26th

The Slack is a local band that is simply packed with Talent. Several of the band members are also well known as solo acts, and also play for, or have played for other well respected bands in the area . Their book of music is pretty diverse; some of their music is light acoustic music, but of all of the bands I’ve recommended so far in this post, I would say they are the most rocky. The last time I saw them play, half of the band was sick (only 3 on stage) and they did the best cover of Pink Floyd and Led Zep that I’ve ever heard. Their original music is fantastic, but if you can pull off Pink Floyd…and make it sound like it should with just 3 people, that tells you something about the skill level of this band. If you are looking for some great music to enjoy on the 26th, make sure to check out The Slack on the 26th.

Fishing For Comets at the Dallas City Tavern- 09-27-2008

These guys (and gal) know how to put on a fun and upbeat show, and they know how to keep the audience involved and focused on the show. Remember how I said the Slack’s members are in several other great local bands? This is one of them, with Eric Niel playing bass, guitar,vocals for the band. I’m pretty sure he could play a daxophone, or any other musical instrument he could get his hands on. He is just one of those guys who seems like he can play anything and everything. Fishing For Comets has a few folk songs and covers in their play list, but for the most part their sound is Pop consisting of their own original music. I’ve seen them play several times, and I’ve never been disappointed. Check them out now before they are selling out the Jerry Jones stadium.

Eli Young Band
Shane Whalen
Dan Dyer
The Slack
Fishing For Comets