Category Archives: Concert Reviews

Lana Del Rey Brought the Fandom to Grand Prairie, Texas [Review]

April 26, 2014 By in Concert Reviews Tags: , , , , , , 4 Comments

Lana Del Rey - West Coast Single

Disclaimer 1: I am a Lana Del Rey fan

Disclaimer 2: I am a singer

When I first heard Lana Del Rey’s breakout single “Video Games” I have to admit…I wasn’t completely sold, but I was definitely intrigued. Her seductive tone and alto range was different and refreshing next to the powerhouse vocal stylings we’ve seemingly come to expect from female pop vocalists. She’s no Beyonce or Ariana Grande, she’s Lana. And the throng of screeching teenage girls at Wednesday night’s show proved that Lana doesn’t need to prove herself to anyone.

Lana Del Rey - Dallas Review

From the time she sauntered onstage in a simple, off the shoulder red dress with no shoes to the first line out of her mouth, “My pussy tastes like pepsi-cola”, the 6,000 sold-out theater erupted as if Harry Styles had taken his shirt off and pledged to make out with one lucky fan in attendance. I don’t even remember Justin Timberlake receiving this kind of response when I saw him in Houston a few months back. One thing is for sure, Lana’s fans could care less about her lackluster SNL performance that sent critics in a frenzy claiming the luscious lipped songstress was done, or that every news outlet in North Texas is criticizing her simplistic, haunting (and yes, somewhat pitchy) vocal abilities. So back to disclaimer 1. Yes, I am a fan, maybe not the shaking-until-I-lose-my-mind-rush-out-and-get-lip-injections type of fan, but a fan nonetheless. I was enthralled. She did what she does best. She drew the audience in with her hypnotic voice and dark songs of love, drugs and freedom.

Lana Del Rey - Dallas Review

The reasoning for disclaimer 2, I have a big voice, and I love big voices. I grew up on the likes of Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, and had a choir director mother who sang her guts out on stage from the moment I was conceived. It’s easy to criticize a singer like Lana for not being “big enough” and for not delivering the show stopping performance we’ve come to expect from over the top performers like Lady Gaga and most of her pop predecessors. Yes, Lana comes across as incredibly shy onstage. Almost to the point of awkwardness, but her songs resonate, and to me, there’s nothing more important.

Lana Del Rey - Dallas Review

Getting down into the pit of fans, taking selfies and signing autographs mid-show, it’s obvious Lana loves her supporters, in fact, I would say she feeds off of it. Some would call it self-indulgent, and maybe it is, but it added to Lana’s Old-Hollywood persona that she has so perfectly crafted. From images of Marilyn Monroe to the celebrity images from her “Video Games” video, there’s a charm and mystery to Lana that eludes most artists in today’s celebrity culture.

“I feel really lucky to be singing in front of you,” she said to the thousands of screaming fans, “because there’s a connection, and you get it.”

And a connection there was…more than most shows I see. Lana fans relate and Lana loves to connect with her fans. So in my opinion, she did exactly what she set out to do Wednesday night. Put on an amazing show for her fans.

Dallas Set List:

  • Cola
  • Body Electric
  • Blue Jeans
  • West Coast
  • Born to Die
  • Young and Beautiful
  • Carmin
  • Gods & Monsters
  • Summertime Sadness
  • Video Games
  • Millions Dollar Man
  • Radio
  • National Anthem

GoodBAMMSho’s Coming Out Party at the Live Oak Music Hall & Lounge [Review]

July 31, 2012 By in Concert Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Friday night the Live Oak Music Hall & Lounge hosted the GoodBAMMSho launch party with 4 talented Texas bands, and a whole lotta rock and roll.

The good folks at GoodBAMMSho have been kind enough to post my musical ramblings of some of the best shows coming through the DFW area. So, of course I wouldn’t have missed out on the opportunity to check out some great live music at one of Ft. Worth’s newest venues. First things first, the venue was a perfect choice for the festivities. Equipped with a rooftop patio and enough beers on tap to keep you occupied all night, some sleek decor and a spacious music hall, I might have to add this to my list of places to play soon!

Starting off the night was Dallas’ own, The Red 100’s. The 2011 “Best Blues Act [Dallas Observer]” definitely came to put on a show. The high energy trio made up for the lack of energy in the audience onstage with broken guitar strings & heart pounding tunes. These guys played their asses off.

Drummer Kyle Scheumack started things off vocally before passing the torch to the remaining members throughout the course of the set. Unfortunately the crowd seemed perfectly comfortable in their seats until guitarist Robbie D Love reminded everyone this was a rock show. When you thought they couldn’t get any more energetic they rose to the occasion once everyone decided to stretch their legs and come to the front of the stage.

Meshing a unique blend of blues and rock, even throwing in an ear busting cover of Johnny Be Good, these guys might not be at the top of my list of vocal stewards, but damn they sure can play.

Shifting the night to a more rockabilly/classic rock vibe were Dallas based rockers, The Roomsounds. The first time I saw these guys was at the La Grange in Deep Ellum, opening for Morning Teleportation. I liked them then and I really like them now.

Everything about these guys is in sync. From the opening song, to their denim and boots, you can really feel the synergy of the group down to the last tune. With a new album available for download and a slew of performances scheduled throughout the remainder of 2012, you’ll definitely catch me at another Roomsounds show soon.

What’s Ft. Worth without some country music? The third band of the night, The Will Callers, definitely brought an interesting twist to modern day Americana/Country music. By no means am I an expert on the subject but I will say, these guys had me intrigued from the start.

Once I got past the amazing 50’s inspired look of the band my eyes went directly to guitarist Justin Elliott. From his straw hat to his flaming shoes this guy wins the prize for most animated. Aside from being an amazing musician you could feel the energy he was putting out from the stage.

Not to take away from the rest of the group, this band was magnetic. Finally getting some people out of their seat, lead singer Jake Murphy’s classic voice was laced with the perfect amount of country twang. It’s exciting to come out to local shows and see the massive amount of talent we have in this city, and The Will Callers were no exception.

Closing out a night full of some very talented musicians was Canadian/Austin duo Black Pistol Fire. There’s really no other way I can describe these guys other then simply…amazing.

It’s impossible not to make an immediate comparison to Rock’s favorite duo of the year, The Black Keys, with their gritty guitar and hard pounding drum beats…these guys were something else. In an industry mired with over-production it’s refreshing to see two musicians completely turn a venue inside out with a guitar and set of drums.

Guitarist and frontman Kevin McKeown lit up the stage alongside drummer Eric Owen. Playing so hard to the point Owen knocked over his drums, these guys owned the night. Tearing through a slew of garage rock/blues tunes, remnants of Dan Auerbach and The White Stripes could be heard in McKeown’s vocal chops.

I couldn’t have chosen a better band to close out a great night of local music. Even coming back on stage for an encore these guys knew what the crowd wanted, and they delivered 1000% percent.

Congrats to GoodBAMMSho on their official launch and thanks Mac for putting on a great event! Until next time.

Happy Listening!

 

Sofar Sounds, Songs from a Room: My New Favorite Way to Watch a Show [Review]

July 17, 2012 By in Concert Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , 7 Comments

Check out my latest review for GoodBAMMSho!

Ahhh the living room. Whether it’s a tiny apartment in NYC or a mini mansion with a 100 inch TV, I would make the assumption that the majority of people spend the better part of their relaxation camped out in the confines of their living room. From movie night to dinner time it’s one of my favorite places to be, so why not invite some of the best local talent to join you.

Sofar Sounds, Songs From a Room, brings secret “pop-up” gigs into the homes of people all over the world. It’s hush hush. So secretive in fact, you don’t even know who’s playing until you walk through the door. This past Saturday I was fortunate to land on the guest list and attend Sofar’s latest event in the small music hub of Denton, TX.

A long stream of cars lined the quiet suburban street with musicians and music lovers filing in with excitement lingering on their faces. When I approached the house my social anxiety started to creep up but was swiftly knocked down by the cordial smiles and friendliness of the Sofar staff. Buckets of ice were waiting by the door for guests to chill their beverages and the regulars were quickly spotted holding their decorative cushions to mask the hard wood floors. This was already one of the coolest things I’ve done in a while.

On the bill for the night’s show were 4 talented acts from Austin, Denton and yes, Portsmouth, UK. First up, UK artist Tom Bertram.

Flanked in some pretty awesome purple socks and a thick British accent, Tom Bertram had the most unbeatable intro of the night.

“Our first performer is a singer songwriter from Portsmouth. He’s performed alongside Noel Gallagher and yes, he’s even performed for the Queen.”

Come to find out he also played for a few Twilight premieres across the pond (cue the swooning of hundreds of teenage girls everywhere). Tom only played a few songs before taking over the duties of MC for the rest of the night and I must say, he did a phenomenal job.

Opening with his first worldwide single, She’s Like a Drug, he immediately reminded me of a young Pete Yorn with his soulful tone and love stricken songs. Ending with his unreleased single You Give me Love, Tom showed off some serious talent and charisma that kept everyone charmed throughout the evening.

Tiny toy pianos, a banjo, stand-up base, accordions, and a lot of creativity came with the next group…Austin based  quartet trio, Haun’s Mill. Husband and wife duo Nord Anderson and Eliza Wren and bassist Courtney Jackson filled the room with their unique musical style that blended a bit of Indie, Folk, Country and yes, “Spaghetti Western” as the band likes to call it.

Eliza’s delicate voice whispered beautifully within tunes that seemed to come from another era. No amps, no speakers and did I mention a mini toy piano?? I was completely transfixed by the instrument of my childhood while Eliza played next to Nord’s soulful voice and Courtney’s bellowing plucks. Brilliant.

Ryan Thomas Becker and Last Joke was definitely my favorite band of the night. The musical foursome had a vibe that was 100% passionate and completely entertaining.

The group’s chemistry was solid throughout the set, trading off bluesy licks with an original Denton feel. The University of North Texas continues to churn out some of the DFW area’s finest local musicians in this small town music hub. With musicians like Ryan Thomas Becker and his friends it definitely won’t stay a hidden gem for long.

One of my favorite tunes from the “Six Songs Written for Our Friends” EP was The Train. Melancholy, raw and emotional, Ryan and the boys left everything out on the living room floor with this performance. The vocals were powerful and the melody flowed perfectly into each string and beat of the drum. Loved it! Not to mention, apparently the Last Joke have “the greatest Tumblr blog ever”….so I guess you better check it out HERE!

Sofar did a great job bringing together 4 unique bands to one room. Each sound meshed perfectly together, making for a pretty cool way to spend a Saturday night.

The Backwater Opera is definitely one of the quirkiest groups I’ve seen live. With their playful banter and curious musical inspirations, “this is a song about a sandwich”, the group closed out the show with infectious grooves comprised of bluegrass and classical music.

Besides the fact that the group was funny and engaging, these guys and gals were some kick ass musicians. Playing a hand full of instrumentals this group really showcases the amazing talent this small town has to offer. Marisa Korth had an insane tonality that showcased her bluegrass roots next to Robert Sherwood and Carlo Canlas’ harmonies. Crazy talented and an overall fun group to see.

Thanks Sofar Sounds for spoiling me into thinking I need to see every band now in the comfort of my own living room. Check out their website and get on the waiting list, the experience is an absolute must!

Until the next show! Happy Listening!

Song of the Day: Santigold and Her Dancing Divas at the House of Blues Dallas [Review]

June 8, 2012 By in Concert Reviews, Song of the Day Tags: , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Mother nature couldn’t have picked a better night to wash the city clean then Wednesday [insert extreme sarcasm here]. Severe thunderstorms and flash flooding aside I slipped on my concert wear, hooked an umbrella to my arm and dragged my music loving a@# to the House of Blues.

Hot off the release of her long awaited sophomore album, Master of My Make-Believe, Santigold, AKA Santi White, finally made it back to the HOB stage after three years and a name change (formerly Santogold). In today’s fast paced, “I want everything now” society it’s almost unheard of to wait three years for an artist to release an album, let alone their second. But there’s something to be said about the wait…the anticipation of new music and the constant search for news or info on what your favorite artists are up to. For me, the wait has been painful because yes, I secretly wish I was the third back-up dancer to Santigold, or even just a fly on the wall during her writing and recording sessions. I guess you could say I’m a bit of a fan.

Drawing the usual young and diverse crowd, this was the perfect venue for Ms. White. Large enough to pack a crowd yet intimate enough to feel the energy in the back of the house, this is the type of show I love to see at the House of Blues. My expectations were definitely high considering the brilliance of her 2009 tour and even though Master of my Make-Believe didn’t wow me as much as her debut effort, I was anxious to see how the new blended with the old.

The musicians took the stage flanked in what I would call tribal safari gear, followed by the secret sauce of Santi’s shows, her background dancers. More on them later…

The show opened with Go!, track one of her latest release that features the AMAZING  Karen O. from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. No, Karen did not make an appearance (that would have been epic) but Santigold carried the tune off beautifully, making you completely forget this was intended for two truly distinct female vocalists. No time was wasted getting to tracks of her debut, Santogold,  and I must say, the two albums blended perfectly together.

Mired with technical issues in the beginning White made repeated trips to the side of the stage to converse with the sound booth but overall the group handled it beautifully. The only annoyance with the technical difficulties was the revelation of the backing tracks being played with the music. No hate here, I understand this type of music can be hard to pull off without them, but I like to remain a naive concert goer and believe every sound effect is achieved live. Moments of frustration were seen on Ms. White’s face but she moved on like a pro and continued to amp up the crowd with an ease and grace you rarely see in a live performer. And yes, the backing tracks seemed to fade away once the sound problems were fixed.

Track after track from L.E.S. Artistes to Disparate Youth, Big Mouth and Freak Like Me it was a shame I was packed like a sardine in general admission because you can’t help but want to dance your ass off. That leads me to one of my favorite parts of the show, Santigold’s duo of stone faced, scintillating dancers, the SG-1’s. Perfectly choreographed, unabashedly sexy and all without cracking a smile these chicks are visual perfection. I found myself staring at the SG-1’s at times more then White herself and anxiously waiting to see what they would morph into next. Multiple outfit changes later (for the entire band), a giant horse, psychedelic umbrellas and enough booty shaking that Sir Mix a Lot would approve, this might just be the must see show of the summer.

A delicious blend of rock, pop, new wave, indie and probably a dozen other genres you could reference in her music, Santigold knows how to bring nothing but fun to the stage, literally. Selecting an energetic group from the crowd White turned the stage into a dance club, but not before instructing the fame hungry patrons to move back so the show could still go on. In true rock star style she sang, danced and endured a plethora of leg humps during her ultra popular hit Creator.

The night ended with a Spank Rock special, B.O.O.T.A.Y and the opportunity for the SG-1’s to impress me yet again with their..uh hummm…dancing magic. Santigold put on a stellar HOB show while solidifying my admiration for the multidimensional artist and her troupe of dancing divas.

Disparate Youth:

Creator:

To check out more of my reviews head over to GoodBAMMSho!

KXT Summer Cut: An Ecelctic Fun Fest [Review]

June 5, 2012 By in Concert Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Friday night publicly funded station KXT 91.7 pulled together an eclectic group of musicians for the first annual Happy Funtime Fest. Two stages, 9 bands and a few food trucks turned the Gexa Energy Pavilion into a mini festival. Thanks to the fabulous peeps here at GoodBAMMSho not only was I on hand to soak in all the tunes, but I had the incredible opportunity to play photog for a night in the press pit!

Playing on the main stage were Telegraph Canyon, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Fitz & The Tantrums, St. Vincent, and headliners The Flaming Lips. A small area by the concessions was carved out for Walk Off The Earth, Quiet Corral, Smile Smile and Air Review on the second stage.

The ode to summer bash started with a sparse crowd that was as unique as the night’s lineup. To get the night going I headed to the press pit in all my Canon Rebel glory to check out Fitz & The Tantrums. This energetic group of 6 come out in full force, dressed to impress and ready to get the crowd moving. Immediately you could sense the electric chemistry between front man Fitz and co-vocalist, Noelle Scaggs. Despite the Texas heat Scaggs tirelessly worked the crowd, tambourine in hand, track after track.

Playing songs off their debut album, Pickin’ up the Pieces, the Tantrums found a way to blend the old school styling of Motown and modern day soul, against playful dance beats meshing perfectly with Fitz and Scaggs’ chemistry.

The highlight of the night was seeing Indie darlings St. Vincent for the first time. Shamefully I’m a little late to the game when it comes to the Texas native. Only hearing a few tracks off their latest release Strange Mercy before the show, I was completely mesmerized by front woman Annie Clark.

Minus a few technical hiccups the four piece group filled the simplified stage beautifully with Annie’s subtle vocals and electrifying guitar riffs.This chick can seriously rock out with the best of them. Her guitar skills blew me away. If her quirky back shuffle didn’t instantly win you over then it was her leap into the crowd, microphone in hand, for an entire song of crowd surfing.

From their most popular tunes, Cruel and Cheerleader, to the cover of She is Beyond Good and Evil from the British punk group, The Pop Group, St. Vincent was the perfect appetizer to the night’s headlining act.

Originally from Norman, Oklahoma I’ve heard of The Flaming Lips most my life, but I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing them live until now. I’ve heard from countless people that they are a must see live, but what I wasn’t ready for was the sheer madness that was about to explode on stage.

Unlike a typical rock star waiting to make a big entrance, frontman Wayne Coyne was front and center almost the entire time the stage was being set for the show. Helping with the setup, giving the audience safety tips and even posing for some self-portraits against the swarm of people, Wayne’s love of the stage is infectious.

The lights dimmed and the video monitor displayed a rainbow of color that would serve as the grand entrance of the band, that is everyone except Coyne himself. It wouldn’t be a Flaming Lips show if Wayne didn’t make his debut in a giant inflated bubble. Confetti fell, giant balloons ascended upon the crowd, colorful smoke exploded in the air and a mob of gitty school girls filled the stage. I fought the smoke and debris for pics but not before becoming completely entrenched in the psychedelic atmosphere that only the Lips could create.

Despite a smaller then usual crowd for so many acts, overall, the first annual Summer Cut Fest was a fun way for KXT to celebrate three years on the air.

Check out more reviews and concert updates at GoodBAMMSho!

M83 at the Granada Theater Equals One Magical Night [Reviewish]

May 27, 2012 By in Concert Reviews Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

Every once in a while a band will come along that completely disrupts your current way of looking at music. It doesn’t happen very often but when it does..it’s pure musical bliss. I’ve come a long way in my musical journey and by no means are close to being finished.

A little history…

I grew up in a very religious household. My grandfather was a minister and both of my parents were ordained ministers during my early childhood years. Like most church going homes in the 80s we weren’t allowed to listen to popular music, watch the Smurfs (damn you Gargamel and your witchery) or pretty much live beyond the church. Now don’t get me wrong, I adored my childhood and appreciate how it shaped me as a person, but growing up in this kind of environment doesn’t expose you to a wide array of music.

When people were reminiscing about how amazing The Beatles were and the genius of Jimmy Hendrix I was saying….who? Not kidding, in fact I can’t believe I’m actually putting this out into the blogosphere. But I’m not ashamed, my gospel/soul/r&b background has shaped me into the singer/musician I am today. Due to my late blooming my early teens and twenties have been an amazing experience in musical soul searching and exploration.

Later on in my childhood I started listening to pop music and it’s been the source of most of my inspiration throughout my singing journey, but things have changed over the last few years. Thanks to some amazing musician friends and most notably, my husband, my eyes have been opened, ears have been blessed, and I’m listening to music that effects me in ways pop music never could attempt to do (but no snobbery here, if you watch my YouTube channel you know how I love all kinds of music).

History lesson over….

Indie music has become so expansive it’s hard to put a label on it. Electronic, pop, ambient, new wave, blah blah…all I know is it’s leaps and bounds better then anything you’ll hear on popular radio today.

M83 was a happy accident I stumbled upon last year and I felt like I was a part of a secret group that had discovered the next big thing. Ahhh bless my little heart when I discovered that “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming” was NOT their first album and the man behind the music, Frenchman Anthony Gonzalez, has been creating whimsical licks of musical candy since 2001.

Whether they’ve been around for a year or 11, the new music and brilliance I experienced last Sunday at the Granada Theater was musicianship at its best. I’ve mentioned it many times before in my reviews but the connectivity of the band with the crowd is everything. I’ve been to a lot of shows in my life and I can honestly say I’ve never felt energy from a group like I did with M83. From front man Gonzalez to long term collaborator Morgan Kibby, the LA based group was as cohesive has they come and you could feel their energy throughout their entire set.

From “Steve McQueen” and “Couleurs” to “Reunion” and “Midnight City” the crowd was committed from the moment the lights were dimmed. I knew I was in for a good show but didn’t expect to be completely blown away. Multicolored light beams, champagne sprays and the happiest Frenchman this side of the red river, the Granada hosted one of the most amazing shows I’ve ever been fortunate to attend.

They’re explosive sound sent an infectious energy throughout the crowd with dance beat after next. The guitar player played an entire song while doing the running man, only taking a few minor breaks to guzzle some water, and keyboardist/vocalist, Morgan Kibby, made playing the keyboard look sexier then walking a Victoria Secret fashion show.  An amazing show indeed and one you’ll just have to experience for yourself!

Download their latest, “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming” and check them out the next time they’re in your area. I promise you, it will be a night to remember!

Photo Credits (2-6): Bill Ellison and the Granada Theater

Song of the Day: Morning Teleportation “Just a Figment” [Review]

May 18, 2012 By in Concert Reviews, Song of the Day Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Morning Teleportation

I’m doing things a little different for today’s Song of the Day. Last Wednesday I reviewed a local show for GoodBAMMSho in Deep Ellum and was pleasantly surprised by the night’s lineup. Philly foursome Nicos Gun, local Dallas boys The Roomsounds, and Isaac Brock’s (of Modest Mouse fame) pet project, Morning Teleportation were an impressive group of young musicians.

My favorite of the night was headliner Morning Teleportation. Their distinct sound really caught my attention for reasons that you’ll just have to read below (how about that transition). So check out a track off their 2011 release, Expanding Anyway, and read up on the other stellar bands of the night.

Just a Figment: 

Nicos Gun

Wednesday night brought three very different yet seamlessly connected bands to the LaGrange in Deep Ellum. The last few times I’ve ventured down the tattooed streets of the once bustling local music scene, a little bit of hope is restored for music in Dallas. The LaGrange is a quaint and hip music spot perfect enough to fill a herd of music lovers into its sophisticated ambiance. It’s been serving up local tunes and Tex-Mex for a few years now but to me, I’ve found a new spot to check out the hungry and talented (musically speaking of course).

Wednesday’s event was sponsored by the fabulous peeps at Blackbox Presents and GoodBAMMSho. Opening the night was philly foursome Nicos Gun. Permeating the dark streets with their electro infused beats it made for a grand entrance into the club. The crowd was small but it didn’t prevent them from putting on a hell of a good set.

Continue reading >> Nicos Gun, The Roomsounds, Morning Teleportation & a Whole Lotta Smoke

Sarah Jaffe Enchants at Hometown Gig in Dallas [Review]

May 7, 2012 By in Concert Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

When most people were camped out on a patio filled with tortilla chips and margaritas, I was anxiously awaiting Denton singer/songwriter Sarah Jaffe to take the stage at the Granada Theater in Dallas. Personally, I couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend Cinco de Mayo then with the talented North Texas native.

Sarah brought two local artists along for the ride starting with electro pop group Zhora. Unfortunately I was finishing up my Cinco de Mayo celebration and didn’t make it out for the set but after listening to some tunes online, it sounds like it was a good show!

I did make it out to see John Singer Sergeant, aka John Dufilho, and must say my initial reaction was…confused. I’m not familiar with the Dallas born musician and was excited when the curtain raised to a full band, full sound, and what I was hoping to be a captivating live show. I did some minor research over my Mexican Martini earlier and read nothing but stellar reviews about Mr. Dufilho’s new musical escapade.

Read the rest of the review on GoodBAMMSho!

The Black Keys Steal the Show at EdgeFest22 [Review]

April 25, 2012 By in Concert Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Sunday afternoon thousands of hipsters, edgeheads, and an entire new breed of young rockers ascended upon the FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, TX for the 22nd annual EdgeFest. Every year 102.1 The Edge puts on a day of music with some of the biggest bands in rock ‘n roll. Sixteen bands played on two stages throughout the day but I was really there to see one band in particular, The Black Keys.

To say I’m a huge Black Keys fan is a massive understatement. Ever since my husband loaded me up with a road trip playlist featuring the band’s early recordings a few years back, I’ve been absolutely enamored with the bluesy duo. So when I heard they were headlining EdgeFest there was no question where I’d be spending my Sunday night.

Read my full review at GoodBammSho!

Chairlift Takes on the Big D with Special Guest Nite Jewel [Review]

April 18, 2012 By in Concert Reviews Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

I’m excited to announce I’ll be partnering with GoodBAMMSho to bring you reviews of the hottest Indie bands coming through the DFW Metroplex. I couldn’t have asked for a better show to kick off the collaboration then Chairlift with opening act Nite Jewel.

Lying in the shadows of the “live music capital of the world”, otherwise known as Austin, Dallas hasn’t been considered much of a music Mecca. But don’t make your judgments yet because this southern city in the heart of Texas has a lot of talent to offer.

Indie music is making a huge splash on the scene in venues like the Granada Theater, Palladium Ballroom and of course, Club Dada.

It’s been years since I’ve been to Club Dada let alone Deep Ellum and I was a little disappointed to see how desolate the area has become. The happening music scene of my youth has turned into a condo wasteland littered with a few nightclubs and readily available retail space. Thankfully there are still some good bands coming through the east side Dallas hangout, and Monday night was no exception with Nite Jewel and Chairlift on the bill.

 Read the full review at GoodBAMMSho!