What to do this Wednesday

It's rare for me to go to a show on the weeknights because of work, sleep, and that whole cycle. It usually takes something really special to pry me away from home on a work night. Well, tomorrow is something very special indeed.

The ever fabulous Kristy Kruger will play a benefit show at AllGood Cafe tomorrow night marking the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and this time she's not playing alone. The Los Angeles band Rose's Pawn Shop will be acting as her backup band. Kristy goes on at 8 pm, and then Rose's Pawn Shop will take the stage at 9:30 or so and play their own songs. There is a $10 recommended donation for the event, and a portion of the donations will go to the Red Cross.

For the better part of this year, Kristy Kruger has embarked on a 50 state tour in remembrance of her brother, Lt. Col. Eric Kruger, who died in the Iraqi War. As a result, opportunities to see her perform around these parts are quite rare. It is even rarer to see her perform with a full band, as she will be doing tomorrow night.

If you can't make the show, you can catch Kristy September 14th (minus Rose's Pawn Shop) at Opening Bell Coffee. But really, you should be at AllGood Cafe for an evening of great music in support of an important cause. You can catch up on sleep the next night.

The Nerve of Some People!

Today is my actual birthday, and I should be all happy and stuff. Instead, I feel the need to complain a little. I’ve got a beef with two particular bands right now: Fishing For Comets and THe BAcksliders. Every year at this time, I book some of the finest musical acts that the local music scene has to offer, and I convince them to play at Barley House. These lineups are so phenomenal, that usually no bands have the nerve to play against them. This year, however, not one, but two great bands are playing tonight, but not at Barley House.

Fishing For Comets is headlining a show at City Tavern tonight, and they’ve gotten Dirt Blazers to open up for them. I absolutely love Fishing For Comets. They played my birthday show two years ago, and I was about to recruit them for this year’s lineup when I discovered that they were already booked for the evening. Camille, how can you and the guys do this to me? You know that ever since you so kindly gave me your first CD that it was love at first listen. You should be at Barley House tonight; you know I’m right.

THe BAcksliders are another veteran of my birthday shows. In fact, they are the only band I’ve ever booked for my birthday show that I’d never seen nor heard when I agreed to put them on the bill. Johnny Lloyd Rollins asked if I had any open slots, and he recommended some bands, one of which was THe BAcksliders. All I knew about the band was that it featured Kim Pendleton (ex-Vibrolux) and Chris Bonner, who I knew back in the days that he was with Sons of Sound. But that’s all that I needed to know. I knew that with those two being the heart of the band, there was no way that the music could be anything but killer. I was right; their set last year was an electric mix of rock, soul, blues, heartbreak, sensuality, and everything else under the sun. Simply put, it ruled.

So are THe BAcksliders playing for me again? No, they’re not. Instead, they decided to a play a show for someone else’s birthday. They’ll be at the Allgood Café celebrating the birthday of some guy named Mike Snider. Who does this Mike Snider guy think he is, trying to compete with my birthday celebration? And who gave him the right to book THe BAcksliders?

Of course, I’m only kidding here. I have nothing but love for both of these bands. And yes, I do know who Mike Snider is. We may have an ongoing debate about the fact that he doesn’t show the proper musical respect for The Monkees, but I still think he’s cooler than hell. I didn’t know that we shared a birthday in common though. In fact, I think he’s turning 25, just like I am.

Both Fishing For Comets and The BAcksliders are great bands, but I hope that everyone instead goes to Barley House tonight for my 10th annual 25th birthday party (because I'm selfish like that). In case if you haven’t been paying attention to my blog, here’s the summary. Rahim Quazi opens the show with a solo set at about 10:00 p.m. or so, the cut*off follow at about 11:00, and The Chemistry Set headline at midnight or so. All times are approximate; after all, these are musicians. However, if you feel compelled to go to one of the other shows I’ve mentioned, just get a hand written note from one of the band members (or Mike Snider), and I’ll consider letting it slide as an excused absence. Oh, and if you slip a twenty inside the note, I promise to count it as an excused absence.

It all starts tonight...

Tonight begins the insanity of my birthday celebration. First, let me clear something up. There is a vicious rumour being spread, stating that I will be turning 34 this Saturday. Allow me to set the record straight. I am turning 25, just like I have for the previous nine years. Why should this year be any different?

I haven't left home yet, and I will probably miss Rahim's solo set. It's a bummer to be certain, but I can take solace in the fact that I'll see him play at Barley House tomorrow night. For the record, he'll open the show around 10 or so. For more details on the lineup, read the previous blog entry.

I can't wait to see the lineup. This will be my first time to see Radiant, although I was quite impressed with their debut CD, The Sound of Splitting Atoms. Speaking of CD's, it's a double CD release party. Salim finally releases Snowing in My Heart, his follow up to his brilliant Beautiful Noise album. Also, The Slack releases its first official CD with Wishful Sinking (Chris Holt's solo CD, Summer Reverb, is being reissued as a Slack CD). And Johnny Lloyd Rollins always rocks. Period. End of story.

If you can, you need to make it out tonight, and wish me a happy 25th birthday. I mean, how many times does a guy turn 25? More often than you might think, actually.

Major concert announcement... the grand finale!

OK, so you know the deal so far. Saturday, August 25th, is my birthday extravaganza at Barley House. So far I’ve announced that Rahim Quazi will kick off the show in grand style, only to be followed by the fabulous cut*off. The lineup is already pretty impressive as it is. You’re probably thinking to yourself, “is it humanly possible for the evening to get any better?” The answer, of course, is yes. How can this happen, you ask? It’s quite simple: you get The Chemistry Set to agree to headline the show.

OK, so this is probably not much of a shocker. After all, ever since I started holding my birthday shows at Barley House in 2003, The Chemistry Set has taken part in the festivities every single year. The only year that the full band lineup didn’t play was in 2004, when lead vocalist Steve Duncan and keyboardist Meredith Knoll were the Friday evening opening act. I hold no ill will towards bass player Corey Helms or Josh Huver, the man behind the drum kit, for not being able to play that night. Really, I don’t. All the flat tires those two members received were purely coincidental, I swear.

Seriously though, I always consider it to be a privilege to get some of the finest bands in the metroplex area to play for me every year. The musicians on this year’s lineup are not only an incredibly talented group, but they are also some of the coolest and nicest people I know. To me, they are more than the entertainment on stage; I consider them to be my friends. I couldn’t ask for a better gift than that.

OK, enough of the sentimentality. Here’s a quick review of everything you need to know for the weekend:

August 24th – Granada Theater
Radiant/Salim Nourallah (CD Release)/The Slack (CD Release)/Johnny Lloyd Rollins/Rahim Quazi (solo set)

August 25th – Barley House
The Chemistry Set/the cut*off/Rahim Quazi (solo set)

Your weekend has been planned out for you in advance. No need to thank me. Just come to the shows; that’s thanks enough.

Major concert announcement... the sequel

It’s time to announce the next artist that is part of my birthday extravaganza. So, without further ado, I give you…..drum roll, please... the cut*off!!!

For those of you who have not seen the cut*off, you must see this band. If you haven’t seen this band in a few years or so, then it’s time to revisit this band. When I saw them play at the 2005 Katrina benefit at Granada Theater, the band’s sound was so loud and drenched in distortion that it was hard to find the melody in the music. When I revisited the band last November at Dan’s Silverleaf, it might has well have been a different band. Gone was the over the top, louder than loud Mudhoney style of grunge I remembered from that show. The music is still loud and rocking, and the grunge comparisons are still somewhat warranted, especially since the voice of their lead single Kyle can sound similar in tone to Kurt Cobain. Don’t let this comparison fool you; this is not a band trying to be the next Nirvana. One of the most refreshing aspects of this band is their ability to blend acoustic guitar along with Barnhill’s appreciation of the Neil Young school of songwriting. Now the noise exists within the confines of Kyle’s sonic landscapes, where acoustic guitar and feedback can exist within the same song, producing a sound that is fresher than any lame label that I or any other music critic or record company executive could give. So it’s time to quit while I’m ahead at the comparison game. If you really want to understand what the band sounds like, go to their website (the link is listed in the Great Local Bands section) and sample their music. I particularly recommend “Adults We Know” from The Rorschache E.P. Better yet, buy the EP, and start saving your pennies for their upcoming full length album to be released (hopefully this November) on Summer Break Records.

… And now for something completely different. Here are profiles on all four members of the cut*off. I’ve taken a few artistic liberties with the descriptions of these guys; hopefully they don’t mind, or at the very least they won’t sue for slander.

Kyle (vocals, guitar): This guy goes by several aliases: Doug Ipswitch, Lunchbox, Yardbird, Tuggs, the list goes on and on. I’m not sure if he’s in sure of the perfect rock star name or he’s hiding from the FBI. In the meantime, Kyle, if you need a new nickname, this one comes straight from Fast Eddie: Kretch. That’s right, you new name is Kretch. Hope you enjoy it. Don’t worry; it sounds better after a few beers.

Jayson (guitar): When Jayson’s not busy busting out killer guitar solos, he’s working on a secret project to create a mixed tape so brilliant that he can conquer the world with said tape. He says his formula to a killer mix tape playlist keeps changing. Potential opening track candidates include The Clash’s “London Calling,” Elliott Smith’s “Independence Day”, or The Beatles’ “Dear Prudence.” He argues that the latter song would work equally well as a closer. Jayson also enjoys rocking out on the Salt-N-Pepa classic “Push It”; I could not get him to comment on whether or not that song would make the cut for the mixed tape.

Chad (bass): The recently married bassist for the cut*off is under the mistaken impression that the best bass solo is either from The Beatles’ “I Want You (She’s So Heavy) or Murray Head’s “One Night in Bangkok.” He’s wrong. Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” outdoes them both. So there.

Jake (drums): Not only is Jake a killer drummer, he’s also a first class dancer. He pioneered the Shark dance earlier this year, and he promises to bust out some new moves at the Barley House show. I’m sworn to secrecy for fear of having the wrath of cut*off superfan “The Squid” unleashed upon me. I will say this: seeing Jake’s moves on the dance floor alone is reason enough to attend my birthday show. Come on out Saturday and catch him before he leaves for L.A. to be on this season’s lineup for “Dancing with the Stars”.

So here’s a recap. Saturday, August 25th, is my birthday bash at Barley House. Rahim Quazi will start the set with a killer solo performance. Once Mr. Quazi has stepped off the stage, the cut*off will bring the mayhem to my show. But who, you ask, will headline? The result shall be revealed tonight.

Catching up

Hello, readers. Sorry it’s taken me so long to post another entry. I’ve been busy changing the template of the blog (among other things), and in the process I’ve neglected the content of the blog. To make matters worse, my teaching job is about to start full time, which will leave less time for writing. I will try to not slack off on my blogging duties, but I make no promises. Since I haven’t written in so long, this entry may jump around from point to point somewhat. That’s what happens when you have too much to say, and you’re saying it at two in the morning. So with that forewarning, here we go.

I missed the DOMA Music Awards ceremony, and I’m sure you’ve read the reviews in the other blogs. I can’t say I’m sorry to miss seeing the Steve Miller Band or Meat Loaf covers, but I do resent the implication that these musicians are second class players. The members of Shibboleth are all accomplished musicians in their own rights. Also, Kim Pendleton (THe BAcksliders) and Jenn Nabb, two of Dallas’ finest female singers, graced the stage. Either of these ladies could sing the telephone book and would leave me captivated and breathless. Moral of the story: trash the musical selections all you want, but leave the musicians alone.

I also went to Club Dada Saturday night and watched quite a showcase put on by John Solis of Method Entertainment. I arrived at 6:00 pm, just in time to catch A Pacific Model. I’m not good at the “name the musical influences” game, but if I had to play, I’d tell you to imagine Radiohead with Jeff Buckley as the lead singer. Chemistry Set, Calhoun, and Airline all played wonderful sets, as I would expect from the band. I discovered four bands that night: two did not impress me (Salute and Latture), one impressed me (Greater Good), and Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights simply blew my mind. Solis described them to me as a slightly more polished Black Crowes, but I’m gonna have to lean more towards Sly & The Family Stone meets Zeppelin. This isn’t southern rock a la The Crowes; this is soul music, plain and simple. Why the press hasn’t fallen in love with this band, I don’t know. Why I haven’t heard more buzz around this band confuses me even more. I predict this will change in the near future.

As for this coming weekend, it’s a biggie. Those who know me are aware that it’s my birthday weekend, and every year I book some pretty damn good shows. Not to brag, but past performers have included Deathray Davies, Sorta, The Happy Bullets, Fishing For Comets, THe BAcksliders, Macon Greyson, The Happiness Factor, and Budapest One. OK, so I do mean to brag. Sue me.

Here’s the deal. For the first time, the Friday night show will NOT be held at Barley House. That was the original plan, but Salim Nourallah had to go book his CD Release Party at Granada Theater. There was no way I could compete with this lineup, so I gave up, gave in, and decided to spend Friday night at the Granada. It’s also a CD Release Party for Chris Holt’s new band, The Slack. Also on the bill are headliners Radiant, Johnny Lloyd Rollins, and Rahim Quazi, who will open the show with a short solo acoustic set.

Speaking of Mr. Quazi, he’ll also be the opening act the following night at Barley House. For those who haven’t seen him, you’re missing an incredible singer-songwriter. His melodies and lyrics are simple, which is not to be mistaken for simplistic. With songs like “Coffeebreak,” he manages to write lyrics that are not overly flowery, but are straight forward and go straight to your heart. Oh, and he can rock too, as demonstrated by the MP3 below.

As for the rest of the Saturday night lineup at Barley House, stay tuned…

MP3: Rahim Quazi - A Different View

I really like "I Like U"

If you’re on Black Tie Dynasty’s friend list on MySpace, then you’ve seen the bulletins. Their song “I Like U” won KDGE’s cockfight for five straight nights, meaning that the song is retired and the station will consider putting the song into heavy rotation. Unfortunately, this victory has yet to translate into any radio play. I’m not sure why this happened, considering the definite success of their previous single, “Tender”. What I do know is that this situation needs to be rectified immediately, and the only way to cause such change is to make your voice be heard.

You can call the station at (214) 787-1102 to request that they play Black Tie Dynasty’s “I Like U”. It’s not often that a local band gets played on the air (discounting Sunday nights), and it’s even rarer that one as good as BTD makes it on the radio. The last time that The Edge got behind a local band of this level of quality was Chomsky. This was not always the case. In the early 90’s, bands such as pop poppins, Course of Empire, The Bat Mastersons, and Tripping Daisy were all staples on The Edge’s playlist. Thanks to the vision of George Gimarc and his “Tales from the Edge” series, he was able to give bands a means to get their music out beyond the Deep Ellum clubs. Unfortunately, by the mid 90’s, the station seemed to lose interest in the local music scene, and the last of Gimarc’s compilations was released. The only prayer we have for KDGE to bring great local bands into the mainstream is by requesting that they be played.

Of course, the real reason you should request “I Like U” is simple. It’s a good song. Good music on the radio is hard to come by these days, regardless of where the band is from. Black Tie Dynasty has a knack for creating catchy songs that sound great when blasted out of your car radio. Their songs are reminiscent of what was played on The Edge when its frequency was 94.5 instead of 102.1. The band takes the best elements of Echo & The Bunnymen, Peter Murphy, and Joy Division, while maintaining a sound that is uniquely theirs.

So call KDGE, e-mail them, heck, send them a carrier pigeon if that’s what floats your boat. Just help get “I Like U” some much deserved airplay. Oh, and if you’re not convinced as to why you should request the song, just take a listen. You’ll get it then.

MP3: Black Tie Dynasty - I Like U

An "All-Star" Evening of Music at the DOMA Showcase

For those who didn’t attend the Dallas Observer Music Awards, you missed a wonderful opportunity to hear great music for a very low price. The showcase did have its flaws to be certain. The sound quality at some of the clubs was lacking; only The Cavern and Gezellig are accustomed to having live bands. In some cases, the sound of the band next door would seep thru the walls. Lower Greenville is not an ideal environment for such a showcase; the majority of the clubs specialize in Top 40 music for what I would call the “pretty people” crowd. Unfortunately, short of someone reopening Trees, Club Clearview, and Gypsy Tea Room (and I don’t mean The Door taking its place), I don’t foresee Deep Ellum being able to handle such an event. Also, a note to Gezellig: air conditioning is a wonderful thing. You should try using it sometime.

While sound quality and environment may have been lacking, most of the artists I saw were played solid sets. One of the first artists I saw Doug Burr at The Cavern. I was blown away by his abilities as both a performer and as a songwriter. Songs such as “Promenade” and “Slow Southern Home” should only cement his reputation as one of Dallas’ finest singer-songwriters.

I also got to see PPT for the first time live, and while I’m not usually a big hip-hop fan, I could easily become one if there were more artists like PPT. If you’re looking for songs disrespecting women and promoting the gangsta lifestyle, you’ve come to the wrong place. PPT shares more in common with De La Soul and Run D.M.C. than G-Unit or Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Their music is always fun, funky, and it not only reminds of what rap once was, it gives me hope for what it can become.

While I don’t have the time to do a full write-up on every band, there are a few other artists I feel are worth mentioning from the showcase. THe BAcksliders rocked What? Bar with songs from their upcoming CD. Johnny Lloyd Rollins put on the best show I’ve seen by him yet, and that’s saying something. Rose County Fair never ceases to impress me, and their performance at Suede Bar was no exception. Oh, and Calhoun’s set at What? Bar confirms my belief that Tim Locke may be the most underappreciated musician in Dallas.

The surprise gem of the evening, however, was the Inner City All-Stars’ set at Gezellig. The members of the band entered thru the front door, playing their brass instruments and making me forget for a split second that this is Dallas and not New Orleans. Once onstage, what followed was a strange blend of hip-hop lyrics set to music that falls between soul and jazz. As strange of a combination as that sounds like, it grabbed the audience and got everyone on their feet, including myself. It didn’t matter that the Gezellig was hotter than Hades. Who cares about heat when you’ve got a band of talented musicians producing the perfect soundtrack to a par-tay? This is a band that knows the importance of a good live show. Not only are all of the members extraordinarily talented musicians, they know how to work an audience and get them pumped. Normally, I would end this with an audio clip. However, you lose half the joy of the experience when you lose the visual aspect of the performance. So instead of offering an audio clip, I leave you with a video of Inner City All-Stars performing at the Wildflower! Arts Festival. The clip doesn’t do the band full justice, but it’s a start.

For those living under a rock...

This Saturday will be the Dallas Observer Music Awards Showcase. For a mere $5, you will receive a wristband that will let you into 6 different clubs. The event starts at 6 pm and will end at midnight. This will also be your last opportunity to cast your ballot for your favorite nominees. If you'd like to vote before the ceremony, go here to vote now.

This is a phenomenal lineup, and I'm having a difficult time deciding who I'll see at any given time. Do I see Fishing For Comets or Doug Burr at 6:00 pm? Sorta, PPT, or Theater Fire at 11:00 pm? I don't even want to think about the 9:00 hour, where every single artist is one I'd love to see. Needless to say, my feet will probably be plenty tired at the end of the evening, after walking from club to club to club.

This will be a fabulous opportunity to see some of your favorite bands for very little money. Even if you don't know many of the bands, this makes for a great opportunity to discover some new favorites. If you want to try to schedule your
evening, take a look at the schedule.



One correction to the above schedule: Marc Solomon (nominated for Best Musician) will be filling in for Black Tie Dynasty at the 11:00 pm slot at The Cavern. No word on whether he'll be playing solo or if some of his Zounds Sounds students will be backing him up.

Growing pains

I have a personal tendency to dive into any project head first. While my enthusiasm may be considered a good thing, that same enthusiasm blinds me to reality sometimes. I jumped into starting this blog knowing precious little about HTML, file hosting, and just about anything else one would need to know with a blog.

I started to fully appreciate how clueless I am this past weekend. I wanted to do a write up on Black Tie Dynasty (whose show I ended up missing on Friday, oh well). I also wanted to leave a way to download their new song, "I Like U," from the website. Here's the problem: even though I have the song, since blogger doesn't host mp3 files and the such, I didn't know how to post the song.

I set aside the BTD story, and intended to do a short write-up on the Pleasant Grove show last night, and again, I wanted to leave a way for people to hear the song. I tried to use last.fm, one of my personal favorite sites, to at least let readers hear a Pleasant Grove song. Unfortunately, their codes were faulty, and I didn't know enough to edit the code to make it work. So now I had two projects messed up.

So readers, please have patience with me. I may be a little slow to write, as I am still learning the ropes here. Any suggestions, advice, tutoring on HTML, etc., is welcome. Click on my profile and send me an email thru there. I don't know what I will do with this blog. I'm even considering getting a real website as opposed to using blogger. If I do, I will make sure to post the new website. In the meantime, I may write less as I get the hang of this "blog" thing. I promise I will get my BTD write up done soon.

In the meantime, I am offering up a link to Pleasant Grove's "Elaborate Son." They played at Barley House last night, and the show was great, even though Bret Egner was in Austin instead of Dallas. If you missed last night's show, fear not, because the guys in PG (minus Egner again), will play again next Sunday night. Until then, enjoy the song.

MP3:

Pleasant Grove - Elaborate Son

Friday I'm in Love

So, do you know what you’re doing Friday night? Are you rearranging your sock drawer? Alphabetizing your CD collection? Watching Law & Order repeats? Well your sock drawer is fine, you can watch Law & Order repeats any time, and to be honest, you’re too busy listening to your ipod to care if your CD collection is alphabetized. Besides, why stay at home when there are five excellent options for shows Friday night? Let’s take a look:

1. Former Dallasite Kristy Kruger returns to her former home away from home, Opening Bell Coffee. She’s been touring all across the 50 states in remembrance of her brother, Lt. Col. Eric Kruger, who was killed in the Iraq war earlier this year. There is a $10 cover charge (it’s called a “donation,” but since it’s required, I call it a cover charge.) Trust me, I’ve seen her play there, and you will get your money’s worth and then some.
   
2. THe BAcksliders will play at Lakewood Bar & Grill, along with the Masons. In case you didn’t notice, THe BAcksliders were nominated in the Dallas Observer Music Awards for Best Blues Artist. Although they do heavily incorporate the blues into their music, I think to call them a blues band is a severe oversimplification. It’s a mix of all the best aspects of punk rock, blues, soul, and straight ahead rock n’ roll. It doesn’t matter what you call it, because once you hear the voice of Kim Pendleton (ex-Vibrolux) and Chris Bonner’s superior skills on the guitar, you’ll become a fan.
   
3. Rose County Fair, another DOMA nominee, will play at Barley House starting at 10 pm. They’re the only one playing that night, since the excellent 500 Miles to Memphis are no longer on the bill. That’s OK though, because Rose County Fair are reason enough to get out. Besides, there’s never a cover at Barley House, which leaves plenty of money to buy their CD, The Overture. And drinks, of course.
   
4. The Cavern has two DOMA nominees playing Friday night. Smile Smile, who received 4 nominations including Best New Act and Best Song for “Sad Song,” will open up the show at 9. The Valentines will be headlining the show. They are up for both Best Indie Rock and Best Act in Town. Sandwiched in between them are out-of-towners Mark Mallman (from Minneapolis) and The Redwalls (from Chicago).
   
5. Denton folks, fear not. Hailey’s has a great show for you. Black Tie Dynasty is headlining a great show featuring Red Monroe backing Tyson Meade (of Chainsaw Kittens), as well as the ever unique Tree Wave.
   

I will probably opt for option number 5. Black Tie Dynasty always put on a solid show, plus I’ve never gotten to see Tree Wave. I’ve always wanted to see what music they can make with their Ataris and Commodore 64’s. I guess it’s the classic video game geek in me that wants to see them. Plus, even though I’ve only seen Red Monroe once, I was quite impressed with them and I wanted to give them another listen. Feel free to join me at Hailey’s, or choose one of the other four fine choices for Friday. Just step away from the sock drawer.

This is a mission statement, not a memo

It seems as if everyone feels the need to have a blog, thinking that they have some great and profound insight into the world, or at least something amusing to say. I am no different. I decided it was time to take my love of the Dallas music scene and put forth my thoughts and opinions on the music of the metroplex. And so The Ghost of Blind Lemon was born.

I chose the name for two different reasons. The obvious is to pay tribute to the late blues singer Blind Lemon Jefferson, arguably the first great Dallas musician, playing in Deep Ellum in the 1920’s. The second reason ties in to Blind Lemon’s old stomping ground of Deep Ellum. That once vital neighborhood is now virtually a ghost town. The district that has been the heart of the local music scene seems to have stopped beating. Sure, Club Dada remains, as do a handful of other live music venues. What is missing is the sense of community, the excitement, and most importantly, the good music is leaving Deep Ellum.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not here to sit on the porch on my rocking chair, talking about the “good ol’ days” of Deep Ellum. I have too much life in me to do that, and contrary to popular belief, so does the local music scene. Deep Ellum may be dying, if not dead, but there is a tremendous music scene just waiting for the chance to be heard. If the music returns to Deep Ellum, then that’s great. If it doesn’t, however, then it must find a home.

That brings me to the mission of The Ghost of Blind Lemon. The purpose of this blog is to provide information about the local music scene and to get people involved in the scene. The first part is what I provide: the information. I tell you about what new bands you should go see, what new albums are worth listening to, what shows are good, and any other information about the scene that I find relevant. That’s my role.

Now here is your role. Read what I post. Go to shows. Buy albums. In general, support local music. Also, feel free to email me (go thru my profile to email me) and let me know what’s on your mind. Maybe you disagree with a review I wrote, maybe you think there’s a musician that is worthy of my attention, maybe you’re that musician who feels I should write about you. Let me know; I’m not a mind reader.

I hope that The Ghost of Blind Lemon serves as a useful place of gathering information, and more importantly, that you will use this information to help support the local music scene. There is a tremendous amount of talent in the area, as evidenced by my list of great local artists (and I know I’m only scratching the surface with said list). So go ahead, read on, email me, and most importantly, support the musicians! It’d put a smile on Blind Lemon’s face if he were still here.