Somebody’s Darling Is Having a Birthday

No, I don’t mean somebody’s sweetheart or someone’s girlfriend or anything like that. I am of course referring to the Dallas band Somebody’s Darling, one of the many great artists who took the stage last Saturday at Dada. It turns out that one year ago today, the band held its very first show ever at Green Elephant. The fact that the band is a mere one year old is pretty overwhelming to me. I know many bands that have been together for years that struggle to get a fraction of both the audience and the talent that SD already possesses.

If you want to wish them a happy birthday, go check them out at House of Blues tonight. They will open up for He Wears Black, a Johnny Cash tribute band. This will not be in the little Pontiac Garage (formerly the Cambridge Room), but in the main venue. By the way, HOB, way to go on featuring local acts on bills for two nights in a row. Let’s see more of that local action coming our way.

Tickets for the event can be purchased for as little as $12. Enjoy that price. If Somebody’s Darling keeps rising in popularity as quickly as they have in their first year, you may see them headlining at House of Blues for a whole lot more money. See them now while you can, and if you see a band members hanging around, buy them a beer and wish them a happy birthday.

Oh, and of course, tell them “The Ghost” says hi.

Weekend Update: 8/8/08

Before I give you the list of cool shows going on this weekend, let me just take a quick moment to thank Club Dada for letting me host my showcase, and also thank all the artists who played and everyone who attended. I was proud to be a part of such a wonderful show, and I cannot wait to host another show.

OK, it’s time to shift from last weekend to this weekend. We’ve got a few sweet shows coming up, so take a look and find (at least) one that appeals to you.

FRIDAY:
Black Tie Dynasty/The Burning Hotels/the cut*off/Hendrick (House of Blues)
At last week’s GOBL Anniversary Showcase, I introduced all the bands, but I feel like I did not give the cut*off the introduction they so deserved. That is a shame, because the cut*off in the period of a few years have gone from an average grunge influenced band to becoming one of the true shining stars in the local music scene. The Rorschach EP showed a strong hint of their potential, and Packaged Up for Beginners cashes in on that potential. Between smart, insightful lyrics created by lead vocalist Kyle Barnhill and top notch production values by the incomparable Salim Nourallah, their new CD is perfect for both beginners and advanced cut*off fans. On a separate note, it’s good to see House of Blues showcase a solid lineup of all local talent.
Boys Named Sue/The Hundred Inevitables (Allgood Café)
Congrats to Mike Snider and Allgood, for eight great years of food and music. The evening starts with everyone’s favorite redneck band, Boys Named Sue. Following that, the Lolli Dollies will be invading, and music will be provided by The Hundred Inevitables. Here are the two things you need to know about the band: they play killer power-pop in the vain of Big Star, and they don’t play very often. I wouldn’t be surprised if Hundred Inevitables don’t play another show this year. You have been forewarned.
Pikahsso and Tahiti/Headkrack/Genova (The Cavern)
The second P (as in Piknik) may be gone from PPT, but both Pikahsso and Tahiti can still rock the mic just fine sans Piknik, as shown by their set together at Sugar Shack for the DOMA Showcase. If you’re a hip-hop fan, I doubt there’s a better place to be.
The Theater Fire (Lee Harvey’s)
OK, how much longer until the follow-up to Everybody Has a Dark Side? Hey, at least they’re doing some shows now.

SATURDAY:
I Wanna Be A Robot: A Benefit for Shaky Amy (Club Dada)
I pity Fishing For Comets, who will be playing the outdoors stage at 5:30. That’s not gonna be pretty. Seriously though, the only flaw with the lineup is that there is TOO much good music to be packed into such a short period of time. Highlights besides FFC will include Sunward, The Felons, Lovie, and what may be one of the last Tah Dah’s shows ever. There’s too much for me to talk about, so click here for all the details.
Here, In Arms/Les Americains/Christian Brooks Band/The Istics/Erik Castillo (Prophet Bar)
I finally got the opportunity to see Here, In Arms a little over a month ago. I expected the band to be good, but what I heard was amazing. Brent Engel has found a way to produce a sound fusing the best of 60’s and 70’s rock with a certain flair that makes the music sound soulful, although not soul music per se. It’s intense, and I anxiously await the full length CD from this band. Last minute edit: I just got an email telling me that Les Americains features members of [DARYL] and Macavity. Makes the lineup even more promising.
The Theater Fire/Ralph White and Places (Dan’s Silverleaf)
I’m not sure if Places is Mr. White’s backup band or a separate act. Either way, it’s a second opportunity to see Theater Fire in one week plus what is sure to be the best show this weekend in Denton.

A Time to Reflect

One year ago today, I posted my first blog entry, giving birth to The Ghost of Blind Lemon so to speak. A friend of mine planted idea of starting a blog about the local music scene about a month before hand. I initially rejected the idea, but as time went on, I became more frustrated with the direction that the scene had taken. There were only two options: sit around and complain, or try to do something about it. As a result, I created this site in hopes of creating a place where people could be informed about the local music scene and find a way to take part in it by supporting both the bands and the venues.

When I decided I wanted to start the site, the first person I talked to was Cindy Chaffin of Texas Gigs and Fine Line fame. I was saddened to learn last week that she was giving up The Fine Line in order to pursue other endeavors. I have yet to get the opportunity to talk to Cindy about her decision, but I wish her the best of luck in whatever she pursues. When I started, The Fine Line was one of many major blogs about the local music scene. However, much in the way the scene has been hard on bands and venues, it has also been a rough year for the blogs. Boca Tinta went by the wayside earlier this year, and Big D Little D posts so rarely that it might as well be considered dead. Now without Fine Line, that pretty much leaves We Shot JR, Adventures in Live Music, A History of Dallas Music, and me.

I will admit that over the past few months, my output has been irregular at best and infrequent at worst. There have been many things distracting me in the past few months; some are good (like the relationship I am currently in) and some are not (financial stresses). The end of Fine Line, however, has served as something of a wake-up call. It seems that my services are needed more than ever. I am not saying this out of any sense of ego. I am by no means the best one to act as any sort of spokesperson for the Dallas music scene. I do, however, seem to be one of the last ones standing in the local music blogosphere.

This seems to bring me back to that same crossroads I was at last year. I can sit around and complain, or try to do something about it. I can either surrender to the fact that the local music scene is dead, or I can fight to give it life. I can either turn my back on promising new artists like Kristina Morland, The Felons, Binary Sunrise, Elle, The Liking Strikes, and many others, or I can try to help them find the audiences they so deserve. I can either remember the glory days of Deep Ellum, or I can go to shows at Club Dada, Prophet Bar, Sons of Hermann, and any other Deep Ellum venue that supports quality music. As far as I’m concerned, there is only one option.

Okay, okay, I’ll step down off of my soapbox now. Let’s end on a happy note, and there is not much that brings me greater pleasure than the idea of my 1 Year Anniversary show this Saturday at Dada. I have been fortunate enough to bring together eight excellent artists that show everything that is going right with the local music scene. I could easily type for several more pages about the brilliance of each of these artists and why they are so deserving of a spot on the lineup, or I can just tell you that you need to come to Dada Saturday night. I hope you will join me in this celebration of my blog, and more importantly, in the celebration of the scene.