Are These the Dead Days? Calhoun Update

There's been a lot of mixed rumors about Calhoun's May 15th show at Aardvark. According to the band's MySpace, this will be their last show for awhile. On the Aardvark page, however, they are billing this as the band's farewell show. So which is it?

I decided the best approach to finding out the answer would be to ask Tim Locke, lead singer of Calhoun. He responded back to my email, but alas, I have no answer. Why is that? Tim himself is not certain whether or not this will be Calhoun's last show. He is definitely taking a break from performing music, but he did not state whether that break was permanent or not.

Mr. Locke has always kept busy ever since starting Dead City Radio about thirteen years ago (BTW, my first show in Deep Ellum was Old 97's, Dead City Radio, and Slobberbone at Trees. Just felt like sharing that). Dead City Radio eventually became Grand Street Cryers, which then morphed into Blue.Sky.Black before disbanding. Grand Street Cryers was one of my favorite Dallas bands in the latter part of the 1990's. Dallas Observer regularly dissed the band, but I didn't care. Songs like "Push Erase", "Angie Wood", and "How You Like It Now?" were solid rock tunes with a slight tinge of alt-country (particularly in the latter two) that sounded even better live than on the CD. Tim's stage presence was always energetic and entertaining.

It wasn't until Mr. Locke started Calhoun, however, that he received equal parts critical acclaim and large fan following. Calhoun was definitely less of a big rock production, and a much more melody and lyrically driven project. Tunes like "These Are the Dead Days" (my favorite by Calhoun) show that you can write a song about hopelessness and yet make it sound not only catchy but even... lively? It sounds impossible, yet Tim and the band pulled it off.

Tim's final (or not so final) Calhoun show will be this Friday night at Aardvark, with Matt Cliff and Sean Russell & The Rudders opening. Buy him a drink and let him know how much you've appreciated the music. And feel free to encourage a Calhoun reunion show in the very near future.