Major Concert Announcement - July 31st at Club Dada

It was almost two years ago that I began blogging. Last year, I had a nice little shindig at Dada featuring Somebody's Darling, Rose County Fair, and THe BAcksliders, just to name a few. This year, for the 2nd anniversary of Ghost of Blind Lemon, I'm holding another major show at Club Dada on Friday, July 31st. I'm still finalizing details on the lineup, but let me share with you the artists I have so far, going in alphabetical order by first name:

Elkhart - I liked Travis Hopper well enough as a solo artist, but his work with Elkhart is just amazing. It's slow, dreamy, with a slight country vibe. For those who still feel the void of being without Pleasant Grove, then run, don't walk, to see Elkhart.

Inner City All Stars - Some bands need to be seen live, and this is one of them. Setting hip-hop lyrics to a New Orleans jazz sound, this is a fresh and exciting band sure to get even the squarest cat on his or her feet.

Iris Leu - There's a reason she won Quick's Big Thing award. Dallas has been sore lacking in the piano based songwriter field, and Ms. Leu's music is rich and gorgeous, taking a certain amount of classical influence, while meshing it with more contemporary influences (Sarah McLachlan, Tori Amos). Her album, Hushaboo, is one of this year's must have CD's.

Menkena - I think Menkena may hold the title of band I've seen most this year. Between Jimmy Menkena's knack for lyrics and his band's ability to create beautifully dreamy melodies, they are a band that needs to happen in a big way.

The O's - I almost got The O's to perform at last year's anniversary show, but they weren't quite ready at that point. Since then, the band has taken Dallas by storm, playing countless shows, winning a Quick award for Big Song ("You've Got Your Heart), and earning more Dallas Observer Music Award nominations than any other act. I'd say the band is more than ready at this point.

Spencer Garland - One thing I love to do as a blogger is give a new and upcoming artist an opportunity to reach a larger crowd. This acoustic singer-songwriter shows a lot of promise, so be sure to catch his yet.

As I said before, this is NOT a complete lineup, and I'm still working on the schedule. I can tell you that cover will be $10, and doors will open at 6, with the first act going on at about 6:15 or so. Start saving your pennies, because this will hopefully be an even bigger party than last year.