Bravo, Max... and Ned... and Signals and Alibis

As you may recall, I was recently given the opportunity to become the head booking agent at the Crown and Harp. I want to thank the bands who have played there so far, and well as those of you who have checked out the venue lately. I also realize that many of you have not been back since the days it was called The Cavern.

This Friday night is the perfect time for you to return to 1914 Greenville Avenue. I have assembled my finest lineup to date tonight. Starting off the night at 9 pm is Signals and Alibis, which looks like they're about to join the leagues of True Widow, Menkena, and Little Black Dress as among Dallas' finest shoegaze acts. Up next is Bravo, Max!. The band is now stripped down to a trio, but Johnny Beauford's songwriting skills hold up whether performed by three or seven. Wrapping up the evening is Goodnight Ned, a band that has grown in leaps and bounds ever since I saw them play first in January. They were good at the time, but when I saw them in October, the energy on stage was undeniable. Expect big things from them in 2012.

Now I know some of you are working up excuses in your head to miss the show. "But Ghost, I really don't want to deal with all that Lower Greenville construction. But Ghost, I'm short on cash and can't afford the cover." Well, the construction is finally over and done with, so that eliminates excuse number one. And I know the lineup is impressive enough you'd expect a higher than usual cover charge. But actually, the REVERSE is true. There is absolutely no cover charge all night. So if you're going to have an excuse, you've got to make one way better than the ones I just shot down.

So come on out by 9, because you won't want to miss the opening set by Signals and Alibis.

More Fun than a Pledge Drive

Sure, I suppose all the individuals at Deep Ellum Radio could ask for donations on the air in order to help the station with its operating costs. I think you’ll agree, however, that a benefit concert is a lot more fun than any pledge drive. So without further ado, check out the poster below for information on my upcoming LaGrange showcase.



I thank all of the musicians who kindly volunteered their time and talents in order to help the station. And thanks to Cory Bergren of Ironstamp Designs, who created the lovely poster above. I encourage all of my readers to attend this fine event. Not only are you getting the opportunity to see four first-act local acts, but your money will help keep Deep Ellum Radio operating smoothly. Help us continue to promote local bands and the Deep Ellum community.

Tickets are available thru Prekindle, so feel free to buy your tickets in advance. Hope to see all of your beautiful faces on December 10th!

Keepin' It Rude

There are certain genres of music I tend to be partial to. I tend to be more drawn to a lot of singer-songwriter material, as well as indie rock. This is not to say I like everything in those genres. I will say, however, that musicians in those genres have a certain advantage. Since I am admittedly more partial to those styles, the odds of me liking those within those genres is perhaps a little better.

Ska music, on the other hand, has not shared that advantage. As a general rule, I have not been a fan of ska. When I received some mp3s from their previous effort, Rude to the Last Drop, I decided to give it a listen, expecting to be unimpressed. From the first notes of “Love Bomb”, I instantly knew that I had misjudged the band. This high energy song has more than enough hooks to capture the attention of both ska fans and non-ska fans.
And throughout their current album, Ruder, Better, Faster, Stronger, the hooks keep coming with tracks like “On the Ground” and “Gone”.

What’s even more impressive than the album, however, is the live show. Everything from the brass section (courtesy of Houston Bogus on trombone and Mason Neeley on trumpet) to bass and drums (Justin Rush and Rob Tovar, respectively) is spot on in the performance. But the strongest asset to the band is their main vocalist, Jon Bravo. His voice is perfectly suited for ska music. If it were any better suited, I’d be saying that ska was perfectly designed with Mr. Bravo in mind. The energy brought to the stage by all members makes Rude King easily one of the best live shows you’ll see in the metroplex.

Yes, this band is an absolute must-see for ska lovers. But more importantly, this band is even a must see for everyone. Even those who think they may not be ska lovers will likely be won over by Rude King. Take it from the mouth of a (former) non-ska fan. You can see Rude King this Friday at Double-Wide, opening for Swingin’ Utters and Far From Finished. Get there early so that you do not miss even a second of the Rude King set.

Doyle Bramhall

Local blues legend Doyle Bramhall was found dead yesterday of what appears to be heart failure. Some of you may not be familiar with his name, but most of you are familiar with the songs he has written. He co-wrote many tunes with Stevie Ray Vaughan, most notably "Change It", "The House Is Rockin'", and "Life by the Drop".

I had the privilege of seeing Mr. Bramhall perform live approximately fifteen years ago outside the Borders in Plano. While the location may have been unorthodox (to put it kindly), Doyle gave the crowd a first rate, enthusiastic performance.

I leave you with some more recent video footage of Mr. Bramhall, performing two of the songs made famous by Stevie.

Rhett Miller Tickets

First of all, thanks to those who were listening to my show on Deep Ellum Radio last night. Your support means a lot to me. I must admit, however, by being disappointed by one particular event. At the end of the show, I did a giveaway for tickets to Saturday's Cystic Fibrosis Benefit Show at the Granada Theater featuring Rhett Miller, Sarah Jaffe, and The O's. You'd think there would be a long list of people attempting to win the tickets. You know how many email entries I got last night? None. Nada. Zilch.

So, here I am, with two pairs of tickets to give away instead of one. So here's what I'm going to do: the first two people who can email me the name of the Old 97's song I played yesterday in my radio show (by the way, it's my all time favorite song of theirs) win the tickets. I'll even give you one more big hint: the version of the song I played was found on Wreck Your Life, but it was also featured two years later on Too Far to Care. For those in the know about the Old 97's discography, that narrows it down to exactly one song.

So the first two people to email me at ghostofblindlemon@gmail.com with the correct song title in the subject line are the winners. Good luck to all!

Because There’s More to Wednesday Nights Than Watching SUV

After all, the show’s not the same without Detective Elliott Stabler. But you’re not here to discuss network TV dramas, you’re here for the local music.

You may recall me mentioning that I’m booking at Crown and Harp (and if you didn't know, check this out). Well that’s not the only cool new thing at Crown and Harp. For the past few weeks, the lovely and talented Emmeline has been hosting an open mic every Wednesday night, and it appears to now be a regular Wednesday night occurrence. Emmeline is not only one of the most talented singer-songwriters in the metroplex, her stage presence has increased exponentially in the past year. Her comments between songs are among the most interesting of any performer in the metroplex. Such a talent is obviously a useful trait when hosting an open mic.

There is absolutely no cover charge, and parking is free. Plus, you get the opportunity to see fresh talent develop from the early stages. Open mics can be a great place for developing talent. In fact, Emmeline herself got her beginning at the open mic hosted by Steve Jackson every Tuesday night at Opening Bell Coffee. Now that Emmeline has her own open mic night, I guess it’s come full circle.

The Lucky Thirteen: 10/31/11

Ever since I started doing my radio show, I've really backed off of the Lucky Thirteen playlists. And while the radio show meets the vast majority of my needs for sharing music, there are rare exceptions where a playlist works better. This is one of those exceptions.

As you may know, I've made a Halloween tradition out of doing a playlist consisting exclusively of cover tunes. Cover songs may not seem obviously connected to Halloween, and yet there is a connection. The cover song allows the musician to do a sonic dress up of sorts, putting on their favorite song by another artist. So for those who love a good cover as much as I do, then this playlist will be right up your alley.

Standard playlist disclaimer: any artists, record labels, etc. who do not wish to be on the playlist for any reason whatsoever, email me at ghostofblindlemon@gmail.com and I will gladly remove the track. And if you'd actually like to be on the playlist, you can use the same email address to email me your mp3's. If I like the song, then odds are it'll wind up on a playlist.

1. "Hello Susie", THe BAcksliders
   When I first received this single from THe BAcksliders, I just assumed it was a new tune of theirs. When I looked at the songwriting credits, I came to realize the track was not theirs originally. Instead, a British bands from the 1960's called The Move were the original performers. So, now you know. And no, I wasn't going for a BAcksliders reference with that, but I'll keep it anyways.


2. "Shut It Down", Sarah Jaffe
   Much like how people often dress up as Halloween characters that are unlike his or her normal personality, covers can often showcase aspects of an artist's taste that would seem unlikely. This cover of Ms. Jaffe's of the Drake song would definitely qualify as unlikely. The amazing thing is how her haunting voice so brilliantly transforms the song into sultry, moody, and gorgeous. I shouldn't be surprised though. This is, after all, Sarah Jaffe.


3. "To Love Somebody", Slobberbone
   Slobberbone does a fine job of capturing the heartache of this Bee Gees classic.


4. "Dangerous", Nicholas Altobelli
   Mr. Altobelli is full of surprises. Those who know him would likely expect a cover of a Ryan Adams song, or maybe something of Sam Cooke (he has a real weakness for classic soul music). But Nicholas singing Roxette? Roxette??? Still, it's a quite interesting listen.


5. "All The Pretty Girls", Lovie
   I think this song has made it on each covers edition of my playlist that I've done. Just thought I'd share that.


6. "Driver 8", Old 97's
   Out of all the covers in the list, this one seems to sound the closest to the original. The biggest difference? Rhett Miller's voice is much less nasal than that of Michael Stipe.


7. "Folsom Prison Blues", Frankie 45 & Ben Martin
   Frankie, you're still missed.


8. "Don't Worry Baby", Little Black Dress
   LBD's cover of The Beach Boys is a perfect blend of staying true to the original while adding enough new sonic elements to keep this cover sounding fresh. The band's shoegaze style is a perfect fit for the song.


9. "Beauty School Dropout", Toadies
   Sometime back in the 1990's, someone got the idea to release Sandy Does Dallas. The concept was to have local artists cover the soundtrack to Grease. It's sad that while in many ways it has become easier for bands to record, nobody is pushing the idea of cool compilations and tribute CDs like this anymore. Heck, I'm still waiting for that Toadies tribute CD that Kirtland talked about years ago.


10. "Revolution", Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights
    This is a live recording from New Year's Eve 2009 at Granada Theater. Technically, this song was really recorded on New Year's Day. I was there for the show, and all I can say is it was the perfect choice for ringing in the new year.


11. "Never Let Me Down Again", Kristy Kruger
    Before I met or listened to Kristy Kruger, my strongest memory of her was that she won a Depeche Mode box set from the Dallas Observer. Having been such a big fan of the band back in my high school days, I envied her for winning it. So it's only fitting that I put her Depeche Mode cover on the playlist.


12. "You May Be Right", Holy Moly
    The band's new CD, Grasshopper Cowpunk, is easily the best effort ever put out by the band. But for today, I go back to Drinkin' Druggin' and Lovin' (the CD, that is) for this fun Billy Joel cover.


13. "Lithium", The Polyphonic Spree
    When Kurt Cobain sang the song, he sounded like a man in desperate need of Lithium. In the Polyphonic Spree cover, the band sounds as if they have overdosed on it.

A Crowning Achievement

• Sons of Sound


• The Chemistry Set


• Hi-Fi Drowning


• Pleasant Grove


• The Happy Bullets


• The Deathray Davies


• THe BAcksliders


• Somebody’s Darling


• Pale Horse

What do all of the bands in this list have in common? They are among the great bands I have had the privilege of watching (and in some cases, discovering) at The Cavern. The Cavern was a magnet for first rate bands. The shows were incredibly fun, especially when the not very large space became packed with an energized audience. Earlier this year, The Cavern changed its name to The Crown and Harp. It was more than a change in name; the bar received a complete transformation to a more pub like feel. The bar also significantly increased its selection of beers (always a good thing). And while the venue has continued to book quality bands (Goodnight Ned and Tweed EQ jump quickly to mind), there has been a misperception that the venue is not as interested in booking live acts anymore.

That’s changing right now.

I am proud to announce that I, The Ghost, will now be the head booking agent for The Crown and Harp. I consider this to be a great privilege to be responsible for the quality of entertainment found at this establishment. After all, for many years The Cavern had Spune as its booking agent, and Spune was never lacking in great bands to bring to the venue.

So what is my vision for The Crown and Harp? It’s very simple: I plan to bring some of the best local acts (plus a few non-locals) to the venue. I believe that the most important factor in any live music venue’s success is the quality of bands that perform there. As mentioned before, The Cavern consistently had a great track record for bringing quality entertainment, and I will make certain that The Crown and Harp continues with that track record. Be on the look out for bigger name local bands in the coming months at The Crown and Harp. I already have a number of fine acts playing this and next month, including The Chloes, Suzanne Kimbrell, and California band Case in Theory, among others. If you’re a musician who would be interested in playing The Crown & Harp, let me know. Send an email to ghostofblindlemon@gmail.com, along with some mp3’s or videos. I invite all of you, both musicians and music lovers, to experience a Crown and Harp show in the very near future.

Pre 4th of July Weekend Plans

Expect to hear more from me in the coming days. In the meantime, there are a few shows happening this weekend that I couldn't let pass without mentioning. Without further ado, here they are.


FRIDAY
Ian Moore & The Loosy Coils/Seth Walker/Rahim Quazi (The Kessler)
My Weekend Plan segment has always been a favorite of Mr. Quazi's, so it only seemed appropriate to do one on a weekend he's playing. Granted, he's only the opening slot, but any show featuring Rahim is one worth mentioning. There are few artists who not only put on a consistently good show as he does, but also even fewer who manage to keep each performance fresh and unique. My only complaint? It's taking WAY too long for the follow up to Supernatural to be released. What's up with that?
Gravity Feed/Ten Can Riot/Regetta de Faux/Geronamo/Christian Rios/Blake Mackey (Lakewood Bar & Grill)
This show is a celebration of the club's assistant manager (and friend of the Ghost) Jon Keener, and that's reason enough for me to attend. Get there early, as Blake Mackey is worth hearing. The man just might be the most talented acoustic guitar player in the metroplex. And while I've yet to hear Ten Can Riot, I've heard plenty of good reviews on the band.
Fate Lions/Soviet/Man Factory/Tape Deck Mountain (Lola's)
Power pop makes a strong showing tonight at Lola's, and Fate Lions are arguably the best power pop act in town. Soviet has often mislabeled as punk, whereas garage pop would be a much more fitting label. Either way, Soviet makes some pretty catchy tunes themselves.
The Demigs/Paper Robot/Deep Snapper (Andy's)
For those who have listened to my show on Deep Ellum Radio, you've undoubtedly heard me play The Demigs on more than one occasion. Their album Cities Can Wait is easily one of the best sounding albums of the year. Yes, the production is first rate, but more importantly, the songs match the same level of quality as the production. Fans of late 80's/early 90's pre-grunge a la Pixies will not want to miss this show.


SATURDAY
Rock-A-Tron 5000 Music Festival (Dada)
Somehow this festival almost slipped underneath my radar. I don't know if that's a sign that the show is being underpromoted or if I'm just that out of the loop. Either way, this all day event has plenty of good acts, including openers Spookeasy (2:15 pm), Sealion (8:15 pm), and Here Holy Spain (12:45 pm), all of which are playing on the indoor stage.
The Marfalites/Southern Karma/Steve Jackson/Mr. Troll (Poor David's Pub)
I previously called The Marfalites "Dallas' best kept secret in country music." Perhaps part of the reason they're not better known is that the band as of yet has not released a CD. They're working on their official CD, Three Penny and No Soul. But around the time that CD is released, they will ALSO release a live CD of Saturday's show. In fact, every one who pays the cover at Saturday's show gets their very own copy of the CD free of charge. And The Marfalites are definitely a band deserving of its own live CD, as they are easily one of the better live acts in the metroplex.
The King Bucks (Adair's)
There's been a lot more talk about The King Bucks this week due to a rather vicious writeup in the DC9 at Night blog. The author blasted the band for not having enough stage presence and not connecting with the audience. Admittedly, the band is pretty much the antithesis of flashy, but that would really not fit the Bucks. The King Bucks play simple, old school country: nothing more, nothing less. And if real country is what you're looking for, you'll be hard pressed to find a better option than the Bucks. And as for not connecting with the audience, Chad Stockslagger's banter alone shoots down any arguments that the band cannot connect with its audience. And the songs definitely connect with the audience, and really, isn't that what it's about?
Bronze Whaler/The Virgin Wolves/Binary Sunrise (Hailey's)
Tweed EQ/Bigelow Station/The Roomsounds (City Tavern)
Dead Rider/Nervous Curtains/Pinkish Black (Double-Wide)
Too many good shows, not enough time to discuss them. What a wonderful problem to have.

Ghost of Blind Lemon Radio Playlist: 5/25/11

Again, thanks to Ducado Vega and Bloodrich for hanging out with me and performing on the show. I'll get more show recommendations up later, but needless to say, their show at The Bone with The Kul, The Red 100's, and Gypsy Bravado is THE show of the weekend. Now, on with the playlist.

"Red Palomino", The Demigs
"Prepared", Jessie Frye
"New Disco", Stella Rose
"Eyes Get Bigger", Oil Boom
"Better by Design", John Lefler
"Buy You", Spookeasy
"Crawl", The Virgin Wolves
"Love Bomb", Rude King
"Flick the Moon at Mars", One Red Martian
"Daylight", El Cento
"No, MY Generation", Kirby Brown
"Desperate Times", Old 97's
MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT: Tim Locke
"Indian Melody", Calhoun
"These Are the Dead Days", Calhoun
"Coma Rally", Coma Rally
"Tearing up the Road", Grand Street Cryers
IN STUDIO PERFORMANCE: Ducado Vega & Bloodrich
"sEVEN"
"Love/Hate"
"Hella"
"Set Me Free", The Red 100's
"Time for a Change", The O's
"Labor of Love", Smile Smile
"Ellie", Scott Riegel
"Hush", Anna Thomas
"Two Words", Taylor Marie
"Will You Be There", Pale Horse

And if you'd like me to play your songs on my Deep Ellum Radio show, send some mp3s to ghost@deepellumradio.com and if I like what I hear, I'll play it.

Ghost of Blind Lemon Radio: 5/17/11

Alright, so I'm quite a bit late in posting this playlist. Better late than never, right? Besides, now's a perfect time to remind you to listen to tomorrow's show on deepellumradio from 6-8 pm CST. I'll be joined by special guests Nick Metzger (manager of The Orange), along with Scott Tucker and Cody Waits of The Orange. Speaking of that band, I'll be doing a live broadcast from Curtain Club Friday night for The Orange's show. Come hang.

And before I digress any further, here's the playlist.

"So, Within", Seryn
"Open the Night", One Red Martian
"I'm Immune", Chris Holt
"Eyes Get Bigger", Oil Boom
"Allison", The Burning Hotels
"Get It on the Floor", LehtMoJoe
"Hey Jane", Bravo, Max!
"Heart's on Fire", The Marfalites
"I Know a Thing or Two (About You)", Tweed EQ
"If It Never Gets Better", Taylor Davis
"Billy Prichard", Slobberbone
MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT: Robert Anderson
"The Fall Fashions", The Deathray Davies
"Accomplice", Nervous Curtains
"Wired to Make Waves", Nervous Curtains
"Prepared", Jessie Frye
"Gusto", The Demigs
"Shake Your Dandelion", Ishi
"Daylight", El Cento
"Geek", The Crazy Ivans
"Turn on Your Radio", THe BAcksliders
"to the 9's", hormones
"Fake Museum", Raised by Tigers
"Like a Charm", Here Holy Spain
"New Disco", Stella Rose
"Set Me Free", The Red 100's
"Paper Girl", Katie Carroll
"Tryin' to Have a Good Time", The O's
"Bridges", Sorta
"Schoolboy", Kirby Brown

Weekend Plans: 5/13/11

While Friday the 13th is in theory supposed to be an unlucky day, this weekend seems to be very lucky for fans of local music. There are an abundance of good shows this weekend, more so than unusual. The only unlucky part is that you can't be in more than one place at a time. I'd need at least three of me to reasonably cover all this good music.

And while I eventually will start giving more commentary on my weekend recommendations, today will not be that day.


FRIDAY:

• RTB2/THe BAcksliders/The Demigs (Dan's Silverleaf)


• Emmeline (Roots Coffeehouse)


• The Orbans/Quaker City Nighthawks/Fate Lions (Magnolia Green Park)


• Jessie Frye/Salim Nourallah & Chris Holt/Manned Missiles (LaGrange)


• Rahim Quazi/Mora Collective/Mi Prospero (Opening Bell Coffee)


• Dallahachie Boys/The Marfalites/The Driftin' Outlaw Band (The Bone)


• The Boom Boom Box/Garbaj Kaetz/Darktown Strutters/Unconscious Collective (Pastime Tavern)

SATURDAY:

• HOMEGROWN FEST (Just click on the link for all the important info)


• The Beaten Sea/Oil Boom/Dovetail (Kessler Theater)


• Garrett Owen/Jaimee Harris/Tiger Darrow/Matthew Bridgman (Opening Bell Coffee)


• North of Autumn (Lochrann's)


• Binary Sunrise/L.A.X./Nervous Curtains/New Fumes (Club Dada)

I feel certain that I've omitted a show of significance. Show me the error of my ways in the comments section.

Homegrown Fest '11 Tickets

One of the biggest local shows of last year had to be Homegrown Fest, and this year's lineup is only going to be bigger. For details on the lineup, check out the Homegrown Fest website. You can also purchase tickets at the site for the big show Saturday. Of course, if you'd rather not pay, that can be arranged too.

Josh Florence, one of the founders of the event, was kind enough to give me two pairs of tickets to the show on Saturday that features Neon Indian as the headliner. Before Alan Palamino started Neon Indian, or even Vega, he had a project in 2008 that released a single called "Parking Lot Nights". I'm even letting you listen to the track below. But here's my question: what was the name of that group that performed "Parking Lot Nights"? The first person to send an email to ghostofblindlemon@gmail.com with the name of that band in the subject line of the email wins the tickets. It's that simple.

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If you don't win the tickets today, fear not: I will be giving away the second pair of tickets on the Ghost of Blind Lemon Radio Show on Deep Ellum Radio this Wednesday night 6-8 pm. But of course you were already planning on listening, weren't you?

Weekend Plans: 5/6/11

Lotta good shows to talk about, not a lot of time for me to talk before heading downtown. So here's the basics.



FRIDAY
Dead Beat Poetry/The Roomsounds/Scott Tucker/Joe Hardy (Liquid Lounge)
If the above video doesn't convince you to come, I don't know what would. Except maybe the knowledge that I'll be broadcasting live from the Curtain Club patio with deepellumradio. Yes, I'm biased, but that's beside the point. It's still the show to be at tonight.
Dovetail/Quaker City Nighthawks/The Misteries (Double-Wide)
The Prospect Before Us, Spookeasy, Sealion, Leading Story, Rammit, Jacob Chaney (The Prophet Bar)
The folks from Spookeasy swear that Sealion is an amazing band. Don't know if they're right or not, but either way Spookeasy is worth the price of admission.
Tony Scalvo/Salim Nourallah/Kristy Kruger (Club Dada)
Mr. Scalvo from Fastball headlines, but in my book, Mr. Nourallah and Ms. Kruger will steal the show.
Jessie Frye/Tiger Darrow/Bravo, Max! (Dan's Silverleaf)
This is Ms. Frye's Denton CD release show. Solid lineup all the way through.
Tweed EQ/Disposable Music/Bass Drum (The Crown and Harp)
The owners of The Cavern hinted that music shows would be fewer and fewer after the change of names happened. And yet this lineup, featuring blues-rockers Tweed EQ and Disposable Music (featuring members of Happy Bullets), is stronger than most of the shows last year at Cavern. Go figure.

SATURDAY
Here Holy Spain/Broken Gold/Record Hop/Orange Peel Sunshine (Club Dada)
If you prefer RAWK to rock music, then this is your show. It'll be loud, in your face, and musical greatness. By the way, I haven't raved near enough about HHS's latest effort, Division.
Lolaspalooza (Lola's)
Pretty much any one single band on the indoors stage is worth the price of admission alone. Together, it's gonna make for a great night. Go to Lola's website for times and stuff.

Weekend Plans: 4/29/11

I'm writing this mere minutes before I head out for the night, so forgive the brief commentary. I'm sure I'll forget a really important show, so feel free to point out any significant omissions in the comments section.

And now, the shows...


FRIDAY:
THe BAcksliders/RTB2 (Double-Wide)
Not only is this a CD release show for THe BAcksliders, but they're also recording a live CD tonight. Maybe if you shout loud enough, you'll hear yourself on the record.
Human Groove Hormone/Immigrant Punk/Paul Chrisopher Yanez/Emmeline/Suzanne KimBrell/Jennifer Bean/Audacious/Karyna Cruz/Backwater Opera/Mark Brant/Sonya Jevette (Lakewood Bar & Grill)
Check out my last blog entry for my thoughts and such.
Tweed EQ/Sir Silky (Fallout Lounge)
I hope Tweed EQ's CD release show doesn't get overlooked, considering that THe BAcksliders are playing down the street. Their album Second Tour is full of plenty of bluesy riffs and classic rock revivalism. As for Sir Silky, he'll certainly bring the party to the show.
Smile Smile (The Belmont)
Word is that the duo is working on material for album number three. You'll probably get to hear some of the new tunes tonight.
The Roomsounds, Van Darien, Pale Horse, Griffin Schmucker, Gypsy Bravado, Playtime Rabbit (The Prophet Bar)
I don't even have time to start talking about how much talent is on this lineup.

SATURDAY:
The Phuss/THe BAcksliders/The Demigs (Lola's)
THe BAcksliders bring their CD release party to Ft. Worth. Openers The Demigs had their CD release show at Dada recently, and so say it sounded tight would be an understatement. Fans of Pixies and Pavement, get their early so you don't miss them.
Pastime Tavern's 74th Anniversary Party
Highlights will include Luna Matto, Here Holy Spain, and Flowers of God (most likely sans Sarah Jaffe).
The Marfalites/These Mad Dogs of Glory (LaGrange)
Are the Marfalites the best country act in Dallas? Maybe. Are they Dallas' best kept secret in country music? Undoubtedly.
The Broadsiders/Rude King/Dog Company/Letters to Voltron (Liquid Lounge)
For those who listened to my radio show Wednesday, you heard me say that I'm usually not a ska fan. You then heard me bust out local ska band Rude King's "Love Bomb". Why? Because I am ALWAYS a fan of a good catchy song. From what I've heard, Rude King has plenty of those.
Rahim Quazi/Ryil Dylan (Claypit Restaurant)
Note to Rahim fans: Rahim will NOT be playing his usual hook-filled singer-songwriter material. Instead, he's busting out some Indian music. Fans of Mr. Quazi may be curious to see him branch out into this different musical direction.

My Apologies to Emmeline... and Trevor

On my deepellumradio shows, I tend to focus almost exclusively on trying to promote shows specifically within the Deep Ellum neighborhood. After all, that is one of the primary focuses of the station: to support music and venues in that neighborhood. Unfortunately, that may mean many worthy concerts do not get mentioned on my show.

Right before my most recent show aired, musician (and friend) Emmeline asked if I'd made a mention of her show Friday. I felt like a real idiot, because I had not. Granted, the show takes place at Lakewood Bar & Grill, clearly outside of the Deep Ellum proper area. But still, I was quite upset about my omission.

Why is that? Sure, Emmeline is one of the best singer-songwriters within the area, but the issue goes deeper than that. The bill also features Suzanne Kimbrell and Karyna Cruz, two singer-songwriters that have piqued my curiousity as of late (I still have not seen either play live yet). No, this goes beyond any mere performer (or group of performers for that matter).

All the proceeds of this show go to The Trevor Project, and if you are not familiar with the group, I urge you to check that website out immediately. And while I usually refrain from any commentary about social issues on the site, I feel compelled to comment here. This is a cause that in my opinion goes beyond one's sexual preference. This is an issue of a person's right to not be bullied. And yes, I consider that a right. It is an individual's right to not be harassed whether because of their race, religion, sexual preference, or any other fathomable issue.

Yes, there are MANY fabulous shows tonight, and I will address them later this afternoon. But I felt this one deserved a little extra attention, as it is for a good cause. In fact, make that a critically important cause.

Ghost of Blind Lemon Radio: 4/27/11

For those who have been faithfully listening to my radio show on deepellumradio, I give you my sincere thanks. To those who have not been listening, I hope to convince to start listening every Wednesday 6-8 pm CST. Perhaps if you see the fine musical selections that you're missing out on, that will convince you to turn up your computer speakers and give me a listen. So without further ado, here's this week's playlist.


"Underground", Kirby Brown
"Hotel Denalian", Bravo, Max!
"Missing Funerals", Salim Nourallah
"Hands Where Words Cannot Go", RTB2
"City of Hate", Toadies
"Carney's Lake", W.A. Fite
"Save Your Breath", Camille Cortinas
"Chasing Corporate", Air Review
"Justify or Explain", Tweed EQ
"Man with the Crooked Crown", Nicholas Altobellit
"You're No Good", Pale Horse
"Burn It Down", Here Holy Spain
"Tropicall", Soviet
MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT: Kim Bonner
"Holy Water", Princess Tex
"Holiday", Vibrolux
"Potential Future Selves", THe BAcksliders
"Turn on Your Radio", THe BAcksliders
"sEVEN", DuCADO Vega
"Parking Lot Nights", Ghosthustler
"Set Me Free", The Red 100's
"Love Bomb", Rude King
"Charmed", The Bright
"Eyes Get Bigger", Oil Boom
"Skull Eyes", True Widow
"Three", The Timeline Post
"Sins of the Fathers", Course of Empire
"Remember You", The O's
"Pawn Shop Special", The Marfalites
"Someone Else's Blues", Greg Schroeder

And for those who have been wondering, the Ghost of Blind Lemon theme (intro song) was created by Clay Pendergrass, and the outro song is an excerpt from Rahim Quazi's "Supernatural (Reprise).

Also, feel free to email me at ghost@deepellumradio.com with song requests, suggestions for the show, or if you have an mp3 you'd like me to play.

Edgefest 21: And Then There Were Ten...

For the second year in a row, KDGE is giving local bands the opportunity to open up at Edgefest. Last week, twenty bands were selected, and fans had the opportunity to vote for their favorite band. The ten with the most votes moved on to round two this week. Voting for this round ends this Sunday at midnight, and the three acts with the greatest number of votes progress to the final round. Already, two favorites of mine (Luna Matto and Spookeasy) have been eliminated. There are still, however, several excellent choices remaining. Here is a look at my four favorite bands still competing (listed in alphabetical order), complete with a little summary on each band. I have also included my thoughts on how well each band would fit in at Edgefest.

DuCADO Vega
MY THOUGHTS: I was impressed with this band the first time I heard "Seven" on The Local Edge with Mark. The track is a fresh blend of electronica, funk, and rock that is not like anything else in the metroplex area. While the song is good, you cannot fully understand and appreciate the band without experiencing their live performance. The live show is much more raw and funky, sure to get any audience on its feet. Fans of Prince and old school Lenny Kravitz are sure to love this act.
FITTING IN AT EDGEFEST: There's certainly no comparable act to DuCADO Vega on this year's lineup. And traditionally, the station veers away from more dance oriented music. Using that same logic, Ishi should not have opened up for Edgefest last year (and they did). And while Ishi may make you want to dance, with DuCADO Vega you feel the NEED to dance. So if the kids still like to dance, they'll end up fitting right in and winning over a new crowd.

North of Autumn
MY THOUGHTS: The youngest band of the four selected, this group is surprisingly mature in their presentation and level of skill. The one time I saw them play, not only was the performance tight, it was complete with a full light show, making it more an experience than a mere performance. The crowd seemed to be in full enthusiastic agreement with me. While the band's sound may be a little poppier than might please the die hard indie hipster crowd, for fans more concerned with catchy melodies than being trendy, North of Autumn will more than do the job.
FITTING IN AT EDGEFEST: The sound is certainly lighter than the majority of the lineup. NoA definitely would be a more natural fit for Coldplay for even The Fray than Jane's Addiction or Social D. Still, their melodic rock would certainly make a lovely way to start out the fest.

Pale Horse
MY THOUGHTS: Wow, here I am yet again having to come up with new things to say about this band. Let's start with the fact that "You're No Good" was my favorite song of last year, and that I named the band as one of the best live acts in the metroplex. The level at which I love this band is hardly a secret. They've been working on new material, posting new tracks on their bandcamp for free. I don't know if these tracks will get the full band treatment eventually, but they certainly take the band in an even darker and heavier direction. But Pale Horse has never shied away from heavy or controversial topics. Now is no exception.
FITTING IN AT EDGEFEST: Of the four bands selected, this one would probably be the most obvious fit at Edgefest. The band's lyrically intimate style is sure to bring comparisons to Edgefest favorite Blue October, although their style comes closer to a modern version of The Band than Blue October. Simply put, this is classic rock for another generation, and I think that will go over very well at Edgefest.

Smile Smile
MY THOUGHTS: I've always liked Smile Smile, but the release of Truth on Tape gave me a new respect for the band. The album is one of the best heartbreak CDs ever to emerge from the area. The topic came naturally to the band, as the music was being written as the duo was going through a very rough and public breakup. One might think that such a breakup might mean the end of the band, but Smile Smile has managed to make their personal problems work for them. Much of the on stage banter even revolves around their past. As for the melodies, mix equal parts heartbreak with pop piano hooks, and that's the Cliff Notes version of what Smile Smile is.
FITTING IN AT EDGEFEST: Like North of Autumn, the band's sound is considerably lighter than the rest of the bands. However, between the band's banter and excellent songs, the band should do fine. Also, the band will likely win brownie points with the Edgefest crowd with their cover of Blink 182's "Dammit", which as far as I'm concerned is light years superior to the original.

Now that you know a little about these bands, that leaves you one thing to do: VOTE! You can vote once per day until the deadline this Sunday at Midnight. I realize that I selected four bands, and at most three could make it thru. Still, let's at least get one of these acts on the Edgefest lineup.

Album Review: The Red 100's, Live off the Floor

I'm keeping this album review short and sweet for two reasons. One is that the album itself is quite short. Clocking in at less than twenty minutes with only four six tracks, this EP is but a small taste of what The Red 100's have to offer. My second reason is that to overanalyze such an album defeats the purpose of the band's music. Their songs do not exist for the purpose of intellectual analysis and detailed discussion of melodic content. The songs on the album are raw and visceral, meant to be experienced from a gut level. "Bellhop Swing" and "Set Me Free" are high octane songs that energize the soul as only rock and roll can. So when listening to Live off the Floor, do not sit in your chair and think about the music. Crank up your stereo, and play air guitar and pretend that you can be a guitar wizard like the band's own Robbie D. Love. And trust me, you'll be pretending, because I feel safe in saying that your guitar skills are NOWHERE near his.

The band's CD release show is tomorrow at Curtain Club. The Virgin Wolves, DuCADO Vega, The Effinays, and The 1969's round out the bill. I will be broadcasting live that evening with deepellumradio from the Curtain Club patio.

Also, don't forget to go to The Red 100's bandcamp page to get the EP.

THe BAcksliders from Dallas, Texas

The title of this post is more than the obvious declaration of the band's hometown. It is also the name of the band's latest album. The release date of the album is April 19th, but you're in for a treat. The members of the band have given me permission to stream the new album, THe BAcksliders from Dallas, Texas, on the website until the album is released.

This album marks the debut of the band as a five piece. Kim Bonner remains as the main vocalist, and Chris continues to shred on lead guitar, as well as singing lead from time to time. Jason Bonner returns to the band on bass, and Earl Darling and Nathan Adamson round out the lineup with drums and keyboards respectively. And while not a member, Ryan Thomas Becker lends his skills on guitar on the track "I Don't Feel It Anymore".

With the new lineup comes a little of a change of sound. The band's sound is a little less heavy this time, and there's a more apparent power-pop influence than ever before. "Talk to My Heart", released last year, is a perfect example of that poppier sound found on this CD. THe BAcksliders from Dallas, Texas also features many slower tunes, such as "You Got Something", and the lead single from the album, "Turn on Your Radio". That track, while it may seem like an unlikely choice for a single, is one of the most beautifully captivating songs that the band has ever put out. A large piece of the credit must go to Kim Bonner, whose vocals are equal parts haunting and soulful.

And for those who might be fearing that the band could have lost its edge, one listen to "Regular Nights" or "Getaway Driver" shows that the band's devotion to the legacy of rock and roll has not wavered one bit.

But enough of me talking about the album. Listen for yourself below. Okay, free preview time is over. Time to go buy the album on iTunes. Or better yet, come out to Double-Wide on April 29th for their CD release show. You get a free copy of the CD with your paid admission to the venue.

How to Spend Your Wednesday Night

I know Wednesdays are generally not regarded as being much of a night for doing something fun. Well, I have some suggestions on how to make this Wednesday evening a lot more fun.

First of all, start the evening off at 6 pm CST with the Ghost of Blind Lemon radio show on Deep Ellum Radio. For two full hours, the folks at Deep Ellum Radio are letting me (yet again) take the musical reins. I've got plenty of new music for you to listen to, including new tunes from The Virgin Wolves, Greg Schroeder, Tweed EQ, just to name a few. I'm also featuring Ryan Thomas Becker in this week's edition of Musician Spotlight. And if you're wanting more good internet radio, Chelsea Callahan's This Is Texas Radio Show comes on directly after me. Her guest for the evening will be Mark Pirro (Tripping Daisy, The Polyphonic Spree).

If you're wanting to get out, I've got a killer show for you to check out. Rahim Quazi and Luna Matto will both perform at Barley House, with LA band Goldenboy sandwiched in between the two. I normally don't like to talk too much about non-local bands in this blog, but Goldenboy is so incredible they're worth making the exception. Fans of dreamy pop a la Crowded House will certainly find this band worth checking out. In fact, Neil Finn of Crowded House performed on the band's 2006 album, Underneath the Radio. Speaking of impressive cameos and Goldenboy, Elliott Smith sang on their 2003 track "Summertime". The band's new album, Sleepwalker, features plenty of slow, gorgeous tunes, most notably the almost perfect title track. And with this being a Barley House show, you get all three acts absolutely free of charge.

Hey, it beats staying home and watching TV.

Weekend Plans: 3/11/11

I don't do these show updates often enough, but I felt like I needed to do this tonight, particularly after noticing what I feel is a VERY significant omission in the DC9 at Night list. But I'll go ahead and recap all the major local music options this weekend, except for what's going on with the 35 Conferette. Because listing all the worthy show options for that festival would just take way too long.

FRIDAY
Slobberbone/Whiskey Folk Ramblers/The O's (Sons of Hermann Hall)
It's good to see Slobberbone doing more and more shows as of late, and they'd be hard pressed to find two better opening acts.
Grant Jones & The Pistol Grip Lassos (Tradewinds Social Club)
It seems as if Tradewinds is coming back to life with more shows lately. I'm citing this show as piece of evidence number one to support that argument.
ADd+, Damaged Good$, Mohicans, Killa MC, G. Bailey, Tunk (Club Dada)
Club Dada certainly has taken a stronger interest in local hip-hop under its new ownership. While I can't speak for most of the acts on here, I will say that Mohicans shared a quite catchy mp3 with the DC9 at Night blog, and Damaged Good$ are one of Dallas' finest and most energetic hip-hop acts.
Anna Thomas (Crossroads Winery)
Anna rarely performs outside of the Frisco/McKinney area, and tonight's venue is no exception. Still, her music is worth the drive up north.


SATURDAY
Toadies/Ume/True Widow/Ishi/Here Holy Spain (Greenville St. Patrick's Day Parade)
I've found myself listening to Here Holy Spain's latest CD, Division, even more frequently than I expected to. Their set is admittedly quite early (12:30 pm to be precise), but it's worth getting up early to see. Ishi, with their quirky indie dance pop, seems to be odd band out on this loud and heavy lineup. Frankly, I think that they should have been slotted in the middle slot as sort of a mood lightening musical intermission, but that's just my opinion. As for the others, I don't know Ume, but True Widow has never done less than take my breath away, and it's near impossible to go wrong with Toadies.
Dove Hunter/The Cush (Lola's)
When Dove Hunter broke up last year, they did so with no hoopla or major farewell show. Appropriately enough, their reforming of Dove Hunter has gone equally underneath the radar of most local music fans. Here's hoping that they continue with more shows and make their presence known as strongly as it was several years ago.
The King Bucks (Adair's)
It's The King Bucks at Adair's. If you've seen them there, then enough said. If not, then do yourself a favor and catch one of their many shows there. This Saturday night would be a good time for that.
Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights, Taddy Porter, The Happen-Ins
The band is touring more and more nowadays, so take any opportunity you can to see them live. Expect this to be an even more festive than usual set, as this is the unofficial after St. Patrick's Day Parade party.
Rahim Quazi & The Supernaturals (Jack's Backyard)
The show is also a fundraiser for Family Place, so not only do you get some great music, you're helping out a worthy charity.
Opening Bell 8 Year Anniversary Party
Earlier, I made reference to what I felt was a major omission in the DC9 at Night weekend show listings. Sure, there are many worthy shows that can be overlooked. Usually, I'll let that sort of thing slide. This show, however, I feel is not a small oversight but a glaring omission. First of all, I dare anyone to name a venue that has done more for the acoustic singer songwriter genre than OBC. Acknowledging the venue's contributions to the music community is reason enough for a mention. And that's without discussing a single performer. Now click here and scroll down until you see the amazing over the top lineup for tonight's showcase. It's hard to single out a best performer on the lineup, but I will mention that Summer Ames, Becky Middleton, Rahim Quazi, Emily Elbert, Phoenix Hart, Kerri Arista, and Smile Smile are some of the most appealing performers on the lineup. Any one of those artists would be worth seeing alone. And let's not forget Sara Donaldson, who I do not believe has performed in Dallas since 2008. Oh, and there's even cake. Can't have a party without cake, right? Seriously though, come out, enjoy some wonderful music, and say Hi to OBC owner Pascale Hall and thank her for eight incredible years of beautiful music, and let's keep this venue going strong!

Radio Show Playlist: 3/9/11

First of all, thanks to all who listened to last night's deepellumradio show. I'm sorry that the show was an hour late starting, but from this point on, the show should regularly air every Wednesday at 6 p.m. CST. And for those who missed the show, I'm posting the playlist so you can see what you missed.

"Crawl", The Virgin Wolves
"Evil on the Highway", Dove Hunter
"Hey Jane", Bravo, Max!
"Buy You", Spookeasy
"Caldera", The Timeline Post
"You Pressed the Crash Button", Novaak
"Girl from the City", The King Bucks
"Unfold", Kerri Arista
"Save Me", Hares on the Mountain
"Supernatural", Rahim Quazi
"With You I'll Travel", Menkena
MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT: Taylor Young
"2828", Hi-Fi Drowning
"Fat Girls", THe BAcksliders
"California", The O's
"Remember You", The O's
"Like a Charm", Here Holy Spain
"Burning Pictures", The Monco Poncho
"If It Never Gets Better", Taylor Davis
"Throw Me Overboard", The Hope Trust
"At the Switch", Air Review
"So, Within", Seryn
"Capture", Summer Ames
"Wimbledon", Soviet
"Red Palomino", The Demigs
"Queen of Hearts", Hmm
"Echo and the Pass", Hendrick

Local Edge Playlist: 3/6/11

Tonight's episode featured (almost) exclusively artists playing the 35 Conferette. The one exception was the in studio performance and interview from People on Vacation. I could've sworn that they were on the lineup. Either the lineup has changed or I was mistaken. Speaking of which, if you want to see these bands at the festival, check the website for info on times/clubs/etc.

"Throw Me Overboard", The Hope Trust
"All Because You're Mine", Air Review
"Dog's Light", Bravo, Max!
IN STUDIO: PEOPLE ON VACATION
"Rainy Day"
"Because of the Sun"
"Back to Being Friends"
"Alyson Revere", Fishboy
"Battle Rock 24/7", Man Factory
"Goon", RTB2
"Forever Today", Soviet
"Prepared", Jessie Frye
"2012", Cocky Americans
"Icing", Roy Robertson

New Artist Spotlight: Arielle

It seems as if each year, a new female singer-songwriter comes along and plays a major part in defining the music of that given year. In 2009, I discovered the music of Iris Leu. Last year, it was the music of Emmeline that captured my eardrums. 2011 may not even be a quarter of the way done, but I think I've found my pick for the year. Like Emmeline, she too goes simply by her first name: Arielle. She first came to my attention thanks to John Keener at Lakewood Bar & Grill, who strongly recommended her music. It's also worth noting that he's the one who turned me on to Emmeline, suggesting that he has quite an ear for discovering talent.

Below I've included two videos that help spotlight her talent. The first one is her cover of Outkast's "Hey Ya!", and as suggested by the video, she plays all the different instruments. The video also allows for a bit of her personality to shine through, and simply have a little fun with the song



(In case you want to see more of her videos, or if the page cuts off the video as it probably will, you can click here to see all her videos.)

I also wanted to share one of her own songs entitled "Icarus". This particular video gotten repeated views for me. Arielle's vocal skills are nicely displayed here, simultaneously showing both a vocal strength and emotionally vulnerability.



Arielle performs tonight at Lakewood Bar & Grill at 8 pm. I will be catching her set; I highly recommend that you do the same.

A Few Updates

I've got a lot to share today, so listen up...

1. I've been wanting to share this poster with you for awhile. It was designed by Cory Jensen, who also does a nice little blog called Dusted Juke. Unfortunately, there is one change that needs to be made to the poster. Sadly to say, Menkena will NOT be able to play the show this Thursday at Lochrann's. Secret Cities from North Dakota will play instead, and Doug Burr will still headline the show. Needless to say, the show's still gonna be great, and I hope to see all my readers at Lochrann's this Thursday.



2. You've probably noticed I've been raving a lot about the upcoming Calhoun CD Heavy Sugar. It appears I'm not the only one severely impressed by their most recent effort. Erv Kerwalis of Idol Records has just now added Calhoun to their roster. The CD is scheduled for release on May 17th. This album meshes a certain amount of the edgier style of Falter.Waiver.Cultivate with the pop hooks more frequently associated with Tim Locke's work. The result? In the past 15 years or so that Mr. Locke has been making music, this is his finest work to date. Big claim? Yes. Does the music back up the claim? Absolutely.



3. The DC9 at Night blog just published a write up on Chad Lovell, the man behind deepellumradio, among other things. I would encourage you to click here to read the article. And yes, there will be more of my shows on the station, so keep an eye (or ear) out for that.

I'm working on some more stories/showcases/radio shows/insane ideas, so keep checking in. You never know what you might find.

Local Edge Playlist: 2/27/11

I first came up with the idea of posting the playlists from The Local Edge because its host Mark had gotten severely behind on posting the playlists at KDGE. That's what made me decide to post them on the blog. Well, as you've probably noticed, I'm the one who's behind on posting. I'm not going to bother with the ones I've missed, as those can be obtained on the KDGE website. But I'll bet this one isn't up there yet, so enjoy.

Oh, and speaking of cool radio shows, be on the lookout for more shows from yours truly on deepellumradio.

"Marnie", Novaak
"Dog's Light", Bravo, Max!
"Citizen", El Cento
IN STUDIO: JESSIE FRYE
"Fortune Teller"
"Prepared"
"Like a Light"
"Alyson Revere", Fishboy
"Save Me", Hares on the Mountain
"Via Matilda", Spookeasy
"Mad", The Missile Men
"My Niagra Heart", Spooky Folk

lower case words and cool videos

yes, it's been awhile since my last post. i've missed several lucky 13 playlists, as well as recaps of mark's local edge show. the past week has had plenty of ups and downs on a personal level, and more of the latter unfortunately. the good news? things are finally on an upswing, which should alleviate a certain amount of stress and allow me a better frame of mind for writing.

but enough about that. let me answer the other question on your mind right now. why is this post done in all lower case? this is a tribute to the band called hormones. not hormones with a capital h, but a lower case h. in fact, i believe all their song titles are strictly lower case. normally, i'm not a fan of punctuation that goes against grammatical rules, but for hormones, i'll make an exception. their tune "to the 9's" is a song that with its somewhat erratic rhythm and high energy makes for an extremely interesting listen.

the video to the song, although fairly simplistic in execution, has a very cool look to it, particularly the paint scenes. the video is directed by the luu brothers, who were also responsible for cocky american's video for "romance tried to kill me". i've posted the video below, but since it's shot in hd, the full screen version cannot be fully appreciated on this site at the time. if you click here, it will take you to the band's youtube page.

Last Minute GOBL Showcase

Recently, J.R. Denson came to me and asked me to help him recruit some opening acts for his City Tavern show this Friday. I did, and in return, he allowed me the privilege of putting the Ghost of Blind Lemon name on the lineup. And while these new additions to his show may have been last minute, this is still a first rate lineup.

Opening the show is local music legend Mike Graff, formerly of Course of Empire. I got the opportunity to see him open for Menkena's CD release show, and while I figured he'd be good based on his reputation, I was not expecting songs so catchy. He'll be playing what he refers to as his "boogie rock" songs, which feels strongly reminiscent of 70's period Lou Reed/David Bowie/Rolling Stones. Fans of that period should run, not walk, over to City Tavern by 10 to catch his set.

Next on the lineup is Tweed EQ, one of last year's nominees for Best Blues Act in last year's Dallas Observer Music Awards. While blues purists may disagree with the label of blues for the band, there's no denying that there's a hefty dose of blues in their style of gritty rock music. For those who listen to The Local Edge with Mark (which if you're not, you NEED to start doing so this Sunday), you've probably heard one of their newer songs, "I Know a Thing or Two About You". I've been hearing the track for the past few weeks, and it's always one of the highlights of Mark's show. Tweed EQ should hit the stage at about 11.

That, of course, leaves Pale Horse in the headlining slot. I'm not sure what to say that I haven't already. I'll just refer you to their ReverbNation page, filled with GOBL quotes, and remind you that "You're No Good" was my favorite local music track of 2011. Also, it's worth mentioning that the band is working on their next EP, and you'll most likely hear some of the new tracks Friday when they take the spotlight around midnight.

I know this is short notice, but I hope that you can make the necessary adjustments in your schedule to attend this show. You'll be glad you did.

Weekend Plans: Superbowl Edition

What a strange week this has been. To say that the weather has been bad is definitely an understatement. This has put a damper on a number of pre-Super Bowl activities, and a few have even been cancelled. Fortunately, the weather is starting to warm up a little, which will allow you to get out to a show or two. There's plenty of big name acts here in town. But for those of you who don't have $1,000 or so to see Prince at the old Reunion Arena parking lot, there are some much cheaper options for local talent.

NOTE: Shows are being cancelled as we speak due to weather. I'd encourage you to check with the venue before heading out tonight.

FRIDAY:
Seryn/Monahans/Sam Robertson (Dan’s Silverleaf)
I've only gotten to see an acoustic Seryn performance, but that itself was one of the most remarkable shows I saw last year. The band will celebrate the release of This Is Where We Are, a collection of songs filled with soaring melodies and near perfect harmonies. Dan's Silverleaf is the perfect venue for a more quiet and introspective band such as Seryn.
Ishi/Cocky Americans/DJ Redsean (The Cavern)
Expect to see fewer and fewer shows at The Cavern, as the venue is shifting is focus away from live music. But tonight's show will be a big one. The only question is how the venue will be able to handle a band as popular as Ishi.
Binary Sunrise/George Quartz/Sir Name (Double-Wide)

This show has just been cancelled (I didn't want to strike thru the portion below. The show is off, but my opinion of Binary Sunrise remains the same).
While I do like Ishi, Binary Sunrise has always been my favorite dance band in Dallas. Their style leans more towards new wave, but think less Depeche Mode and New Order and more Gary Numan and even Kraftwerk.
Rahim Quazi & The Supernaturals (Jack’s Backyard)
If you missed Mr. Quazi's performance at my Dada showcase, here's your chance to redeem yourself. This time, he'll be backed by a full band. The show has unfortunately been cancelled, although Jack's itself will be open tonight.
Sayonara/Another Year Colder/The Demigods/The Crazy Ivans (Liquid Lounge)
Ducado VeGA turned me on to the music of The Demigods, and I was quite impressed, and The Crazy Ivans definitely put on an energetic set. This is one of the better Liquid Lounge lineups that the venue has had in quite awhile.


SATURDAY:
Seryn/Monahans/The Cush (Club Dada)
Same info as the Dan's Silverleaf show, except in place of Seryn, local shoegaze group The Cush replace Sam Robertson. It's been a few years since I've seen The Cush, but fans of shoegaze will definitely want to get to Dada early to catch them.
Summer Ames/David Ramirez (Opening Bell Coffee)
Summer seems to be quite the appropriate name for this young lady, as her songs seem to glow like rays of sunshine. Even more melancholy tunes like "Capture" have such a beauty that it lifts the mood of the listener. Her joy is so infectious that Kirtland Records has signed her. Also on the bill is Dallas turned Austin singer-songwriter David Ramirez, one of my big favorites from Austin.
Goodnight Ned (The Cavern)
Here's another Cavern show, featuring GOBL showcase alumni Goodnight Ned. Fans of Bravo, Max! will definitely want to check this band out.

And of course, if I've forgotten any LOCAL shows worth mentioning, post them in the comments section. And no, Prince and Black Eyed Peas do NOT count as local.

Snow Days

So, is anyone else getting cabin fever here? I certainly am. I haven't left the house in three days, and I'm not digging this. As a result, I have not recorded another radio show with deepellumradio as of yet. Rest assured, there will be another episode. When it is done, I will let everyone know.

In the meantime, I have a few songs for you to get you through this wintery weather. And believe it or not, they both share the same name: "Snow Day". What are the odds of two local songs sharing that name? The first of the two Snow Days comes from Calhoun's upcoming release, Heavy Sugar. I've said this before, I'll say it again: this is Calhoun's best work to date. Go ahead and take a listen to the song below:

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The second Snow Day comes from a Denton singer-songwriter by the name of Karyna Cruz. Her songs are more piano based and in a similar vain to that of Emmeline (but not as depressing of lyrics). In fact, I believe I discovered her music through Emmeline. Karyna will be performing tonight at Opening Bell Coffee, and I have no doubt she'll play this song. If you like the song, I believe it's still available as a free download thru her website. Here's a video of her performing that song last October at Cafe de Lux in Denton.



Hope these songs help put you in a better mood and better able to combat the cabin fever.

UPDATE: Karyna's Opening Bell show is NOT happening tonight. You'll just have to enjoy the video tonight instead.

The Lucky Thirteen: 1/31/11

As I'm sure most of you, this past week I recorded my first show for deepellumradio, the first of what I hope to be many to come. With that, however, brings a question: what should become of the Lucky Thirteen? Should I just repeat the same songs here? Is it redundant to have a playlist and a radio show? I have not yet come up with answers for those questions. I guess you could say I'm at a creative crossroads of sorts with the Lucky Thirteen. So I've decided to do what many musicians do when they're needing to put out an album but not sure what to do: release a best of retrospective type deal. I've selected thirteen tracks that, for whatever reason, have been significant musical points in past playlists. I don't know if this is goodbye to the Lucky Thirteen, but it seems a good time for reflection.
And whether or not the Lucky Thirteen continues, I encourage artists to send their mp3's to ghostofblindlemon@gmail.com for either these playlists or the radio show.

1. "Big Scar", Blackheart Society
   April 20, 2008 was the date of the first Ghost of Blind Lemon playlist. I used the last.fm playlist widget. At that time, there was no flexibility with ordering songs on the playlist. All tracks were done in alphabetical order by artist. As a result, this made the Blackheart Society song the first track on the first playlist here.


2. "Supernatural", Rahim Quazi
   The playlist has gone through many different formats and platforms: last.fm, MySpace, Hypster, and finally Grooveshark. I feel pretty safe in saying that this track has been used in each one of the formats, and just might have been featured on more playlists than any other song. "Supernatural" is a guaranteed mood picker-upper, and one of the most infectious tracks in recent local music memory.


3. "Red in the Morning", Menkena
   I've been featuring this song on playlists since it was a demo on their MySpace page. It's finally seen a proper release this year, and all I can say is that it's about time.


4. "Jack Never Crashes", The Deathray Davies
   I got into a bit of a rut last year, not even doing many Lucky Thirteens for a lengthy period. I finally revived the playlist with a theme very special to me: the early years of the 2000's. Although many people view that period the beginning of the decline of Deep Ellum, that was also when I became a true local music fan. Groups like Chomsky, Sugarbomb, OHNO, [DARYL], and of course The Deathray Davies created my obsession with local music. Sometimes getting in touch with your past really can help you move into the future.


5. "Everything Dies", Nicholas Altobelli
   I've always been a big supporter of Mr. Altobelli, and I could have chosen many other tracks of his. What makes this one special, however, is the fact that he let me debut this track on my blog. He didn't debut it on Dallas Observer, The Local Edge with Mark, or with anyone else. This was the first time I'd ever gotten a chance to debut a song on the blog. As a result, this song will always be special to me.


6. "You're No Good", Pale Horse
   This song fared rather well last year, considering that it made it to #1 on my year end countdown. Not too shabby, right?


7. "Virtue and Vice", The Virgin Wolves
   As you know, one of my favorite things as a blogger is to discover new talent. This past June, I urged new and up and coming acts to email me their mp3's for a special Lucky Thirteen consisting only of acts new to me. This particular track became a big favorite of mine during last year, and it works really well when played as loud as possible. I also feel compelled to give props to Anna Thomas, who was featured on that same playlist, and was almost included on this Lucky Thirteen.


8. "Tryin' to Have a Good Time", The O's
   The O's have definitely made it on several playlists. My first inclination was to feature "You've Got Your Heart", which came in at #2 on the 2009 year end countdown. I opted for this track instead. Some of that was because I wanted to spotlight their newer material. More than that, it's also because a GOBL fan was so excited over the inclusion of this song that she took a picture of the Grooveshark player and posted it as a Facebook profile pic. That alone is reason enough for it to make this "best of" edition.


9. "Paper Girl", Katie Carroll
   The first time this song was included on a Lucky Thirteen, there was a slight misspelling of the title. Somehow the word "girl" was spelled as "bag". But just as a rose by any other name smells as swell, this song with any other title sounds just as sweet. Call it "Paper Girl", call it "Paper Bag", or just call it a good song. And that it is.


10. "Just Wanna Try", Luna Matto
    I was already playing the living daylights out of this track back in the MySpace playlist days. When Luna finally sent me the new mp3s of what was to become Happy Isn't Real, I said on my Facebook account that receiving the tracks was like Christmas day for me.


11. "Echo and the Pass", Hendrick
    This track not only was my favorite song of 2009, it's made my top 10 favorite songs of all time list. I don't mean a top 10 local tracks list; I mean top 10 songs ever. I can't explain the effect that this song has on me, but I can say that this song strikes a chord within me in a way that few songs do. If you haven't ever listened to the song before, please, do so now.


12. "sEVEN", Ducado VeGA
    Earlier, I referred to this playlist as sort of a "greatest hits". Like many greatest hits compilations, I decided to slip in a brand new song. I want to save my comments for the next radio show, so I'll simply say that I feel Ducado VeGA will be a major player in the local music scene this year.


13. "Me Quedo en Blanco", Lauren Adelle with Colin Boyd
    One of the big tricks on compilation albums is to feature one brand new song. Another trick, more often found in box sets, is to include an older never released song. Although this track charted on my top 40 podcast from last year, it never made it onto a single playlist. I always meant for her to be included, but for whatever reason, something always got in the way. Until today, that is.

Local Edge Playlist: 1/30/11

Another great episode, complete with a live in-studio from Pale Horse. And another Ghost of Blind Lemon reference... could it get any better?


"Blow the Speakers", Legsweeper
"Throw Me Overboard", The Hope Trust
"Marnie", Novaak

IN STUDIO: PALE HORSE
"Like a Canary"
"Your Heart Is a Wild Drum Beat"
"You're No Good"

"Skull Eyes", True Widow
"Prophet", Datahowler
"I Know a Thing or Two About You", Tweed EQ
"sEVEN", Ducado VeGA
"Better Off Dead", People on Vacation

Radio, Radio: The Sequel

First off, let me also thank all of the wonderful musicians who played night: Rahim Quazi, Phoenix Hart, Madison King, and Goodnight Ned. Also, thanks to Josh Florence, John Solis, and the entire Dada crew for making me feel at home. It was an honor to kick off their Blogosphere showcase series, and look forward to doing it again in the future. And to those who couldn't make the show, you really missed out on some amazing performances.

But before I went to Dada last night, I got the opportunity to do something I've wanted to do for awhile. For those following the Ghost of Blind Lemon Facebook page, you may recall me hinting that I'd love to have my own radio show. A friend pointed me in the direction of deepellumradio. And so right before my showcase, I recorded my very first show with the internet radio station. The show should hit the airwaves around 6 pm CST, but I'll confirm later with more official details. The show will be an eclectic sampling of my favorites from the metroplex area, ranging from country to hip-hop to acoustic. And of course, there'll be plenty of indie rock and straight ahead rock music. The episode that will air tonight features new tracks from Calhoun, The Red 100's, Novaak, and The O's among others. So get to a computer tonight around 6 and give the show a listen.

Video Preview of Tomorrow's Show

As you've probably heard me mention more than a few times, I'm hosting the first Blogosphere showcase this Wednesday at Club Dada. There has been a slight change in the lineup; The Roomsounds will not be playing the show. Here is the lineup as it currently stands:

9:00 Rahim Quazi
9:40 Phoenix Hart
10:20 Madison King
11:00 Goodnight Ned

All acts are acoustic except Goodnight Ned. Cover is a mere $5, and the show is for 21+. I think this is going to be a great night of music, but don't just take my word for it. I want to give everyone a little taste of what tomorrow will sound like. As a result, I have include some video clips in order to prepare you for the greatness that will be tomorrow night. Let's start with the first musician on the lineup, Rahim Quazi. He'll be focusing primarily on songs from his upcoming CD, Born on a Tuesday during tomorrow's set. One of those songs is "Ghost Hunting", a song that he also performed at his show last March at Kessler Theater (one of my favorite shows of last year). Here's a video of that performance:



Next on the lineup is Phoenix Hart, an artist that has been getting more and more attention as of late, and deservedly so. Between her gorgeous voice and well written songs, all the attention is well deserved. Here's a brand new tunes of hers, "Angels (Where Are You Now)", that is every bit as good as the tunes on her latest CD, Save Love.



Madison King, the third on the lineup, has yet to release an album, and I could only find one YouTube video of her. It's video of a songswap she did in December with Ryan Thomas Becker and Danny Balis. It starts with her and Ryan doing a cover of "Rainbow Connection" before her going into her own music.



Finally, I'd post some video of Goodnight Ned... if it existed. It doesn't, so you'll just have to come tomorrow night to see what they're like live. You've got to have some surprises, right?

The Lucky Thirteen: 1/24/11

Standard playlist disclaimer: any artists, record labels, etc. who do not wish to be on the playlist for any reason whatsoever, email me at ghostofblindlemon@gmail.com and I will gladly remove the track. And if you'd actually like to be on the playlist, you can use the same email address to email me your mp3's. If I like the song, then odds are it'll wind up on a playlist.

1. "Supernatural", Rahim Quazi


2. "Until We Meet Again", Phoenix Hart


3. "Two Songs", Goodnight Ned
   For those looking forward to Wednesday's GOBL showcase, here's a little update. The Roomsounds, alas, are not able to play the show. Do not fear, however, as I have gotten Phoenix Hart and Madison King both to agree to do acoustic sets. Rahim Quazi will kick off the show with an acoustic set as well, primarly focusing on material from his upcoming Born on a Sunday. And of course, Goodnight Ned will end the night with a full band set. So if you need something to do on a Wednesday night, you know what to do.


4. "Set Me Free", The Red 100's
   I believe I've said before that The Red 100's are one of the bands that I predict will have a big year. I believe that statement is worth repeating. Obviously, as I have just repeated it. But seriously, there seems to be a move on the part of many bands towards a more rootsy, blues oriented sound, and The Red 100's could easily position themselves as leaders of this musical movement.


5. "Red in the Morning", Menkena
   First off, if you missed the band's CD release show at LaGrange, shame on you. I've never seen the band in finer form, and GOBL fans know how much I've always loved the band. But if you did miss Saturday's show, you can at least partially redeem yourself by going to the Kessler Theater on Friday night. They'll join a bill with another GOBL fave, Luna Matto, and Daniel Folmer will be on the bill. Or will it really be "Danny Rush"? I'll let you know if I figure out which identity shows up.


6. "Kids in My Backyard", Soviet
   Wow, this band has really come out of nowhere it seems. The band's formula seems to be pretty straight forward: write fun, catchy songs. It seems to be working for them. Who knew it was that easy?


7. "Charmed", The Bright
   The Bright has certainly received plenty of attention from local ABC affiliate WFAA (Channel 8), having played the channel's New Year's Eve show for the past two years. This particular song of theirs has really grabbed my attention more than any of their other works. It reminds me sonically of Sugarbomb, except with heavier guitars in place of Les Farrington's keyboards.


8. "You Pressed The Crash Button", Novaak
   Is it too early to start nominating best song of 2011 contenders? If not, this gorgeously performed song would be fighting for top honors.


9. "I'm Immune", Chris Holt
   Mr. Holt has really cut back on live shows, which is a shame because the tracks off A Cosmic Joke deserve to be brought to life on a regular basis. But until he plays more shows, you need to take advantage of the shows he does, like Friday's gig at Club Dada with Salim Nourallah and The Monco Poncho.


10. "Coming of the Century", Course of Empire
    After seing Mike Graff's solo performance at LaGrange this past Saturday, it inspired me to dig up this CoE classic and share it with everyone. It's very different from the Lou Reed/Stones/Bowie boogie blend played that night, but until he records some of that, you'll have to settle for this. And by settle, I mean enjoy.


11. "Buy You", Spookeasy
    Not enough people know about Spookeasy yet. I'm out to change that.


12. "Tryin' to Have a Good Time", The O's
    I've seen people use posters for GOBL showcases as Facebook profile picture. But last week was the first time I've ever had someone take a picture of the Grooveshark player on my page and use that as a profile pic. What can I say, except that featuring a new O's song can have that effect on a person.


13. "Emulate", Spector 45
    Spector 45 booked a show for this Saturday at LaGrange before Frankie Campagna passed away. The remaining band members decided to fulfill their obligations to the club, and recruited a longtime friend of Frankie's, Cody Bigham, will take over the vocal responsibilities. It obviously won't be the same, but for those who missed Frankie's last performance, consider this your chance to say goodbye to the band.