While You Were Sleeping...

Last night at about midnight, the band Siren Sea posted their new song, “Lies”, on YouTube. To debut a song on so late on a night where most local music fans might be asleep might seem like an unusual move, considering that it might seem to increase the likelihood of the song going unnoticed. Especially since, on top of it all, it seems much of the local music community has not taken noticed of Siren Sea.

Folks, that’s gotta change, starting right now.

Just take a few minutes and listen to this track below. The haunting and exotic vocals of Reema Hamdan are sure to make any music lover stop to take notice. The melody does start out slowly, but give the song time. Between the beautiful melody and Ms. Hamdan’s vocals, it will not take long for you to get caught up in “Lies”.

The song also serves as the theme song to the upcoming film, Blissful Lies, staring Leann Hunley. The band was specifically asked to compose a song for the film. It took the band a mere three hours to compose this gorgeous track. But if you’re looking to see the band perform live, you have several opportunities coming in the near future. Siren Sea will open for Tiger Darrow this Thursday at Club Dada. A few weeks later, the band will perform at Liquid Lounge on Friday, January 27th. Last, but certainly not least, you can catch them Friday, February 17th at The Crown and Harp, with Tweed EQ and Alex Allred rounding out that lineup.

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.