Cory Graves
A.Dd+ Flew High This Week.
Each week, we take a survey of the local music scene each and try to determine which bands in town are really putting in work and seeing it pay off. Which bands have the most intriguing shows coming up? Which bands are getting the most press around town (at the Observer, at the Dallas Morning News, at D Magazine's FrontRow blog and at various other outlets)? Which bands have accomplished the most notable feats of late? Based off these criteria, three of our music writers submit a list to be weighted and compiled into a master list to be revealed in this here space. We like to think it's fairly revealing.
When you're a music blogger as popular as Gorilla vs Bear's Chris Cantalini, people stop referring to you as a blogger and begin simply calling you a “tastemaker.”
And when you decide to put on a festival people are going to talk about it.
A lot.
As such, the perpetually-buzzing local hip-hop duo A.Dd+, who performed at the second annual Gorilla vs Bear Fest this past weekend, caught a lot of additional shine this week.
Not that they needed it. The pair, whose next show is on August 10 at Bryan Street Tavern, have also been working on a new mixtape they'll releasing in the coming weeks. In other words: They've been giving people plenty to talk about.
But thanks to the fest, they got more talk. So too did A.Dd+ collaborator DJ Sober, who, along with his rapping friends, lands in the Top 10 of this week's rankings as well.
Not far behind this week is Sarah Jaffe, who was announced this week as one of the inaugural performers of the Arts District's new 700-capacity City Performance Hall. Her next performance in town, however, will be at the much more intimate Dan's Silverleaf on Friday night.
Slipping to third after enjoying two straight weeks atop the rankings are Smile Smile, whose Marry a Stranger album release show is still a week away.
Tomorrow night at the Prophet Bar, the local soulster Larry g(EE) will perform. He recently got back in town after spending time touring as part of the Van's Warped Tour.
Also helping bump him into the top five? Maybe his addition to a certain recently announced yacht rock party being held at Dada next Sunday.
The same, we assume, is probably true for Sealion (who is also playing with The Coathangers at Bryan Street Tavern tomorrow night) and The Rich Girls, both of which also rank highly.
Elsewhere, Team Tomb, Bludded Head, Toadies, Oil Boom and Goodnight Ned are all celebrating new releases this week with various release shows throughout the Metroplex scheduled.
That's a much more pleasant way to make the rankings than, say, 11-year-old Harper Gruzins, whose rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner” went viral after critics began calling it the “worst National Anthem rendition ever.”
(Also receiving votes this week: Chris Johnson, Kelly Clarkson, Girls Rock Dallas, Reverend Horton Heat, New Fumes, Power Trip, The Cush, Joey Gorman and the Longshots, Sleeperstar, The Roomsounds, Blackstone Rangers, Kill The Client, galleryCat, Tum Tum, People On Vacation, Zhora, Legsweeper, Snow tha Product, Clint Niosi, Skeleton Coast, The Colurs, Whiskey Folk Ramblers, Kirby Brown, Salim Nourallah, Bethan, Big J, Quaker City Night Hawks, Air Review, The Virgin Wolves.)
