Central Track Contributor
It's Time To Party.
It's looking like a pretty huge weekend for Dallas. This Saturday, in particular, looks especially baller.
For one thing, that's when we're throwing this free-to-attend bash in honor of our recent second anniversary. Also? It's National Margarita Day. Regardless of the fact that it's a national holiday, it's an especially big deal around these parts where both the frozen and on-the-rocks varieties of the drink were first conceived.
So, if you do happen to run into us this weekend, just be advised: We like our margaritas on the rocks. With salt.
Friday
Imagine Dragons at American Airlines Center
Forget how many nights in a row Imagine Dragons can sell out the South Side Ballroom. Does that necessarily make them or their frequently played radio singles “cool,” per se? For that matter, did their recent collab with Kendrick Lamar at the Grammys earn them any additional street cred or respect in your eyes? Not that it really matters. It won't stop them from selling out — or getting close to, anyway — one of the biggest venues in the area tonight. Let's be real: Even if you don't go, just reading this probably caused “Radioactive” to get stuck in your head. You're welcome. — Porttia Portis
G-Eazy at Trees (Sold Out)
Have you heard the one about the white rapper that sampled Grizzly Bear, LCD Soundsystem and The Kinks, who then went on to sell out Trees? — Cory Graves
Quilt at City Tavern
Quilt is the result of some visual art students from the East Coast, who decided that crafting sounds was more their speed. Their second album, Held In Splendor, vibes heavily on the psychedelic end of the '60s throwback spectrum. Don't worry: Despite their retro leanings, the band mixes in three-part vocal harmonies and enough futuristic elements to place their sound firmly in the current decade. The Birds of Night and Catamaran open. — PP
Materially Untrue: Stories About Objects Unearthed from Art Storage at Horchow Auditorium
Back in 2010, journalist Rob Walker and author Joshua Glenn purchased a bunch of objects from thrift stores — for around a buck each — and, as a social experiment, auctioned them off on eBay, accompanied by long prose “descriptions” written by famous authors. Turns out, there's some schmuck out there willing to pay $50 or more for some cruddy old second hand Homies figurines just because they may or may not have been a symbolic memento of the seller's failed past relationship. Anyway. Tonight, Texas authors Will Clarke, Doug Dorst, Merritt Tierce and Shay Youngblood will spin yarns of their own about some junk they found in the trash somewhere in art storage. — CG
Leagues at The Loft
The Red Bull Sound Select series carries on this month as Spune Productions returns to the curatorial role for a show at The Loft featuring performances from Leagues, The Black & White Years and Air Review. Tickets, as always, are $3 with an RSVP right here. — Pete Freedman
Warbeast at Three Links
The day before Warbeast drummer Joe Gonzalez heads to Australia with his other outfit, he'll do his thing with Dallas' hard-rocking elder statesmen. Needless to say, he should have no trouble sleeping on the plane. Protest, Rabid Flesh Eaters and Chemicaust open. — CG
Jared's Epic Pre-Party at Alamo Drafthouse
The lead-up to Jared's Epic Party continues tonight at Alamo. This time, in addition to a screening of TMNT II: The Secret of the Ooze on the big screen, Ninja Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman will be on hand. As will one of the film's stars — Ernie “Keno the pizza boy” Reyes — as well as four Dallasites in movie-grade Turtle costumes and the Turtles' party van. Cowabunga, indeed. — CG
Cabaret Screening and Burlesque After-Party at Texas Theatre
For its first-ever fundraising event, the newly-formed QueerBomb Dallas will be a celebration of queer culture and free expression. As such, there'll be a screening of Bob Fosse's Cabaret, which stars queer icon Liza Minelli, with queer-lesque performances to follow. — PP
Wow.Such Poetry at Oliver Francis Gallery
The pool of Dallas hip-hop artists, weirdo Denton rockers and would be poets reading at tonight's event were culled and curated by THRWD zine co-founder and editor Lee Escobedo. After the planned, unrehearsed performances wrap up, open mic readings will be encouraged. — PP
Notley Crue, Out of the Cellar and Lazy/DC at Double Wide
As you probably guessed from the cleverly cliched names, another batch of hair metal classic cover bands are gearing up to rock you like a hurritang tonight at the Double Wide. They may not be the originals, but a with a couple of decades of age shaved off and presumably fewer substance abuse problems, you'll get your money's worth and then some. — PP
Dirty River Boys at Billy Bob's
The Willie's Picnic vets have beefed up their already wildly popular, folk heavy sound in recent months with the addition of a full-on drum kit. Fortunately, the hard touring El Paso outfit didn't sacrifice too much of the style they're known for in the process. — CG
Hayes Carll at Lola's (Sold Out)
Carll will play his second Fort Worth show in as many days, and the fourth in five consecutive nights in the area. As with the previous three, this one will most definitely sell out. That tends to be the case when performers opt to play at venues that only hold a fifth of the capacity they're capable of just for the sheer pleasure of it. Really, though, we can't blame the guy for wanting to return to his gritty, club roots. Personally, we'd take a show at Lola's over the House of Blues' of the world any day. — CG
Modern Life is War at Sons of Hermann Hall
Coming back from a half-decade of hiatus, Modern Life Is War exposes their inner turmoil of the past five years in their latest album in true hardcore punk fashion. Die Young, Modern Pain and Stymie open. — PP
Violent Squid (Album Release) at Rubber Gloves
Denton-based improv collective Violent Squid are extremely weird/experimental, even by free jazz standards. They're celebrating the release of their new vinyl LP tonight along with fellow locals Nervous Curtains and Dome Dwellers. — PP
Saturday
Central Track Two-Year Anniversary Party at Dada
A lot can happen in two years, folks. Like, a crapload. For instance? Since launching on Sunday, February 22, 2012, we've posted almost 5,000 stories to this site. We've broken news, we've gone viral, we've hipped you to some of the coolest goings-on in town and, most important, we've had fun. We've thrown dozens of successful events, too. So, in honor of our two-year anniversary, we're hosting performances by Party Static, Analog Rebellion, Matchbox Tony, and Zach Witness. Come rage with us. It's free to attend. And we'll have free T-shirts for the first 100 to arrive, too. — PF
Monster Jam at AT&T Stadium
Here's all you need to know about this one: While there will be three separate Monster Jam events simultaneously taking place in three separate states tonight, and while each of them will feature a version of the world famous Grave Digger truck, only the one going down tonight in Cowboys Stadium will be helmed by the truck's original driver, Dennis Anderson. — CG
Dr. Dog at House of Blues
For the past decade or so, Philly throwback rockers Dr. Dog have been a rather consistent lot. From 2002 to 2006 they released six LPs, three EPs, and a handful of special edition 7-inches and compilation albums. And, for the most part, each of these lo-fi recordings were done at the no-frills Meth Beach rehearsal space/studio that's essentially served as the band's home base for eight of the last 10 years. But when it came time to record last fall's B-Room LP, the band decided a change of scenery was in order. So when the lease on Meth Beach expired, the boys began renovating an old silver mill on the outskirts of town into a legit studio they later dubbed Mt. Slippery. And immediately following the completion of that months-long construction project is when the band began recording their most recent album. Check out our interview with the band here for more information on this show. — CG
Shovels & Rope at Trees (Sold Out)
The husband-wife duo of Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst have only been playing together since 2012, but, in that short time, their endearing brand of alt-country has already amassed quite the following. That much is clear from just how long this roughly 600-capacity venue has been sold out. — CG
Hayes Carll at Kessler Theater
The ne'er-do-well country star ends his five day run of intimate, sold-out North Texas shows tonight in Dallas. — CG
Jared's Epic Party at South Side Ballroom
It seemed like a far-fetched notion when Jared Guynes first pitched the idea of this “epic” crowd-funded party several months ago. Who was going to shell out $50-plus just to see a washed up Vanilla Ice and four Dallasites who spent $20,000 making movie-grade Ninja Turtles costumes? Enough folks, it turns out, to raise more than $72,000. All that excess dough will go to pay for performances from fellow one-hit wonders of the '90s rap world like Tone Loc, Rob Base, Young MC, Shock G of Digital Underground, Graceland Ninjaz, Partners in Kryme. — CG
The Pin Show at 960 Dragon Street
Celebrate Dallas fashion at this show, which features lines from Dallas designers being displayed on the catwalk. On the catwalk, yeah. — Trace McCaslin
Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys at Gas Monkey Bar & Grill
Now in their 26th year together, Big Sandy and his rockabilly revivalist backing band are so authentic, it's hard to pick their records from a bin of actual '60s albums. Thanks to their artwork, recording methods, songwriting, effects and costumes, they're one of the most authentic retro-influenced acts around. — CG
Parallel Play (Album Release) at The Prophet Bar
For their sophomore effort, Dallas' tongue-in-cheek, bluegrass-loving rapscallions enlisted the help of local studio ace Salim Nourallah, recruited a female backup vocalist, and even tried writing one song that wasn't about a girl. Which is to say they've done some growing these past two years. Don't worry, though. Whipping out bluegrass covers of '90s alt-rock tunes is still a pretty big player in the band's arsenal. — CG
Ronnie Heart, Zhora and Sam Lao at The Where House
We're pretty sure when they say “Keep Fort Worth Funky,” this is precisely the kind of show they're talking about. While the opening two-thirds of this bill also shared the stage at Sarah Jaffe's sold out Granada Theater show last month, tonight's shakeup sees ex-Neon Indian guitarist and current cosmic funk maestro Ronnie Heart heading things up. — CG
Fight For Air Climb at Renaissance Tower
There's a party on the top floor of the second tallest building in Dallas on Saturday morning that'll feature, among other things, free massages. The catch? You've got to sprint up the building's 53 flights of stairs first to get there. Funds raised at the event will benefit The American Lung Association. — CG
Sea Wolf (Acoustic) at Three Links
Sea Wolf's brand of delicate folk-pop will be even more, well, delicate as frontman Alex Brown Church will be performing cuts from 2012's Old World Romance all by his lonesome at this one. Dark Rooms' Daniel Hart opens the night with a solo set of his own. — CG
Man Factory at Ohlook Performing Arts Center
In the closing days of 2013, local outfit Man Factory finally got around to digitally releasing the final installment of their six-years-in-the-making Street Fighter II rock opera. And while the band may have already held a proper release show for that effort, Man Factory has still never performed all three installments of their opus from front to back in front of an audience. Per the band, after tonight, they probably never will again. Oh, and just a head's up: This one's BYOB. — CG
Mardi Gras Texas Style at Fair Park
As opposed to regular Mardi Gras, this “Texas Style” offshoot nixes much of the boobs, beads and Bourbon Street debauchery in lieu of performances from 28 country bands. Sure, there will still be hurricanes consumed and such, but they'll only be available inside a Pavilion away from the music, and you've got to finish your drinks before exiting. Oh, and the sacred Pavilion will cost you an extra $15 just to enter. Laissez les bons temps rouler? — CG
#GlowLiveFest at Zouk
The dance party of the weekend is going to pop off with a roster of Mad Decent talent like Juyen Sebulba, Colton Carlyle, The Hi-Yahs, DJ Fooly from Yung Nation. Come on, 100,000 glow sticks can't be wrong. — CG
Sunday
Julianna Barwick at City Tavern
Much like comedian Reggie Watts, Barwick's bread and butter lies in her ability to create massive soundscapes using nothing but her vocal abilities and a looping station. While her tour setup is sparse, to say the least, the way she builds layer upon layer of angelic choral harmony is ultimately nothing short of mesmerizing. — CG
Robert Randolph and the Family Band at Granada Theater
One of the greatest living guitarists and sacred steel players returns to Dallas for what is sure to be a a rowdy performance guaranteed to make you move. And Lord knows there ain't nothing wrong with that. — PP
Local Education No. 5 at Three Links
This edition of King Camel's Local Education series should prove extra special, in that it will serve as the Dallas album release show for The Longshots' debut LP. That blistering punk offering was produced by Jordan “Son of Stan” Richardson, who recently won a Grammy for his work on Ben Harper's last effort. Anyway, the disc, which is being released on Frenchkiss imprint Mock Records, has already received lots of kind words from outlets such as Impose Magazine and CMJ. Fungi Girls and Drug Animal open. — CG
Sarah Jaffe at Dan's Silverleaf
Like she did last fall, Sarah Jaffe is heading back to the Denton club where she once worked as a bartender. And, also like last year, when she performed back-to-back nights at the club, this one will probably sell out pretty easily. So advanced ticket purchases are highly recommended. Bethan opens. — CG
Learn to Curl at Dr. Pepper Star Center (Farmers Branch)
Try out everyone's favorite winter Olympic sport at tonight's DFW Curling Club two-hour open house. No equipment is required, so don't let the fact that you don't own your own regulation curling broom deter you from this one. Organizers do, however, recommend warm clothes and tennis shoes. — CG
To find out what else is going on today, this week and beyond, check out our events page.
