Central Track Staff
Lighten The Mood.
Merry Christmas!
Your reward for being, well, just good enough this year is this video of a dog in a Santa hat, riding around on a Roomba, listening to Christmas music.
You deserve it.
And the gifts just keep on coming, too: Here, we're giving you a list of all the most worthwhile happenings going on in and around Dallas this long holiday weekend. — Cory Graves
Thursday
Hagfish at Three Links
It's Christmas, which, for a lot of folks, is the one day a year they'll set foot in a church. For a certain segment of nostalgia-loving Dallasites, it'll also be the one day a year they catch a live set from '90s pop-punk mainstays Hagfish. Joining the band for its annual Christmas reunion show this year are The American Fuse and Stymie. — CG
Drink the Tree at The Rustic
If you're looking for a place to grab a drink on Christmas day, you can head over to The Rustic for their Drink the Tree event from 6 to 11:55 p.m. You'll be able to cap off the holiday with $3 PBRs straight from the Christmas tree, as well as tamales and tequila for that extra festive feeling. In any case, it gives whole new meaning to the phrase “taking down the Christmas tree.” — Porttia Portis
Hares on the Christmas at Dan's Silverleaf
It's no secret how Denton “danger folk” sextet Hares on the Mountain feels about this particular holiday. As it sings on its Christmas jam “Merry Christmas, Asshole!”: “Maybe for tonight let's not fight but raise a glass / Just wanna hear you say, 'Merry Christmas my sweet ass!'” Merry Christmas, asshole, indeed. — CG
Friday
Lights All Night at Dallas Convention Center
By now, it's known stuff: As end-of-year EDM bashes go, there's really not much out there that can compare to Dallas' own annual, multi-night Lights All Night affair, which is this year set to go down once again at the Dallas Convention Center on December 26 and 27. As far as big names in the EDM world go, it doesn't get much flashier than Skrillex, Zedd, Boyz Noize, WishFM, Destructo and Chromeo, which represent but a few of this year's Night One performers. — Pete Freedman
Folk Family Revival at Dada
Folk Family Revival is made up of three brothers from Magnolia, Texas, and their longtime family friend. They're all in their 20s now, but the foursome has been playing together since they were pre-teens. Undeniably, the band performs with a wisdom beyond its years, having opened for Willie Nelson, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Hayes Carll in its still young career. — CG
Rhymin' N Stealin' at House of Blues
Party off your holiday hangover with Dallas' favorite Beastie Boys tribute act and Fort Worth's unfortunately named Poo Live Crew. — CG
Shakey Graves at Kessler Theater (Sold Out)
For those yet to climb aboard his increasingly crowded bandwagon, just know Shakey Graves is a one-man band. And though nowhere near as fierce in sound as other currently buzzing one-man acts like Reignwolf, the man born Alejandro Rose-Garcia too stands just fine on his own, thanks. He's not one of those Americana acts that covers up shoddy songwriting by quick-paced play; his songs are the real deal. Listen, There's a reason the mayor of Austin decided a couple years back that February 9 should be celebrated as Shakey Graves Day, that's all I'm saying. — PF
Heart of Dallas Bowl at The Cotton Bowl
Now that The Cotton Bowl Classic is no longer held in the actual Cotton Bowl, the long-running college football bowl game has been replaced by the far less prestigious Heart of Dallas Bowl. This year's contest will feature the 6-6 Illinois Fighting Illini versus the 8-5 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. Even this last minute, there are, no doubt, tickets still available for this one. — CG
Raj Sharma at Hyena's (Fort Worth)
While Paul Varghese may have the local-Indian-comedian niche on lock, Dallas-native Raj Sharma shouldn't be overlooked. When famed comedy club chain The Laugh Factory decided it was going to get into the business of filming and digitally releasing comedy specials on behalf of well-respected up-and-coming comedians, Sharma was the first person tapped to make a special. He's here both tonight and tomorrow. — CG
Jason Boland & the Stragglers at Gas Monkey Bar N' Grill
Though they're arguably one of the top five acts in the Texas country scene, Boland and his Stragglers actually hail from Stillwater, Oklahoma. Come to think of it, so do Texas Country heavy hitters Stoney LaRue and both of Cody Canada's outfits. Wait, why do we call it the “Texas country” scene again? — CG
Wreck the Halls at Dark Hour Haunted House
Though us Americans have adapted the Eastern traditions of St. Nicholas into our jolly, gift-bringing Santa Claus with open arms, most traces of the horned, naughty-kid-eating German demon known as Krampus have been all but wiped out. The folks behind Plano's Dark Hour haunted house haven't forgotten just what a scary sumbitch he is, which is why it's created a holiday-themed haunted house this weekend. — CG
Ralphie May at Addison Improv
On the hills of his Too Big To Ignore comedy special, his fourth for Comedy Central, plus-sized comedian Ralphie May will serve up all the laughs you can handle this weekend. He's a big dude, sure, but he's never let that hold him back. Besides his Comedy Central specials May has also appeared on ESPN's Mohr Sports with Jay Mohr, The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, The Wayne Brady Show, and was the only white performer on The Big Black Comedy Show. —Jessica Petrocchi
Saturday
Lights All Night at Dallas Convention Center
Keeping the party going on Night Two of this thing are names like Armin Van Buuren, Disclosure, Odesza, The Chainsmokers, Zed's Dead and 12th Planet, among so many others. — CG
Robert Earl Keen's Merry Christmas From the Fam-O-Lee at House of Blues
Lifelong Texan and acclaimed country music guitarist Robert Earl Keen will be at the House of Blues tonight, returning after what is sure to have been one of his extensive tours. And just in time for his annual Merry Christmas From The Fam-O-Lee Christmas show, to boot. — Chelsea Upton
Somebody's Darling at Trees
Somebody's Darling, Goodnight Ned and Dead Flowers are each rootsy Dallas-based acts that appeared somewhere on our list of the Top 100 Local Songs of 2014. It's a pretty sweet Christmas bonus, then, that the first 100 people through the door tonight will receive free copies of all three band's new albums. The Van Sanchez also performs. — CG
The Hazardous Dukes at Adair's Saloon (Free)
The local Americana-based is sure to make for a “floor-stomping, roof-hanging, hell-raising good time” at the Deep Ellum honky-tonk tonight as it pulls from a list of influences that includes everything from Bob Dylan to Buddy Holly and Waylon Jennings. As with most shows at Adair's this one doesn't cost anything to attend, but we encourage you to buy the band a round just the same. 'Tis the season, and all. — Jordyn Walters
Peticolas Brewing's Three-Year Anniversary at Flying Saucer (Addison)
As we discovered back in April, the second time we tried Peticolas Brewing's The Duke, some things really do improve with time. Even back then, though, our resident beer expert, Colin Alsheimer, conceded the beer would probably be even better given another six months of aging. Find out for yourself, as the brewery will have some of that Barley wine-style brew on hand for tonight's three year anniversary celebration. Also on tap will be Wintervention, A Lost Epic, $3 Golden Opportunity and Royal Scandal and $1 off Velvet Hammer. Cheers! — CG
Cozy Hawks at Twilite Lounge (Free)
Though they're a far underappreciated lot, Denton power pop outfit Cozy Hawks craft some of the catchiest singles you'll find from any DFW-based band. Tonight they're sure to lift your post-holiday spirits with this free offering. — CG
Chronica 2014 at Dada
Last week Texas Monthly published an article titled “Could Texas Decriminalize Pot in 2015?” and it certainly appears we're headed that way. Outlined in the article are various Texas politicians that have softened their stance on punishing the users of small amounts of marijuana. This will no doubt be one of the topics speakers will cover as DFW's chapter of NORML celebrates another year of quote-unquote responsible cannabis use. Bands like Gloat Entertainment, The Boxer's Brain, Sally Majestic and Bogus Green will perform as well, and glass pipes art will be available for purchase. — CG
Pearl Earl at Rubber Gloves
Don't feel bad if you've never heard of any of the bands that'll be performing at RGRS tonight. All four bands on this bill only launched their Facebook pages in the last year — three of which came in the last six months. Still, for just a buck, they're worth checking out just the same. The headliners, Denton's all-female psych-rock trio Pearl Earl are pretty damn promising, to be sure, and you can check out a handful of tracks the band released earlier this month here. Denver's Hair Cult, and local upstarts, Strangle Horse and Goldenjoy also perform. — CG
Holiday Hootenanny at Gas Monkey Live
Age hasn't done much to mellow out Jello Biafra. Now in his mid-50s, the ex-Dead Kennedys frontman is just as opinionated, outspoken and longwinded as he's ever been. We know this because we recently had the pleasure of interviewing the punk legend. A particular note of intrigue during our conversation had to do with the fact that Reverend Horton Heat bassist Jimbo Wallace played on his new album, as well another point in time when he and the Rev almost made a record together as well. Who knows, maybe they'll find a way to make it work tonight as both outfits share this really stacked bill. The Riverboat Gamblers, Wayne “The Train” Hancock, Three Bad Jacks and Missile also perform. Hot damn! — CG
Radney Foster at Kessler Theater
Radney Foster was born in Del Rio, Texas, in 1959. His most famous song is called “Del Rio, TX 1959.” Write what you know, they say. Foster, for one, listened. — Mikel Galicia
Blackstone Rangers at Shipping and Receiving
Don't be scared off by the cold and prospects of S&R's outdoor stage. When the temperatures drop they move things indoors where things are nice and warm, and intimate, too. It'll make for an awesome locale to check out Blackstone Rangers, Year of the Bear, Slumberbuzz and Vogue Machine this eve. Reverb-heavy bands always sound better indoors, anyway. — CG
Alejandro Escovedo at Gas Monkey Bar N' Grill
Critical darling, cult favorite and Austin legend Alejandro Escovedo arrives in town tonight. That news should excite Dallas resident and former president George W. Bush, who was known to rock Escovedo's song “Castanets” at the White House. Unfortunately upon learning that tidbit, the left-leaning Escovedo stopped performing the song live for a spell. Now that Bush has long been out of office, the song's since made its return to Escovedo's set lists, and he'll likely pull it out tonight — that is unless Bush decides to show up. — CG
Sunday
Propagandhi at Trees
Canadian skate-punk-turned-metal outfit, Propagandhi, still wears its radical left wing views on its sleeves. For those keeping score at home, the band is staunchly opposed to “sexism, racism, nationalism, homophobia, imperialism, capitalism and organized religion” while throwing its full weight behind things like anarchism, veganism and animal rights as a whole. Nearly 30 years into its career, though, the band's members have finally grown past its tendencies of spending more time debating audience members than playing music at its shows. — CG
Hayes Carll at Granada Theater
No, he hasn't released any new music since 2011's stellar KMAG YOYO, but, c'mon, Hayes Carll is just the best. A hyperliterate lyricist in the vein of Rhett Miller and a vocalist crooner indebted to Ray Wylie Hubbard, Carll's music is pure Texan — and in the best way possible. It swings and it swaggers, it rollicks and it bites. And, in live settings, his charms are only multiplied. He's a treasure. Band of Heathens and Ronnie Fauss open. — PF
Vessel at Texas Theatre
Anything's legal in international waters — or so goes the popular pop culture trope. It was also the thinking behind Women on Waves, a 1999 plan hatched by Dutch physician Rebecca Gomperts to provide women with legal abortions at sea. Unfortunately, there's not really any such thing as international waters thanks to something called United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It's complicated. Anyway, Gomperts then shifted her focus to teaching women to give abortions to themselves using methods that do manage to skirt the law. This film is the 2014 documentary about Gomperts and her mission, that won the Grand Jury Award at this year's SXSW Film Festival in Austin. — CG
To find out what else is going on today, this week and beyond, check out our events page.
