Central Track Staff
Go And Love Yourself.
What do you want to do this weekend? The same thing you do every weekend, maybe? Y’know, trying to take over the world and whatnot? Get it, because Animaniacs is on Netflix at last?!
But you can’t exactly take over the world if you’re sitting on your damn couch all weekend. To really rule the night you’re going to have to get out and get down. Fortunately there are a few dozen places to do just that.
OK, I love ya, bye bye. — Cory Graves
Friday
M83 at The Bomb Factory (Sold Out)
Today the “Midnight City” outfit releases its new LP, Junk. But the occasion is a tad more special than even just that. A few weeks ago, Denton musician Kaela Sinclair joined the ranks of the French electronic outfit, and played her first show with the group just days ago. Now she gets to do her hometown proud at this sold-out homecoming gig. You go girl! Yacht opens. — CG
Bobby Sessions Unplugged at Three Links
Bobby Sessions is a local rapper that starts off his latest album, Law of Attraction, saying he’s a legend. I don’t know if I would go that far, but he’s pretty fucking great. Maybe even the best in town. He has a unique flow and, even more unique to this show in particular, he’ll have a jazzy live backing band courtesy of the Grammy-winning R.C. Williams and the rest of The Gritz. — Paul Wedding
Young Fathers at The Loft
Do214 turns the terrible two and they need some discipline. What better way to celebrate than to bring over Scottish pop/hip-hop band Young Fathers to party deep in the heart of Texas? Joining the Mercury Award winning band will be Dallas’ own -topic and Rat Rios. For only $5 you can get down, drink and sing your little heart out. — Jessi Pereira
Rita Wilson at Kessler Theater
Actress Rita Wilson kicked off her music career back in 2012 and just released her second album a couple months ago. Mrs. Tom Hanks is a country singer, apparently, and she’s got a pretty good voice, to boot. But the music is so generic sounding and the lyrics so corny that it kind of puts a damper on things. — PW
Akira at The Inwood
Anime isn’t always just purple hair and cat ears. Akira‘s got motorcycle gangs, freakin’ laser beams and lots of explosions. The film, from the same mind behind the best-selling graphic novel Steamboy, is regarded as one of the best science fiction films of all time. George Lucas saw it and said, “Oh shit. That is one of the best science fiction films of all time.” Actually, he didn’t say that. But he did say it was “remarkable.” If George Lucas said it, it must be good. Catch the two days of midnight showings Friday and Saturday. — JP
Adam Ferrara at Addison Improv
Adam Ferrara is a comedian and actor with a less than stellar resume. He hosts the far inferior American version of Top Gear and has played roles in such movies and shows as Paul Blart: Mall Cop and The King of Queens. And honestly, anyone who’s a friend of Denis Leary’s is probably an asshole. — PW
Tsushimamire, We Are the Asteroid, Poly Starra at Crown and Harp (Free)
Tsushimamire is a trio of female shoegaze rockers from Japan whose music is incredibly well-formed, albeit erratic at times. The Facebook event page puts it perfectly, saying the band’s lyrics are “idiosyncratic, quirky, often funny or disturbing.” WE Are The Asteroid, from Austin, is another trio of prog-rockers. The band includes former members of the venerable Pong and Butthole Surfers. Finally, is Poly Starra with the sweet sounds of dream-pop and synths. Do not miss this opportunity to catch this amazing free show. — Roberto Aguilar
El Topo at Texas Theatre
It’s a cult classic. It’s a work of art. It’s what you and your friends watched in your parent’s basement after facing a few joints and Doritos bags. But times have changed, you’re out of that basement. Now, you can catch El Topo in 35mm glory at the Texas Theatre. A surrealist western with unmatched aesthetics? It’s no wonder John Lennon himself called it a masterpiece. — JP
Friday on the Green at Magnolia Green Park (Free)
Friday On The Green is a free monthly concert series bringing together neighborhood families for a night in the park with great local music and food. Reagan James is headlining this show, who killed it at 35 Denton just last month. She’s got a great voice with a fantastic backing band that makes for great R&B. Opening will be The Hendersons and Cut Throat Finches, with food provided by Brewed, Holy Smokes BBQ, TacoHeads and several others. Your kids and dogs will love it. — PW
The Warden at AllGood Café (Free)
The Warden is the stage name of longtime Dallas musician Ward Richmond. The Warden plays good ol’ fashioned Texas country music, with a focus on country guitar and the occasional horn, as well as strong storytelling in the lyrics. It’s fun and authentic music that’s at least worth a listen. And unlike some of his other shows, he’ll be trading in his Miller Lites, shots and fights for chicken-fried steak. OK, and maybe a few Miller Lites. — PW
Girls Rock Dallas Benefit Show! at Velvet Elvis
Girls Rock Dallas is a summer camp to educate and empower young girls through the power of music education, and this two-day concert event will give all of its proceeds to the organization. The bands playing include DANK, Joker’s Edge, Mystic Jules & Texez Medd and several others. Also there’s going to be $3 pulled pork sandwiches, so that’s pretty awesome. — PW
Savor Dallas: Shaken And Stirred at Sixty Five Hundred (Sold Out)
If, like James Bond, you have an opinion on whether shaken or stirred is the preferred way to mix a martini, this pre-Prohibition cocktails gathering hosted by Savor Dallas should be right up your alley. And with a couple extra olives thrown in if you’re feeling a little dirty. — CG
Bugs Bunny at the Symphony at Bass Performance Hall
Watch Saturday morning cartoons in a whole new dimension. Here, Emmy Award™ winner George Daugherty conducts a live orchestra to play live as episodes of Bugs Bunny’s cartoons roll on a big screen. Unfortunately, no cereal will be provided. 🙁 — JP
Padma Lakshmi: Food & Family at First United Methodist Church, Dallas
Padma Lakshmi is the Emmy-nominated host of Top Chef, and she will be discussing food and family among other things at this DMA Arts & Letters Live event. Lakshmi’s memoir Love, Loss, and What We Ate, which details her journey from India to Top Chef, will definitely be a topic of discussion. The VIP Experience includes a dinner with Lakshmi inspired by her favorite recipes and foods from around the globe. Oh, to be a very special person. — RA
MTV RE:DEFINE 2016 at Dallas Contemporary
MTV RE:DEFINE is an art show benefiting the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, a charity dedicated to global HIV prevention and awareness. This Friday, 100 percent of the proceeds of the art show will be given to the foundation, with several specially commissioned art works being auctioned off at the show. — PW
The Church at Sons of Hermann Hall (Sold Out)
Hailing from Australia, neo-psych/alt-rock band The Church is best known for 1988 single “Under the Milky Way,” that wasn’t even really that huge over here until it was used in Donnie Darko a couple decades later. So it’s pretty impressive how far out they managed to sell out Sons, its modest cap notwithstanding. — CG
Tori Kelly at South Side Ballroom
She started on YouTube. She did a marvelous cover of a Frank Ocean tune that gained millions of views. And now, she’s touring across the United States. Tori Kelly, the talented Californian bombshell, embarks on her third tour in support of her new album Unbreakable Smile. Catch her at the South Side Ballroom. — JP
Ishi, The Relatives (Album Release), Son of Stan at Dada
This is a pretty stacked show. Ishi is a great local electronic band, it features really dense, layered production with silky smooth vocals. The Relatives are holding the release of their latest album, Goodbye World here, too. And local group Son of Stan will be opening. They’re kind of a local supergroup, considering members of Sealion, Oil Boom and Quaker City Night Hawks perform with them — not to mention they’ve got a lot of hot jams. — PW
LeAnn Rimes at Billy Bob’s
LeAnn Rimes came into the public’s life in 1996 with her hit song “Blue.” Remarkably, Rimes was only 13-years-old at the time, and already had the vocal prowess of a Patsy Cline or Lucinda Williams. Whether she’s on the big screen, writing books or creating some amazing pop-country hits, twenty years later, Rimes has become a full-fledged superstar. — RA
Nekrogoblikon at The Prophet Bar
Nekrogoblikon, Psychostick and Urizen are stopping by Deep Ellum on their spring North American tour. Nekrogoblikon is a fierce and feisty melodic metal band out of Los Angeles. The front man wears a freakin’ green goblin mask for Christ’s sake. Pyschostick is a “humorcore” band that blends outrageous metal with silly shtick. Urizen out of Fort Worth will be along for the ride across the U.S. The band is an electronic, 8-bit laden metal band that prides itself on throwing shows that are heavy in crowd participation. Secret of Boris, Beneath a Dying Sun and Forget Conformity open. — RA
The Fighter and the Kid Live at House of Blues
The Fighter and The Kid is a FOX Sports podcast starring comedian Bryan Callen and UFC fighter Brendan Schaub. It’s an uncut, unedited MMA podcast. It sounds a lot like a really bad radio zoo show, I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re a fan or you really enjoy MMA. — PW
Kegs & Code: Round Two at Common Desk
Kegs & Code is an event celebrating the startup culture of Dallas, featuring developers and local business owners. It’s a coding contest with a grand prize of $500, and there’s going to be a lot of alcohol there, with an open bar from Common Desk and beer from BrainDead Brewing. So, you know, come mingle and drink and check out some coding. — PW
Saturday
Savor Dallas Grand Tasting at Fair Park (Sold Out)
This is the headlining event of Savor Dallas. This is when all the gourmet food, cocktails, beer and wine come together for the grand finale. Get a taste of Dallas’ best chefs, winemakers, distillers and breweries. According to the Facebook event page, the Grand Tasting will “educate, entertain and satisfy.” — RA
Melanie Martinez at South Side Ballroom (Sold Out)
The biggest knock on reality singing competition The Voice is the fact that it has yet to really break a big superstar. Season 3 contestant Melanie Martinez just may be one of the closest things the program can hang its hat on. Since competing for #TeamAdam in 2012, she’s signed to Atlantic and released a debut album this summer. Interestingly enough, that disc’s biggest hit was penned by former American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi. Guess she likes to keep it real. — CG
Dwight Yoakam at Lone Star Park
This event marks the Opening Weekend of the Spring Thoroughbred Season, and who better to get you in the racing mood than Dwight Yoakam? Get there before 8:30 p.m. and you only have to pay $5 general admission, which will help you save money to bet on the horse races. The concert starts after the final race, so get there early and stay late. — RA
DJ Biz Markie at House of Blues
Biz Markie just did this at 35 Denton last month, and it got a pretty mixed response. He doesn’t really rap that much, he just plays a bunch of old songs from the ’80s and ’90s. But hey, if that sounds like fun to you, check it out. But you could probably do that at your house for free. — PW
Nick Offerman at WinStar World Casino (Sold Out)
Though his wildly popular character on NBC’s Parks and Recreation may be called Ron Swanson, it’s become more and more apparent over the years that Nick Offerman is, basically, just playing himself. Meaning? Fans of meat and Scotch won’t want to miss the opportunity to hear Offerman offer up humorous quips tonight up in Oklahoma. But really, he probably had you at meat tornado. — CG
Frankie Cosmos at Dada
Greta Simone Kline, aka Frankie Cosmos is appearing in what could be called a twee-pop mini-fest. Along with Eskimeaux (Gabrielle Smith) and Anna McClellan, Frankie Cosmos is very intriguing, gentle and endearing. Frankie Cosmos is more straight forward pop as opposed to McClellan, who plays piano, who has a more laid-back Cat Power-esque feel. Eskimeaux is a bit more dreamy musically while their lyrical content is a little bit snarky. Overall, this will be a very interesting show for all you twee lovers. — RA
Possessed by Paul James at Dan’s Silverleaf (Early Show)
Konrad Wert — or his one-man band alter ego, Possessed by Paul James, rather — will perform tonight in Denton. Armed with little more than a rickety chair, a couple of stringed instruments and an un-mic’ed wooden plank he’ll stomp upon for percussion, Wert will surely turn in a rowdy, compelling and ultimately inspiring set. — Pete Freedman
Pageantry (Album Release) at Dan’s Silverleaf (Late Show)
Denton dream-pop outfit Pageantry considers its debut full-length a “distant relative” of 2013’s Friends of the Year EP, citing “a fuller sound with an emphasis on spontaneity and subtlety.” But aside from the fact that this one was recorded with Matt Pence at The Echo Lab as opposed to “various houses in Denton,” it’s really not all that far off. It’s really more of the same, elegant and dreamy material we’ve come to expect and adore from this outfit. Pick up a physical copy this weekend at the band’s official album release show. — CG
Beach House at The Bomb Factory (Sold Out)
Baltimore is a wonderful place, well, depending on who you ask. Charm City has given us John Waters, Dan Deacon, Sisqo, Tori Amos, Cab Calloway and, of course, Beach House. The premier dream-pop band of the modern day will be in Dallas playing The Bomb Factory, which you know will be a stellar show. Each album that Beach House has put out, from Beach House to Depression Cherry, has been strong, cohesive and better than the next. The Chamanas open the show. —RA
Movement Pre-Party feat. Andrei Morant at Red Light Lounge
Movement is a giant electronic music festival held every Memorial Day weekend in Detroit. Fortunate for you Texans, the pre-party will be right here in Dallas at the Red Light Lounge. The party’s DJs definitely do not disappoint. On the bill are techno wizards Andrei Morant from Houston, Dallas’ own James Kelley, other Dallasite M. Parks, plus so many more. It’s a cheap cover, two rooms and six Djs. Hands up, Big D! — RA
“GRLPWR” at 500x Gallery
What you need to spice up your life is a little bit of GRLPWR. This group art exhibition highlights contemporary feminism, girlhood and the wonderful Girl Power Movement from the ’90s. (Shout out to Lisa Frank!) The artists featured in the exhibition are Jenny Harp, Ashley Heber, Hayley Fowler, Gabrielle Roth and Breanne Trammell. — RA
Oliver Clegg: “Life is a Gasssss” at Erin Cluley Gallery
You’ve seen a lot of art in your years to be sure. You’ve definitely seen pop icons come to life, whether you’ve seen the work of Warhol or Rosenquist. Well, Oliver Clegg takes Pop Art and strangles all of the air from it. This exhibition focuses on depictions of half-deflated birthday balloons of cartoon characters like Kermit the Frog, Bart Simpson and Snoopy. Clegg also incorporates an installation into this exhibit. All the major — and intriguing — details are in the Facebook event page. Check it out! — RA
DFW Art Awards 2015 at Latino Cultural Center
This is the second annual DFW Art Awards celebration. The ultimate goal, according to the Facebook event page, is “to unite the arts community through a celebration of honoring and recognizing artists that sometimes otherwise go unnoticed.” Sure, that sounds great. Any reason for a party, right? The award categories include murals, art education, lifetime achievement, graffiti and so many, many more. — RA
Pups & Pints Deep Ellum Brewing Company
This event is as simple and delightful as it gets. Just show up and pet some adorable puppies and drink delicious beer. All the pups are adoptable and all of the proceeds from the $20 tickets go to help Paws In The City. Plus, you get a new pint glass to add to your collection and three beers. So frickin’ cute! — RA
Dallas Food Culture Panel Discussion at Deep Ellum Postal & Grocer
There is an old saying that goes, “You are what you eat.” Maybe you’ve heard it. Well, this is your chance to join local food experts to discuss what, where and how Dallas should grub. The Deep Ellum Postal & Grocer will also be pitching their crowd-funding effort to bring beer and wine back to Deep Ellum. — RA
The Dallas Record Show at Richardson Civic Center
The Dallas Record Show is like one huge garage sale with tons of vendors selling all their old vinyl records. There will also be a section of bargain records going for as low as $1. More than just LPs, there will also be a plethora of 45s, 78s and CDs to purchase. Admission to the event is $5. — RA
Urban Chicken Conference at North Haven Gardens
As with most foods, eggs taste better when they are fresh. Luckily for Dallas, anyone can raise a coop of chickens in their backyard. If that’s you, then check out the Urban Chicken Conference where experts will help you figure out the ins and outs of owning chickens. The classes scheduled for the conference are Permaculture Chickens, Homeopathic Remedies and Techniques, Nursing your Chickens from Home, and How to Train Your Chicken. — RA
Mothers at Three Links
Mothers, from Athens, Georgia, is a band formed by Kristine Leschper. Her vocal style, a cross between Joanna Newsome and Karen Dalton, drives the band’s music. The band’s sound is somewhat subtle in the sense of slow-moving folk that has the capability to morph into beat-blasting pop songs. Joining the show is Sego from Los Angeles by way of Utah. The duo’s music is a sort of grunge-disco that utilizes synth, guitar and drums into a cohesive yet distorted dance-pop. Local band Adam & The Figurines opens the show with their slow Texas-psych. — RA
Bryan Adams at Verizon Theatre
If you’re into hardcore napping music, this concert is for you. OK, that’s a joke. Bryan Adams has had a respectable career over the past 30 years, and the Canadian-born singer-songwriter is coming to Verizon Theatre on his Get Up Tour named after his most recent album. The new album is a sort of divergence from the typical Adams sound, so maybe you won’t be napping. Oh, and he just loves it when you yell out requests for Ryan Adams tunes during his set. Loves it. — RA
Totally ’80s Sing-Along at Alamo Drafthouse (Dallas)
Every month, Alamo Drafthouse Dallas puts on an all-night party celebrating the great music videos of the ’80s. It’s easy. Wear your best mesh shirts, leg warmers and Miami Vice sport coats and sing along to the hits of the decade that brought us Madonna, Flock of Seagulls and Wham! Word is that there will be plenty of props to go around for all you photo hounds. — RA
Sunday
Kirk Franklin at Majestic Theatre
On Valentine’s Day, Kanye West gifted the world the first version of his The Life of Pablo album — a living, breathing, still-in-progress LP that featured some local contributions. Then, a week or so ago on Easter, a revamped version of TLOP‘s opening “Ultralight Beam” track was released as “Ultralight Prayer.” Like the earlier version, the new version prominently features Dallas’ Kirk Franklin preaching the gospel over a powerful choir of voices. The differences here are the fact that all beats and rhymes are removed and Franklin’s patter is extended. In true Kanye fashion, we aren’t yet certain whether this version is meant to replace the previous one or to supplement it in some way. Meanwhile, Franklin further proved himself the coolest man in gospel recently when he hit the Milly Rock during his show in D.C. — and it was better than yours, I might add. For some reason — maybe because some people still consider it a sin to cut footloose? — a clip of the dance posted to his official Instagram account went viral, and spawned all kinds of articles discussing the reaction. But I won’t expand on the dialogue, because NBD, honestly. And we’re proud to call him our hometown boy. This Sunday, in lieu of his regular gospel brunch, he haedlines the pretties room in town. — CG
Bike Swap at Rahr & Sons Brewing
Bring a few bicycle items to swap for this twice-annual Bike Swap meet! Maybe you can get some sweet handlebars! Also, there will be beer there, so remember not to drink and bike! — Chelsea Upton
Oak Cliff Earth Day at Lake Cliff Park
We went to this annual Earth Day event once upon a time and, hey, it was pretty cool. Far cooler, though: The number of other animals in the park. It was kind of amazing. There were wild and tame ones alike, and kids were able to not only enjoy the usual petting zoo far, but see a lemur in action while learning about preserving wildlife. Hell, there was even a showcase of live bees, and a station for kids to learn about local honey manufacturing. But let’s be clear: Though the event was highly educational, it was also fun. There was live music, a humorous Elvis impersonation performance and a climbing wall to boot. People also seemed to just be enjoying being outside, sitting by the pond and setting out in the sun. All in all, it seemed to be a good day for Oak Cliff and its thriving local business community. The local vendors did an outstanding job of communicating the importance of green living, and people were definitely paying attention. Most participants likely walked away from the event with a little more knowledge about living green like where to buy local foods (or grow their own), where and how to recycle the impossible (like chemicals and electronics), and how to accomplish composting even in the most urban of environments. It was cool, you guys. Sometimes, Earth is pretty awesome. — Heather Abbott
Urban Bazaar on Bishop
Been meaning to visit the Bishop Arts District and see what all the hype is about? Come support local vendors who are selling handmade and vintage goods like ceramics, soaps, clothing, artwork, coffee and tea throughout the streets of Bishop Arts. — Lauren Kuehmeier
Justin Bieber at American Airlines Center
With no offense to M83, Beach House or Melanie Martinez, the biggest show coming to town this week is that of one Justin Bieber, who is coming to the American Airlines Center this Sunday night. And warming up the stage for Yung Biebs is none other than Southlake’s own Yung Posty, a.k.a. Post Malone. Playing for 20,000 fans at the AAC is without a doubt the trap singer’s highest-profile local gig to date. — CG
Cave Singers at Three Links
Seattle’s The Cave Singers — comprised of former members of post-punk act Pretty Girls Make Graves — have emerged from their cave enough times to record five albums since 2007, the most recent being February’s Banchsee. Dræmhouse opens. — CU
Dressy Bessy at Good Records (Free)
Elephant Six power pop outfit Dressy Bessy is playing a free in-store at Good Records in support of its new Kingsized LP. — CG
Nayrok’s Birthday Jam Session at Sandaga 813
Erykah Badu hosts a birthday party for her lil sis this weekend. And you’re all invited. You know the music will be on point. Just remember to bring some dollars for shirt-clipping and birthday shot-buying. — CG
All Drake Everything at RBC
For this installment of All [Fill In The Blank] Everything, a night of music dedicated to showcasing the career of a particular artist, the music of Drake and the rest of the OVO gang will be on blast all night long. Projections of the artists’ videos will be paired with DJ sets from The John Stewart and Christy Ray. And, hey, you can make new friends! Or don’t. Your choice. — RA
