The Deep Ellum Venue That Took Over For The Door Is Closing, The Toadies Get A Captain Marvel Cameo And A Slew Of New Videos Just Dropped. Plus More!

So, yes, it’s South by Southwest week here in Texas. And, no, I’m not going to pretend to be jaded music journalist who’s unfazed by all the hype surrounding SXSW.

Mostly because I don’t have to pretend.

I’m not gonna lie: There have been times in which I’ve ventured out to SXSW and had a blast. And if you find the right parties, it can actually still be pretty dope.

On the other hand, spending a whole week around a crowd that comedian Nick Kroll once accurately described as tech bros who think they’re saving the world and malnourished indie musicians? I’m good.

That said, if you happen to find yourself out in Austin this week and are itching to check out some North Texas-based musicians playing SXSW, we’d like to recommend 10 that really are worth your attention:

  • Claire Morales
  • Skirts
  • Black Taffy
  • The Unlikely Candidates
  • The Outfit, TX
  • The Marked Men
  • NITE
  • Complete
  • Ephraim Owens
  • Abraham Alexander

Of course, if you don’t feel like making a three-and-a-half hour drive down I-35 and spending almost a week within proximity of free tacos sponsored by tech startups and indie dudes wearing Bumble tote bags, you could just embrace the influx of SXSW bands that will mosey into our neck of the woods this week.

And you might do well to hit up 2513 Deep Ellum sooner than later. Operating in the space vacated by The Door since early 2018, the venue is about to end its short, bizarre run. Third String Productions head Mike Ziemer, who has spent years booking shows to the space under both names, confirmed that the venue will shutter for good on April 30 in a Facebook post, attributing its end to “circumstances far beyond [its] control” and saying it has “everything to do with the landlord / developers having an Uptown vision for Deep Ellum that involves way more retail and upscale places.”

Ziemer’s post also noted that other venues in the neighborhood are likely to be following suit soon. We expect to have more details on these closures in the coming days and weeks.

His company’s still booking plenty around town, though. On June 1, Third String will team up with the Dallas hardcore/thrash in Power Trip to host the annual Trouble N’ Texas Festival at its new home of Gas Monkey Live. So far, Power Trip and Missouri hardcore punks Bitter End are the only acts announced as performing, but expect a number of others to hop on the day-long offering soon.

Another recurring event worth keeping tabs on is the region’s annual Master of the Mic rap battle, which celebrates its fifth year around the sun by going online instead of being dished out in a live setting. According to a press release, each round will be recorded at the War Room in Fort Worth and released as a webisode via YouTube, Facebook TV and IGTV. Seems Master of the Mic founder Callie Dee plans on expanding the scope of the event and turning it into a reality TV show. Interesting!

Speaking of interesting online affairs, a new viral dance is taking the Internet by storm after the following video of a man dancing to “Wow” by Grapevine’s Own Post Malone went viral.

Alas, not everyone is a Posty fan. Take, for instance, the Alabama rapper Yela Wolf, who, in a song that also targeted G-Eazy, argued that none of Post Malone’s success would be possible were it not for the path he laid out for him.

Dallas’ somewhat similarly named Yella Beezy is going a different route in his continued rise to fame. Along with an upcoming collaboration with Pharrell Williams, the rapper’s also recently released a new song made alongside Gucci Mane and Migos member Quavo called “Bacc At It Again” — although it keeps getting removed from the Internet for reasons we’ve not yet determined. Check it out below.

Dallas radio station 97.9 The Beat is also relying on some star power to promote its upcoming Spring Fest 2019 event on March 31 at Gas Monkey Live. That female-forward show will feature performances from Dallas’ Asian Doll and Hanna performing alongside the likes of Danileigh, Megan Thee Stallion and others.

Meanwhile, North Texas rock icons Toadies got some superhero support lately. As noted by drummer Mark Reznicek, who himself has some serious comic book cred having released his own series through Dark Horse a few years back, noticed that the band got a little love in the background of a scene in Marvel’s new ’90s-set Captain Marvel film:

On a similar blast from the past tip, it seems EB The Younger‘s in-store performance this past Saturday at Good Records‘ Lower Greenville location will not be that room’s last, even though the store has already moved to its new home on Garland Road. Rather, that distinction will go to this weekend’s album-release event that’s still going down there to celebrate a new release from local band House of Reveries and will feature a handful of others joining in on the fun. Head here for more info on this March 16 event.

Speaking of new music, there’s a ton that should be on your radar this week.

For instance? Well, on the rap front, Devy Stonez has a new EP called The Gospel, Pat Ron released a single called “UpInnisHoe” and David Morgan released a new single called “GiveThanks” that was produced by local beatsmith Ben Hixon, who also produced Lord Byron‘s new 33 tape in full. Also, there’s Sadfacethuggin‘s newest output, which includes a freestyle over Schoolboy Q and BJ the Chicago Kid’s “Studio Remix” and a completely new track called “Detonator” that was just premiered today by Zane Lowe of Apple Music’s Beats 1 Radio has premiered Sadface’s new single “Detonator.”

Beyond the confines of hip-hop, a month or so after we premiered a new video for a song from it, Son of Stan’s distorted pop-rock EP Diamond Cuts is now officially out. So, too, is the latest from North Texas indie rocker William Austin Clay, whose new …Oops! release finds the performer taking things in his most pop-oriented direction yet. Meanwhile, Dallas-sprung electronic artist Mr. Kitty is holding nothing back on his new Ephemeral release, which features a whopping 31 tracks.

Meanwhile, on the video front, we’ve somehow not yet posted the Arlington-raised country star Maren Morris‘ powerful, January-dropped music video for her anthemic “Girl” single, so let’s check it out below.

The title track to her last week-released sophomore LP, Morris also performed the song last night on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Check that out below, as — much like Kacey Musgraves this past week– Morris’ homecoming show at The Bomb Factory on April 19 is already sold out, and it could be the closest you get to seeing her perform live anytime soon.

Back to videos over late-night performances, Denton outfit Us Presidents have released a new music video for “Our Eternal Sadness”.

Another Denton band — Bad Sports — has also released a new music video. Check out “Don’t Deserve Love” and catch them at Three Links on Thursday, March 28:

Back Dallas way, Outlaw Mel (of The Outfit, TX) has teamed up with fellow local Tay Money for a new song called “Hop In” that’s already received the Dance Dailey video treatment.

Also feeling collaborative is Silas Nello, whose new Rico DeLeon-helmed “Unknown” video stars Dallas electro-popper LEV.

Rosegarden Funeral Party is a little higher-energy, meanwhile, in its Erin Shea DeVany-directed clip for “Once In A While”:

Not to be outdone in the drama department, ex-pat Dallas indie-popper Tiger Darrow is at a relationship crossroads in her new revenge-focused “Bones” clip:

And lastly, there’s the new video for the Vandoliers‘ “Sixteen Years”. The band may currently be on the road and touring in support of its new Bloodshot Records-released album Forever, but the Josh David Jordan-directed clip finds the band working all sorts of odd jobs around Dallas to support their music-loving dreams and play shows like the Three Links one featured in the footage.

Full disclosure: Vandoliers multi-instrumentalist Cory Graves has long stewarded this very column for us here Central Track. And while no doubt a grueling task at times, it looks like frontman Josh Fleming‘s had far more taxing gigs than he has.

And that’s it till next week!

Cover photo of The Door/2513 Deep Ellum by Mikel Galicia. Got a tip for White Noise? Email us!

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