Central Track Contributor
Hold On With the Alabama Shakes.
If you're a good little North Texas music obsessive, today is, presumably, the worst day of the year.
You spent your weekend up at the 35 Denton music festival. You slept pretty much all day yesterday. And, tomorrow, you're most likely headed off for Austin for South by Southwest.
Today, assuming the above holds true, is the one day you've got over the course of an almost two-week-long span to catch up on work, get your life back in order and maybe do some packing for your trip south.Worse, you have to do this all while knowing full well and good that the non-stop party will be continuing on all around you as North Texas becomes inundated with shows from bands headed SXSW way.
Suck it up, Sally. Do the right thing and stay on top of your shit. Or just shrug, say “Fuck it” out loud and to no one in particular, and go check out a show anyway. We don't really care. It's your life.
The Alabama Shakes at Palladium Ballroom
The best bar bands in American don't play in bars any more. Instead, they play Saturday Night Live and release exclusive singles through the Silver Linings Playbook soundtrack. That's just what happens when the very first single you ever release is a total jam, I guess. Either way, it's pretty crazy to think that, just a year ago, the Alabama Shakes were a relative unknown on the verge of blowing up at SXSW.
Dillon Francis and Flosstradamus at Lizard Lounge
Electronic music fans who pray at the Altar of Diplo were, no doubt, over at the House of Blues last night for the producer's Major Lazer set with Switch over at the House of Blues. Tonight, they'll be at the Lizard Lounge, checking out the Diplo-approved, moombahton-focused Dillon Francis, who shares tonight's fill with Chicago's hip-hop-oriented Flosstradamus.
They Might Be Giants at House of Blues
They Might Be Giants have been doing their alternative rock thing since 1982. You'd think someone would've figured out for sure whether they are or aren't giants by now.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Foxygen and Wampire at Dada
Indie outfit Unknown Mortal Orchestra may be headlining this bill, but it's the two pun-inspired bands on the undercard who truly make this bill a must-see. Portland's Wampire has been around for a few years now, plying a subversively poppy, if varied, craft. California's Foxygen, meanwhile, exists on a more psych-oriented tip. Combine those previous two descriptions and, well, you pretty much have a description ready to go for UMO, too. Hey, maybe this isn't as shoddily slammed-together pre-SXSW bill as initially thought!
Dallas Distrotion Music <3's Burger Records Showcase at Crown and Harp
Featuring Diarrhea Planet, Colleen Green, White Fang, Pangea and a whole bunch of locals, consider this your gutter-punk preview for SXSW.
Mona, The Dead Ships and Johnny Beauford at Three Links
The new venue in the old La Grange space is now officially open and hosting shows, even as they continue to build out the space. Expect a full grand opening some time next month, but, for now, embrace the fact that another stage is up and running in Deep Ellum.
