Central Track Contributor
See The Light.
Well, it's the New Year. Let's make it a good one. It's a time of year for fresh starts and an opportunity to cleanse your life of bad habits and excess baggage.
To that end, wouldn't it be nice not to hear a single word about Donald Trump in 2016, especially leading up to this fall's election? Thanks to a new Chrome app that mentions all mentions of The Donald from your personal Internetting, that's entirely possible!
It'll free your browsing time up for other, more important things, like figuring out what the hell you're going to do for fun on a nightly basis. — Cory Graves
Friday
Lights All Night at Dallas Market Hall
Every year, Lights All Night takes over a gigantic space in Downtown Dallas. It's long been at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, but it's at Dallas Market Hall this year. Whatever, an Uber ride's still an Uber ride. Dance some weird dances, stare off into some glowing lights and take in the sounds of some of EDM's biggest names, including Kaskade, Flosstradamus, Big Gigantic, Claude Vonstroke, Dirty South and so many more. — Hannah Steiner
Pinebox Serenade (Album Release) at Dan's Silverleaf
Long-running Denton goth-country outfit, Pinebox Serenade, releases its latest EP at this one, but not before sets from Kody Jackson and Daniel Markham and Claire Morales' joing Harmony in Hell offering. — CG
Kiki's Delivery Service at Inwood Theatre
Hayao Miyazaki is a legend. Really. The lowest rating he has on Rotten Tomatoes is in the high 70 percent range and he's written and directed dozens of animated films. Usher in the New Year with his classic tale of a young witch who delivers stuff on her broom but loses her power when she doubts herself. — H. Drew Blackburn
Orgy at Trees
Times have changed for Orgy. The L.A. death pop outfit rose to fame in the late '90s with its “Blue Monday” cover, but has fallen quite far since. The current lineup, which features few original members, launched a crowd-funding campaign to record its most recent album, that failed miserably, raising just $8,739 of its stated $100,000 goal — only $91,000 short! Bobaflex, Death Valley High, Rivethead and Tungston Wake open. — CG
Heroes Race at Martin House Brewing Co.
Come dressed as the hero of your choice and start 2016 off on the right foot — literally. This charity 5K benefits real life heroes, specifically those that work at Big Brothers Big Sisters and Boot Campaign.– CG
Texas Gentlemen at Double Wide (Free)
Known as the backing outfit for Jonathan Tyler, Wesley Geiger, J. Charles, Larry g(EE) and, once upon a time, Leon Bridges, the Texas Gentlemen is one of the tightest and most diverse crew of young working musicians in Dallas. Tonight they'll hold things down at the DW all by their lonesome at this free show. — CG
Dustin Ybarra at Hyena's Dallas
For its second season, Gotham added Dustin Ybarra to its cast as an Arkham Asylum resident with a taste for human flesh. When not playing a cannibal on TV, Ybarra gets his kick telling jokes. After ringing in the New Year at Hyena's Plano, he'll keep it going at the Dallas location. — CG
Saturday
Cirque de la Symphonie at Meyerson Symphony Center
As if the thrill of watching dozens of world class musicians performing together wasn't enough to get people to come to the symphony anymore, the DSO is bringing in all manner of jugglers, contortionists and other Cirque du Soleil-style acrobats to liven up the proceedings a bit. — CG
Spiderweb Salon Winter Formal at Dan's Silver Leaf
Spiderweb Salon, with their humble beginnings in the back of a backyard in the Suburban area of Denton, is bringing in the new year right. This is the third annual winter formal that Spiderweb Salon has thrown. You should know the deal by now: live readings of fiction, some music, some art and most importantly some booze. — HDB
Josh Abbott Band at Billy Bob's
They're not from here, but Lubbock-based red dirt country outfit the Josh Abbott Band is no stranger to the area. In fact, they've got a song called “Dallas Love” that appears on their 2012 album Small Town Family Dream. As one might guess, lines in the song such as “Sorry your flight was so rough / We're ten minutes away from Dallas love” reference not only his plane's destination, but the lady friend he's anticipating encountering upon arrival at the gate. For this one, though, they'll be a half-hour west of Dallas Love. — CG
Chronica 2015 at Dada
It's no secret the country's attention on pot is softening. Just last week President Obama gave clemency to a whole bunch of people serving life sentences for marijuana infractions. Even Texas continues to grow closer and closer to making pot legal — because god made it and god don't make no junk, duh — as evidenced by Dallas' new cite and release policy. Those will surely be just some of the topics discussed as DFW's chapter of NORML celebrates another year of quote-unquote responsible cannabis use.Bands like Sally Majestic, Boxer's Brain, Bogus Green and Sunshine Emery perform, and glass pipes art will be available for purchase. — CG
Year of the Camel w/ Party Static at Three Links
Most talent buyers in Dallas focus on bringing in national acts, small or big, because that's where all the money is, but not King Camel. It looks like that focus is going to continue on in 2016. Here's a show headlined by spaztastic punk rock outfit, Party Static with Moon Waves and Daniel Markham opening. — HDB
New Fumes, Shmu, Black Taffy at Double Wide
Shmu, born Sam Chown, from Austin headlines with his loud shoegazey rock tonight. He's the mind behind all of the music, recording, producing, etc., etc. too.New Fumes, Black Taffy and botany round out the bill. — HDB
Sunday
Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School at Three Links
A good old fashioned life-drawing session is a necessary staple for artists of all types. Drawing from observation is a classic technique to improve your skills and increase your technical abilities to perceive form and function. Unfortunately, that sounds totally boring and academic. The idea between these regular Dr. Sketchy's events is to come up with a more relaxed lesson in the art of life-drawing. Hey, it doesn't get much more relaxed than being held in a bar! And whereas anyone who's ever done an actual, serious life-drawing or figure-drawing session has that, “Oh, you wouldn't believe what the model looked like!” story, Dr Sketchy's does it right, bringing burlesque performers in to hold court. These models are always in costume, and there is a theme every month. This month's model is Minxie Mimieux, “The Texan Tigress of Tease.” — Jeremy Hughes
Taste of Bishop Arts Walking Food and Historical Tour
Previously featured on the Food Network, this walking food/history tour will be capped at 15 participants so, um, read this next bit quick. Stops include Eno's; Tillman's Roadouse; Dude, Sweet Chocolate and Veracruz Mesoamerican Cafe, each of which will provide you more food than you can probably fit. Not only will you get full, though, you'll learn a thing or two as well, like why they call it Bishop Arts. Oh yeah, and it's BYOB. Whew. — CG
To find out what else is going on today, this week and beyond, check out our events page.
