Central Track Staff
Have A Ball.
Remember how terrible life was before the internet? You actually had to talk to people in public. All porn was stored in the woods for some reason.
Even worse, it was next to impossible to find something to do any given weekend. Thank goodness for the internet, am I right? — Cory Graves
Friday
Brand New, Modest Mouse at Verizon Theatre
Brand New and Modest Mouse are two starkly contrasting outfits. Pairing the two for a co-headlining tour was indeed a perplexing move, but at the same time, it’s a combo made in heaven. Just compare Modest Mouse’s “Dramamine” to Brand New’s “Jesus Christ” and you’ll get what I’m saying. The two standards will play the Verizon Theatre’s first ever outdoor show, which will be situated on a vast field just outside the venue. — Calvin Cashen
Cory Morrow at Granada Theater (Free)
The Austin, Texas country singer and his band ill be in concert with Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ and Vandoliers for a cool show. Tickets are going for the extra low at just $5, which comes with a free beer, leaving you with more than enough to snatch up all the cool merch and making it rain at the bar. Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ and Vandoliers open. — Sidney Johnson
Reverend Horton Heat (Solo), Dale Watson (Solo) at Kessler Theater
Two iconic outfits, Reverend Horton Heat and Dale Watson, will grace the Kessler stage for a night of bona-fide Texan mastery. A little different than their usual offerings, they’ll be swapping stories and playing solo sets. — CC
Rhye at Trees
It’s always refreshing to see when two artists have a mutual respect for each other without becoming “fanboys” and that is the foundation of Rhye. The R&B duo have been together since 2010 and will be joined by Baio, who moonlights as the bassist for Vampire Weekend.– SJ
Fear of Men, Puro Instinct at Dada
It may be becoming increasingly difficult to take dream pop seriously, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less dominant of a genre. Fear of Men’s devout nods to shoegaze and other niche styles is what divides them from the faction of stale, humdrum bedroom outfits. Fear of Men isn’t as buzzed about as say Beach House, but just give them a year or two to flesh out its sound and they very well could. Puro Instinct opens. — CC
The Neverending Story at Inwood Theatre
“Atreyuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!” Yes, our favorite fluffy luck dragon is back to pick us up to carry us through the sky, and you’re not even high, this time, maybe. Either way, Gmork won’t be able to catch this show due to his hatred for our big guy, but you can, and should. It’s all coming back so vividly. — SJ
Boiling Point at Texas Theatre
This is the second film from Japanese film director Takeshi Kitano, famous for his “quiet, loud, quiet” style of Japanese films, some he even stars in. The trailer is pretty weird; cherubs, gun deaths and boobies. Wait, scratch that — that’s as American as it gets. — SJ
Bipul Chettri at Gas Monkey Live
Chettri is a singer-songwriter from Kalimpong, India. His music has been throughout Nepal, Australia, the UK and others. Also a teacher of music, he is the Arts Department at the Vasant Valley School in New Delhi. — SJ
Pitbull at American Airlines Center
Dat! — CG
The Plot in You at The Prophet Bar
The metalheads actually started as a side project of Landon Tewers, guitarist of Before Their Eyes. Once the group began to gain it’s legs beneath them Tewers and group mates made their not-at-all-problematic debut EP, Wife Beater. — SJ
Travis Tritt at Billy Bob’s
The Grammy award-winning country singer has been doing his thing for over 25 years. With numerous charted singles, 19 top ten hits and 1-million album sales, Tritt is the real deal. Which explains how he’ll fill up the World’s Largest Honky-Tonk. — SJ
Purple, War Party, The Loafers at Links
Three groups with three distinct sounds all mesh for a night of music. War Party seems to defy time, just going and going. — SJ
Chris Isaak at WinStar World Casino
While singer/actor Chris Isaak may be, by the strictest definition of the term, a one-hit wonder, the golden-throated falsetto machine isn’t necessarily a one-trick pony. The oft-understated musician incorporates elements of blues, rockabilly and dad-centric rock into his crowd-pleasing offerings. And, yeah, you probably have heard “Wicked Game” about a bajillion times, but you’ve probably never heard it in a venue where legal gambling is concurrently taking place. — CG
Friday Night Drags at Texas Motor Speedway
Through the summer, Texas Motor Speedway hosts its Friday Night Drags events. Here anybody with a car, a driver’s license and 20 bucks can compete in live drag-racing along the famed track’s one-eighth-mile pit road. What would Wario do? — CG
Dallas Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction at Sons of Hermann Hall
North Texas is no stranger to brilliant songwriters, though. So it makes sense the Dallas Songwriters Association is launching a Dallas Songwriters Hall of Fame this month, with blues pioneers Blind Lemon Jefferson and T-Bone Walker as its inaugural inductees. An official ceremony, featuring a performance by Jimmy Wallace & the Stratoblasters, will be held at Sons of Hermann Hall this Friday. — CG
Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words at The Modern
Few musicians can hold a candle to the late Frank Zappa. This 90-minute film will feature footage of the musical genius, diving into his worldview, a perspective that can still be seen today. If you love Zappa and his contributions to music, you’ll love this. — SJ
Happy Birthday, MATA
This Friday, the people of Dallas will be celebrating an unlikely birthday. The McKinney Avenue Transit Authority, often shortened to MATA, is ringing in 27 years of excellent service with free cake balls, so you can indulge in Dallas’ assorted amenities to your heart’s content. — CC
Saturday
Bad Bitches Ball at Double Wide
I love bad bitches, what’s the problem? This celebration of Dallas’ most righteous ladies will feature performances from ’90s coverband The Clinton Years, a homecoming/album release show by Party Static, the first show from Lizzie Boredom, as well as DJs, nail art, Easy Slider, vintage goods for grabs and all the booze you can drink. — CG
Fitz & the Tantrums at House of Blues
The neo-soul revival is still crooning its way to the top. One of the revival’s most heralded participators is Los Angeles-bred collective Fitz & The Tantrums. While the outfit has breached the Top 40 charts more than once, it isn’t afraid to perform at relatively intimate venues. — CC
Life and Death Tour at Dada
Life and death; it’s a dichotomy hardcore punk inherently teeters on. Dallas legends Power Trip definitely know this. The band’s authentic, somewhat unhinged approach to live performance is a true testament to this. Leading this all hardcore tour alongside Power Trip is Los Angeles powerhouse Terror, Angel Du$t and Harms Way, among others. — CC
Roky Erickson at Granada Theater (Free)
It seems like every musician from Texas has some sort of story to tell about the oft-troubled Roky Erickson. Though he may not boast the awards, the tens of millions of records sold or the overwhelming mainstream success that nearly every other artist on the list has, the fact that we rank him so highly should serve as a testament to Erickson’s undeniable talent, influence in the garage and psychedelic genres, and the respect that nearly every living Texas musician has for the guy. His 1966 song “You’re Going to Miss Me” will forever be known as one of the greatest garage rock songs of all time. So it’s all the more badass that this show is free. Bring a date! — CG
Bonehouse Poets at The Wild Detectives
Bonehouse is a collective of local poets that hold public readings over at The Wild Detectives every so often. Bonehouse poets ruminate on the everyday aspects of life and the commonalities we share as people. If you’re feeling deeply introspective or just a poetry fanatic, need I say more? — CC
Sack Lunch at The Wild Detectives
House Of Theatre typically dabbles in everything involving theatre performance. Over at The Wild Detectives, the theatre troupe will take a jab at another form of expression — Dance! Performing this choreographed dance spectacle is a team of SMU students and alumni. — CC
Dallas Record Show at Richardson Civic Center
What’s missing from your short stack? The Richardson Civic Centre will have a fine selection of 45s and LPs for you to skim through. Gold awaits; or you can just get yet another copy of Pet Sounds. — CC
Solidarity FEST at 515 Bar
The Syndicate brings you a music fest chuck full of music and fun. There will be 18 bands playing two stages, different times, of course. The free event is for solidarity with the LGBT community to help fight bigotry against those in the gay and lesbian community. Expect sets from Fungi Girls, Sealion, War Party, Def Rain and Dome Dwellers among others. — SJ
Vodka Trot at Lone Star Park
Listen up all you drinkers out there too hungover to workout, you’re in luck. This 5K will host craft vodka and food to keep you “hydrated” while you run past the lightweights puking their Breakfast Jack’s on the sidewalk. Yummy! You think you can handle it? — SJ
Benjamin Clementine at Kessler Theater
The singer, poet, pianist, composer and performer is one of our distant cousins from across the big pond; London, England that is. He describes himself and his music as honest and for the patient listener, so chill out and just hear the man out. Plus, he kind of looks like Shameik Moore from DOPE. No? OK… — SJ
Gabriel Iglesias at WinStar World Casino (Sold Out)
The morbidly obese stand-up has been called a comic genius by a number of critics who are, no doubt, impressed with his wide array of material which includes jokes about his weight, food, his propensity to wear Hawaiian shirts and overuse the term “fluffy.” — CG
Panic, The Thin White Dukes at Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill
The tunes of Morrissey, The Smiths and David Bowie will be ably covered here. — CG
Anchorman at Texas Theatre
Stay classy, Dallas. — CG
Sweet Spirit, Birds of Night, Native Fox at Crown and Harp
Promoter King Camel claims Sweet Spirit is “gunna kick yer ass this Saturday.” The “big guns” will also be pulled out once the next two acts perform, popping off the doors. This sounds both dangerous and lovely. — SJ
Chris Tucker at Verizon Theatre
One of the funniest men doing stand-up today is here to have you crying with laughter. You know the name, you know the reputation, so show up to show out. — SJ
Dylan Leblanc at Three LInks
Dylan Leblanc’s music sounds meticulously crafted, yet its executed without much of a notice. Like numerous singer-songwriters before him, Leblanc channels the pragmatic sensibilities of a blue collar worker. Whether or not the musician has first hand experience in that line or work, he sure knows how to make it sound convincing. — CC
Julion Alvarez at American Airlines Center
Julion Alvarez is making a historic 22-date trek across North America; the first and arguably most ambitious of any norteño act. This is a triumphant affair and no doubt long overdue for Alvarez’s Texas fan base. — CC
Sammy Kershaw at Billy Bob’s
Kershaw considers his form of music “pure country.” He’s been in the game for a long time now and wondered if an old dog could make it in the digital age we’re in, thankfully he has and is still truckin’. — SJ
Sharam at Levu
Iranian DJ Sharam, better known for his work in the progressive house duo Deep Dish, will flex his skills this Saturday at the luxurious LeVu nightclub. — CC
Mark Johnson at Deep Vellum
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Mark Johnson will read from his latest book One In A Billion, in which he details the storied journey of Nic Volker, a young boy crippled by a recently discovered disease. — CC
Guns and Hoses at Trees
With your contributions, North Texas foundation Guns & Hoses will pay gratitude to the fallen officers lost during July 7th’s tragic shooting. This community effort will feature a performance by local rock group Generation Wasted and comedians Paul Varghese, Matt Leise, Nate Kipp, Clayton Farhat. — CC
#DallasStrong Coffee with Cops at McDonald’s (1000 Commerce Street)
Come show your support for our men and women in blue with a cup o’ Joe. Say what you want about officers, but at least be nice enough to sit and chat with those willing. — SJ
Pokémon Go Bar Crawl at Trophy Ranch
Poké trainers always seem to wind up in packs, so might as well start out in one, eh? Start/register for the crawl at Trophy Ranch, and then make PokéStops at The Local, Landmark Bar, Varsity Tavern, The Whisky Garden, Social House, American Pub and Bar Louie. Lures all around and Peckersaurs around every corner. — CG
Grand Opening at Legal Craft Beer Co.
The Arlington is hosting its grand opening party on Saturday. Guests can purchase a number of special grand opening packages to celebrate the launch of five flagship beers. The event takes place from noon to 6 p.m. — Porttia Portis
Sunday
Quaker City Night Hawks at Granada Theater (Free)
It’s just $5 to get into the shindig, but there’s a complimentary beer for you if you do so. Or you can just show up and hope to get in scot-free before it hits capacity. Dead Flowers and Oil Boom open this Texas boogie party. — SJ
The Last Waltz at Majestic Theatre
In my opinion, this is the finest of all rock docs. An insight into what makes great musicians tick, Martin Scorsese’s behind-the-scenes look at The Band’s final show gives us a peak behind the curtain, showing us the tears in the fabric that caused the band to fall apart. Of course, it also helps that the legendary Thanksgiving 1976 show is one of the best concerts ever recorded, including guest spots from Bob Dylan and Van Morrison. — Kip Mooney
Blowout Podcast Network at The Chat Room
The guys from our It’s Just Banter podcast and some other shows from their Blowout network will be taping their shows live at The Chat, so expect the next episodes to be extra soused. — CG
Dzeko and Torres at SiSu
The electro-house duo are here to keep those feet moving, just don’t stop. They’re from Canada so lets hope they don’t melt in this devilish heat we’ve been having as of lately. — SJ
Art Show and Concert at Ferralog Recording Studios
The place where bands like Party Static and Goodnight Ned made their records is hosting an open house with an art exhibition and live music. — CG
C.W. Stoneking at Three Links
C.W. Stoneking represents the last vestiges of a bygone musical era, namely the raspy blues rock of the early ’50s. In terms of controversy, it pales in comparison to the current market. That doesn’t mean Stoneking won’t be able to embody an element of danger at his Dallas gig this Sunday. — CC
Bring It! Live at Music Hall at Fair Park
The live tour will feature Miss D and her Dancing Dolls performing onstage. Live voting from the audience will ensure this will be a night of speed and energy. Pull a Simon Cowell and give them a hard time just to be a douche. — SJ
Lawrence at The Prophet Bar
The brother and sister have been performing their blend of new school and old school pop since they were kids; coffee shops, their grandparents living room, wherever they could. After teaming up with Grammy award winning producer Eric Krasno to create their debut LP Breakfast, they get to do it for you, and on actual stages. — SJ
Chuckie at Bungalow Beach Club
Only upscale swimming attire at this one, none of that club mess, you know. Some of the best pool parties in Dallas are held here with awesome DJs spinning your favorites while you tuck off into that corner of the pool to quietly relieve yourself, we know what you’ve been doing. — SJ