Central Track Staff
Wind It Up.
It’s back. For the next eight weeks, Crystal Pepsi is available again on store shelves. Meaning, you’ve got two whole months to remember why that crap went away in the first place.
On the other hand, you’ve only got three days to enjoy this weekend. It seems pretty clear, in other words, which of the two should prioritize. — Cory Graves
Friday
Corinne Bailey Rae at House of Blues
The Grammy award winning singer-songwriter’s style of soul has won her fans from her native U.K. to the U.S. and everything in between. No need to put your records on tonight, you can just wander over to the West End and catch her in person. — Sidney Johnson
AnimeFest at Sheraton Hotel Dallas
This year’s event will be just as badass as each of the others since the conventions inception in 1992. Cosplayers, kids sleeping on the side of halls and empty boxes of Pocky are sure to keep you smiling throughout. It runs all weekend long. — SJ
Disturbed, Breaking Benjamin, Alter Bridge, Saint Asonia at Gexa Energy Pavilion Nipsey Hussle at Gas Monkey Live Daikaiju, Sealion, Lizzie Boredom at Lola’s Saloon Hitchcock’s Rebecca at Inwood Theatre Lil Debbie at Green Elephant Kay Odyssey, The Sideshow Tragedy, Mother Tongues, Mink Coats at Double Wide Da Dreak & Rahzil Blackwell (Album Release) at Dada (Free) The Texas Gentlemen at The Rustic Rei Clone, Quantum Creep, NSP at Spinster Records (Free) Parkology at High & Tight Ghoultown at Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill (Free) Beyonce vs Rihanna at Trees Saturday Rave of Thrones at The Bomb Factory Don’t Call Me Baby: An All-Female Art Show at Shipping and Receiving Rockin’ the River: Cooder Graw at Panther Island Pavilion (Free) A Fat Wreck at Texas Theatre Omni at The Foundry (Free) Dave Bazan at Dan’s Silverleaf One-Year Anniversary, Party Tat Extravaganza, Beard Contest at Traveling Grooming Parlor and Beard Emporium Tip Jar Release Party at Flying Saucer Garage Band Sale at Billy Bob’s Laura Lux at Bungalow Beach Club Bob Schneider at Granada Theater Los Skarnales at Trees Maze, Chaka Khan at Verizon Theatre Decks in the Park at SiSu Sudie, The Landing, Honor System at Double Wide The cOoompound Farewell Fest Foundation 45 Open Meeting at Kettle Art Last Show at J&J’s Pizza Window to the Wild Bird Show at The Foundry (Free) Sunday Broncho at Good Records (Free) Elvis Depressedly, Teen Suicide, Nicole Dollanganger at Dada Zac Brown Band at Gexa Energy Pavilion Boys Like Girls at House of Blues Chrisette Michele at Verizon Theatre AnimeFest Cosplay at Majestic Theatre Cheat Codes at SiSu Hottest Half & 10K at Community Beer Co. Lawrence of Arabia at Texas Theatre Soylent Green at Alamo Drafthouse (Richardson) Hemingway Book Club at Black Swan Saloon
I’ll tell you what’s disturbing, the fact that Disturbed is still a thing. Plus, this happened not too long ago, making the band’s DFW return just a tad…meh. Oh well, at least most of Creed will be there to pick up the pieces. — Calvin Cashen
Slauson’s own has been running the underground hip-hop/gangster rap scene with authentic California heat for a minute. His long braids, khakis and Chuck Taylor’s convey an image of California only second to the Godfather himself, and you know who we mean. — SJ
Every time mysterious, masked Alabama surf rockers Daikaiju come to town, we like quip in our little preview blurbs about how they’re really going to set the place on fire. But we’re not just being cute, hyperbolic or employing the use of colorful language when they do that. No, every time these gents come through, they literally set their drum set on fire. — CG
Hitchcock’s reputation as “The Master of Suspense” is undeniable and his 1940 thriller, Rebecca is no exception. You’ll be even more on edge watching it at midnight. — CC
It’s a little difficult trying not to compare Lil Debbie to Kreayshawn, especially considering her constant role as second banana in the now defunct rap collective The White Girl Mob, which Kreayshawn started. And Yet, Debbie’s resilient efforts to establish herself as a standalone artist can’t be ignored. Whether a factor of unrecognized talent or a refusal to go away, Debbie is her own artist now. — CC
Kay Odyssey is part glam, part mystic romance and a little post-punky angst all wrapped into one burst of sonic creativity. The local contingent on this bill ain’t too shabby either. — CC
Not a lot of producers, let alone local producers, can catch the attention of a name like Dr. Dre. Da Dreak found himself under Dre’s radar just about a year ago. The Dallas born-and-raised producer wound up in Dre’s studio, where the two chopped and fleshed out some pieces together for the Straight Outta Compton soundtrack. Dreak is now in the process of releasing a proper album with collaboration partner Rahzil Blackwell, which will see a celebratory release party at Dada this Friay. — CC
You never know what special guest frontmen the Gents will bring out for any given performance. Kris Kristofferson was just one recent name. Leon Bridges, Paul Cauthen and Larry g(EE) are a few other repeat offenders. No telling who will pop out tonight. — CG
Busy times for Quantum Creep apparently. They’re in town and speeding through after the release of their most recent six-song EP Friends with Death. They’re joined by Rei Clone and NSP’s Dale Jones at this in-store. — SJ
The best way to promote your ideas is by forming connections. This happy-hour gathering is a lead up event for Park(ing) Day Dallas, where representatives join other cities around the world to temporarily transform local parking spaces into parks. In anticipation for this year’s installment, you can talk with past participants and spark great ideas for creating those connections I mentioned earlier. — CC
This week’s selection of free shows just keeps stacking up. This Friday, you can catch Ghoultown perform a, dare I say, ghoulish mixture of goth-rock and down home Americana. — CC
Queen Bey and RiRi will be in attendance and will settle the fan-induced “beef” by way of bare-knuckle boxing. OK, they won’t be there, but this is a tribute to both and a few dance battles may happen. We can only hope. — SJ
Gwen Stefani at Gexa Energy Pavilion
The woman doesn’t age. We’ve loved Stefani’s cool, spunky spirit since we listened to No Doubt’s Spiderwebs on our CD players back in middle school, with skip protection on, of course. Come see one of the most badass women of our time perform. — SJ
Kristian Nairn, the DJ from Northern Ireland who moonlit as the gentle giant Hodor on Game of Thrones for a few years, will indeed be performing in Dallas this weekend. He just won’t be doing so at The Door — an idea that started off as a joke, then became real and then became not-real. He’ll now be performing his “Rave of Thrones” set at The Bomb Factory. Point it, like winter, Hodor is coming. — Pete Freedman
This exhibition’s main purpose is to promote the female experience through the mediums of art and music; delivered through the perspective of over 60 local talents. Period Bomb (LA), Bitch Bricks, Party Static and The Bralettes will perform, too. A portion of the art profits will be donated to local organization Women’s Center. — CC
This is the series finale for this summer tubing and music affair. No word on whether you’ll actually be allowed in the water this time. E. coli’s a bitch. — CG
A Fat Wreck is a documentary (or “punkumentary”) by some local filmmakers centered around the ’90s punk record label Fat Wreck Chords, which was responsible for such groups as NOFX, Rise Against, and Propaghandi. It’s a gritty, authentic take at some of the low and high points of the punk scene in the ’90s from the perspective of Fat Wreck’s band members — and there’s puppets! — Paul Wedding
Night Beats are a psychedelic outfit hailing from the grunge-centric Seattle, Washington. Unbeknownst to most, founder Danny Lee “Blackwell” was born in Dallas, where he moved to Austin and then Seattle to form Night Beats as a two piece. Ex-Deerhunter member Frankie Broyles will open for Night Beats’ upcoming performance under the solo moniker OMNI. — CC
David Bazan was involved in countless musical groups before making his own as a solo artist. For a mere $15, you can catch the artist show off some of his solo material, which mostly consists of a few acoustic guitar chords and a gentle, melodramatic croon. Be sure to show up early because space has been specified as extremely limited. — CC
It’s time to separate the men from the boys and settle this thing once and for all. The beard competition has different categories, so don’t feel bad if you’ve only got a balding pubic patch on your face, you can receive the “growing boy” award, if you’re lucky. — SJ
If festivals like the twice-annual Untapped series have taught us anything, it’s that craft beer and music are just kind of made for each other. So, naturally, bands like Mothership and Jessie Frye have gotten brews named after them in recent years. Hell, the Toadies just released their third and fourth beer collabs with Fort Worth’s Martin House Brewing Company. And, this weekend, those ranks will grow by a dozen when Martin House and local music promoter 13th Floor Music join forces for a new dry-hopped wheat called Tip Jar. Not just a “hoppy, smooth, and groovy summertime beer,” Tip Jar will also feature the names of a dozen DFW bands on its cans — Rise & Shine, Vincent Neil Emerson, Natural Anthem, Chucho, Matt Tedder, Kirk Thurmond & The Millennials, Atlantis Aquarius, The Hazardous Dukes, Shotgun Friday, The Paychecks, J. Charles & the Trainrobbers and Charley Crockett. Read more about the brew and what they’ve got planned for the release party here. — CG
They’re letting it all go for the low. If you or any of your buddies do music or DJing this is where you need to be. Speakers, subs, amps and a bunch of other equipment will be up for grabs. Get it while it’s hot. — SJ
The famous Australian DJ brings both her talents and her awesome hair to one of the livest pool scene in Dallas. Sporting over a million followers on Instagram and 160K on Twitter, this one should be packed. —SJ
The former Ugly Americans frontman and Austin native, Bob Schneider, passes through our great city once again. Procrastination isn’t advised, but there are both early and late shows, so you can take that extra pre-game drink if needed before that Uber arrives. — SJ
Houston’s two-decades-old ska outfit headlines Trees here. Boss Riot, Revolucion Oi and The Dolly Llamas open. — CG
This one’s for the “old-heads” out there. Jump back to the ’70s with these three powerhouses of funk and R&B as they bring out the big guns for a night of dancing and nostalgia. Queen Khan still got it goin’ on, too. — SJ
Firstly, you’d better get here. Not only is it going to be one of the biggest events in town, the proceeds go toward funding the next Decks In The Park event — the kind that actually take place in the park. Your favorite local DJ’s will be spinning for this wet-and-wild shindig. — SJ
Bringing a gap between forces like Bjork and Billie Holiday with a DIY sensibility, Sudie is a local musician whose crafted a sound truly her own. Sonically the artist evokes grandiose emotions, despite only utilizing a Mac laptop, a microphone and maybe a few mid-condition keyboards. — CC
Dead Mockingbirds, IINY, Ugly Lovers, Jesus Chris + The Beetles, Field Guide, Native Fox, Dude Elsberry, Saske No and Prior Panic play this daytime house show — the last before they stop doing these kinds of things for good. BYOCO. — CG
This is as good a time as any to remind people in Dallas suffering from depression can always turn to Foundation 45, which offers free, weekly counseling sessions and a suicide prevention hotline. Those in need can call 1-800-273-TALK or text 741-741. And anyone interested in finding out more about what the foundation does can attend this open meeting. — CG
The basement at J&J’s Pizza, also known as the Ol’ Dirty Basement, has been a longstanding fixture in Denton’s creative scene. It’s a room that’s intimate, alive and unbridled; the lack of creature comforts just reinforces the idea that you’re there to enjoy the performances, not the decorative niceties. News circulated just a few months ago that the basement at J&J’s would be temporarily off-limits, so that it could be renovated. Those plans have now changed: After this show, the Ol’ Dirty Basement is being permanently shut down. Mink Coats, She Banshee and Biographies perform, among others. — Alex Gaskin
Get up close and personal with owls, falcons and other birds of prey. — CG
Guided by Voices at Trees
After multiple breakups, revolving members and reunion after reunion, Guided By Voices remain as timeless as its infectious hooks. The ’90s are not dead my friends because Guided By Voices is still kicking ass and keeping lo-if rock alive, year after year. Broncho opens. — CC
You’ve probably seen Broncho open for a band or shred Spillover Fest at Trees a time or two. Only a few months after opening for DIIV late June, the snot-nosed Oklahoma rockers are back for an opening stint with Guided By Voices. Before that gig though, Broncho will play a warm-up gig, of sorts, at Good Records. — CC
All great band names, right? In Teen Suicide’s case, their eccentric brand of music might’ve been seen as suicide upon it’s creation. The band is described as punk & nowave to power-pop, indie-rock, metal, country, noise, electronic and whatever else they want to be. That’s a lot going on, but apparently they pull it off. — SJ
Atlanta isn’t strictly the breeding ground for ratchet rap. They’ve got some country music, too. Grammy Award-winning country music, even. About things that are chicken-fried! — H. Drew Blackburn
This is one stop in their nationwide tour. The alternative rock and is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of their self-titled debut album, well, you get it. — SJ
Chrisette Michele’s impeccable range is an R&B lover’s dream. Fans will hold onto every note, no doubt, at the singer’s upcoming Dallas performance, which is in support of her new self-produced record Milestone. — CC
Instead of the stinky old Sheraton, organizers of the AnimeFest decided to get fancy for 2016. Now you can get a snap of Sephiroth on a gold lined staircase under a chandelier that’s worth more than your house instead of getting photo-bombed by a valet off Olive St. This will be epic. — SJ
Matthew, Trevor and Kevin form the house/pop trio. They’re patently smooth and have a slightly ‘poppy’ flavor to their house. Watch those thunderstorms, though, it’s been a longtime coming. — SJ
Run one of the hottest half-marathons in the city. Get there early if you want to get your special packet. Stay hydrated as it will be about 96 degrees, yikes! Sure it’s at a brewery, but at least try to mix in a couple waters at some point. Sheesh. — SJ
You might want to pitch a tent for this one. Personally, I can barely sit through Interstellar, let alone any purported four-hour long “masterpiece.” I’ll give it this though, Lawrence Of Arabia‘s cinematography is nothing short of astonishing. And in a restored quality too? Oooooooh. — CC
Soylent Green has one of the most iconic plot twists in cinema history, something first time viewers won’t want to miss when the film hits the Alamo Drafthouse this Sunday. Please refrain from being that one guy. You know what I’m talking about. Keep it clean and spoiler free. There’s probably someone out there still that doesn’t know it’s people. — CC
Black Swan Saloon has been hosting a bimonthly book club, dubbed Hemingway Book Club, for some time now. Each edition consists of a discussion regarding a specific literary work and a selection of thematic cocktails for you to ingest. — CC