Central Track Staff
Help It'll Do Ring In Its One-Year Anniversary with Felix da Housecat.
Today is the summer solstice, which marks the official start of the summer season in the Northern Hemisphere — y'know, in case the growing heat alone didn't already clue you in.
Alas, the solstice is still considered one of the biggest holidays of the year in many cultures around the world. In England, for instance, Pagans and “neo-druids” paint their faces and watch the sun set through the Trilithon. Over in Norway, the world's largest bonfire is erected and one brave soul must climb a 130-foot-tall tower to ignite the whole thing. Swedes, meanwhile, indulge in copious amounts of vodka and dancing — and then really get their celebration nine months later when their country experiences a curious spike in the birth rate.
However it is that you decide to spend your longest period of sunlight for the year — be it donning your homemade floral crown and running around naked or perhaps performing some sun salutations — Dallas has an abundance of options to keep you busy throughout these next few days.
Friday
Cheap Trick at Verizon Theatre
Surrender yourself to Cheap Trick's throwback stylings tonight in Grand Prairie. Sure, the bulk of their hits came out the late '70s. But they did put out an album back in 2009 as well. Fun fact: To prove they're totally still relevant, they wrote and performed the theme song to The Colbert Report. — Jessica Petrocchi
The Flatlanders at The Kessler
Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock celebrate the discovery of The Flatlanders' long lost Odessa Tapes with an acoustic set of their pioneering alt-country material at the Kessler. You may not know the songs, but you'll definitely recognize the sound — a potent mix of country, folk and roots. — Stephen Young
Immersed in Ink Tattoo Convention at the Mesquite Convention Center
It's a veritable hipster smorgasbord in Mesquite this weekend. The Immersed in Ink convention promises to boast tattoo artists from around the country, body modification shows, a roller derby and a burlesque show. And, surely, plenty of facial hair and PBR, too. The fun continues through Sunday. — SY
The Uncluded at Texas Theatre
The Uncluded is comprised of rapper/producer Aesop Rock and folk singer-songwriter Kimya Dawson, whose voice you may recognize from the Juno soundtrack. The group formed after Aesop sent a fan email to Dawson. The pair then agreed to appear on each other's solo records. The duo's collaboration went so well that The Uncluded project was born. The resulting first album, Hokey Fright, was released in May. One-man punk band Hamell on Trial opens. — SY
The Sheiks, The Ape Hangars, Toy Gun and DJ Jukebox Mafia at Three Links
Memphis lo-fi rockers The Sheiks lead a bill at Three Links featuring locals The Ape Hangers, Toy Gun and DJ Jukebox Mafia. We'd be remiss if we didn't take this opportunity to highlight the work of another sheik, The Iron Sheik, proprietor of one of the most delightfully oddball, and decidedly NSFW, Twitter accounts around. — SY
Ladyhawke (DJ Set) at Sfuzzi's Uptown
Somewhat quietly, Sfuzzi's has been reeling in some bigger DJ talent than many other music venues in Dallas lately. From 12th Planet to Ra Ra Riot, why are we just now realizing how well DJs and Italian food pair together? Tonight, Aussie vixen Ladyhawke takes the mic and the turntables by storm. If you're unfamiliar with this rising talent, you can catch her on the cover of the latest issue of Indie Mag and find out just how lucky we are to have her in town. — Zoe Mattioli
Social Science at the Perot Museum [SOLD OUT]
Call up the babysitter because this night at the museum is for adults only. In this month's installment of Social Science series, scientists explore the ever-curious relationships between humans and robots, DNA and diseases, your marriage and your well-being, and more. If mixing alcohol and social experiments is a little beyond your comfort level, then step outside for a screening of Tron in 35mm. Unfortunately, if you didn't get in on this round, we're afraid it's already too late. You might want to buy tickets for their next event now before that one sells out, too! —ZM
New Science Projects, Diving, Katie & The Lichen, OK Vancouver OK, and Christian Medrano at Macaroni Island
Like so many other shows at Denton house venue Macaroni Island, Denton resident punk provocateurs New Science Projects headline this bill featuring a noisy quintet of bands. Christian Medrano, Austin act Diving and a couple of Vancouver bands — Katie & The Lichen and OK Vancouver OK — round out the bill. — SY
Ishi, The Burning Hotels, Black Taxi and Animal Spirit & Big Bats at Queen City Music Hall
New Fort Worth venue Queen City Music Hall continues its seemingly interminable march towards its grand opening with another soft opening show. This one is highlighted by the second official Fort Worth release show for local folktronica act Ishi's newish full-length, Digital Wounds. Fellow locals The Burning Hotels, Black Taxi and a live mash-up of Animal Spirit and Big Bats lead the night off. — SY
Dark Rooms, Guy Fox and Mur at the Crown & Harp
Fresh of the release of their self-titled debut LP, Daniel Hart's new full-band project Dark Rooms headlines this Artist Collective show downstairs at The Crown & Harp. Oakland indie-soul-funk act Guy Fox helps out. Expect an upbeat, rollicking good time at this show. — SY
Bruce Wood Dance Project presents RED +2 at Dallas City Performance Hall
BWDP continues their successful summer season with RED +2, a three-part evocative compilation that explores the dynamism of the American identity and spirit. It features two revival works, the kinetic RED (2001) and the romantic Rhapsody in Blue (1999), along with an original premiere and '60s rock mashup, White Rabbit. Be sure to stick around after the show for a 20-minute Q&A with the dancers and Bruce Wood himself. — ZM
Vorvon at The Where House
Vorvon's multi-bass attack leads a dark, sludge-filled bill at The Where House that probably provides your best chance at hearing abrown note anywhere this year. — SY
Dallas Arts District's Summer Block Party
Consider changing up your typical Friday barhopping routine in favor of a museum crawl tonight with free late-night admission to the Nasher, the Dallas Musuem of Art and the Crow Collection of Asian Art. In addition to food trucks, vendors and lawn games at Klyde Warren Park, you also can catch sets from Salim Nourallah & TheTreefort 5 and a screening of Moonrise Kingdom at the Nasher. We especially recommend trying to make it to the Good/Bad Art Collective from Denton's new show, “Fashionably Late,” which will take at the DMA from 7 to 9 p.m.– ZM
Mas Musica Fest featuring PXNDX
Mexican alt-rockers PXNDX headline the two-stage Mas Musica Fest at the House of Blues. Supporting acts include Making Movies, Parrcos, Kalua and Paulette. Dust off those school-required Spanish skills and head to the West End for the bilingual fun. — SY
Johnny Beauford & The Jack Kerowax at The Foundry
Local indie project Johnny Beauford & The Jack Kerowax play a free show at The Foundry ahead of the release of their Ferralog Studios-recorded debut album Kerowax: Part One. Make sure and make the obligatory “Man, even when this bands not on tour, they're still On The Road, am I right?” joke while you're there. — SY
ScrewAttack Gamers Convention at the Hyatt Regency
For the next three days, this gamers' paradise features vendors from around the world, an enormous multi-generational arcade, live video game-related music and an “Iron-Man of Gaming” competition. If video games just aren't your thing, the event promises an extensive variety of table-top games as well. — SY
I Am Breathing Screening at Studio Movie Grill
The Video Association of Dallas presents a special screening of I Am Breathing, which documents the slow deterioration suffered by ALS patients. All proceeds from the showing will benefit ALS research. — SY
THAT THAT at Ku De Ta with art installation by Samm McCurdy and Alex DiJulio and DJ sets by Shuttle and Blake Ward
Let's be honest, sometimes laying by the pool in a deluxe cabana with table service can get kinda old. That's why Philadelphia visual artists McCurdy and DiJulio are changing things up and pairing dance music from local DJs Blake Ward and Shuttle with live art installations — all poolside — for your enjoyment. Just try not to get it wet. — ZM
Deafheaven at Dada
Equal parts melody and straight up noise, San Fransisco's Deafheaven aims to assault Deep Ellum audiences with their wall of sound loud. Marriages and Eyes, Wings & Many Other Things open. — Cory Graves
Saturday
Best Little Brewfest in Texas at Texas Motor Speedway
Over 50 craft breweries from all over Texas are coming together to give us an opportunity to get drunk while being simultaneously philanthropic. All of the proceeds from the Brewfest will go to the Alzheimer's Association and Teen Suicide Prevention. — JP
Baths at Dada
According to Paul Lester of The Guardian, the 2010 debut album from Will Wiesenfeld's trip-hop/chillwave project Baths was sounds like “J Dilla playing around with the Pavement and Prince catalogues.” Head to Dada to see if Wiesenfeld still deserves such heady comparisons following his May release, Obsidian. — SY
Danielle Georgiou at Red Arrow Contemporary
This “Beauty/Beast” large-scale dance installation at the Red Arrow Contemporary gallery incorporates Anne Ferrer's bright colored, inflatable, sculptural raincoats.The free Paris-inspired gallery show and performance start at 8 p.m. — JP
Open House at Community Beer Company
Guided brewery tours, logo glasses and drink tickets all come with a ticket to Community Beer Company's Open House. Local artists like Nicole Marxen and JackDaw Russell will also be displaying new works. And they've even got your safety covered with food trucks parked around the brewery to make sure customers are getting more into their systems than just lots and lots of beer. — JP
The Bottle Shop's Second Anniversary Party
Lower Greenville's The Bottle Shop celebrates its second anniversary with a tough-to-beat combo of food, music and lots of beer — all to show their customers a little bit of appreciation. Enjoy $4 drafts from 5 p.m. to midnight, a new keg tapped every hour, free food starting at 7 p.m. and live music. — JP
Seryn at The Kessler with Chambers
Love 'em or hate 'em, The Kessler is probably the best place in town to catch Seryn. From their storied marathon soundchecks to their vast layering of harmonies and delicate instrumental accompaniment, every aspect of the band's live show if 100 percent intentional. As such, the pin-drop quiet, listening room of environment of the Kessler is perfectly suited for taking in the entirety of their intricacies. —CG
A Hard Night's Day at the Dallas Zoo
The Zoo's Safari Nights concert series continues with Beatles tribute act A Hard Night's Day. This show is best enjoyed after seeing the walruses, or perhaps after visiting a gardening octopus. — SY
Archer Live! at Verizon Theatre
Fans of everyone's favorite bumbling, chauvinistic, absolutely hilarious super-spy shouldn't miss this. The show features a panel discussion, live readings by the cast (including H. Jon Benjamin) and an audience Q&A. Plus, Aisha Tyler will be there, which is really all the reason you need to be anywhere. — SY
Radar Brothers, Foe Destroyer and Photo Ops at Rubber Gloves
Initially called the Radar Bros., this California outfit has been kicking around since 1995. They've replaced a few members and changed the style of their name at various points over the last 20 years, but judging from their latest album, Eight, their lo-fi, slowcore sound remains pretty much intact. Head up to Denton and see for yourself. Locals Photo Ops and ex-pats Foe Destroyer open up. — SY
The Dangits, Arson States and Rocket Arm at The Crown & Harp
Funky Town punks The Dangits top a loud Artist Collective bill downstairs at The Crown & Harp featuring fellow locals Arson States and Rocket Arm. Bring earplugs and a desire to thrash to this one. — SY
Extreme Midget Wrestling at Trees
The “Baddest Little Show on Earth” returns to Dallas for a night of pure fury and entertainment from miniature wrestlers and live metal bands alike. While they may be half the size, beware: These entertainers pack twice the punch. Well, that's what their press release says, anyway. All joking aside, we're putting our bets on Tiny Terminator. — ZM
Ryan Cabrera DJ Set at Sfuzzi's Uptown
Days before his previous appearance at Sfuzzi's back in April, Ryan Cabrera lost (or won?) a round of “tattoo roulette” with some buddies and came out with a portrait of eye-candy Ryan Gosling on his calf. Make your way down to the McKinney Avenue to catch this tat in the flesh, along with Cabrera's supposed turntable skills. — ZM
It'll Do Club's One-Year Anniversary Party feat. Felix Da Housecat
The best dance club in Dallas is pairing up with one of the best dance music producers in America for an ultimate celebration of a year's worth of good times. Beware, though: Felix is no ordinary house cat. You best wear your boogie shoes because — and trust us on this one — dance-offs will ensue. And with a sound system like It'll Do's, there will be no hiding in the corner. Don't fight it. Just get your back up off the wall and get down on it! — ZM
Son of Stan at Lola's
You've got a couple of chances to catch Son of Stan's so-called “divorce pop” this weekend. They'll perform with New York City Queens, Wild Adriatic, and Tidals on Saturday at Lola's, and again at the Rodeo Goat on Sunday as part of the Fort Worth Weekly music awards showcase. — JP
King of the Rock at the American Airlines Center's Audi Garage
Already desperate for more basketball now that the NBA season has concluded. Well, this might help: Red Bull's hosting the Dallas qualifier for their international one-on-one King of the Rock competition in the parking lot annals of the AAC all day long at this event, which, yes, you can still sign up to take part in. Or you can just watch and act like you're actually a good player. Just like you do when watching the NBA! — Pete Freedman
Polaroid Day at the Don's Used Photo Equipment
Celebrate all things Polaroid-related at this event, which runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and affords you the chance to get your Polaroid portrait taken for 40 bones. It's cooler than it sounds, I promise: The portrait shot you'll be buying is an 8-inch-by-10-inch, black-and-white photo. Also, it looks cool. — PF
Sunday
Fort Worth Weekly Music Awards Showcases
For the 16th Annual Fort Worth Weekly Music Awards, 50 local bands will perform at eight locations around Fort Worth's hip West 7th neighborhood. Up until festival day, you can vote for your favorite local rock, jazz, hip-hop, and country artists to win those coveted “Panthies.” — JP
Pitbull and Ke$ha at Gexa Energy Pavilion
Don't wear anything with too many pockets at this one, or you'll undoubtedly still be digging glitter out of them weeks after you take in performances from remix master Pitbull and pop tart Ke$ha. If nothing else, it's sure to be a colorful night. — JP
Le Cure at The Church
On Thursdays and Sundays, Swiss Avenue dance club Lizard Lounge becomes a goth-obsessed spot called The Church. And, this weekend, the place hosts a performance from local The Cure tribute act Le Cure. Put on your finest black duds, go heavy on the eyeliner and go hear a version of “Pictures of You” that's way better than anything you'll find at karaoke night. — SY
Faisal Goes West at the Angelika Film Center
Award-winning short film Faisal Goes West tells the story of a young Sudanese man's attempt to start a new life on a Texas chicken farm. The whole thing was filmed locally, and this Human Right Initiative-sponsored screening is the Dallas premiere. Stay after the movie for a Q&A with the director, Bentley Brown. —SY
Mad Men Season Finale Watch Party at Sundown
So yeah, we really don't know what to make of the next-to-last episode of the season, either. What could Pete possibly be keeping Bob Benson around for? Was it considered not horrible parenting to smoke with your kids in the late '60s? What kind of job do we need to get so we can take midday naps like Don does? Head to Sundown to see all of the (likely ambiguous) answers Matthew Weiner has in store for us in the season finale. — SY
Metalachi at Trees
For the third time this year, Metalachi, the world's foremost — only? — metal mariachi band, graces Trees with its presence. Don't expect a serious show. Do expect to have a really good time just the same. All-purpose grunge cover act Seattle opens. — SY
Hail The Sun, Werewolf Therewolf and Criminal Birds at Hailey's
California post-hardcore act Hail The Sun headlines this show at Hailey's featuring local progressive rockers Werewolf Therewolf and Criminal Birds. Hail The Sun's most recent EP, Elephantitis, celebrates the excessive growth of negative character traits like anger and the obsessive fear of death. In other words, don't head to this show expecting a light, carefree Sunday night. — SY
Summer Sessions at Guapo Skills Center
Hip-hop and skateboarding join forces at this afternoon-long, DJ Big J-curated affair going down at this private Dallas skatepark. Skaters are encouraged to come out and enter various trick contests for chances at cash prizes. Music fans are sure to be enticed by performances from up-and-coming area rappers The Mohicans, Leon the Professional and Josh Rand. Cover is $5. Knee-scrapes are free. — PF
