Central Track Staff
Get Lots Of Dough, Boy.
It's already the weekends, somehow. Can you believe it? Even after being treated to an extended holiday break, it seems as if these past five days have just flown by, right?
I'd say so. Just the other day, I read this quote that said “July is the Saturday of Summer.” If you've been following our in-depth day-to-day guides on how to live life in Dallas to the fullest, then I'm sure you can relate. And if you can't, well, what are you waiting for?
Tick tock on the clock, yo. You've got some catching up to do.
Friday
Fitz & The Tantrums at House of Blues
Take a trip back in time with the soul-influenced indie popsters in Fitz & The Tantrums, who pretty much always put on a great show. Their music is as electrifying as their stage presence, too — imagine Hairpsray, but with more rock and much more roll. Be sure to wear your dancing shoes for this one. — Zoe Mattioli
Taste of Dallas in Fair Park
Over 60 restaurants are gathering in one place today through Sunday for this affair. There'll be plenty of phenomenal foods to sample, there'll be some mediocre music to hear, and, just in case you're worried that you're gonna eat way too much of the award-winning grub on hand, there'll even be a health and fitness section set up. New additions to the festivities this year include the involvement of food trucks, as well as the “TasteMarket,” where you can buy restaurant gift cards and merchandise at a discounted price. — Jessica Petrocchi
Filter Meet and Greet at Good Records
Ahead of their show with Everclear, Live and Sponge at the South Side Ballroom tonight, venerable Ohio alt-rockers Filter hit Good Records for an afternoon meet-and-greet and record signing. If that turns you on, you might want to buy the band's new album, The Sun Comes Out Tonight, at the shop. If you do, you'll get a wristband for priority line access. —SY
Summerland Tour at South Side Ballroom
From the lineups that would have been so much cooler 20 years department comes the most recent incarnation of the Summerland Tour, which features Everclear, Live, Filter and Sponge — or what passes for those bands these days, at least. Back in 2009, Everclear replaced every member except frontman Art Alexakis. Live, on the other hand, fired lead singer Ed Kowalczyk back in 2011, replacing him with Unified Theory's Chris Shinn. — JP
The Outfit TX, Ynfynyt Scroll, Killtron, V.A. The Gray, Pocket Change and Trailer Swift at Sandaga 13
Top Shelf Productions' new Animal House monthly, which goes down on the second Friday of each month at the Exposition Park venue formerly known as Minc, has booked itself quite the bill for this go. Come for the DJ stylings of Killtron and Ynfynyt Scroll; stay for the Outfit, TX, the impressive Dallas-bred, Houston-raised rap trio we've been raving about for months, who just so happen to have recently moved back to town. — Pete Freedman
Disco Kids at It'll Do
Well, parents: It seems the tables have turned. Trying to make plans that work with your babysitter just got a whole lot easier because, tonight, from 5:30 to 9:30, It'll Do is extending the joy of disco to kids aged 15 and under. That's right: DJ Blake Ward will be spinning all your kids' favorite jams — and we're not talking Kidz Bop, oh no. According to the event page, the young 'uns have been requesting everything from Macklemore to Beastie Boys and Jamiroquai in past weeks. (I see you, parents, trying to act like your kid asked for '90s house. Pleaaaase.) Anyway, Ruthie's Kitchen will provide gourmet grilled cheese, the bar will be open, and the kids will be having a blast. What more could you ask for? You may even pick up a couple of new moves from those youngsters, too. — ZM
Ishi, The Tontons and The Danny Church Band at Trees
You should know Ishi by now. You might know Houston's funky The Tontons from their turn at the Homegrown Festival back in May. You might not know The Danny Church Band too well, though. But you should: This classic Dallas-based R&B and soul throwback group has been quietly developing quite the highly regarded name for itself over the course of the past year — this despite not yet having formally released any music under their own banner. Hey, impeccable taste takes time to develop. — PF
Chief Keef at South Side Music Hall
You might have heard this 17-year-old Chicago rapper on the Yeezus track “Hold My Liquor.” Or maybe you saw Chief Keef throwin' hunnits in a McDonald's drive thru. Still, you should make it a point to see him and the rest of the Glory Boyz again tonight at South Side Music Hall. That's that shit we do like. — ZM
FUTURE: Fashion | Art | Music at W.A.A.S Gallery
Future night is back again and bigger than ever. Tonight, the Future gang partners up with TENOVERSIX and THRWD Magazine to bring you art installations and a fashion show in addition to the already alluring lineup of musicians performing at this one, including CT favorite Shuttle. It's been impressive to watch this event blossom into something so dynamic in recent weeks. In true Future nature, this night promises to be a visceral experience of epic proportions. — ZM
Alpha Rev at the Granada
Austin's Alpha Rev brings its classical instrumentation and indie sensibilities to the Granada behind its March-released Kirtland Records debut, Bloom, tonight. Hmm. Classical instrumentation and indie sensibilities. Sounds just like a bunch of other bands that everybody likes right now. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing. Locals Seryn and Dark Rooms open. So, yeah, you should definitely go to this — if only to see Dark Rooms, who really do rule. — Stephen Young
The Phuss, The Longshots, FOGG and The Road Soda at Queen City Music Hall
Less than a week ago, thundering area rock trio The Phuss stood on the stage at Fort Worth's brand new Queen City Music Hall, accepting the “Best Hard Rock” trophy in this year's Fort Worth Weekly Music Awards. Tonight, they return to that very stage with instruments in hand, ready to demonstrate exactly why they deserve that honor. Fellow “Best Hard Rock” nominee FOGG, “Best New Artist” nominee The Longshots and one-man band The Road Soda open. — Cory Graves
Justicia: The Struggle for Mexican-American Civil Rights at the Latino Cultural Center
The Dallas Mexican-American Historical League presents a multimedia retrospective celebrating the Dallas Mexican-Americans' struggle for civil rights in North Texas in the last century. Exhibits include a series of video oral histories by civil rights leaders and a collection of interactive timelines. The exhibit opens tonight and runs through the end of August. Go check it out and experience some often overlooked history. — SY
The Eagle's BFD with Megadeth, Slash and Black label Society at Gexa Energy Pavilion
Anybody else remember when Gexa was called Starplex? No? Well, that's the last time the band at the top of the Eagle's BFD bill — Megadeth — was still relevant. Nonetheless, this might be worth heading to regardless, especially if you were subjected to Guns N' Roses at House of Blues in May. In that case, maybe you can try to relive the glory days by listening to Slash's set and trying to synthesize the two performances into some sort of coherent whole. — SY
Bill Bellamy at the Arlington Improv
Relive the '90s with Def Comedy Jam and MTV alum Bill Bellamy. Of note: Bellamy is credited with creating — or at least being the first to say on TV — the term “booty call.” C'mon, Dallas. We owe him at least a few ticket sales for adding that bit of shorthand to the lexicon. — SY
Junior Brown at The Kessler
An American original and Austin's best kept secret, Junior Brown is on the Kessler's list of must-see acts in Texas — and deservedly at that. Tonight, Mr. Brown will serenade you with his savory country twang and dazzle you with his patented guit-steel prowess. — Nicole Arnold
Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-A
Getting a free chicken sandwich today might not be quite as easy as getting a free Slurpee yesterday, no. But, if we learned anything at college, it was never to underestimate the power of free food. Those who show up to participating Chick-fil-A's today in partial cow garb get a free entree. Those in full on head-to-toe cow gear, however, will walk away with a free meal. — JP
The Better Half at Dallas Comedy House
Lucas Neff, best known as Jimmy Chance on Raising Hope, and Craig Cackowski, who you'd probably recognize as Officer Cackowski from Community, hit the Dallas Comedy House this weekend for three performances of their “The Better Half” show. For all you aspiring hacks out there, the duo will be teaching workshops over the weekend, too. Contact the venue for more info if you want to get in on those. — SY
Stoli Summer Kickoff at Sundown
Stoli gets summer started with a party at Sundown tonight with swimsuits, squirt-guns, hula hoops and baby pools. Best of all, Stoli will be providing $2 adult sno-cones throughout the evening. Judging by the weather this week, though, it seems like summer might have officially kicked off ahead of them. — SY
The Boxing Lesson, Spookeasy and Burgess Meredith at Dada
Two Austin bands linked by their names' evocation of the Rocky film franchise and their psych-indie '60s-flecked sounds sandwich local indie four-piece Spookeasy on this bill. Take the opportunity to run full-speed up a flight of cement steps into a wall of sound at Dada tonight. — SY
Saturday
Dazed and Confused Outdoor Screening at the Alamo Drafthouse
All right, all right, all right: Tonight's showing of Dazed and Confused is the first of three free movie screenings voted for by Facebook fans of the soon-to-be-opened Alamo Drafthouse in Richardson. The film rolls at sunset, but gates open at 7 p.m. for anyone wanting to take advantage of food trucks, local beer and giveaways of some film-themed surprises. — JP
The Smoke! '60s Mod Club 10-Year Anniversary at The Crown & Harp
The grooviest night of the year is celebrating a decade worth of good vibes and free love. DJs Marcos Prado, Jason Harris and Jay Sunmeier will be setting the mood with your favorite soul and R&B records from back in the day at this one. Be there or be a square. And not the Huey Lewis kind, either. — ZM
Brody Jenner at the Winston Supperclub
His dad was an Olympic athlete and his step-sister just had the most famous directionally-named baby on the planet. Needless to say, Brody Jenner is probably feeling a little left out off the spotlight. Honestly, we're not really sure what he's going to be doing at this bash other than just looking fancy and poppin' bottles, but we're not that hard to please. Also, we really liked him on The Hills. — JP
Red Eye vs Scott Phrenetik & James Warren at It'll Do
There is, as you can see, a lot going on this weekend. If you're experiencing an increase in anxiety and lightheadedness as a result, just take a deep breath, chill the hell out and take solace in the fact that the It'll Do is always a great time. At this bash, they'll be stirring up some deep house for an evening you won't regret. Well, maybe not until your hangover on Sunday. — ZM
Beezus at The Public Trust
The premiere of “Beezus,” a contemporary art exhibition from Brian Gibb, has little to do with Yeezus. But it does sound like Gibb may be drawing artistic inspiration from similar places as Kanye has. Through serigraphs, self-portraits and a soft-sculpture set featuring drops of blood sweat, tears and urine (literally or metaphorically, we're not sure), Gibb presents a “tongue-in-cheek examination” of the contemporary art world as seen by the dealer and artist. The exhibit will run through August 10th. — ZM
Art Hunger Presents: URBAN LEGENDS in Deep Ellum
This month, emerging artist organization Art Hunger celebrates its one-year anniversary by hosting a seriously massive party. Artists, DJs, bands and food trucks will take over Deep Ellum in a sensory overload extravaganza. A $5 ticket will grant you access to four venues tonight. But if you're just curious to see what it's all about, you can wander through the streets among the breakdancers and live wall art demonstrations for free. — ZM
John Mayer at Gexa Energy Pavilion
Fans of white-boy blues and weird bandana-featuring ensembles take heart: John Mayer is back in Dallas! Following some long-term — and career-threatening — vocal cord issues, the sexual napalm-loving, n-word dropping guitarist is back on tour for the first time since 2010. Hey, just because he's a douchebag doesn't mean the guy can't play. Go see if he's still got it. — SY
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure at Inwood
Something's afoot at the Inwood. We don't remember setting our time-traveling phone booth back to 1989, but we must have because Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure is in theaters again for some reason. Oh well. San Dimas High School football rules! — CG
Oil Boom, Foxtrot Uniform and The Continuums at Queen City Music Hall
Tonight's Oil Boom-headlined affair represents your second opportunity to check out the just-opened Queen City Music Hall this weekend. Not to mention, you'll probably hear a few new tunes from the band's upcoming 7-inch tonight, too. — CG
Pete Holmes at Texas TheatreFirst of all, this guy is the voice and writer of the E-Trade baby commercials. So you just know that his stand up is going to be pretty hilarious, if not a touch creepy. He was also recently featured on Conan and released a one-hour Comedy Central special a couple months back. You've probably heard him on every comedy podcast you've ever listened to, also. Update: This show has been rescheduled for August 10. — JP
Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis at Granada Theater
It's been a good week if you're into husband-and-wife music teams. Following the Tedeschi Trucks Band's Thursday show at House of Blues, countrified married duo Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis hit the Granada stage for this show following the release of their first album together, February's Cheater's Game. Oklahoma singer-songwriter Parker Millsap opens. — SY
Home by Hovercraft and John Singer Sergeant at The Common Table
Eclectic local indies Home by Hovercraft and John Singer Sergeant team up for a free “indie-music/indie-beer” show at The Common Table. Use the money you saved on admission on one of the gastro-pub's delicious local brews. — SY
Ice Eater with At Night at The Foundry
It's a Metroplex-spanning post-punk showcase at Oak Cliff's The Foundry featuring the dance-inflected sounds of Fort Worth's Ice Eater and new wave-influenced electronic stylings of Dallas' At Night. Best part? This one, which should be pretty good, is free. — SY
Sunday
BT's Private Pool Party at Ku De Ta
Whether you've been partying all weekend or saving up until today to go out doesn't matter. Either way, basking in the sun listening to electronic beats poolside at Ku De Ta is exactly where you'll want to be on this afternoon. Just imagine escaping the harsh Texas sun in the shade of a cabana surrounded by a real-life Sports Illustrated swimsuit spread while being whisked away on a magic carpet of trance. Plus, I bet you didn't know BT was once nominated for a Grammy, did ya? —ZM
Bastille on Bishop in the Bishop Arts District
Beyond being the basis for a classic Rush song, this French holiday is of particular meaning to North Texas — or, more specifically, Dallas. Among the first settlers in the city were the group of French ex-pats who formed the Utopian La Reunion colony in 1855. Ever since, Dallas has had a French influence and various landmarks named after the colony — including Reunion Tower and Reunion Arena (RIP). To celebrate, the Bishop Arts District is hosting its third annual Bastille on Bishop block party featuring star chefs, wine tastings and an outdoor market. Go check it out and show off your newly-found knowledge about the day's local origins. — SY
Kentucky Knife Fight at Double Wide
St. Louis' River Front Times' gave KKF its “Best Rock Band” honors in their annual music awards earlier this year. Now, the dudes will be looking for some good ol' fashioned Southern hospitality and a pitcher of bourbon tonight at Double Wide while plying their punk-blues craft. Trophy Wives and Drama Queens open. Remember kids: The Double Wide is 21-and-up! — NA
Big Country at Trees
Recently re-formed Scottish new wave pioneers Big Country bring their new lineup to Trees following the April release of The Journey, the band's first new material in 14 years. Despite the name, the band has nothing to do with mid-'90s Oklahoma State University basketball star Bryant Reeves. — SY
Colored Water Balloon Fight at Quakertown Park
A water balloon fight where all the balloons are filled with food coloring just to make sure it's an especially colorful affair? Yes, please. Seriously: This has the potential to be the most Pinteresting event of the whole weekend! Show up to the Denton park at 3 p.m. in your least favorite white shorts and tee, then plan to leave as an expressionist tie-dyed masterpiece. Oh, and ladies: If the food coloring idea is a bust, maybe pack an extra non-white tee just in case. — ZM
Cayucas, Brazos and Jess Williamson at Three Links
Pitchfork's take on Cayucas' Bigfoot debut was kind of harsh in that the Santa Monica band was basically dismissed as some sort of fourth-rate Vampire Weekend knockoff. OK, except there's a more vocally melodic, definitely less pretentious vibe at play in Cayucas' sound. And, also, even if such comparisons were spot on, it's not like there aren't way worse bands to ape, right? Regardless: There's a nice summer feel to Cayucas' sound, and it should go over well in the Three Links setting. Same goes for the formerly Austin-based tour support on this bill, Brazos, as they too ply a dog days-like musical craft. — PF
