Central Track Contributor
Sip Until Your Cup Runneth Over.
Have you decided yet how you're going to spend your last weekend before Christmas?
Will you be doing some last-minute shopping? Will you be travelling? Will you be watching various Christmas movies at various locations around town?
Whatever you decide to do, hopefully there's comfort to be found in the fact that there's certainly no shortage of options, both holiday-themed and otherwise, these next few days.
From special Christmas-centric concerts from acts such as The Polyphonic Spree, The Rocket Summer and Robert Earl Keen to big holiday blowouts like the one we're throwing in conjunction with our friends at Printed Threads tonight at The Prophet Bar, there should be plenty of holiday cheer this weekend.
Or maybe just an excuse for reasonable locals to get drunk while wearing an ill-advised Christmas sweater.
Ultimately, that's your call.
Friday
Central Track/Printed Threads Christmas Party at The Prophet Bar (Big Room)
We probably don't tell you this enough, but we really dig you guys. And to further express our appreciation for all of your support, we and our good buds over at Printed Threads have decided to team up and throw you a thank-you holiday bash, in the big room at the Prophet Bar. Just because, really. It won't cost you a thing to attend this party, and we can pretty much guarantee that it's gonna be a good time. We're going to be having some bands playing to keep you entertained — Dead Flowers, Birds of Night, Daniel Markham and PVC Street Gang are all confirmed to perform — and the Printed Threads crew is going to be doing some live screen-printing on-site, too. It will rule. So come hang. — Pete Freedman
Band of Heathens at Granada Theater
On paper and on record, the Band of Heathens appear so boring, if competent, that seeing them live doesn't seem like a pressing need. Thing is, this group is quite good in person. On stage, the band morphs into something more closely resembling a jam band than a twangy one. If you like that sort of thing — but are so over Widespread — this show might be worth checking out. — StephenYoung
Skid Row at Queen City Music Hall
Newsflash for any of you who were planning on attending this one just to bust Sebastian Bach's balls about his role on Gilmore Girls or to beat him down with requests for Hep Alien tunes: Bach hasn't fronted Skid Row since 1997. Hats off to the rest of the band for keeping around so many original members since their 1986 formation, though. In all seriousness, that's not an easy thing to do. — CG
Pat Green at Billy Bob's
Pat Green is something of a legend in the Texas country music scene — and not just locally, either. Case in point: We once met a female fan with, count 'em, three Pat Green tattoos — and she didn't even live in the Lone Star state. — CG
New Bohemians at AllGood Cafe
The members of the once-popular '90s one-hit wonders not currently on tour with Steve Martin and/or sleeping with Paul Simon will be playing a low-key set at this Deep Ellum diner. It's really a less depressing prospect than it sounds, promise. — CG
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation at Magnolia Theater
Unlike Alamo Drafthouse's screening of the classic Christmas flick earlier this week, you can enjoy this viewing in peace, without all the annoying quoting along. — CG
The Rocket Summer's Special Christmas Show at The Prophet Bar (Small Room)
What's so special about this holiday-themed offering from hometown hero Bryce Avary? Well, for starters, this Dallas date is one of only two Christmas shows Avary will be performing this month. And his intimate solo acoustic performance in the smaller of the venue's two rooms is well under a third of the size of the buildings that Avary typically sells out when he plays in town. Just sayin', you might want to get there early. — CG
Punk Singer at Texas Theatre
While this fearless documentary on Bikini Kill frontwoman Kathleen Hanna will be showing at the theater all weekend, this opening night screening will also feature a punk performance from Girls Rock Dallas' Sparkle Revolution and some Riot Grrrrl-themed DJ sets from DJs Gabriel and Amy Gee. — CG
Elm St. Tattoo Christmas Party at Three Links
This annual Elm. St Tattoo Christmas bash asks that attendees show up wearing a wig — because, hey, they performers are. Catch performances from Dead Kennedy tribute Dallas Uber Alles as well as a set from Black Habits and a special non-Double Wide edition of Good Luck Karaoke. — Trace McCaslin
F.A.M.E. at Zouk
Fashion, Art, Music and Entertainment collide in the West End with plenty of opportunities to buy, sell and swap clothing and kicks, to purchase art from vendors like Jeremy Biggers and Black Picasso, and to enjoy performances from local hip-hop notables like Yung Nation, Tony Vice and Dustin Cavazos. — CG
TEAM* at Lola's
Weeks after releasing its debut EP during an opening stint for Third Eye Blind at Dallas' House of Blues, this Forever the Sickest Kids spinoff provides a slightly more low-key opportunity to purchase a copy for yourself. As a bonus, this one comes with 100 percent less Stephan Jenkins. — CG
Bud Light Pro Fight 6 Christmas Boxing Bash at Amon Carter Exhibit Hall
Who cares if folks in the UK won't be celebrating Boxing Day until next week, really? Since when have the Brits ever been right about anything, anyway? Besides, tonight's when the Texas super welterweight title is on the line. Head out and see if local boy — and current title holder — Hector “El Diamante” Vazquez can defend his belt against his challenger from Nevada. — CG
Saturday
Jay Z at American Airlines Center
You know it's been a huge month at the American Airlines Center when a show from hip-hop mogul Jay Z is far from the biggest to go down. We couldn't really imagine anyone else with enough fortitude to try and follow Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, Beyonce or even KISS-FM's Jingle Ball, for that matter. but Jay Z remains that dude. — CG
Mark Kozelek at Granada Theater
The Sun Kil Moon/Red House Painters frontman hits the Granada, culling material from the three solo LPs he's released this year alone, not to mention songs from his other highly acclaimed acts. — CG
Rivercrest Yacht Club (Album Release) at Lola's
The sophomore LP from Fort Worth hip-hop humorists Rivercrest Yacht Club has been a long time coming. It was all the way back in 2008 when the group burst onto the scene with a delirious palate of rhymes. In the years since, the members have accumulated 100-plus performances under their belt and, more recently, rounded out their seven-piece band with a saxophonist and keyboardist. — CG
A Spune Christmas at Texas Theatre
The Dallas version of the local booking agent's annual Christmas shows will be headlined by local heroes — and Pearl Jam pals — Midlake. Air Review, Bethan, Datahowler, -topic , and Sam Lao will also perform. — CG
Nearly Naked Nutcracker at Trees
I'm not going to take a cheap shot at the weird implications of the title “Nearly Naked Nutcracker,” but this Broads and Panties event is part titillation and part… um, OK, so maybe it's mostly just titillation. — CU
The Polyphonic Spree Holiday Extravaganza at Lakewood Theater
Every city has its annual traditions come Christmastime, and, in that regard, Dallas is no different. Except that, well, it is. For the past decade, Dallas has been graced each year with a holiday-themed performance from hometown heroes The Polyphonic Spree. And, for the past decade, Dallas has had that leg up over everywhere else. The band even kicked the proceedings up a notch last year with the release of their Christmas-themed Holidaydream LP. There's no new album this year, but no matter. Spirits will remain high all the same. — PF
Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis' Holiday Shindig at Kessler Theater
We wonder how long ago these married country performers got tired of being called things like “adorable” and/or “sweethearts.” Their relationship status aside, these two are pretty qualified songwriters in their own right, penning hits for acts like The Dixie Chicks over the years. — CG
Jake Miller at South Side Music Hall
On Miller's 11-track debut album for Warner Bros. Records, the rapper runs the gamut from stripped-back acoustic numbers to love songs and even house-influenced bangers. Impressive for a 21-year-old white kid from Florida? Maybe. But perhaps exactly what you might expect from a guy who earned his record deal on the strength of the 40-plus music videos he uploaded to YouTube in the last year. — CG
French Horn Rebellion at Dada
These classically trained french horn- and bassoon-playing brothers previously played with the Chicago Civic Orchestra — before telling the conductor that they were going to peace out and start making hot beats instead. — CG
Young Guru at The Travis
Gimel Androus Keaton has earned himself quite the reputation — not to mention the nickname “The Sound of New York” — over the course of the past decade. As the go-to producer and sound engineer for Roc-a-Fella Records, he's worked on all but one of Jay-Z's 11 albums. Fittingly, he'll be doing DJ sets at the official Jay-Z after party at The Travis. — CG
Auxiliary Voice (Album Release) at The Prophet Bar
Get your art-music on with this local bill at the Prophet Bar, which features the ambient post-rock haze of The Auxiliary Voice, whose members are celebrating the release of their long-time-coming debut album on a bill shared with the melodic (and sometimes melodramatic) Fortune Field. You can't just rage your way through every weekend, y'know. — SY
Arson States (Album Release) at Double Wide
Arson States (which features former [DARYL] members Dave Christensen and Chad Ferman, along with West Windows drummer Brandon Butters) has been working on an album at East Dallas studio Modern Electric Sound Recorders since the early spring. And, although we're hearing they weren't quite sure it would be the case when they booked this show, they'll have copies of their recently finished album at Double Wide tonight. — CG
Sunday
Max Bemis, Matt Pryor, Sherri DuPree Bemis, Perma, Merriment at Dada
Like most of the DuPree siblings' many ventures, this bill is a complete and utter family affair. Headlined by Say Anything's Max Bemis, this bill also features Bemis' wife (and Eisley member) Sherri DuPree Bemis, as well as the couple's new joint project Perma, plus Merriment, which features the youngest DuPree siblings that aren't in Eisley. — CG
Dustin Cavazos at Trees
Cavazos has long been recognized as one of the hardest-working artists in the city, and deservedly: The Oak Cliff native's always on his grind, be it through his approachable social media presence or his more analog process of hand-delivering his albums, show tickets and merch directly to fans. It's these endearing methods that have earned him one of the most loyal followings in Dallas, not to mention much-coveted opening slots whenever the biggest names in hip-hop swing through town on tour. More recently, Cavazos released his Until The Summer Ends mixtape, which features production from the Grammy-winning, Dallas-based Play-N-Skillz (Chamillionaire, Lil Wayne) production team. Fittingly, that duo joins Cavazos on this bill. — Mikel Galicia
Reverend Horton Heat at Sons of Hermann Hall
Expect to hear a bunch of new material from the local stalwarts as The Rev's newest disc is set to drop in just a few weeks time. Per a recent interview with Rolling Stone, frontman Jim Heath says this new batch of tunes will recall the harder-rocking psychobilly sound that the band's best known for. As such, the release will even include a re-working of a 1986 demo from the band called “Longest Gone Man.” — CG
Comedy at The Kessler with Paul Varghese
After winning a few awards for being the best comedian in Dallas in years past, Paul Varghese has added a lot to his resume. Years of touring has close to perfected his outsider-looking-in insight. Similarly, years of eating fast food has helped refine his jokes about Chick-Fil-A. — Porttia Portis
A Neon Christmas at Hailey's
In which Denton expats Alan Palomo and Jason Faries of the now New York-based chillwave band Neon Indian return home to embark on what's being advertised as two distinct DJ sets. They'll be joined on this night by resident Hailey's tunesmith Yeahdef. — CG
To find out what else is going on today, this week and beyond, check out our events page.
