Sarah Jaffe. A looooooooong time FineLineFave. Check the new video, es muy bueno. Keep your eyes peeled for band members who play in bands such at Centro-matic, Doug Burr, Seryn and Bosque Brown. Nice little band’o'playa’s.

Sarah Jaffe performs at the Ghost Room in Austin on September 25. See you there.

The fabulous Belmont Hotel in Oak Cliff is host to the equally fabby KXT 91.7, “Barefoot at the Belmont” concert series. The Belmont continues its traditional poolside concert series featuring some of the best bands and musicians from North Texas, along with a breathtaking back-drop of the downtown Dallas skyline…reserve a room, wine, dine and take a dip in the Belmont pool…all the while experiencing the whole BFatB/KXT magnificence…you’ll thank me in the morning….prolly twice….

Bill’s birthday bash and Record Store Day are one with the universe. Go on over to Bill’s Records on Saturday for one hella paaartaaay.

Performing:
11:30-12 noon: Molarkey (Inside)
12-12:40 – Richmond Punch (Outside)
12:05-12:30 – Mr. Troll (Inside)
1-1:30 – Jason Castro (Outside)
1:45-2:30 – Meet & Greet with Jason Castro
1:20-2 – Iris Leu (Inside)
2-2:45 – HaHa Tonka (Outside)
2:20-2:50 – Grant
3-3:45 – Kevin Welch (Inside)
3:10-4 – The Marfalites
4-4:20 – Mike Guinn (Inside)
4:40-5:10 – Annie Benjamin (Inside)
5-5:45 – Dem Southernfolkz (Outside)
5:30-6 – Christian Ross (Inside)
6-7 – The Frontier Brothers (Outside)
6:10-6:30 – King G.I. (Inside)
6:45-7:15 – Wailbone (Inside)

This little shindig has something for everyone and it won’t cost you nuthin’.

If Lower Greenville is yo’ thang, then Good Records is da place to be seen:

Performing:
11:00 am – Adrianna Oswell
11:30 am – Little Birds
12:00 pm – Baruch The Scribe
12:30 pm – Cartographers
1:00 pm – Hello Lover
1:30 pm – Hormones
2:00 pm – Doug Burr
2:30 pm – Seryn
3:00 pm – RTB2
3:30 pm – The Angelus
4:00 pm – Murder By Death
4:30 pm – Ha Ha Tonka
5:00 pm – Backsliders
5:30 pm – The Black Dotz
6:00 pm – Rainbows Are Free
7:00 pm – Telegraph Canyon
8:00 pm – PVC Street Gang
9:00 pm – Binary Sunrise
10:00 pm – Maleveller
11:00 pm – New Fumes
12:00 am – DSFZ (dem southernfolkz)
1:00 am – This Will Destroy

Doors open at 8 a.m., so getcher breakfast taco and get on down there early for the best spot. This, too, is a freebie.

The Pull Tabs (Mike Daniel, Eric Grubbs and Kyle Harris) are playin’ at CD Source, but I dunno anything other than that…but then again, ain’t that enough? Oh, and it’s free.

Saturday, April 3
1919 Hemphill in Fort Worth
DFW Punk – a documentary about Dallas punk and new wave in the 80′s and 90′s by Laura Tabor-Huerta
Doors at 7 – Show at 8 p.m.
Read my Q&A with Laura on Art&Seek

Thursday, April 15
Magnolia Gallery in Dallas
The End of the Beginning – An Exhibit by Photographer Dylan Hollingsworth

Just another reason I freakin’ love my job…I get to hang wit’ people like Allan Hayslip. This dude is the real deal…I love him. He shall be mine….

Catch Allan and his rockin’ band, Bonedome at the Kessler Theater on April 8.

Celebrate the moments of your life with a hot cup of International Brand Coffee? Fergetabout it. Do the international thang live and in person with some of the bestest bands coming out of China and good ol’ Poland. My pal, Dave Dart, founder of Dart International, hipped me to some wicked awesome shows a’comin’ our way…

L.Stadt – “Great pop songs. Hang on a second! – Is this actually Pop? But what is the definition of Pop? If it’s melodic music which is easy on the ear, presented in an accessible, short format – then it can be described as Pop… Intentionally rough around the edges, reminiscent of a demo CD sound. Hats off to the band for this decision. On the L.Stadt album every song sounds different.”
- Debut album review, Don’t Panic We Are From Poland

Tonight, March 26
Fred’s Cafe in Fort Worth
Early show and Special Acoustic Set – 5 p.m.

Saturday, March 27
The Moon Bar in Fort Worth
9 p.m.

The Chinese Invasion Tour is gonna be off-da-hookity!

Sunday, March 28
The Double Wide
The line-up is below, just add in a little DJ Woodtronic and Wanz Dover to round out the evening’s festivities. Click here for more details, including how to score free tickets.

Wednesday, March 31
Hailey’s in Denton

Carsick Cars
“Sonic Youth and the Clean both released worthy albums this year, but these three Beijing kids in their early 20s took those bands’ classic guitar-drone sounds and made it pulse with the excitement of discovery.”
- David Malitz, “Lists: David Malitz’s top ten albums of 2009″, The Washington Post
From: Beijing, China
Genre: No Wave, Indie Rock
Touchstones: Sonic Youth, Jesus and Mary Chain, Suicide, Velvet Underground

P.K.14
“P.K. 14′s thrashing chords, dark bass lines and frenetic beats resonate with echoes of Sonic Youth, the Pixies, Fugazi and the New York Dolls. But the Beijing band’s charismatic vocalist, Yang Haisong, 34, says he takes his lead from songwriters such as Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs and a whole generation of protest musicians. Think of P.K. 14, in other words, as neither punk nor postpunk but postfolk.”
- Lara Day, “Asia’s Best Bands”, Time Magazine
From: Beijing, China
Genre: Chinese Rock, Post-Punk
Touchstones: Talking Heads, Television, Woodie Guthrie

AV Okubo
“Hong Kong experimental cinema, 80′s Kungfu movies, triad gangsters, Chinese and Japanese cartoons, Qian Xuesen and China’s early space program all collide together in AV Okubo’s sound to create a weird kaleidoscope of modern Chinese sensibilities.” AV Okubo’s debut album is produced by Martin Atkins.
- Maybe Mars
From: Beijing, China
Genre: New wave, experimental noise, disco punk
Touchstones: Ratatat, Battles, These Are Powers, Orange
Home page: http://maybemars.org/index.php/artists/av-okubo/

…this is now!

Bonus cut…

It’s time…

Saturday, March 20
Doors at 6 p.m.
The Opening of the Kessler Theater
Featuring: DJ Mr. Rid (spinning) – Josh Alan Friedman’s Book signing Black Cracker – “A Photographic History of Music in Dallas” by wicked-awesome photographer James Bland – Performances by Mark Growden – Slam Poet Jason Carney – Josh Alan Friedman
Cost: It’s on the house, just bring booze money
Full bar

A couple of weeks back, Salim Nourallah invited me into his Pleasantry Lane Recording Studio for an “artist’s studio tour” for KERA’s Art&Seek. It was nearly 5-years ago that I did the same for Pegasus News. The studio has changed dramatically since then.

I was asked to obtain a copy of the Nourallah Brothers self-titled album, which will go into rotation on Gini Mascorro’s Texas Mix on 91.7 KXT…I uploaded the entire CD and its bonus CD to my laptop prior to handing it over to KXT. I’ve been listening all day and it’s really made me melancholy and wishful that the Nourallah brothers would put their differences aside and come back together to make another record. I think it could be quite brilliant and full of quirky and perhaps dramatic stories about the making of it.

Anyway, the above video was shot and produced by my dear friend Alex Kanakis. I was actually invited to sit in on the planning meeting for the video, but Alex took the ball and ran with it, and a lovely, thoughtful and wonderful video resulted.

Below is the latest studio tour I filmed for KERA/Art&Seek.

I dearly love Salim and his family. In fact, I’d say he’s in the top five of my top five favorite humans on earth. He’s also one of my very very very favorite singer-songwriters.

There’s a very cool intimate concert series that takes place at the Studio by the Lake. Salim will perform on April 3rd, alongside other local greats, Trey Johnson and Ronnie Fauss. It’s a not-to-miss-er…so don’t miss it.

So this 13-year old girl contacts me about getting some booking and promotions advice. Reading through the email, I noted that she did some recording with my beloved Salim Nourallah, which in turn boosted my curiosity.

After checking this kid out, I have one phrase and one phrase only….whooooooolllly craaaaaaap!

It reminded me a little of the first time I heard Maren Morris perform at the ripe old age of about 11 and the first time I heard Sarah Jaffe perform at the ripe old age of about 15. Ya kinda don’t believe these amazing voices are coming out of those little girls.

Anna Thomas has already made somewhat of a name for herself, featured on such indie radio shows as Indies Top 10 and Mevio Radio. Her songs have also graced the charts on Top Ten Pop and Broadjam.

Her voice is mature enough to fool ya into thinking she’s in her 20′s. Her songwriting is good enough to think she’s been writing for decades, not just half a decade. Beautiful voice, beautiful songs.

Check out her tunes and bookmark her website. You can thank me later.

PS: Anna is performing at the Lone Star Wine Cellars on Friday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. You can thank me with a nice glass of Chardonnay.

I’d kill to be able to shoot and edit like the folks at Lucky Rabbit Films. Hell, I’ll probably ask them if I can be their eldest intern (in the history of film) when I move to Austin in the coming years.

So, working on the calendar today, I noted that Deadman (one of my favorite bands EVER) are playing the Doublewide on Saturday night. While I’m spoken for the AllGood show with Dougie Burr and The Fox and the Bird, I’ll just have to cut out early to go see my beloved Steve Collins and band.

The above video is a 2-year old project that captures the band perfectly. It’s a gorgeous piece, rich with great videography and the perfect sounds of Deadman’s music.

Saturday, January 16th
AllGood Cafe: Doug Burr w/The Fox and the Bird
The Doublewide: Deadman

LaGrange: the opening night musical wrap up. Music courtesy of Slick 57

If you are lookin’ for me, I’m over here…

Thursday, December 10th
AllGood Cafe
Jon Dee Graham
CD Release Celebration for It’s Not as Bad as it Looks
9 pm

Lessee…full bar’n'music‘n’really wicked awesome artists with wares fer sale…I know where I’ll be on Saturday…

Trailblazin’ the Craft Scene Since 2007
Etsy Dallas, the original Dallas team and the first city team in Texas, is a cooperative craft collective of artists and designers living and working in Dallas who sell their wares on Etsy, the web’s premiere marketplace for all things hip and handmade. Etsy Dallas boasts talent from a range of mediums and crafts, and is independently run by its members with the blessing and loving support of Etsy.

Because of the determination of the original members, Etsy Dallas has become a force in the handmade movement, both locally and beyond. In the wake of Etsy Dallas’ inception in 2007, other Texas teams have formed including Etsy Austin, Alamo City Etsy, Etsy Fort Worth, Northeast Texas Etsy, Artisans of Houston and North Dallas Etsy. Two years later, Etsy Dallas continues to be the model as a leader in the art/craft scene.

Mission
This mission of Etsy Dallas is to promote the handmade movement, and to create an environment to buy and sell handmade goods in the Greater Dallas area.

Goals
~To promote each others’ goods by selling locally in the Greater Dallas area.
~To promote awareness of the handmade movement and indie lifestyle, with a focus on our Etsy shops.
~To act as a cooperative resource and support network for each others’ businesses.

History
Etsy Dallas was founded in September of 2007 by Stephanie Hindall of Tefi Designs and a handful of others (including co-leader Pamela Michelle) eager to spread the handmade movement across the metroplex. Today we are doing just that with two local craft shows that have garnered city-wide support and national credibility (learn more about the Bash HERE). Etsy Dallas has transformed itself over the years into a tight-knit collaborative group that supports each other’s handmade endeavors with love and good times.

Friday, November 13
Sons of Hermann
Experience a night of music and festivities in the name of looking deeper to fight lung cancer!
$30

7 p.m. – Doors Open/Silent Auction Begins
8 p.m. – Shoot Low Sheriff
9 p.m. – Dertybird
10 p.m. – Salim Nourallah

Look Deeper concert is being put on to raise money for the National Lung Cancer Partnership. The National Lung Cancer Partnership raises money for Lung Cancer research.

“Ocho” – Collin Herring at Ramble Creek from Todd Wiseman on Vimeo.

I was sort of laughing at myself a couple of days ago when I realized that I had missed my “7-years of music blogging” anniversary last month. I wasn’t laughing at the fact that my dead braincells are multiplying, rather that the main staples…really, the only staples, of my car CD player are the following:

The Lonelies EP
Macon Greyson Uneasy
Collin Herring Avoiding the Circus
Deadman Paramour
Joyful Sinners EP
The Happy Bullets Blue Skies and Umbrellas
Salim Nourallah Polaroid
Thrift Store Cowboys

These are the CDs I listened to years and years and years ago that made me fall in love with the local music community, and all these years later, I’ve never tired of a one.

However, I do get really excited when these bands and artists put out new albums. I found the above video over on Collin Herring’s site. It’s really awesome and features some great Texas-based musicians and producers and songwriters and brilliance.

Collin Herring is releasing his latest album, Ocho, pretty much as I type. The above video was shot at Ramble Creek, featuring a behind the scenes peek into the making of this record. Collin Herring and his dad (and bandmate) Ben Roi Herring are folks I consider to be my friends. I’ve known ‘em forever. I’ve loved ‘em forever, and neither one has ever played or sung a note that I didn’t absolutely adore.

Ocho was recorded out in the sticks at Ramble Creek and features such other FineLineFaves as Ben Roi Herring, Will Johnson, Keith Hanna, Roberto Sanchez and of course the great Britton Beisenherz (The Monahans, Milton Mapes).

The Ocho festivities kick-off on Monday, when Collin will appear on KXAN in Austin and on KLBJ 93.7..wait, there’s more…

Tuesday, November 17th
Waterloo Records (Austin)
Live in-store – 5 p.m. – Free

Thursday, November 26th
The Moon Bar in Fort Worth – 10ish

Saturday, November 28th
The Ghost Room in Austin