For the first time in a long time, I was ready to go out long before I planned. What could possibly lure me from my cozy boudoir so fashionably early (besides cheap drink specials that always seem to end at 11)? I place the 'blame' squarely on The Tellevators, the first band to open for RTB2 Saturday night at The Boiler Room. I missed them when they played in Denton several months ago, and everyo... read more
On a Monday that topped out at 105 degrees the Boxcar Bandits packed in a healthy sized crowd to Dan’s Silverleaf with the draw of a free show filled with a few hours of amazing bluegrass and the relief of two dollar beers and air conditioning. The Bandits even graced the crowd with two sets. The band, normally a six piece outfit, had two guest performers, Burton Lee on the Dobro (from the group ... read more
Denton’s women’s bicycle group, the Vaginees (pronounced Va-genies), hosted a musical benefit fundraiser for the animal rescue group Casa de Critters on Thursday night in J&J’s old dirty basement. For those of you who are not familiar with the Vaginees, they are a community driven group of women who share the interests of bicycling and all things womanly. While being serious in helping the communi... read more
The Black and Blues are a fantastic synthesis of new and old, the hip and the classic. They hosted a jam session last night at Hailey's, and though there was only a sparse crowd you wouldn't have known by the massive mountain of sound coming from the stage. The Black and Blues do a great job of blending 70's and 80's rock, blues, funk, and R&B with the two singers' soulful voices. Evan Gentry is o... read more
Wednesday night, The Bernard Wright Trio performed at Hailey's Club, yet another fabulous featured band in the Nica concert series. The first set featured the core trio: Bernard Wright on keys, Wes Stephenson on bass, and John Caruth on the drums. For the second set, all of the Denton players who brought their horns (and some that didn't) made their way to the stage to sit in for a song or two.... read more
I first heard of this group a few years ago when I picked up their first LP, an eponymous double album released in 2005. I was enamored with the funky dance beats but slightly put off by the repetitive, often bizarre lyrics. It was a strange combination, and I couldn't stop listening to it. When I picked up their second album Sound of Silver (nominated for a Grammy for Best Electronic/Dance album... read more
The new Sundress e.p. wasn’t supposed to be out yet. After two failed attempts at naming themselves only to face potential legal action because of their choices, the band had decided to take time off, find a name that made everyone happy (especially lawyers and fans), and record. But, they couldn’t sit still. Almost immediately, the band started appearing as Sundress, and have now dropped their... read more
It’s difficult to compare Doug Burr’s work to anything else. He seemed to arrive as a fully-formed artist, and has spent the last few years releasing a string of consistently moving albums that have risen above his occasional challenging of his audience. I mean, how many other artists could release two blatantly Christian-inspired albums and not be pigeon-holed or marginalized? ... read more
No, it's not the latest flavor of Swisher Sweets. It's perhaps the most unique thing to come out of the Deep South since Shooter Jennings. Blackberry Smoke revitalizes the southern rock genre with a new record, Little Bit of Dixie, and a whole lotta soul. ... read more
