FRIDAY
Ryan Thomas Becker (NYLO Plano at Legacy): So about seven months ago, there was this little dust-up on FrontRow over a write-up on Fox and the Bird, who happened to be playing at Lochrann’s Pub in Frisco that evening. In the last paragraph, I suggested this:
If a band really wants to take a chance and play off-the-beaten-path then they should hike it down Preston a few miles and play The Nylo Hotel.
Unfortunately, Lochrann’s is no longer around, due to a dispute between the bar and its landlord, Frisco Square, in a botched plan to move to the Gilley’s Complex. It all sounds very messy, and I do wish Frisco music entrepreneurs Wellhouse Co. all the luck in the world on opening either another Collin County-based music venue or an Oak Cliff location, as they have suggested as another possible relocation destination.
But back to The NYLO. In a partnership with Spune Productions, Wellhouse will be presenting live music at the elite West Plano hotel on weekends through July, which leads me to a couple of conclusions:
1. I never would have imagined six-months ago that a rather tongue-in-cheek venue suggestion would turn into a reality — with the exact two venues I mentioned. Leave it to the often ugly world of the music (and real estate) business to make truth stranger-than-fiction.
2. The NYLO has been a favorite “hideout spot,” where one could be confident that you would never run into anyone from the local music scene. The NYLO Club offers its members “random acts of cool,” according to the site, and the loft bar was a place where an older and discerning gentleman needn’t be bothered by the mundane or everyday trivialities. It is the kind of place where you could sink back into one of their gloriously deep hanging seats and pretend to be either predator or prey in the “Big Poppa” video. In fact, one time when I was there they closed the night out with this classic mash-up. But that’s all gone now. Now they are bringing in singer-songwriters like Fort Worth’s Luke Wade and Denton’s Ryan Thomas Becker, who has a show tonight on the hotel’s patio. While I’m glad that the Lochrann’s crew has found another place to concentrate on booking live acts in the meantime, I’ll miss the local music unfriendly player’s club that it once was. Serves me right, I suppose.
Boogie Down with DJ G/Rufus P. Funk/DJ Gabriel (Fallout Lounge): Focusing on the mainly on music from the “late 60s-early 80s,” but my favorite description is “unclassic disco.”
Otep/Blackguard/Destrophy/Sister Sin/One Eyed Doll (Trees): I did quite the double take when I was doing a quick read of Twitter before hopping in the shower this morning and caught this Tweet in regard to this show from The Dallas Voice. In an un-bespectacled state, I read “Dallas Voice” as “Dallas News,” and thought to myself, “There is NO WAY that has become an acceptable headline in The News!” And of course, I was right. Whew.
Matthew and the Arrogant Sea/The Sour Notes/Elaine Greer/Salim Nourallah (Dan’s Silver Leaf): I can name no two acts that better represent the state of their respective chosen city’s songwriting scene over the past five years than Matthew and Sailm. So it’s very fitting that they share a bill.
Indentondance Day with Hoyotoho/Sextape/Name Droppers/Killtron/Twin Breaker (Hailey’s): Can you believe this is the third year for this dubiously-titled celebration? I am perhaps biased because I helped book this one year, but I can say that I had a good time at that outing, which isn’t always true for events where I have had a hand in the booking. I remember some wild avant jazz punks playing right before a rap group, and it was pretty happening. Also, the great TommyBoy DJ’ed, and when he did, he just threw on a mix and then sort of walked around the room. Some people were ticked off, but I thought it was a great performance. He is supposed to be uploading his first new mix in over a year, so look forward to that. This doesn’t seem as musically diverse as past entries, but that’s not always a bad thing.
SATURDAY
The Demigs/Deep Snapper/Paper Robot (Andy’s)
Track Meet/Total Vengeance/Florene (The Crown & Harp): Even though they aren’t headlining, don’t overlook the special reunion taking place here with Total Vengeance, the hydra-headed dance trio that, according to my archives, includes members “Mr. O” and “Riga Sprats.” What happened to those DJ names, fellas? This can be so confusing. I see I also had them as playing “Acid House and Dutch Electro cuts.” Don’t know if they’ll mess with the old formula for the reunion, but they are promising “early Chicago house, acid and electro,” so close enough?
Wiz Khalifa (Verizon): Wiz Khalifa’s last tweet was really nice. Isn’t it nice when people remember their fans? It seems like proud Dallasites should relate to anyone that’s proud of being from Pittsburgh, as both cities have many more decrying than supporting us. Wiz Khalifa of course, did a little track called “Black and Yellow,” a song famous enough that it’s garnered many parodies. Remember, you’re nobody until somebody mocks you.
Don Ray/Tony Schwa/Adam Pickrell/Wanz Dover (Barcadia): This is presented by Cool Out, as it is an after-party for the “Boat Party” they are throwing earlier in the day. I would have posted the info for that, but there is free food and drink, it’s on a boat, and I don’t believe there is any other way to purchase tickets at this point, so it just seems cruel. But this is the after-party, and I bet you have a wide-open shot at attending. Can you believe that after-party still gets the “spell check squiggly?” It’s 2011! Note: Though still dance music-related, this is not the same Don Ray of “Garden Of Love” fame.
Away From The Numbers (Fallout Lounge): Guest DJ is Travis Box.
Dead Rider/Nervous Curtains/Pinkish Black (Double Wide): You may remember the now-defunct Chicago act, US Maple, who were, shall we say, willfully difficult. Though they were inspired by Captain Beefheart, they could nearly make the Captain sound conventional by comparison. Dead Rider includes US Maple’s guitarist Mark Rittman, which right away makes this seems easier to swallow than US Maple. The disjointedness has been replaced with moodiness, and that makes the opening acts all the more suited to open up this show, which will be atmospherically air-tight. Now is a good time to mention that US Maple’s version of “Lay Lady Lay” is both hilarious and great.
SUNDAY
David Bazan/Rocky Vatolato (Dan’s Silver Leaf): The never-ending discussion over this guy’s religious beliefs is pretty tiresome, but I suppose he should get some credit for having weathered an association with ambiguously religious emo (yikes!) with much of his dignity intact. He is far, far less grating than many of his contemporaries, and his music has aged better than theirs as well.
Nicky Click/CJ & The Dolls/Cuckoo Byrds/DJ Gavin G (Fallout Lounge): If you value your life, don’t accept the “Free Poppers” offered to the contest winner for the “best dressed flying monkey costume.” Let’s face it: If you’re dressed like a flying monkey, do you really need drugs? Even legal ones usually reserved for cleaning VHS tapes?
Sabertooth/Mixtapes/Nitch Pickens/Empty Dots (1919 Hemphill)
For millions of 4th Of July ideas, go here.
Image: Dead Rider. Courtesy of Pitch Perfect PR.
