THURSDAY
Sarah Jaffe/DJ Empty Cylinder (AT&T Performing Arts Center): Warmup act DJ Empty Cylinder has a semi-regular night at the Inwood Lounge called “Vinyl Fantasy,” and it’s a nice way to waste an evening, as old soul records are a nice way to waste any evening. The artist also plays in the self-described “ambient metal” group, CHUDS, with Sean French of Eyes, Wings, and Many Things. Excellent and yet unlikely programming on the part of whomever booked this, and I would love to hear some soul sides echoing throughout the Arts District as opposed to more superfluous folk music. This is the final show of the celebrated “patio sessions,” and you can find more info by going here.
Nite Shadez/Falvo/EDL (Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios): Rather than the usual vinyl (and occasional iPhone) sets by “Discipline,” this show is of note for a few reasons: Along with a rare appearance by former Dallas resident and one-man synth act, Falvo, Denton’s Out-of-Body Records will have the new release by the video and tape collage act, Nite Shadez this evening. A release by New York noise act, Compactor will also be available, and ou might try to get one in person rather than wasting time with mail order, since these limited-run projects tend to sell out quickly and often to people far from North Texas.
“Big Bang” (Beauty Bar): I’m going to guess that Sober doesn’t do any Halloween-themed tracks in his sets, and if he does I’m sure they’re on the more respectable end of said tracks.
“Take 5 Thursdays” (Swallow Lounge): Tonight’s guest is Niro.
FRIDAY
Ella Minnow/The Boxing Lesson/The Treelines (Hailey’s Club): Show up early enough to catch the Treelines, which features the mostly unheralded successfully melodic vocal talents of Amanda Newton, a singer who somehow manages to take away attention from her backing band. That’s hard to do since considering they receive their fair share.
Magic Milk/Bad Design/Bukkake Moms/Joy Sores (Macaroni Island): House shows always feature the best band names, but simultaneously always the worst band names too.
Ishi/The Gorehounds/The Venables (Cambridge Room at House of Blues): So a couple of weeks ago, Dallas was getting ready to watch New Order take the stage for the first time in decades, a very sacred moment for area dance fans, music geeks, 80s party people turned account execs, goth dads, mall teens, you name it. First, a very generic DJ comes on and plays a Foo Fighters’ remix. The grumbling in the crowd is immediately obvious. We disapprove. Then a man decked out in a luminescent Native American outfit takes the stage, to open up for a band that still has two members of Joy Division in it. Can you show a little respect next time, Ishi?
Tonight Ishi will be playing Depeche Mode songs for Halloween, and I’m going to guess they’re all featured on The Singles: 86-98, which includes their best-known work. Even so, this is still tricky, since Taylor Rea left the band, as she was the group’s strongest member. Let this be a warning that there is an excellent chance that Ishi might not do justice to these Depeche Mode tracks, based on wardrobe choice alone, and I don’t even really like Depeche Mode. The Gorehounds will be great as The Cramps, since that’s what they do even when it’s not Halloween. The Venables have their work cut out for them as The Smiths, but that might make this entire show worth attending.
“Sixteen Candles: Zubar 16th Anniversary” (Zubar): Zubar has really been open for sixteen years? Either I’m old, or it’s old. Featuring Brett Johnson, John Walker, Mike Constantino and more. Event is free.
Anthony Social (Beauty Bar): There aren’t many places where you’ll hear an Italo set on Hendy this Friday night, so do your best to stop by and hear the always-consistent Mr. Social. This is a birthday party for the ever-popular local model and all-around It Gal, Melissa Meaow, so do wish her well.
Disco Nihilist/Convextion/Cygnus and more… (Swallow Lounge): There will be a near overwhelming variety of talent here this evening, thanks to two different local dance entities booking some of the most respected names in Dallas DJ culture, all at the same event. That list comes out to eleven names on both indoor and outdoor stages, so let’s hope the cold, though welcome, is a little forgiving this weekend.
This is all in addition to Disco Nihilist, an artist who has several acclaimed releases on deep house labels such as Love What You Feel and Construction Paper Records, which is based in Austin. Disco Nihilist aka Mike Taylor once worked at Backspin Records in Austin, which was a shop that has since shuttered. This was once a favorite stop of mine in statewide music gathering, and Disco Nihilist had a nice little description of self-education through music, in an interview with music distributor, Juno Plus last month:
I would also clean records in the back room, which was a pretty awesome job because all the used stock came to me first and I got to clean it all up, look at it and get it before everyone else. So I learned a lot in that little back room cleaning records throwing on what ever looked interesting. It wasn’t glamourous, but it was a great education.
I worked in the same location when Backspin was not Backspin, but a much lesser music chain. Still, the experience described spoke to me, as I’m sure it does to those who have toiled in the discarded collections of others. Full lineup and schedule is as follows:
INSIDE
8-9 Chris Ackert
9-10 Gavin G
10-11 Cygnus
11-12 Nkkstone
12-1 Wanz Dover
1-2 DJ G
OUTSIDE
8-9 Gina G
9-10 Mr. Daishiki Jones
10-11 Ricky Silk
11-12 Convextion
12-1 Demarkus Lewis
1-2 Disco Nihilist
SATURDAY
“Slip Inside This House” (Texas Theatre): There is a promised Halloween slant to this event, but it’s all ancient psychedelic music, so it’s completely okay.
Jealousy Mountain Duo/Eccotone/Two Knights/Spacebeach (Pizza Haus): Jealousy Mountain is here all the way from Germany to play next door to Fort Worth’s 1919 Hemphill, which seemed incredible to me, until I remembered that I once flew to Germany just to drink eggnog and cry while staring at the Elbe.
SUNDAY
Lechuguillas/Terminator 2/Cerulean Giallo/Bukkake Moms (Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios): We seem to be living in a time where most rock music is a hilarious shadow of its former self, much more suitable to sell smart cars than actually make any sort of significant social or at the very least, aesthetic impact. Many bands look like they’re trying out for a Broadway adaptation of Almost Famous, and their musical output makes the fictional Stillwater sound like Bad Brains’ demos. Everything I’m saying does not describe any of these acts, and they all seem to take rock music seriously, not as some leftover 70s joke from their parents’ record collections. I want to thank them for that. If you are in a band similar to what I’ve described, stop now, and reenter the work force respectfully please.
Courtney and the Crushers/War Party/New Science Projects/Bad Times (1919 Hemphill): 1919 now enters a new era without former head, Rick Vandeveerdonk, and here’s hoping that they have someone who can describe bands so succinctly and accurately, most of the time.
Image: Ishi’s John Mudd, seemingly asking “Who, me?,” while opening for New Order. Photo by Andi Harman.
