Buried in a quote of this FrontBurner recap of the DMN report, on possible future uses of the Statler Hilton, is the eyebrow-raising fact that the shuttered hotel may someday be one of the newest live music venues in Dallas. Apparently the ballroom would serve the purpose. Does that excite you at all? Imagine the possibilities for Homegrown Fest. I would love to text someone, “If you need me, I’ll be in the ghostly ballroom of the Statler H, enjoying a DJ set and a prosecco.”
Before we get to tonight’s shows, you should take a minute to read Stefan Gonzalez’s beautiful remembrance of the late Fort Worth free jazz artist, Ronald Shannon Jackson. The piece brought to mind what I would consider one of the acutely moving moments of 2oth Century music, when Albert Ayler performed at John Coltrane’s funeral. Jackson performed with Ayler, so it is even more fitting.
Tonight’s shows—
Nervous Curtains/DJ Virus/Jon Per/Anthony Social/Keith P (The Church): If you’re still feeling blue that Halloween only lasts a month now, but still hasn’t quite made it two, I bet you can shake that off pretty easily by showing up here tonight. Some of the area’s most darkly-inclined DJs will join forces with one of the gloomiest bands in town, so it should be a perfect marriage.
The Nervous Curtains have a new track out which is simply titled, “CWII.” From what I gather that stands for “Cold War II.” Only a band this sardonic would proclaim such an event, and they couple it nicely with some of the coldest electronic sounds I’ve heard from them yet.
John Legend (Verizon Theatre): Why can’t John Legend be performing at Fun Fun Fun Fest this weekend, like so many other acts stopping in Dallas this week? I could really go for that. We have more info on the charming R&B singer if you go here.
Chelsea Light Moving/True Widow/Merchandise (Trees): First of all, that Trees website has to stop autoplaying music. What year is this? 1997?
I caught Chelsea Light Moving earlier this year, and was actually pretty surprised by the uptick in energy that Thurston Moore seemed to have this late in his career. I was expecting something a bit more timid, but he opened with an extended improvisation during soundcheck that seamlessly moved into some actually compelling music, for the most part. He could have stood around and just strummed aimlessly, but thankfully he seemed to get out of bed and go to work.
D-Teknics/Dtrikk/Metronome (The Crown and Harp): Once again, MC Leo J will be hosting “Fresh Cuts,” a turntable competition featuring the DJs listed above. The event is free and begins at 10 pm.
While you’re there, make sure to stop upstairs to catch “Lost Generation.” Wanz Dover and M3sa will be playing “the other music” up there.
“Vibe” (Beauty Bar): Hunter Vaughn will be Colly T’s guest at this decidedly non-hip hop weekly. I need to check this out, if only to see if the bleed-over still happens between the Slip Inn and Beauty Bar, ever since the genre change.
Other Thursday events that are still worth a tiny investment—
Hunters/The Bugs/Street Arabs (Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios)
Update: Small Black/Cutter/Burning Hotels (Prophet Bar)
Quasi/Blues Control (Dan’s Silver Leaf)
Image: Chelsea Light Moving’s Thurston Moore, in live performance at 35 Denton, March 2013. Credit: Andi Harman.
