Tuesday, March 18
Dark Sister (Sundown at Granada): This is mostly listed because the thought of a rap duo with a fetish for nü metal performing at Sundown seems odd to me. Or as the invite says about the band:
while their sound is a blend of hip hop and hardcore breakdowns that mix with occult laced lyrics — creating a cyberpunk band that is bending genres and creating the next wave of grunge.
Got that? Nü metal, hip hop, hardcore, the occult, cyberpunk, and grunge—all at a place that serves a quinoa burger. Get weird, Dallas!
Wednesday, March 19
Good Records Humpday Food Truck Festivus (Good Records): If there are two things that Texans can’t live without, it’s food trucks and live music. I just got back from Austin and I feel I can make that statement with certainty. The level of quality between those two luxuries are often cause for some passionate disagreements, but that’s merely part of the fun.
A variety of food trucks will present their wares at Good Records this Wednesday, along with musical accompaniment by The O’s Taylor Young. This event is free, and there will also be a keg on hand. This could be one of those rare instances where the concessions might outshine the entertainment. The party runs from 6 pm to 9 pm.
Thursday, March 20
Leif/Dark Rooms/Vulgar Fashion (Double Wide): This is one of the more exciting shows all week, even if I’m suffering from sponsor fatigue a bit of late. It is festival season, after all. Leif is an artist who is responsible for everything from Das Racist’s “Pizza Hut Taco Bell,” a great pop culture moment on which he served as a producer, to calling out Macklemore for both ripping him off and exploiting the gay person’s plight for his track “Same Love.” I’m definitely with Leif in that particular rap battle. Factoids aside, Leif is simply an unbelievable rapper who deserves more credit, and judging by the uptick in attention he seems to be getting it. A couple of well-selected opening acts help make this even more worthy of your efforts.
“Fresh 45s” (Crown and Harp): This all-45s evening of DJing is especially unique in that you hardly see anyone using them in sets anymore, and I can vouch for that because a radio DJ came up to me in awe the last time I put one on in public. Tonight’s guest DJ is Gensu Dean, a Dallas producer who has worked on tracks by extremely notable names such as CL Smooth and even the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard. How many people in this city can say that? Resident DJs include JT Donaldson, Jay Clipp, and of course, DJ Spinderella, all of whom are no slouches either.
Friday, March 21
Def Rain/Party Static (Texas Theatre): These “behind the screen” performances at the Texas Theatre can range from a little awkward to magically enveloping, but they’re always special. This will likely be on the latter end of that spectrum, as these bands know how to take full advantage of their surroundings with a playfulness and enthusiasm that keep the proceedings from being stale. Def Rain does it with danceability and Party Static is a true-to-their-name rock band that doesn’t seem to take anything seriously. DJs Travis Box and Benjamin White will also be there, and their extensive collections can bend thematically to just about any get-together. You should go.
Image: Leif. Credit: Jake Moore, courtesy of the Windish Agency.
