May 18, 2013
Music In The Hood
Photos courtesy of Ed Bernet For 50 years, the Levee Singers have enjoyed a dedicated Dallas fan base. They are, left to right, Ralph Lindsey, Ed Bernet, Ralph Sanford and Dick Bernet.
CELEBRATING MORE THAN 50 YEARS IN WHITE ROCK ‘Levee’ is synonymous with East Dallas for 51 years
On any given Saturday night in East Dallas during the early 1960s, cars circled for blocks along East Mockingbird Lane to find a coveted spot to park for “The Egyptian,” (Campisi’s). It was a rite of passage. Parking on Mockingbird was at a premium. But those folks were in stiff competition with the hordes headed for The Levee, a small club a bit to the east of there. Drivers were determined fans of the popular club’s unique house band, which...
full story
5EZ4_012513musicduo.jpg
MUSIC Duo offers deep emotional connection to music
A few years ago I was staring at the beginning of a job as a music writer for a small publication here in town. During the first meeting with my new editor, he tossed out an idea for a story: karaoke vs. cover bands hack musicians – original/legit bands weigh in. I remember carefully speculating that we might lose some credibility if we made such a brazen assertion since, from what I’d observed, several of those who rank highest in terms of s...
full story
Photo of local rock and roll outfit The Roomsounds by Will Bolton
MUSIC Band goes back to roots to find their unique sounds
Local band The Roomsounds are out to make music their way: by going backward. This probably sounds a little strange since the music world puts such an emphasis on forward momentum and progression, but in this case, backward doesn’t mean diminished content or lackluster music. During a face-to-face meeting with these guys, you’ll find yourself thinking about the days of 15-minute drum solos and the wildly successful salt-of-the-earth rockers of...
full story
Photo featuring Ryder on the far left of the Alley Cats – courtesy of the Yale Alley Cats
Alley Cats to sing for first time in Texas
Ryder Billings, a Gates Scholar and 2010 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High, will be performing with his singing group at Yale, the Alley Cats, at the high school at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 11. The program will be a fundraiser for the performing arts academy at Woodrow and tickets will be $10. They may be purchased in advance at https://yalealleycats.ticketbud.com/woodrow. The venue will be the auditorium of the historic building at 100 S. Glasgow...
full story
Photo by Todd V. Wolfson
Hickman takes break from Austin, heads home
As a University of North Texas grad, 500X Gallery artist, former Lakewood resident and busy performer, singer-songwriter Sara Hickman is all about Dallas. Or make that “was.” Hickman’s been creating music in Austin now for more than a decade. Yet Dallas is such a part of her past and personality that returning to perform in the Metroplex is something she looks forward to on every journey. “It’s always great to come back to Dallas,” Hickman sa...
full story
Photo courtesy of Norman Matthew and The Sound Foundation
MUSIC New school offers ‘cross-pollination’ of young artists
Booker T. Washington instructor and Murder FM front man Norman Matthew and a collective of other notable local musicians are set to open a new music school called The Sound Foundation TSF) this weekend on the outskirts of Deep Ellum. The space itself is impressive: a gated building with surveillance and alarms, a built-in venue with a stage and lighting system and attention to carefully thought out details, such as banks of power outlets in th...
full story
Photo by Patricia Gaffney
Adolfus site for holiday caroling
Classical Radio Station WRR (101.1 FM Dallas/Fort Worth) showcased treasured seasonal music Dec. 3-7 in its 28th season of Caroling at the Adolfus. The downtown Dallas hotel, celebrating its 100th year in business, hosted the live broadcast in an upstairs ballroom. Each day of the Monday-Friday series featured one musical group, which gave a taste of its seasonal repertoire and invited the audience to attend full concerts throughout the DFW ar...
full story
Photo courtesy of Home by Hovercraft
MUSIC AND THEATER ‘On the Eve’ mixes music, theater with integrity
Local band Home By Hovercraft has teamed up with Kitchen Dog company member Michael Frederico to create a new musical called “On The Eve,” which opened Thursday, Nov. 29 at the Magnolia Lounge at Fair Park. Home By Hovercraft is a band comprised of husband-wife team Seth and Shawn Magill. Throughout the last year or so they’ve added more members, fleshing the outfit into a five piece. But this is hardly a traditional rock band. Home By Hovercr...
full story
The Blackstone Rangers.
MUSIC Music Awards provide great way to see acts
The 24th annual Dallas Observer Music Awards Showcase in Deep Ellum was a massive event. A sampling of around 60 DFW acts nominated in one or more of the more than 30 categories in the reader-driven poll played at multiple venues on Elm Street in Deep Ellum on Saturday, Nov. 10. The event is structured so that one $10 ticket grants anyone 21 and older access to any and all performances in participating venues during the last night voting is al...
full story
Boys Named Sue play inaugural nightly concert at Sundown at Granada. Photos by William V. Ellison.
Sundown is where the music comes out at night
Two weeks ago, Sundown at Granada on Greenville Avenue made the exciting announcement that they would have free live music from 11 p.m. – 2 a.m., seven nights a week. I hear what you’re probably thinking, and rest assured, I thought the same thing – stripped down, acoustic live music suitable for restaurants. This usually translates to “quiet enough to talk over but loud enough that the quiet dinner you were hoping for has just been given an e...
full story