DFW Concert Schedule

Hello dear reader,

If you are a local, and by local I mean in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, then today’s blog will be most helpful.  If you are not local, then thanks for checking out the page today.

Here is a list of concerts for the summer concert season.  All listings are as of today.  Hope this helps you in your musical endeavors!

Alicia Keys 4/2/2010 Nokia Theatre Bon Jovi 4/10/2010 American Airlines Center Bon Jovi 4/11/2010 American Airlines Center Vampire Weekend 4/11/2010 House of Blues Dallas Pat Metheny 4/13/2010 Nokia Theatre Chris Botti 4/15/2010 Nokia Theatre Owl City 4/17/2010 Nokia Theatre Puddle of Mudd 4/19/2010 House of Blues Dallas Porcupine Tree 4/20/2010 House of Blues Dallas Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (Rescheduled from 2/23/2010) 4/22/2010 Bass Performance Hall George Clinton 4/22/2010 House of Blues Dallas Dierks Bentley 4/25/2010 Billy Bobs Jeff Beck 4/25/2010 Nokia Theatre David Sedaris 4/26/2010 McFarlin Auditorium Tony Bennett 4/26/2010 Myerson Symphony Tony Bennett 4/27/2010 Myerson Symphony Coheed And Cambria 4/29/2010 The Palladium Ballroom Blue October 4/30/2010 House of Blues Dallas Celtic Woman 5/1/2010 Nokia Theatre Norah Jones 5/4/2010 Music Hall at Fair Park TX Gipsy Kings 5/5/2010 House of Blues Dallas Straight No Chaser 5/6/2010 McFarlin Auditorium Bill Gaither 5/8/2010 Fort Worth Convention Center Ben Folds 5/9/2010 House of Blues Dallas Ralphs World 5/9/2010 House of Blues Dallas A Day to Remember with August Burns Red and Silverstein 5/11/2010 The Palladium Ballroom Styx with Foreigner and Kansas 5/12/2010 Nokia Theatre Nickelback with Breaking Benjamin and Sick Puppies 5/15/2010 American Airlines Center Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with Joe Cocker 5/15/2010 Superpages.com Center Jordin Sparks 5/18/2010 House of Blues Dallas Indigo Girls 5/28/2010 House of Blues Dallas Brooks and Dunn with Jason Aldean 5/29/2010 Superpages.com Center LOS TRES: Alejandro Fernandez with Joan Sebastian and Marco Antonio Solis 5/30/2010 American Airlines Center Maxwell and Jill Scott 6/8/2010 American Airlines Center Iron Maiden 6/9/2010 Superpages.com Center Country Throwdown Tour 6/10/2010 Superpages.com Center Montgomery Gentry 6/10/2010 Superpages.com Center Tim McGraw 6/12/2010 Superpages.com Center Mingo Fishtrap 6/19/2010 House of Blues Dallas Doobie Brothers and Chicago 6/25/2010 Superpages.com Center Jenni Rivera 6/25/2010 Nokia Theatre Sting 6/26/2010 Superpages.com Center Vans Warped Tour 7/3/2010 Superpages.com Center Justin Bieber 7/5/2010 Nokia Theatre Michael Buble 7/18/2010 American Airlines Center Lady Gaga 7/22/2010 American Airlines Center Robert Plant and The Band of Joy 7/23/2010 Morton H. Meyerson Brad Paisley 8/7/2010 Superpages.com Center Jackson Browne 8/13/2010 Nokia Theatre Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival featuring Korn and Rob Zombie 8/13/2010 Superpages.com Center Jack Johnson 8/17/2010 Superpages.com Center Green Day with AFI 8/26/2010 Superpages.com Center Sheryl Crow 8/26/2010 Nokia Theatre John Mayer 9/4/2010 Superpages.com Center Honda Civic Tour featuring Paramore 9/10/2010 Nokia Theatre Dave Matthews Band 9/11/2010 Superpages.com Center Kings of Leon 9/23/2010 Superpages.com Center Sugarland 10/8/2010 Superpages.com Center

Great music awaits!

Concerts

We hear a song, purchase/download some music; it raises our awareness of the band and then we become a fan.  The concert is the culmination of our musical inclinations.  It is the holy grail of the musical experience.  At least, in our mind, it is. 

The concert is the musical equivalent of craps (the game of chance, not Jack in the Box 2 for $1 greasy tacos passing through your bowels)

Some nights go like this:

You purchase your ticket with the expectation that it will be musical bliss and a night to remember.  You get there, fight the crowd, listen to the mediocre, at best, opening act, and wait impatiently for the headlining show.   After what seems like an eternity, out stumbles the drunk/high lead singer, forgets the words to your favorite song, becomes enraged at the crowds displeasure and walks of the stage giving you the double fisted one finger salute. 

While other nights go like this:

You show up at some little dive barbeque joint and begin to think the show has been canceled because there are only four cars in the parking lot.  You go in, order some food and a beer, take you pick of the abundantly available tables and notice two chairs on the stage and a couple of guitars.  You take a seat, sip your bear and out strolls the singer and his buddy and the play for several hours, come sit down and thank you for coming to the show and take your request and play it before the night is over.

I’ve regaled you with some stories of concerts from my past and touted the greatness of Austin City Limits Music Festival but today, I’m going to chronologically list the concerts, to the best of my recollection, I’ve attended over the years.

Year	Band
1983	Quiet Riot
Interesting Facts
7th grade, first concert to attend and broke my ankle that afternoon after being chased by a large classmate who took off his belt and began swinging it at me.  I left the hospital on crutches and planned on going to concert while my mother drove along beside me screaming at me to get in the car.  Being 12 and disabled, mom won and I missed the concert.  I did, however, get the t shirt as a consolation prize from my buddy who I gave the ticket to.
1985	Def Leppard
Interesting Facts
My first official concert that I actually got to attend.  Reunion Arena in Dallas, TX.  Oddly enough, I do not remember much about the concert other than it kicked much 14 year old musical butt.

1985-1989

Tom Petty Stevie Nicks Elton John Don Henley White Snake Tesla The Cult Metallica

Interesting Facts

This period was the high school years and while there are funny stories, time has blurred the lines a bit. One concert I went to with a group of girls and as soon as we got to Starplex Amphitheater, they all had to go to the rest room.  So, they opened the passenger door and all took turns squatting in the parking lot under the shroud of secrecy that was the afore mentioned door.  Don’t worry ladies; your identity is safe with me. Another concert had some of the above mentioned girls and on the way home we got lost and drove around through an amazing fog which we likened to the moors, a Sherlock Holmes reference at the time, and eventually made it home.  Some of attendees were really upset with the turn of events. White Snake concert we bought tickets from scalpers and got totally ripped off but thought we were so cool because we were seeing White Snake. Metallica was an amazing show and the first time I had seen mosh pits and thoroughly enjoyed the frantic pace of the music.  Some fans really enjoyed the show and started lighting the lawn on fire and once security came out, the fire just seemed to move to another location.

1989-1992

Travis Tritt Shenandoah Various country acts at Billy Bobs

Interesting Facts

Some of my buddies were really in to country music and I would often tag along because I had nothing else to do and wanted to make some new female acquaintances. The Shenandoah concert was particularly memorable, not because the concert was good, in fact, I never actually saw them.  I got kicked out of the bar because I was 18 and using a fake ID to buy beer.  My buddies, of course, stayed and watched the show.  The crushing event of the night was that the girl I took to the show also stayed inside and I sat alone in the back of my friend’s truck for several hours.  The night was not a total loss, because I drank all of the beer in the cooler while sitting in the parking lot of Billy Bob’s.

1993-1995

Lots of local acts in the musical mecca of Denton, TX Rush

Interesting Facts

The Rush show stands out for two reasons:To procure the tickets for this concert, my buddy and I left Denton very, very early on a Saturday morning after a very, very, late Friday night to go to Lewisville Mall to get tickets.  We arrived way too early and drove to Braums and got a double order of biscuits and gravy.  While this might not read as funny as it was, we were way hung over and those biscuits and gravy were the magic elixir that restored our health. Night of the concert we pick up our dates, have dinner and head to Dallas.  There is mild drinking, as colleges kids are known to do, and before you know it, we are on the floor of Reunion Arena basking in the glory of Rush.  On the way home there is some conversation of the concert and the girl that I took begins to nod off a bit and then suddenly hurls into and on the door.  We stop and ask if she is ok and she looks at us as if nothing happened and denies what is clearly on her chin, clothes, seat, floor, and of course door.  We get home she gets out like nothing happened.

1995-2005

The Dave Matthews BandMetallica Linkin Park Beastie Boys Pat Green Willie Nelson Jack Johnson Bob Dylan Bruce Springsteen Beck G. Love & Special Sauce Merle Haggard Tori Amos Korn Chevelle Robert Earl Keen

Interesting Facts

All pretty good shows and some artist like Dave Matthews and Pat Green I’ve seen multiple times.  The one stand out concert story is this:A group of folks went to see Willie Nelson at Lone Star Park which is an outdoor horse track.  His stage was set back a bit and there were risers and bleachers that elevated the fans to better see the stage.  I am walking up, wearing loose cargo shorts and minding my own business, when I feel something moving up my leg and heading north central.  I look down and there is an older woman with her hand up my shorts grabbing my junk.  I jump up and swat at her as if she is some form of annoying insect and she looks up, smiles with what teeth she has left and says “Oh, excuse me” as if she had accidently bumped into me as were passing on a sidewalk.  She then turned and walked away as if nothing had happened.

2006-Present

Pearl JamBen Harper Foo Fighters Tom Petty Beck G. Love & Special Sauce Wilco Son Volt Drive-By Truckers State Radio Brett Dennen Bruce Springsteen B-52’s Robert Plant & Allison Krause Joe Purdy Cross Canadian Ragweed The Killers The Tragically Hip The Eli Young Band Pete Yorn Bob Schneider James McMurtry Kris Kristofferson Merle Haggard

Damien RiceDonovan Frankenreiter Arcade Fire The Shins Okkervil River Mason Jennings The Black Keys Ray LaMontagne Queens of the Stone Age Bob Dylan Willie Nelson Van Morrison The Toadies The Killers John Mayer Steve Earle Bjork Iron & Wine Walt Wilkins The Dead Weather The Raconteurs Lucinda Williams Erin Ivey Amos Lee

Interesting Facts

The majority of these artists have been seen at the Austin City Limits Music Festival which is an annual pilgrimage for me.  Some artist I have seen both at ACL and their own headlining tour.

So, there you have it, a little stroll down concert memory lane.  Let me know about some of your favorite or at least memorable concert experiences and who is a must see when they roll through town.

Great music awaits!

John Mayer needs to shut up and play guitar!

John Mayer needs to shut up and play guitar.  I realize that between his music and apparent sexual prowess, he is tabloid fodder and in demand for interviews.  John, if Jessica Simpson was, as you so delicately put it, your sexual crack cocaine, interviews and reporters are your kryptonite.  Dude, SHUT UP, stop the pseudo-intellectual babble and play your guitar. 

I realize that with your fame, guitar skills, money, and looks, life might not be easy for you.  I’m just spit balling here, but I suspect it has been and will continue to be just a tad easier for you than the fry cook at McDonalds jockeying for position to be the drive through guy.  I’m betting that you probably have some form of medical insurance or at least the money to find a good doctor to go and chat with.  You know, I’ve heard that they have some kind of doctor/patient privilege thing where they don’t go tell the whole world all the moronic things you say. 

John, if someone is talking to you and they have some form of recording device or appear to be jotting down notes, SHUT UP!  Stop talking immediately and whip out your guitar and play a tune for them. From now on, you should never, ever be without your guitar.  Your guitar should be to you what the blanket was to Linus. 

While you have had the good fortune to gain carnal knowledge of several really hot and famous for being hot women, you don’t need to notify the world about it.  Or, if you feel the need to do so, pick up your guitar, write some lyrics and act like you are a musician.  Play your guitar, sing your songs, and stop trying to tell the world what a good guy you are.  I’m thinking at this point, the old adage of “Actions speak louder than words” might be a good mantra for you.  SHUT UP AND PLAY GUITAR!

Dude, you have worked with Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Common, and Kanye West to name just a few musicians/artist.  I realize as I typed the last name, you might have more in common with him than the others I mentioned as he has been known to take a left turn on occasion.  But my point is that you have worked with some of the biggest names in the business and those deals are brokered solely on your musical talent.  So, wait for it…. SHUT UP AND PLAY GUITAR!

So, John, to summarize, when Rolling Stone, Playboy, US Weekly, Star, The National Enquirer, People Magazine, or any other form of publication call you up and ask for an interview or a quote, politely decline, offer them two tickets to one of your shows, and hang up the phone.

You should partake in Austin City Limits Music Festival!

Austin City Limits Music Festival is a three day music festival that takes place in Austin, Texas at Zilker Park and unites 65,000 people (music lovers, drunks, stoners, hippies, college kids who don’t own shirts, middle aged men and their 20 something mid life crisis, middle aged women wearing their mid life crisis, etc…) and showcases 130 bands that range from established acts, up and coming artists, and cult bands.

As I have mentioned in previous blogs, I am a huge fan of Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL) and have attended each year since 2005.  In addition to being a fan of the event, Austin is my favorite city in Texas and ranks in the top five in the country.  Shout out to San Francisco and Chicago as well.

Each year is special and I recall fondly my time spent with the mass of people who endure a new environmental nemesis while responding to the siren sound of the multi staged musical extravaganza.  In five wonderful years, I have seen fire (burning trailers while Pete Yorn performed and burning speaker while Bjork performed) and I’ve seen rain (thanks James Taylor), I’ve seen dust (Foo Fighters were absolutely worth the 2 weeks of brown soot seeping from my nose) and I’ve seen what some thought was mud (Eddie Vedder became one with the crowd and slid in it) but smelled a bit more pungent and was actually some animal fecal matter. 

Over the course of my attendance, I have seen some pretty amazing shows.  Listed below are just some of the high lights: 

Ben Harper	Tom Petty	Foo Fighters	Pearl Jam
Beck	Robert Plant & Allison Krause	The Raconteurs	Drive-By Truckers
Son Volt	Donavon Frankenreiter	State Radio	Brett Dennen
The Dead Weather	Damien Rice	Cross Canadian Ragweed	Arcade Fire
Amos Lee	Robert Earl Keen	Iron & Wine	Mason Jennings
Van Morrison	John Mayer	Ray LaMontagne	Wilco
G Love & Special Sauce	The Toadies	The Shins	B-52’s
Slightly Stoopid	Eli Young Band	The Black Keys	Okkervil River
Queens of the Stone Age	Bjork	The Killers	Steve Earle
Bob Dylan	Lucinda Williams	The Tragically Hip	Willie Nelson

Over the last few years, it has become a tradition for me and my long term, heterosexual, significant other, life partner to attend.  We eagerly anticipate the sale of the early bird tickets and the unveiling of the lineup.  She too is a huge fan of the festival and city.  Which makes the trip all the better.  While our musical tastes are similar, with the variety of acts available at the festival, we have a ritual of mapping out the days and comparing our schedules and see how close they match.  There is usually some slight difference with the day shows but most of the evening shows are fairly in-line

Last year was particularly memorable because we took our oldest children (her daughter, my son). It was my son’s first concert, he is fifteen and we share a pretty strong bond over music.  Several of his favorite bands were playing and I surprised him by waking him up early Sunday morning and driving to Austin and living vicariously through him as he excitedly took in the whole seen.  His first concert consisted of Brett Dennen, The Toadies, State Radio (his favorite), Ben Harper, and Pearl Jam.  Not a bad first concert.  As if this were not enough, he got to meet State Radio, get a picture with the band and their brand new CD “Let It Go” signed. The look on his face was priceless as he posed for a picture and the band talked to him for a few minutes.   Add to this day, Home Slice Pizza, two concert shirts, and the use of port-a-pots on the last day of a three day festival.  It was indeed a day to remember.

All this, is to say, if you have not attended ACL, I strongly suggest you take the time and attend a day or two if the thought of three days is too grueling.  I am a fan of the three days and love every minute of the music and the experience.  However, I recognize it is not for everyone and as I have gotten older I have come to realize that the recovery time is just a bit longer with each passing year.  My days include less beer, more water, sunscreen, comfortable shoes, and a chair.

So, if you have some time and disposable income, check out www.aclfestival.com.

Great music awaits!

You should be listening to Arc Angels!

Arc Angels are the phenomenal but short lived blues/rock band that formed in Austin, Texas in the early 90’s.  The band was a virtual who’s who of the Texas music scene and was comprised of two home grown guitar talents Doyle Bramhall II and Charlie Sexton as well as drummer Chris Layton and bassist Tommy Shannon both of whom played in the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan’s band Double Trouble.  The ARC in the band name is a reference to the Austin Rehearsal Complex where the band members first got together and jammed prior to releasing their self titled debut album.

Due to creative differences, egos, and issues with Bramhall’s substance abuse, the members of the band went their separate ways in late 1993.  Both Sexton and Bramhall went on to release several solo albums as well as touring with rock royalty.  Bramhall toured with Eric Clapton and Roger Waters while Sexton toured with Bob Dylan.  They have also backed artists such as John Mayer, Buddy Guy, and Kenny Wayne Sheppard. 

Since 2002, Arc Angels have occasionally reunited for a rare live performance one of which was headlining Austin City Limits Music Festival.  In early 2009, members of Arc Angels, except Tommy Shannon, made reunion announcements, prepared a DVD from concert footage taken in 2005, and have begun working on their sophomore album.

The second coming of their new music and live tour will be at Austin’s annual South by Southwest Music Festival in March 2009. Following that, they will open for Eric Clapton on his European tour in May, and then embark on their own U.S. tour this summer.

 Key tracks from Arc Angels:

• Too Many Ways to Fall
• Living In a Dream
• See What Tomorrow Brings
• Sent By Angels

 Check out the Arc Angels and let me know what you think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPWdLpnKknc&feature=related 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iA4o7-vVfg&feature=related

Arc Angel’s music is available on iTunes, record stores, and www.arcangelsmusic.com.

Also, if you have a facebook page, you can become a fan of the blog.

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#/pages/Music-you-should-be-listening-to/261897107787?ref=ts

Great music awaits!

You should be listening to Joshua James!

Joshua James is a singer/songwriter who uses his whispery, raspy voice to convey raw emotions that connects you to the music.  I don’t know if it is the distant beauty in his voice or the exposed lyrics that pull you in first.  His songs deal with the emblematic themes of life, love, loss, and they varying emotions that go with it. 

His music is built around three central parts; an acoustic guitar, his haunting, expressive vocals, and poignant lyrics.  He paints vivid and at times a deeply chilling, personal picture with his lyrics.  His narrative style offers characters that speak out to you. 

Upon returning from some time in South America, James began writing around nineteen and picked up his first guitar when he was twenty.  Now, in his early twenties, his debut “The Sun is Always Brighter” was released in 2006 and he currently has three albums to his credit, performed at both Sundance and SXSW, and has toured with John Mayer, David Gray, and Ani DiFranco.

Joshua James Discography

• The Sun Is Always Brighter
• B-Sides It’s Dark Outside
• Build Me This

Top 5 Joshua James Songs according to Butler (Albums listed to right of song):

1. Tell My Pa (The Sun Is Always Brighter)
2. Lovers Without Love (B-Sides It’s Dark Outside)
3. Weeds (Build Me This)
4. Mother Mary (Build Me This)
5. Our Brother’s Blood (The Sun Is Always Brighter)

Check out Joshua James and let me know what you think.

Joshua James’ music is available is available on iTunes, record stores and www.joshuajames.tv.

Also, if you have a facebook page, you can become a fan of the blog.

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#/pages/Music-you-should-be-listening-to/261897107787?ref=ts

Great music awaits!