Dallas music scene question (Houston, Austin: house, neighborhood, theater)

[apfm]

Hi,

I hope that some posters here will be able to help.

Soon I will be moving and the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area is on the short list of places to move to. However, one very important criteria is that there is an alternative pop-rock music scene where I move to. I am a young musician in my twenties and looking to work with other musicians within the same genre. While music is a big factor for me, it is not the reason for moving - there are many reasons - but is a big decider on where to land.

The problem here is that I am not too familiar with the DFW music scene. I know it is a large metro area, however, I never really hear about much in my genre of music coming from there. Out of the dozens of bands I listen to, only one is from there. I know that isn't much to go by, but I haven't had any luck online in finding anything else about the area.

Does anyone in the area have any thoughts they can share?

Thanks in advance!

[TrueDat]

There is a large music community here, split into three with scenes in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Denton (where the University of North Texas is and it boasts a nationally recognized music program). There are quite a few clubs and venues to see local and national bands: The Granada Theater, The Kessler Theater, The Double Wide, The All Good Cafe, Lola's, Hailey's, Rubber Gloves, Trees, South Side Music Hall/Palladium Ballroom complex, House of Blues, just to name a few.

Granted, a lot of the bands here don't make it big nationally but there are some you might have heard of: Erykah Badu, Lyle Lovett, The Old 97's, The Polyphonic Spree, Pantera, The Toadies, and Midlake for example. Norah Jones and St. Vincent no longer live here but they spent their early musical lives here.

There's a popular indie music blog out of the area, Gorilla Vs. Bear Music Blog, Music Videos, Mp3s | GORILLA VS. BEAR, which also hosts a festival. Another festival just got announced for Deep Ellum (a neighborhood in Dallas with a deep music history, especially regarding the blues) is the Index Festival taking place this fall Index Festival

Take a listen to the local all-music public-radio station, KXT-FM, as they play a decent share of local indie bands. KXT 91.7 Public Music Radio for Dallas Fort Worth Denton. Some up-and-coming bands you should take note of are Seryn, Telegraph Canyon, Air Review, and Sarah Jaffe. Check them out on YouTube.

Then you've got the whole Austin scene three hours down the road with South by Southwest, Fun Fun Fun fest, Austin City Limits and tons of clubs. Unfortunately, Austin overshadows both Dallas and Houston in terms of musical reputation but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot going on here. Overall, I'd say the scene here lacks of the cohesion, sense of identity and promotion that the more centralized Austin scene has. Even most of the people who live here don't really know the extent of the scene of the Dallas area. But, in terms of the number of worthwhile acts and places to see them, a fan can't really complain. You just might have to drive awhile, if you're going to clubs in Denton, Fort Worth, and Dallas.

[Walter Benjamin]

TrueDat's post is spot on.

There's definitely an active scene with venues of every type. Not every national act comes through, as compared to say L.A., but there is always a lot going on.

Chris Mosley is a great critic to give a sense of what's out there:

Pop Music | FrontRow
https://twitter.com/mrchrismosley

I particularly like his weekend guides to shows.

Weekender: Your Guide to The Best Dallas Area Concerts For July 19-21 | FrontRow

Some folks say that the 35 Denton festival, formerly NX35, is a bit more like what Austin used to be like.

Artists | 35 Denton35 Denton

[TrueDat]

35 Denton is definitely worth checking out. Thanks Walter for mentioning it.

In terms of touring acts, the only area in which DFW seriously lags LA/NY/SF is in terms of world music and some jazz. African and Brazilian music rarely comes through here for example.

[TheOverdog]

Unfortuntately I'm not up with the most current bands as I'm now old, but in addition to the ones TrueDat mentioned, check out (song title in brackets) Bowling for Soup [1985,Soho] , Chomsky [15minutes to rock ,herod's daughter], The Rev Horton Heat [400 bucks ,5.0 ford], Tripping Daisy [i got a girl, my umbrella, 1-4], The Deathray Davies [medications' gone], The Tomorrowpeople [mercitron], Bobgoblin [pinata, mental suburbanknights], Funland [die like a satellite], Ufofu [the king of sex], Centro-Matic [triggers and trashheaps], Babooon [You and I], and Brutal Juice [the vaginals] for a taste of Dallas area alternative pop-rock from the past 15 or so years. Most should have a track or two up on youtube or itunes to check out.

Most might not have gotten famous, but they were all pretty good. That's all that i can think of right now.

We can also do alt-country and straight up country and classic rock acts (Don Henley of the Eagles) and Steve Miller (the joker), and Texas blues (stevie ray vaughan), and pop like Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Dallas has a really good metal scene. The shows here are some of the best.

[apfm]

Wow! Thank you all for all the help you have provided so far. It is much appreicated.

@ justme02: I see that your location reads Plano/Los Angeles. How would you compare the music scene beteen the two? I know LA is probably going to be bigger, but aside from that.

@trudat: In the part where you mention where Dallas music scene lacks cohesion and a sense of identity, do you find that is the reason why it doesn't seem to get as much attention as other cities?

Finally, has anyone ever lived in other major cities that music wise they could compare the Dallas area against? I know this may be hard since this is a Dallas forum, but maybe some might have some thoughts.

Thanks!

[TrueDat]

I've lived in Los Angeles and South Florida. It's certainly far better than the latter in terms of rock and indie-rock. Of course, it's not as broad and varied as Los Angeles -- there are twice as many people in the LA area, the music industry is based there (along with New York), and LA lures would-be creatives from all over the country and the world. North Texas is never going to be able to compete with that.

Having said that, the scene here is pretty strong, considering it doesn't have anyone hyping it as "the next Seattle" or whatever. Part of that, I think, is because it is so diffuse and spread out. But maybe that's a good thing. Without a predetermined image people feel they have to live up to, everyone might feel freer to do their own thing.

[Walter Benjamin]

I make no claim to be a true expert, and unfortunately rarely get out these days anyway, but in the general area of indie or alternative rock, which is what I pay attention to, I do have the impression that a lot of bands will go up and down the coasts, maybe throw in the midwest, but skip Dallas or even the South entirely. Not always, but often. At least, that's happened to me a few times when I've looked for tour dates. Whereas in L.A. or N.Y. you can be sure that everyone will come eventually.


Examples:
Fitz and the Tantrums 2012 tour dates: South Carolina and Tennessee, but nothing in Texas
Fitz and the Tantrums Announce Summer Tour Dates :: Music :: News :: Paste

Conor Oberst 2012 tour: Austin, but not Dallas
Conor Oberst Announces Additional Tour Dates :: Music :: News :: Paste

Black Keys / Arctic Monkeys 2012 tour: Austin, Houston, even Tulsa (WTF?) but not Dallas
The Black Keys, Arctic Monkeys add more tour dates « Consequence of Sound


The scene is definitely great here -- more than enough to do on any given weekend -- it's just not at the level of N.Y. or L.A., that's all.


One of the local controversies here is among those (including me) who think that KXT, a public-radio music station that launched a couple of years ago, is not as creative as it should be.
https://twitter.com/kxtfail
What You're Hearing On KXT Isn't Matchbox Twenty. Says Station VP: It's "Natural Growth." - Dallas Music - DC9 At Night
KXT Haters: Be Careful What You Wish For – Doesn
#KXTFail? Not So Fast. - Dallas Music - DC9 At Night

Maybe so, but hey, at least we have a public-radio music station, and with streaming, I can just listen to All Songs Considered or World Cafe streaming anyway.

Geographically, I think Deep Ellum and Denton are the two most music-centered places.

If this kind of indie stuff is what you're into, some key sources:

Spune - local promoters who do some of the best local bands, like Telegraph Canyon which TrueDat mentioned:
http://spune.com/

Granada Theater -- books an eclectic mix
http://granadatheater.com/

Dan's Silverleaf -- one of the top places in Denton
http://www.danssilverleaf.com/

[TrueDat]

Black Keys and Arctic Monkeys were just here for Edgefest in April so that's probably why they're not coming back so soon.

Fitz and the Tantrums have been through a couple of times -- most recently for that KXT show at Gexa Energy Pavilion on June 1.