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NX35 is a four-day music "conferette" from March 12-15 that will consist of daytime music-related Q&A panels and music programmed at 9 venues at night, all right around the downtown square in Denton.

In the interest of full disclosure I am both volunteering for this event - helping out behind the scenes - and playing in a band on this list. Not that I get any money out of either, or for writing on this lil' blog, but just making it clear. I'm more excited about so many bands coming together for something like this, you certainly don't have to stick around to watch mine. Here's the first draft of the lineup (subject to change, I'm told).

>The A.M. Ramblers

American Werewolf Academy

The Angelus

beep beep

Bosque Brown

The Botticellis

Bridges and Blinking Lights

Centro-matic

Chameleon Chamber Group

Bart Davenport

Dead Twins

Delmore Pilcrow

The Diamond Center

Dirtfoot

Dust Congress

Electric Toy Danger

Ella Minnow

Febrifuge

Fishboy

Daniel Folmer

Laura Gibson

Robert Gomez

Grassfight

The Grey Company

Ham1

the Heartstring Stranglers

The Heelers

History At Our Disposal

The Hudsons

IDIGINIS

Mathias Isassi

KatsüK

LA GUERRILLA

Audrey Lapraik

Last of the Interceptors

Leatherwood

Like Trains & Taxis

Madeline

The Mad Scientists

The Make Believers

Matthew and the Arrogant Sea

James McMurtry

Mike Miller

Dan Montgomery

The Naptime Shake

The New Science Projects

The Odd Primes

Pinebox Serenade

Record Hop

RTB2

Shiny Around the Edges

The Show Is The Rainbow

The Silver Arrows

The Slow Burners

Claire Small

The Spectacle

Spooky Folk

Starhead

Stumptone

Sugar and Gold

Swedish Teens

Tame . . . Tame, and Quiet

Telegraph Canyon

The Timeline Post

The Theater Fire

Tomorrowpeople

Virgin Passages

Vortexas

Warren Jackson Hearne and the Merrie Murdre of Gloomadeers

We Are Villains

Young Mammals

We've been up to all sorts of things here within the cavernous halls of the DR-C. I had a lot of fun in Athens, most of it having to do with local restaurants - though I did get to drop in on the legendary 40 Watt. The short answer is it's about the size of RGRS and decorated a little like Hailey's. There was a band playing on the floor with way too many drummers & guitar players, and a dude with a chin-strap beard stood up and started playing sax. Sometimes no matter how far away you go you're still right at home.

Since my return to little d I've tried to get around and see as much as I can, and I'm pretty sure that'll be easier as the spring lineup of shows starts to warm up.
Just to get you started, in the next month or so you'll see Slobberbone return to Dan's Silverleaf for a reunion, along with Son Volt a few weeks later.. Hailey's will be hosting the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey - and if you're into that sort of thing you probably already know who they are... Don Caballero will return to rock Rubber Gloves in Feb, and it looks like even Andy's is cutting off a slice of awesome with one of my local favorites, the Demigs.

I'd link to all of those bands for you, but I'm betting you need something to do this afternoon, so go ahead & get to googling.

If I do everything for ya you won't never learn nothin'.

If you're counting the minutes until you're out of the office for Christmas, here's something to eat up a little time:

This is Nouns Group, one of my favorite local D/FW/d acts.
The video was shot by a group called Nouvelle Mode, a quality
group of filmmakers from the area.

I'm heading to Athens, GA for a bit.. maybe I'll be able to catch a couple of shows
while I'm there, & I'll let you know if I do. In the meantime I'll leave you in the capable hands of Samantha Moss, our resident rock star.

Looking to duck out of work early and want something to do? You've got two choices today.

Soho Salon (913 N Locust) 5pm, Free
Glen Farris
Christmas Carolers

First, Soho Salon (913 N Locust) hosts "Soho On The Rocks", a free open house of sorts where they provide free entertainment and refreshments to current and prospective clients. Don't be fooled into thinking this is a sales pitch for a hair cut (though you probably need one). Soho is a pretty hip place and these are usually just as much about having a little fun as they are about getting new faces through the door.
Tonight it's Glen Farris (at 5pm) and a group of Christmas Carolers.

Dan's Silverleaf (103 Industrial) 5pm, Free
Silverleaf Arts & Crafts Festival
Bonnie & Nick Norris (6pm)

At the same time just across the square at Dan's Silverleaf, the Dan's crew is hosting their annual Silverleaf Arts & Crafts festival. A small army of artists and artisans will descend on the Industrial Street compound for the weekend selling one of a kind items that just might put you over the top in that weird unspoken sibling rivalry thing about who can buy dad the coolest and most original gift.
The artists scheduled to attend:
O'Bryan DeVille, Hal & Georgia Gibson, Leslie Kregel, Kay Rice, Kip Maley, Beth Klein, Donato Gonzales, Terry & Susan Lankford, Rosemary Cook, Barbara Morrison, Susan Kennedy, Richard Cimino, Conor Muldoon, Ken Carpenter, Richard Harrison, and Aaron & Diana Tate

I think what I'm really saying here is sneak out of work a little early and go have a drink.
You've earned it. And I've earned it, too. So what I'm really saying is buy me a drink. Where's your christmas spirit?

The family & I are about to hit the road to mom's house, which is over the river, through the woods, and about 90 miles south of here. Think I'll skip lunch to make room for dinner.
I'm thankful for antacids. After dinner we're staying the night in the middle of nowhere, so I think I'll take advantage of the time & take a copy of Larry Brown's "Dirty Work" with me.

If you get out of the family gathering alive there's not much going on tonight, save for Hailey's hosting a T-Day edition of 80's night & the annual Rubber Gloves "Are You Sick Of Your Family Yet?" leftover potluck (doors open at 10). It's a good place to swap stories you promised your family you wouldn't repeat.

Last year around Thanksgiving I kind-of switched gears from music to food - as so many foodie/musicians do around here, so I thought I'd get a jump start since there aren't really any shows going on tonight.

Every year I have to have Transparent Pie, which is somewhere between Chess Pie and just a regular ol' custard pie.

Here's the recipe I use:

Maysville's Historic Transparent Pie

Though I vary slightly by adding a little more vanilla and a healthy dose of cinnamon..
and for some reason I always get two 9" pies out of this recipe instead of one. I suppose you could try cutting the recipe in half, but why do that when you can have two pies?
Bonus pie.

That's my actual thumb in the photo.
I'm totally not afraid to dive right in to my own stories.

Bach Norwood, who suffered a collapsed lung in August of this year, will be re-joining Paul Slavens and his improv ensemble tonight for the first time in a while, and in honor of his return (and to make it possible for him to attend/play) tonight's show will be non-smoking. I'm told that if you feel the need you can still smoke outside on the patio.

At Dan'​s Silve​rleaf​.​ Show start​s at 10:​30.​ No Cover​.​

Music video contests have become kind of de rigueur these days, what with the proliferation of digital camcorders and editing software and good ol' YouTube. Still, quality stuff can emerge from that stewpot of competitive, low-budget creativity. Check out Denton residents Richard Card and Austin Trotter's winning video for Nada Surf's "Weightless."

The pair bagged $3,000 from Barsuk Records for their effort, three and a half minutes of dreamlike scenes assembled in a week and a half of sleepless nights -- fitting for Nada Surf's song with its repeated couplet of "That is a dream/It is what it seems."

A lot of the looks to be filmed in Dallas, but you'll catch quite a few Denton cameos -- like the lighted pecan trees on the courthouse lawn and shops around the Square (oh hi, Denton Florist sign!).

The scene-hopping couple winds up at Hailey's, which coincidentally or not is where Nada Surf is surfacing on Friday night for the band's first gig in Denton. (Been around since the 1990s and just now making it here? Well, they've paid their dues. Was the show lined up before or after the videomakers shot there?) The Brooklyn band is gearing up for the release of a box set for serious fans -- all five studio albums on vinyl, plus more goodies.

The Jealous Girlfriends and Delta Spirit open up Friday's show. Cover's $15 for those over 21, and $18 for the underage set.

For more on Nada Surf's video contest, check out Barsuk's site: www.barsuk.com/media/nadasurf/youtube.

Short on time before I break out of here, kidnap my boss and head to the liquor store, but I thought I'd share my illuminating plans this weekend. Let me tell you, I'll be as busy as a girl can be.

Tonight, Friday, Nov. 14:

The Majestic House of Doom, Denton (ex-Wisconsin house/8th Continent - 731 Texas St.)
Not sure of the band order, but expect appearances by the following:
Florene
Rival Gang
Bryce Isbell
Peaking Lights (touring band)
Lil Foot

from what I understand, show starts at 9pm. Definitely free, byob, and a few bucks for the donation bucket.

Saturday, Nov 15:

Today's a tough one. Things start off about 4:30 or 5 pm at 1314 Austin Street in Denton with one heck of a BBQ (something about turkeys, chickens, briskets, etc. along with some of Billy Myatt's famous vegan chili!) that's open to anyone. Feel free to bring side dishes, definitely bring your own beer. A little later things get going with the music. Once again, no rhyme or reason as to band order, but expect to hear the following:

Tang Lung (new project including some members of Dokodemo Doa)
2Mai
The Diamond Age
Kaboom!
Curvette

According to Mr. Myatt, music will get started around 7:30 or 8pm if enough people are there for the BBQ, and if not, then 9:30 or 10 it will be.

also, Hailey's has a hot show that night. I know I'll be bouncing back and forth between the two.

Nouns Group
Shiny Around the Edges
Darktown Strutters
The Make Believers

not sure how much, probably starts right at 10 on the dot.

ciao!

(and yes, if you are out, you will quite likely witness my dancing the robot in the pale moonlight!)

For those of you who go to the bars and take a cursory look at the marquee before entering with the express purpose of drinking, tonight's Supersuckers gig at Dan's will be appropriate. The band is from Seattle and has been at it since 1998, and their Southern man-rock screams of mechanical bulls and arenas with bleachers. Plenty of opportunities for "that guy" in a good-old-boy cozy venue. Seems like a good time.

Show at 10 p.m.; tickets are $12. (These guys are a big-deal kinda bar band; they're chummy with Willie Nelson, played Eddie Vedder's birthday party, etc. etc.) Dan's is at 103 Industrial St. off Hickory, but you already knew that.

Rockabilly-ers High School Caesar open.

Played around with my new "smart phone" at the Vic Chesnutt show, here's a quick snap of Vic from where I was standing. Got a few more of the band while I was standing there, might add a few of those here once I get to them.. want to try & post the Halloween photos from Friday first if I can. Lots of local names in costume.

Vic Chesnutt and Elf Power will be at Rubber Gloves tonight.
I'm told first there will be a set from Elf Power, then they'll sit in and back Vic Chesnutt.

Vic is a somewhat country tinged artist from Athens, GA - widely acclaimed in the music world for his songwriting. Arguably his most visible role was that of a guitar player in "Doyle's band" in Sling Blade, but like some of the other musicians that sat in for that scene he's a musical force all his own.

See you there.

So I've been a good little blogger all week long, and then I find out today that our blog entry site had moved on tuesday, so my last two posts never made it on the inter-webs.
Not that yo missed anything, but here's what would have been posted:

Wednesday:

Tonight I'll return to the Dallas Scaregrounds for a Sarah Alexander solo set, plus tonight I'll be running the sound board there - as I do from time to time for a little extra cash. If things are over in time I'll most likely head back to Rubber Gloves for the rest of the BS Art Fusion Show. I believe Florene is the musical act, and this being Halloween week there's supposed to be a costume contest and pumpkin carving. I can't imagine that not ending in a beautiful mess.

Thursday:

Yesterday I incorrectly stated that Sarah Alexander was playing the Dallas Scaregrounds last night, turns out it's tonight. I'll be there for that, then I'll most likely head back to town for one of these:

(quick & dirty, so no links today)

Dan's Silverleaf: Wayne The Train Hancock

Hailey's: 80's dance night (always a good time)

Rubber Gloves: Murder by Death, William Elliot Whitmore, J. Roddy Walston and the Business

And for the record, Sarah's solo set was quite beautiful. I've worked with her recently on a different type of project, but it was really nice to see her in her own element.

Tonight: The main event.

I'll start out at the North Texas State Fairgrounds for some Brave Combo & trick-or-treating w/my own little one. He's going as a cowboy - I'll be going as Brave Combo's auxilary percussionist (and my good friend) Joe Cripps.
Then we're dropping the kiddo off w/a friend and hitting Dan's Silverleaf. There are several bands performing the traditional halloween cover band set, but I'm mainly going to see Nouns Group as Joy Division.

Virtually every venue in town either has DJs or cover bands tonight, and everyone does it up right.. so look around for listings, or just dress up and head out - you're bound to find something fun. Halloween in Denton is one of the few holidays all of the students are in town, so everyone goes all out (and a little over the top). It's always a great night.

I'll post some photos of what I see tonight.. feel free to share your photos as well..
my e-mail address should be at the bottom of this post... if it's not (and I'm not sure w/all the recent blog changes) leave me a comment and I'll get it to you.

Happy Hunting!

EDIT: the link for my e-mail is incorrect.
It's actually cbrobinson, not crobinson
(at) dentonrc dot com.

Last night I started out with a little of Paul Slavens at his standing Monday night improv gig at Dan's Silverleaf, but then wandered over to Rubber Gloves to catch Magnolia Electric Company.

I realize the photo from my cell phone is a little dark & blurry, but I couldn't think of a better way to represent the vibe coming from a live band that honestly sounds a little light and sometimes even twangy on record. The impression I walked away with wasn't that the instrumentation itself was especially exceptional, it was the mood they created that stuck with me. Frontman Jason Molina is a very unimposing figure to say the least, meek and maybe a little shy - but he has a very powerful voice that seems to find its way out in spite of those qualities. Molina is a wordsmith of a caliber that is rarely seen in the so-called "indie rock" circuit, and it's this poetry that earns the band its reputation.

As for today, who knows? If you know of anything going down tonight feel free to leave me a comment. In the meantime, I'm breaking out the 'ol soldering iron and catching up on some much-needed repair work on some of my own instruments. And I've got an amp-building project that's been on my to-do list for months now, maybe I'll try to make a little headway on that. Better get in all I can, next week it's back to the daily grind.

That's right, TWO made up words in the headline. But don't blame me, I didn't make 'em up. But it means just what it says - I'm taking a week off from work and pretty much spending as much time as possible either checking out bands or doing some music-related thing.
This past Friday I started off at the Dallas Scaregrounds, a haunted house/carnival/rock show hybrid that's been going on every weekend in October for the past few years. I'll be the first to admit I rarely venture outside of Denton for a show, but the entertainment is arranged by one of Denton's Own, Brook Ray. And that pretty much means our little musical family spends a lot of time in haunted houses when October rolls around. The crowds are generally friendly and just like most venues here in Denton the bands can range from terrible to amazing, and they usually do. I'm a fan of not knowing what to expect.

Day two was a busy day. First, the family and I headed down to Ft. Worth for
a little time at the Zoo. You might say "Hey, what's rock and roll about that?".
Two words, my friend: Drumming. Monkeys.
Afterwards we ended up downtown for a bite, and there was a huge country music concert on Sundance Square. We didn't stay.

Later that night I headed to Hailey's for Slackbeat, Dust Congress, and Zanzibar Snails.

I had originally gone for Dust Congress, but the surprise of the night was Slackbeat, a treble & gain drenched trio featuring drums, bass, and banjo. Hard rock banjo. You just can't make this stuff up. Once the doors were closed at Hailey's I moved on to House Of Tinnitus
for the last bit of a show that had taken place there. The band was already done when I got there and the night quickly devolved into a bunch of people half-dancing to records of what sounded like A Tribe Called Quest. Not a bad way to cross a Saturday off the calendar.

So today's day 3. Once I'm done here I'm heading to the edge of town to a friend's house to pick up a guitar. Just about every guitar I get my hands on gets a "custom" treatment in one way another, and he's usually the one that does the wiring. I guess it's the musical equivalent not being able to wear clothes "off the rack". I'm sure that's indicative of some underlying emotional issue or something, but the voices tell me it's nothing to worry about.

After that it's off to a friend's son's first birthday party. He's very rock and roll for a baby. And after that? Question mark. There's plenty going down for a sunday night, I think I'll just leave it to you to find out what. Maybe I'll see you there. Maybe tomorrow I'll blog about what I totally saw you doing after the show.

Or maybe my waning youth will catch up with me and I'll fall asleep on the couch at 8pm.

You never know.

I'm just that unpredictable.

It's October, the weather's cooling off.. should be about time for Rock Lottery 11, no?
No. Word is Denton's version of an all-star game will be moved to spring of '09. We'll just have to wait 'til then, I guess.

Something to look forward to that's coming a little sooner:

Magnolia Electric Company Oct 27th at Rubber Gloves:

So I've had a few fairly busy weeks with both work and my own life/music thing lately. Haven't had much chance to blog, but I've had a few experiences recently that I might share with you in later posts.
So the short of it is that it's October, and that's my favorite time of year in Denton. I never was much for Halloween as a kid, but since I've lived here I've grown to love it. The bands are working up their best cover sets, friends are scrambling for some fairly odd items to include in truly unique costumes, and retail stores are rolling out Christmas items..wait, what? Nevermind.. we'll talk about Christmas when it's closer, how 'bout we get to some rock'n'roll?

Tonight at J&J's on the Square (9pm, Free)

I'd include links, but if you're myspace savvy you can find 'em with little trouble.
Give me a break, would ya? It's my first blog post in forever.

Well, free if you're over 21, $5 if you're not. Either way, not a bad deal at all for such a decent lineup.

Doors open at 5, I suggest getting there early. Bob White and the F-Electrics would be my pick of the night.

Hailey's (122 Mulberry, 5pm, FREE)

DJ young doc gooden
Florene
Pepi Ginsberg
Make Believers
Grassfight
Bob White and the F-Electrics
Sydney Confirm
Kaboom

Hailey's (122 Mulberry, 9pm, $6 under 21, $8 over)

Gazelles
Dignan
Homer Hiccolm and The Rocketboys
Airline

Rubber Gloves (411 E. Sycamore, 10pm, Free)

The BS Art Fusion show

This is a great idea that's destined to make a huge mess, which is my favorite kind of idea. I'm always interested in the thought process involved with creating art, and I'm endlessly entertained by the thought of someone else coming behind the artist and destroying that process with their own.

For more info, here's the BS press release: (no, really.. that's what it would be called, right?)

The BS Art Fusion Show is a collaborative project bringing local area artists together to create spontaneous works of art. This is a multi-artist experience which showcases the abilities of the artists to react to changing surroundings. Art Fusion begins with multiple artists assigned to a respective station. The artists then work within a specified time creating spontaneous ideas on canvas. When the time is up, the artists will then rotate to the next canvas to pick up where the previous artist left off. The end result is a unique multi-dimensional piece of artwork that can never be reproduced. This is the essence of the BS Art Fusion Show.

one might drop by Dan's Silverleaf tonight for Mi Son, Mi Son, Mi Son, a very talented group of folks playing Cuban music out on the patio. Goes good with a mojito.

Not much else going on in town tonight, unless I've missed something.
Feel free to let me know, eh?