Tag Archives: full length

Sarah Jaffe and Bosque Brown tonight at the Wyly

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Buzz surrounds local musician Sarah Jaffe, but she’s ready to move on

Going from playing smaller clubs like Dan’s Silverleaf and Club Dada, to selling out the Granada Theater last year, Sarah Jaffe’s star is on the rise. She gets a primo gig Saturday when she headlines at the Wyly Theatre in support of her 2010 full-length debut, Suburban Nature. After garnering attention for Nature locally and nationally (from the Dallas Observer to NPR), Jaffe wasn’t just a girl with a guitar — she unlocked yearning and pain with wisdom beyond her 25 years. Jaffe captures the poetry of life and love and sets it to music … even if she doesn’t mean to.

“I’ve never been a strategic writer and I’m thankful for that,” she says. “It comes out sporadically. There are those moment in life when I slow down and it’s just me being human and being alive and the writing is totally cathartic.”

Read the entire article here.

—  Rich Lopez

Out dance artist Brian Kent releases new video for ‘I’ll Find a Way’

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I have to admit I didn’t know who Brian Kent was until today’s email. Very little digging showed me that this guy’s been making dance music for the past five years with singles and remixes here and there with a full-length release, Breathe Life, in 2008. He told Popnography earlier this year, that his newest single, “I’ll Find a Way,” is a tribute to his grandmother.

The new single is called “I’ll Find a Way” and is dedicated to his 89-year-old grandmother who recently found herself facing breast cancer. “I was inspired by her confidence and I was just amazed that she just kept finding a way to get through everyday. In this day and age whether it’s cancer, relationships, money…everyone is just trying to find a way and move forward,” Kent says.

The video for the song was just released yesterday. “Way” might be a tad too positive affirmation for some, but it is catchy and I did like the video. It reminded me somewhat of both the NOH8 and Bully Suicide Project campaigns and says a whole lot in the span of three minutes and some change. And how can you go wrong when men and women end up topless by the end?

—  Rich Lopez

Concert Notice: South Side Music Hall announces Robyn coming to town in February

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The peeps at Gilley’s Music Complex scored a sweet show for their mid-size venue, the South Side Music Hall. They just announced that pop singer Robyn will perform at SSMH Feb. 18. So glad it’s in this room because it’s big enough to be a fab dance party, but not too big that you couldn’t see her up close. OK, if you’re in the waaay back, then it’s a bit far.

If you’ve been paying attention to Robyn, she’s finishing a trilogy of releases over the year with today’s release of Body Talk Pt. 3 or the kinda culminating full-length Body Talk. She released Body Talk Pt. 1 back in June and followed with  Pt. 2 in September. The first yielded the smash hit “Dancing On My Own,” which I’d dare to say is dance/pop at some of its smartest. The rest of the EP follows suit, especially after the bold opener “Don’t Fucking Tell Me What To Do.”  The entire album was an impressive display of writing and music that’s been a Euro-alternative to American pop princesses over the years from Britney to Beyonce to Gaga.

Tickets are $22 in advance and $25 at the door and go on sale Friday.

—  Rich Lopez

Logo premieres local musician Sarah Jaffe on NewNowNext tonight

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Local musician Sarah Jaffe keeps making the right moves into becoming the next big music thing. Logo channel’s NewNowNext Music will premiere her video “Clementine” tonight at 1 a.m. I know, it’s late, but she’s so worth it. The song is from her debut full-length, Suburban Nature, on local based label Kirtland Records.

And don’t go jumping to conclusions about Jaffe. The show features music from both gay and non-gay artists. All you need to know is that she’s pretty amazing.

Once you watch the video, catch her live on Friday when she plays at The Loft. Get tickets quick though. She sold out the Granada earlier this year.

—  Rich Lopez

Out singer Chris Willis steps away from gospel and gets all Usher-like in new video

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I can’t say there’s much new behind Chris Willis‘ newest single “Louder.” OK, yes, it’s Usher, it’s Ne-yo, it’s Trey Songz, it’s — well — derivative. Having said that, that’s hardly a bad thing in this case. Being out, Willis is one of the few gay black singers that could make waves in mainstream music. He’s been primed by uber-producer David Guetta with nice results and was featured in Guetta’s One Love album last year singing “Gettin’ Over”and “Sound of Letting Go,” two of the standout songs from the CD. The two have collaborated many times over the past decade and it’s put Willis in a far different light than his gospel roots.

And now, Willis is stepping into his own with his debut single and video which precedes his announced full-length album, Inside Voice. The video is heavily edited and not all that gay, but I think Willis is a start for putting an LGBT face on pop and R&B dance music from the get-go without the baggage of going back in the closet just to have a successful career. Let’s see how it plays out.

Check out his video below. Besides, the song should  bring you up out of the funk from last night’s election results.

—  Rich Lopez

How to make the Katy Trail safer?

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Lauren Huddleston

As you may have heard, a 28-year-old woman died Sunday after suffering head injuries in a collision last week on the Katy Trail near Routh Street.

Lauren Huddleston was jogging and listening to her iPod when she abruptly changed direction and was struck by a bicyclist, according to reports. Naturally, Huddleston’s death has prompted debate about what can be done to make the trail safer, including a front-page story in Tuesday’s Dallas Morning News.

In the article, one man proposes a 10 mph speed limit for bicyclists on the trail. Others say more signs are needed directing walkers and joggers to the pedestrian-only path alongside the main trail. However, this path doesn’t run the full length of the trail and — like the trail itself — becomes overly crowded during peak hours.

Anyone who’s ever walked, run or biked the trail has undoubtedly had a close call — one Dallas Voice employee was involved in a collision last year.

Perhaps the mere perception that the trail is unsafe will keep some away and make it slightly less crowded in the short-term, but that’s hardly a long-term fix. The ultimate solution is more jogging and biking trails throughout North Texas, so that the trail’s limited space isn’t so heavily in demand.

In the meantime, given that the gays are among the trail’s biggest users, what if anything do you think could be done to make it safer?

—  John Wright

Coco Rosie performs tonight with Sleep Whale at the Granada Theater

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Indie duo goes only half drag

Coco RosieWhat the Indigo Girls are to traditional folk, Coco Rosie would perhaps be the antithesis. The avante-garde popsters are also sisters with one heckuva back story. Vision quests, traveling childhoods and even loss of contact for a number of years, Bianca “Coco” and Sierra “Rosie” Casady reunited and began their musical endeavor. They are on the road supporting their fourth full-length album, Grey Oceans.

Younger sister Bianca told AfterEllen she’s surprised people don’t realize she’s lesbian. Like, really surprised.

“I am surprised, to tell you the truth, that people don’t talk about it more,” Bianca said of her being queer. “Maybe we are still living in such a homophobic culture that people [who] like me don’t want to hear about it.”

She even performs in drag. And with the band’s frequent use pf children’s toys as musical instruments (along with piano and guitars) to make what they call their “freak folk” music, this could be some show to watch.

DEETS: With Sleep Whale. Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave. 8 p.m. $18. GranadaTheater.com.

—  Rich Lopez

Your plans for tonight: of Montreal listening party at Good Records

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Of Montreal fans who have been waiting with baited breath for tomorrow can get a sneak preview tonight of the new album. Good Records hosts a listening party for the upcoming False Priest, the band’s 10th full-length release, at 8 p.m. Although, I have some issue with frontman Kevin Barnes defiance of sexual labeling, the band whips out some pretty smart indie pop.

Good news for buyers. With every CD or LP purchase, Good Records will giveaway buttons and posters and more. But the best free item of all tonight? Um, the free beer.

And in case you didn’t know, of Montreal comes back to Dallas with the mega-cool Janelle Monae. They perform at the Granada Nov. 2.

—  Rich Lopez

Dallas activist’s National Equality March documentary to premiere at Austin gay film fest

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Lesbian Dallas activist Laura McFerrin sends along word that the long-awaited premiere of her directing debut, “March On,” will take place during the Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival in September. The full-length trailer is above. From McFerrin’s press release:

March On documents the 2009 National Equality March through the lives of five families who put aside their daily routine, packed up their hopes and went to Washington DC to demonstrate that they believe in Equality. Along with footage from past marches, interviews and powerful speakers, March On takes you to this fantastic and historic event. In addition, March On includes Lt. Dan Choi, Lady Gaga, Cleve Jones, Cynthia Nixon, Stacyann Chin and Michelle Clunie.

McFerrin says she will attend the premiere along with some of the men and women featured in the documentary. The showing will be at noon Sept. 12 at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar, 1120 South Lamar Blvd. in Austin. Also featured at AGLIFF will be Dallas filmmaker Israel Luna’s “Ticked-Off Trannies with Knives.”

—  John Wright