how'm i gonna see where you're coming from?

The Whigs at The Loft in Dallas, TX on 12/02/09

2009-12-05T19:19:00.003-11:00

The Whigs played their hearts out at The Loft on a chilly Texas December Wednesday night, making the stage, the floor and their fans bounce all over the joint. They once again proved why they are My Favorite Band in the Whole World, jamming songs from their two LP's, Give 'Em All a Big Fat Lip and Mission Control. They also busted out a few fresh ones from their highly anticipated upcoming record, In The Dark. If those new tracks and their high-energy rock shows are any indication, Parker Gispert, Julian Dorio and Tim Deaux are poised for world domination in 2010. Do yourself a favor and check 'em out live to see what the funk i'm talkin' about.

More pics at the flickr page here.

The Whigs are offering two (2) free tunes ("Hundred/Million" & "In The Dark") from their upcoming album at this spot right here, so go and get 'em.

http://www.myspace.com/thewhigs
http://www.thewhigs.com/
http://www.theloftdallas.com

The Whigs at the Loft in May, 2008

The Features at The Loft in Dallas, TX 12/02/09

2009-12-05T13:10:00.003-11:00

i've been a huge fan of The Features since i heard the first pounding notes from of their stellar LP, Exhibit A back in 2004. So when i saw that they were coming to the Loft to play with The Whigs, i knew i had to be there to see them live for the very first time. My expectations where high, as their knack for making hook-heavy pop song perfection takes a back seat to no one. Well, they met and exceeded all expectations that night as they charged through their set, playing songs from Exhibit A, the Contrast EP, their 2008 album, Some Kind of Salvation, and even "Thursday," one of my favorites that they first recorded in 2000. Hopefully, it won't be another five years before i get to see them again. Come back soon, boys!

See more pics at my flickr page here.

And get their latest record, Some Kind of Salvation, and other Features goodies right here.

http://www.myspace.com/thefeatures
http://thefeatures.ning.com
http://www.theloftdallas.com

Fate Lions @ The Grotto in Ft. Worth on 11/20/09

2009-11-28T15:57:00.004-11:00

Fate Lions blew the doors open at the Grotto on this night. And look! Brand-new member Drew rocked the keys in his live debut. Nice job.

More pics at my flickr page here.

i am unable to express adequately how much you need to get their 2009 record,"Good Enough For You."

Fate Lions links:
http://fatelions.bandcamp.com/
http://fatelions.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/fatelions
http://www.ilike.com/artist/Fate+Lions
http://www.last.fm/music/Fate+Lions
http://www.soundcloud.com/fatelions
http://www.twitter.com/fatelions
http://www.virb.com/fatelions

Neko Case @ Granada Theater in Dallas, TX on 11/23/09

2009-11-28T16:12:00.002-11:00

Red-headed siren songstress Neko Case captivated the capacity crowd at the Granada Theater on a gorgeous November evening. She's been on tour in support of her stellar 2009 record, "Middle Cyclone," which makes an excellent holiday gift for that difficult person on your list. Just tell them that Amazon.com has declared this the top album of the year, and it includes 31 minutes of crickets chirping, so shut up and like it.

More pics at my flickr page here.

http://www.nekocase.com/
http://www.myspace.com/nekocase
http://www.granadatheater.com/

Good show, Neko.

Roman Candle at The Loft in Dallas, TX on 11/19/09

2009-11-21T18:38:00.005-11:00

Roman Candle made their first stop ever in Dallas when they rocked The Loft on Thursday, November 19.

More pics at the Flickr here.

Skip Matheny and company have been on the road most of this year in support of their stunning LP "Oh Tall Tree in the Ear," and had driven to Texas after seeing Bruce Springsteen in Nashville the night previous. Even if they were a road-weary bunch at the tail end of a long tour, they certainly didn't show it as they playfully and masterfully performed most of the songs from Tall Tree and "One Hundred Thousand Miles" from one of the three EP's they released over the last year. Roman Candle will play a couple more shows, then it's time to give the tour van the rest of the year off and see how many "best of 2009" lists Tall Tree ends up on. i know it will find a cozy spot near the top of The NeffList this year.

http://www.romancandlemusic.com/
Roman Candle on Facebook
Live Seesion on American Songwriter

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Longhorn Saloon, Ft. Worth 11/13/09

2009-11-21T18:19:00.004-11:00

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit brought their soulful, southern tunes to The Longhorn Saloon in Ft. Worth on 11/13/09. It's funny how songs about heartbreak and loneliness can make a room full of people so freakin' happy. If that isn't a sign of a great songwriter, i don't know what is.

More pics at the Flickr here.

Here they are performing "Grown":

Earlier that day, Isbell and company performed at the studios of the newly launched KXT 91.7. Check it out here.

jasonisbell.com
myspace.com/longhornsaloonstockyards

Lucero at Longhorn Saloon in Ft. Worth, TX 11/07/09

2009-11-08T13:39:00.007-11:00

"It's good to be in the South!" Lucero lead man Ben Nichols related to the rowdy Longhorn Saloon crowd. "It's November, and I'm sweating my ass off!" Everyone up front was sweating too as they sang, clapped, swayed and bounced along to the 100+ minute set on that night in the Stockyards. "We may be 500 miles from Memphis, but damn, if you all don't make it feel like home," he said later. The hoots, hell yeahs and devil horns that followed from the Fort Worth faithful drew one of Ben's patented glisten-eyed grins that riled us up even more.

Lucero's latest LP, and major-label debut 1372 Overton Park was released just a month ago, and Ben admitted on stage that he was struggling to get through some of the new tracks. "I'm still learinin' these new ones," he said after what sounded to me like a flawless performance of 1372's opener, "Smoke." It didn't seem to bother Lucero's enthusiastic followers, as they clamored to the front to shout the lyrics they have already committed to memory, "I'm not beautiful, I'm not beautiful" (See the vid below) . Lucero declares that they are Nobody's Darlings, but on that Saturday night, they were more than beautiful, they were perfect.

More pics here at the flickr.

And here's the vid for "Smoke":

1372 Overton Park is available at the usual outlets, or at Lucero's online store. Get it now so you can put it on your "Best of 2009" list.

Related links:
http://luceromusic.com/site/index.php
http://www.myspace.com/lucero
http://www.myspace.com/longhornsaloonstockyards
http://www.spune.com/spune/Intro.html

Ready The Jet at the Double Wide in Dallas, TX 11/04/09

2009-11-05T14:57:00.009-11:00

Whew! L.A.'s own Ready The Jet blasted the denizens of Dallas with a rockin' set at the Double Wide. i'm still trying to catch my breath and will continue to look for the remnants of my face, which they blew off with rock. i'll keep you posted on the condition of my mug as soon as i find it. Holy craps. Here's some pics. There's more here at the flickr.

Ready the Jet's 2007 album, New Record Highs is available for purchase at CD Baby. Here is what the cover looks like:

See how they cleverly put the name of their band, Ready The Jet and the title of the LP, New Record Highs right on the cover so it's easily identifiable? That is marketing genius, right there.

The band, Ready The Jet, claims no responsibility for the damage you may incur while rocking to their album, New Record Highs.

Ready The Jet on MySpace
Double Wide Bar

Islands / Jemina Pearl at Rubber Gloves in Denton, TX on 10/28/09

2009-11-05T14:46:00.002-11:00

Two incredible bands, one magical night.
Islands:

More Islands pics at my flickr spot here.

Jemina Pearl:

More Jemina Pearl pics here.

Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studio
Islands on MySpace
Jemina Pearl's blog

The Mumlers at Hailey's in Denton on 10/24/09

2009-10-25T15:34:00.007-11:00

The Mumlers 102409 (33crbwf)
Originally uploaded by nffcnnr

San Jose's The Mumlers are touring on the heels of the release of their album Don't Throw Me Away. They stopped by Hailey's, opening for fellow Californians The Black Heart Procession where they won over some new fans with songs from that record and 2007's Thickets & Stitches. i was hoping for a longer set, but i think they did play all of the dozen or so instruments they had scattered up on the stage, so i did get my money's worth in the end. :o] There's a few more pics at my flickr here.

Here's a vid i shot of "Coffin Factory":

And here's a vid of them performing a new song, the title of which i do not know, but it's cool.

http://www.haileysclub.com
http://www.myspace.com/themumlers

The Black Heart Procession at Hailey's in Denton 10/24/09

2009-10-25T15:58:00.006-11:00

The Black Heart Procession 102409 (12crbwf)
Originally uploaded by nffcnnr

Pall Jenkins brought his Black Heart Procession to Hailey's in Denton to mesmerize us with his brooding tales of sorrow and deceit. As a long-time fan, there was no way i was going to miss this, and i was not disappointed as their massive musical talent was unfurled before me. i just thought he would dress nicer. More pics at the flickr, of course.

Here's the vid i shot for "Tropics of Love":

The Black Heart Procession's new record, Six is out! Go get it.
http://www.myspace.com/theblackheartprocession

http://www.haileysclub.com/

Built To Spill, Dinosaur Jr, Lou Barlow - Granada Theater, Dallas, TX 10/22/09

2009-10-24T13:00:00.005-11:00

Built To Spill pics at my flickr page here.

"Carry The Zero" vid from that night:

Dinosaur Jr pics here.
Note the Vintage Vinyl sticker on his rack. Sweet.

Lou Barlow pics here.

The Granada Theater continues to bring the best rock to Dallas.

The Decemberists at The Blue Note in Columbia, MO 10/07/09

2009-10-24T12:48:00.006-11:00

The Decemberists 100709 (254bw)
Originally uploaded by nffcnnr

Took a road trip to my old hometown of Columbia, MO and caught The Decemberists at a packed Blue Note. They played their 2009 record, The Hazards of Love straight through brilliantly then came back on stage for some favorites from their previous couple of records. It was very deece. There's a couple more pics on my flickr page here.

Here's a coupla vids i shot for your enjoyment...

"O, Valencia"

"The Crane Wife 1"

Fate Lions @ Lola's Stockyards 09/25/09

2009-09-27T05:43:00.006-11:00

Fate Lions (97f)
Originally uploaded by nffcnnr

Fate Lions!!
More pics at the flickr spot here.

Vids:
"Astronaut"

"Seen It All"

More vids from this night...
"The Queen Himself"
"Shining Places"
"Starsign"
"The Girls Are Alright"
"Outlaw"
"Hard Swallow"

All of these tunes, and five others can be found on their 2009 record "Good Enough For You" which is my favorite jam of the summer. These Fort Worth fellas bust out the smart, punchy, head bobbin', hand clappin' power pop that will have you clicking the "repeat" button.

Fate Lions links:
http://fatelions.bandcamp.com/
http://fatelions.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/fatelions
http://www.ilike.com/artist/Fate+Lions
http://www.last.fm/music/Fate+Lions
http://www.soundcloud.com/fatelions
http://www.twitter.com/fatelions
http://www.virb.com/fatelions

Throw Me The Statue @ The Cavern Dallas, TX 9/12/09

2009-09-15T17:56:00.002-11:00

Seattle's Throw Me The Statue threw down some of my favorite tunes at The Cavern in Dallas. As always, it was dark in there.

"Waving at the Shore"

"About To Walk"

Throw Me The Statue is out on tour in support of their latest record, Creaturesque, out now on Secretly Canadian, so go get you some.

NeffTunes MixTape September 2007: Don't Call It A Sellout

2007-10-03T14:02:00.003-11:00

In the past few years, i have noticed that Madison Avenue has been using tracks from some of my favorite artists to hawk their products. Some call the bands that lend their sounds for big corporations' marketing campaigns "sellouts." i'm not one of those people. i am happy to see these bands rewarded for their years of touring and toiling in virtual obscurity with some cold, hard cash. In many of these cases, the soundtracks for commercials are their first wide national exposure, which leads to greater interest, which in turn leads to more album sales, bigger tours and more cash to make more music. Everybody wins, except for the jealous, whiny "fans." i say, hooray for them. It's the American way. This MixTape is comprised of some of my favorite examples of NeffTunes on TV.
Download it here from MediaFire, fine readers and enjoy these catchy nuggets of American capitalism responsibly. And remember to support these artists by buying their albums and going to their shows. And if ya get a chance, congratulate them for cashing in. Word up.

01 - We've Been Had by The Walkmen
02 - Ocean Man by Ween
03 - Molly's Chambers by Kings of Leon
04 - 10am Automatic by The Black Keys
05 - The Revolution Starts Now by Steve Earle
06 - The W.A.N.D. by The Flaming Lips
07 - Gravity Rides Everything by Modest Mouse
08 - Woman by Wolfmother
09 - The Thanks I Get by Wilco
10 - Go by Apples In Stereo
11 - Ice Cream by New Young Pony Club
12 - Such Great Heights by The Postal Service
13 - So Here We Are by Bloc Party
14 - TheBleedingHeartShow by TheNewPornographers
15 - New Slang by The Shins
16 - One Two Three Four by Feist
17 - Chanty by Son Volt
18 - Ariel Ramirez by Richard Buckner
19 - Such Great Heights by Iron & Wine
20 - You're My Best Friend by Queen
Bonus: The Pizza Hut commercial that never was. In 2002, Ween was commissioned to provide a jingle for Pizza Hut's new "Insider" pizza - the one with a cheese-like substance baked into the crust. Track 21 is what they submitted.
21 - Where'd The Cheese Go? by Ween
Pizza Hut rejected it and told them to try again. Track 22 is what they came up with.
22 - Where'd The Cheese Go? (remix) by Ween
Needless to say, Pizza Hut didn't like the remixed version either. Just another testament to the genius of Ween. :o]

Burger King Drive Thru Screen 082609

2009-08-27T11:47:00.001-11:00

Burger King Drive Thru Screen 082609
Originally uploaded by nffcnnr

This was on the screen when i pulled up to the drive thru at the Burger King in Euless, TX.

Mike Judge screens "Extract" at the Angelika Film Center in Dallas

2009-08-21T03:50:00.006-11:00

The Dallas Film Society & The Lone Star Film Society hosted a screening of Mike Judge's latest film, Extract at The Angelika Film Center in Dallas on August 19, 2009.
The film stars Jason Bateman as Joel, an everyman in anytown whose life spirals out of control over the course of a few days, thanks to a confluence of his poor decisions, bad advice and the actions of some very flawed people that inhabit his world. Here's a trailer:

BTW, the music you hear during the first 30 seconds of the trailer is "Whatever Gets You By," track 1 from The Features' 2009 album, Some Kind of Salvation, which i can't recommend highly enough. That tune is not in the movie, though. :-(

Back to the film...Bateman is supported by an excellent cast that includes Kristin Wiig, J.K. Simmons, Mila Kunis and Ben Affleck. David Koechner and Gene Simmons add to the chaos as two more pains in Joel's ass.
As a big fan of Mike Judge's past film work, i came to the screening trying to temper my expectations. i knew in my head that Extract probably wouldn't attain the zeitgeist-skewering genius of Office Space, or the social insight of the criminally under-appreciated Idiocracy. The fact that the film stars three of my favorite actors in Bateman, Wiig and Simmons also makes it difficult to not judge this film on a generous curve. Having said that, i'd say that Extract made the grade. As comedies go, it doesn't lean heavily on juvenile jokes, nor does it insult the audience's intelligence with gross-out gags. Instead, most of the humor plays on the audience's empathy for Joel. As the events unfold, we are wincing and thinking, "What else could go wrong for this poor guy?" and laughing the whole time.

Writer/Director Mike Judge stuck around for a 20-minute Q&A after the screening to talk about the origins of Extract, Beavis & Butthead, casting Gene Simmons, drug use in the movies, and more:
Part One:

Part 1.1.
Part Two.
Part Three.
Part Four.

Awesomeometer Rating: 98 units (out of a possible 113).
Extract is in theaters on September 9, 2009. Go see it!

Bowerbirds at Hailey's Club in Denton - August 12, 2009

2009-08-14T19:15:00.002-11:00

Caught Bowerbirds in Denton last Wednesday night, and it was lovely.

Bowerbirds' blog. Catch 'em if you can.

Bobby Bare Jr - Longhorn Saloon, Ft. Worth, TX August 7, 2009

2009-08-09T16:34:00.014-11:00

Bobby Bare Jr 080709 comp
Originally uploaded by nffcnnr

Dude, i saw one of my favorite artists of all times rock out at Longhorn Saloon in Fort Worth. He busted out some new ones, including a cover of America's "I Need You" which is available on his new EP "American Bread." It's a collaborative effort between Bobby and David Vandervelde, available on Village Records on August 11, or at one of Bobby's shows. You should get it. And go see him. Or both. There's a bunch more pics up at my flickr here.

Here's some vids i shot from that night:

"You Blew Me Off"

"Borrow Your Cape"

"Snuggling World Championships"

i think this one's called, "I Got Busted" or something...

"Rock 'n' Roll Halloween" - this one was new to me.

www.bobbybarejr.com
www.myspace.com/bobbybarejr

Fort Worth Stockyards Slow Shutter Aug 09

2009-08-09T16:24:00.001-11:00

Fort Worth Stockyards Slow Shutter Aug 09
Originally uploaded by nffcnnr

From the balcony atop The Love Shack on Exchange Street in the Fort Worth Stockyards. August 7, 2009.

Magnolia Electric Co. @ Rubber Gloves, Denton, TX, July 24, 2009

2009-07-26T14:09:00.005-11:00

Magnolia Electric Co. 072409 (119)crbw
Originally uploaded by nffcnnr

Jason Molina and his mates in Magnolia Electric Co. played an emotional set at Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios in Denton, TX on July 24, 2009. Everyone in attendance was treated to an especially powerful mix of old favorites from the band's catalog and several new songs from "Josephine," M.E.Co.'s latest record that was released on July 21. This night's set was the first weekend show since the release of the album and coincided with what would have been former bassist and good friend Evan Farrell's 35th birthday. Farrell, who also was a member of Japonize Elephants and Rogue Wave died in a house fire on December 23, 2007. Farrell left behind a wife and two sons.

"Molina's concept album["Josephine"] is an honest-to-God effort on the part of Magnolia Electric Co. to pay tribute to the life and spirit of fallen bassist Evan Farrell (R.I.P. December 2007), as the ideas for Josephine were being pieced together. Molina said each tune is a good faith attempt to make real Evan's hopes for the record. And in doing so, Evan's spirit becomes part of the concept. The loss of Josephine becomes the loss of Evan. Molina's familiar lyrical allegories are still in tact. But here, in what is no doubt the strongest set of songs Molina has written since the inception of Magnolia Electric Co., those classic themes take on new meanings. Molina has approached the universal loneliness before, but never in such a focused, directed manner as found on Josephine." - Secretly Canadian

Sculpture Donated to City in Remembrance of Local Musician - City of Bloomington, IN

More pics from the Denton show here.

The Donkeys @ Rubber Gloves, Denton, TX, July 24, 2009

2009-07-26T14:02:00.003-11:00

The Donkeys 072409 (37)crbw
Originally uploaded by nffcnnr

The Donkeys impressed the crowd during their fourth trip to Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios in Denton, TX on July 24, 2009.
More pics here.

Whiskey Folk Ramblers at The Moon Bar, Ft Worth, July 18, 2009

2009-07-22T12:37:00.004-11:00

Whiskey Folk Ramblers 071809 (90)crbw
Originally uploaded by nffcnnr

Fort Worth locals Whiskey Folk Ramblers took a break from recording their second record and played to a full Moon Bar on July 18, 2009.
More pics at my flickr here.

For your viewing pleasure, i provide you highlights from that show:
Intro/Ramblin' Man:

Moanin' Rag:

As We Drive By:

The Coathangers at The Lounge, Dallas, TX, July 10, 2009

2009-07-11T13:26:00.003-11:00

The Coathangers 071009 (52crbw)
Originally uploaded by nffcnnr

The Coathangers from Atlanta at The Lounge in Dallas, TX on July 10, 2009. They made me smile a lot.
See more pics by clicking here.
The Coathangers' MySpace page.

UPDATE: ...vid posted by TheWeijiaofdeath:

...and a couple more:
"Toomer Head"
"Gettin' Mad and Pumpin' Iron"

Thanks, TheWeijiaofdeath!
Now you know why they make me smile so much.