The 2014 Dallas Observer Music Awards Showcase Guide

Mike Brooks

Sealion are familiar faces on the stage of Club Dada. They'll be there again on Saturday

It's the most wonderful time of the year, isn't it? No, we're not talking about the holidays, although those are OK too. We're talking about the 26th annual Dallas Observer Music Awards, which kick off with a showcase this Saturday in Deep Ellum followed by the award ceremony and concert Tuesday, December 9, at the Granada Theater.

We're particularly excited about the lineup of bands we have this year. In years past the showcase mixed genres at each venue, but for this edition we've tried to pair similar artists as much as possible. To help you decide which acts you want to see (besides, you know, all of them), here's a rundown of every single one of the more than 60 bands playing the showcase this Saturday.

See also:
The Dallas Observer Music Awards Ceremony Will Be Prom-Themed and Also Ridiculous

Club Dada (inside)

12:40 -- Son of Stan
Jordan Richardson, literally the son of Stan, released an EP named after his mother, called Georgia, this year. His music is indie pop, with overt nods to that special time in all of our hearts, the 1980s. It's heavy with synthesizers and grand guitar riffs. Though he splits time between sunny L.A. and Dallas, the music's so good that we're not jealous at all. (Or are we?) H. Drew Blackburn

11:40 -- Ishi
One of the most eccentric things you can see in Dallas is an Ishi show. I've been to one where seemingly everyone with a date and/or a blood alcohol content above 0.08 was grinding on one another. It's a grand time. The band's electro-funk-folk sound is sure to send a jolt through you and it can turn a wallflower into the most gifted dancer in the soul train line. H. Drew Blackburn

10:40 -- Sealion
Formed in 2011, members Cole Denton, Hunter Moehring, Alex Poulos and Samantha Villavert have been having plenty of fun as Sealion. In the various tribes of the punk subculture, it seems that only the pop-punk kids remember to have fun. Sealion shows are a good time and you can't really argue with a good time, can you? James Khubiar

9:40 -- Panic
Fronted by radio legend Josh Venable, this five-piece does a very enjoyable tribute to Morrissey's work with The Smiths and as a solo artist. Backed by an ace band, which features members of Long Sword Spectacular and Chomsky, Venable dons an oversized pompadour wig. And a serious plus: they don't cancel shows at the last second or storm off stage if someone makes a quip about them. Eric Grubbs

8:40 -- War Party
Fort Worth-based War Party is the latest in a long tradition of Texas garage rock updated for the indie-rock generation. The big rock hooks often recall early Replacements material, but with enough garage stomp to make The Sonics proud. Their 2013 album Tomorrow's a Drag is filled with horn-laden anthems that embody youth rebellion through three chords, a touch of pop sensibility and a sprinkle of angst. Wanz Dover

7:40 -- Party Static
Party Static have been kicking ass all year long. If this is news to you, perhaps you don't go to shows or maybe you are one of those people who refuses to pay a cover. There's no other reason to have missed them at this point. What started out as something fun and different has evolved into five musicians with very different backgrounds coalescing into something wild and great. A true party, in other words. Jeremy Hallock

6:40 -- Charlie B
Charlie B's voice, coupled with a virtuoso brand of R&B, has made him into an act with presence well beyond his years. Since he decided to become a performer at a young age, before he was even a teenager, Charlie has learned from prominent producers, choreographers, and fellow artists. Charlie B is one of Dallas' most promising stars in the rap and R&B scene. James Khubiar

5:40 -- Lily Taylor
The avant-garde singer is an exceptionally intriguing artist. Solid and ethereal, her pure-crystal voice ambulates a pleasantly experimental melodic realm.
Along with compelling visuals created by her husband Sean Miller, Taylor's enchanting live act conjures a thousand moods at once. Eva Raggio

Peter Salisbury

Bludded Head should be living the high life on the Club Dada patio

Club Dada (outside)

12:20 -- Pinkish Black
Pinkish Black's style is so eclectic that it is not fair to assign them to simply one genre. If you like doom metal, you will like Pinkish Black. If you like drone, you will like Pinkish Black. If you like goth metal, you will like Pinkish Black. The band has been campaigning for their latest album, Razed To The Ground, which was released in September 2013 on Century Media Records. James Khubiar

11:20 -- Cutter
Alex Velte and Jared Coffey, the duo who go by the nom de guerre Cutter, specialize in blown-out electronic music with slight tinges of punk. Imagine watching an old VHS tape of Blade Runner that was recorded over with The Return of the Living Dead; Cutter would be the perfect soundtrack to this mashup of '80s dystopian sci-fi and punk-centric horror. They're at the forefront of a growing collective of forward-thinking electronic acts within Dallas. Andrew Hawkins

10:20 -- Dallas Uber Alles
Want to enjoy the songs of the Dead Kennedys without debating your friends about what's punk and what isn't? Dallas Uber Alles fills that void by playing Dead Kennedys tunes note for note (and frontman Jacob Serano perfectly recreates the wit and confidence of Jello Biafra). A great band to introduce you to all sorts of avenues the Dead Kennedys went down in their time with Biafra. Eric Grubbs

9:20 -- The Phuss
The Phuss are Dallas' answer to Goner Records. For people who swear by Reigning Sound, Oblivians and Ty Segall, The Phuss is your local fix for that brand of garage rock. Formed in 2010 by Joshua Fleming, Trey Alfaro and Forrest Barton, The Phuss have made a name for themselves on the backs of their high-energy performances and catchy songs. James Khubiar

8:20 -- In Memory of Man
Following in the footsteps of local legends The Toadies, grunge-influenced In Memory of Man has taken up the mantle of playing alt rock in the metroplex. The band has worked to make sure their music is both authentic and ambitious (the band boasts six members to help with the cause). Their lyrics about sadness and depression should be perfect for a December night. James Khubiar

7:20 -- Bludded Head
Spearheaded by guitarist and vocalist Nevada Hill, along with a shifting framework of accompanying musicians, Bludded Head uses mass and volume in the cathartic mode of Sunn 0))), but with a much more condensed (and satisfying) approach to songwriting. Albums like Reign in Bludd are made even more ominous by the disparity between the band's visuals and sonics: It's up to the listener to reconcile the two. Andrew Hawkins

6:20 -- Mothership
Brothers Kyle and Kells started the band, along with drummer Judge Smith, as a project to play the brand of psychedelic, space and hard-rock genres that dominated the world in the 1970s. Since then the band has taken off like their namesake, releasing two full-length albums that have placed their name firmly in the discussion of the best metal acts in the area. James Khubiar

Mike Brooks

Blue, the Misfit feels A-OK about being on the cover of the Observer this week

The Door

1:00 -- Blue, the Misfit
Blue, the Misfit's passion for beat-making bloomed late, and after several self-reinventions. But in a short time, the producer/MC has become, arguably, the most innovative figure in the Dallas hip-hop community. Blue, the Misfit's debut project, Child in the Wild, brought his array of talents center stage, and his credits to date span the international music market, including K-Dot himself. Rodney Blu

12:00 -- A.Dd+
If the category "Most Likened to the Greatest Rap Duo of All Time" existed, A.Dd+ would most certainly be the reigning champions. The group has generated some of Dallas' most consistent and true-to-form rap music. Rodney Blu

11:00 -- Buffalo Black
Buffalo Black has fought hard. Hell, he's still fighting. The Oak Cliff-raised MC, born Jamil Kelley, released his first full-length project in 2010, but has only recently begun to reap the benefits of his tireless dedication. Among this year's accomplishments are the debuts of the "Warpaint" and "Bad Seed" music videos, a spot on the soundtrack of Spike Lee's Da Sweet Blood of Jesus and the celebrated release of REDPILLwondrland. Rodney Blu

10:00 -- Tunk
Blue-collar Midlothian rapper, Tunk, is always at work. In preparation for the 2015 release of No Defeatl 2, Tunk created and committed to Beast Mode Tuesday, a weekly installment of newly-released music from the emcee. Every week for a year now, Tunk has contributed quality music to his audience and the Dallas rap community, promising each time that, as dope as each release is, his best is yet to be heard. RB

9:00 -- Sam Lao
Sam Lao didn't explode onto the Dallas rap scene; that would assume that there was some sort of physical or at least visible presence that required detonation. Lao materialized out of thin air in an ethereal cloud of deep purple incense smoke and sparkling cosmic dust, bringing forth an equally enigmatic arsenal of lyrical firepower. RB

8:00 -- Grey Matter
Grey Matter have been mixing old- and new-school hip hop masterfully for several years in DFW. DJ Buddha Fingers makes a bold impression with his focus on tempo, inspired arrangement of samples, and a turntable scratching ability that is mind-blowing. With Kilo Artefacto's thought-provoking rhymes, Grey Matter's performances are both intense and accessible. JH

7:00 -- Picnictyme
Picnictyme is number of things in the music world, he wears a lot of hats.Perhaps most notably, he's produced for A.Dd+ and is a member of Erykah Badu's all electric band, The Cannabinoids. Being in an eight piece electronic band that backs Badu is a helluva accomplishment. Currently, he's a part of the party starting electronic duo, Booty Fade. HDB

6:00 -- CashMir
Cashmir, the former Brain Gang emcee hailing from North Dallas, has something to prove. The opening lines of his newly released mixtape, Prodigy - hell, even the tape's title itself, shows a young man with a hunger for a glory once tasted in the eight-member rap collective he is best remembered alongside. The chip he shoulders through his latest release is not without good cause, as Cashmir primes himself as a formidable candidate for Best New Act. RB