NX35 Music Conferette

Here are opening day photos from NX35.

Andrew Tinker did us a barn burner Thursday night at North By 35 Music Conferette.

But let's be fair: bassist Julia Adamy, guitarist Kelyn Crapp, and drummer George Tinker brought some gasoline of their own.

For a guy who has a degree in music theory, and who told us he wanted the degree to help him improve his notation skills, Andrew Tinker plays like a guy with a fire in his belly and a brain on red bull. There's no dull order in Andrew's performance. It's like all the chaos inside boiled out onto the keyboard and Tinker pounded it into something beautiful. This is music that sounds like inspiration, not notation.

Andrew Tinker and his band was one of the few acts we saw at the opening night of NX35 that had people wiggling, dancing and screaming. (Not that we could see all the acts; We couldn't make enough clones for that). Tinker moved from sunny pop to rip-snorting blues rock to a honky tonk-ish waltz with a wink, a smile and the sweat of his brow.

And here's the thing: He does it all will such conviction. For a little white guy (we hope Andrew will forgive us for the "little" part) Andrew Tinker has the soul of a gospel choir high on the spirit. He is a consummate showman. We have the video to prove it. (We'll let you know when we get it edited and posted.)

It doesn't hurt that Crapp can make the guitar wail, hum and clickity-clack. Adamy plays a tight bass, and she and Tinker turned out some of the snuggest harmonies we heard at banter. George Tinker kept up on the drums with nary a hitch.

MyDentonMusic.com took a turn with Andrew and declared: "This is what pop should strive to be."

Indeed.

One of the highlights of the opening night of North By 35 Music Conferette was bound to a tiny patio stage at Sweetwater Grill & Tavern Thursday.

The POLYCORNS.

Check them out. The band is worth the visit to MySpace. Shoot, the band is worth a lot more. Seriously. This three-piece packs a sonic wallop that'll leave you pleasantly dazed.

Let's start with the unabashed, unafraid Caleb Campbell, shall we? What's not to love about a vocalist who isn't afraid to experiment with his voice -- a growl here, some falsetto there (sweet, sweet falsetto this kid has) and a hiccupping chirp sneaked into a crazy-good bass riff.

Caleb Campbell, lead singer of the POLYCORNS, dealt a performance with fearless vocals Thursday night at Sweetwater Grill & Tavern.

Speaking of bass, Pablo Burrell can pluck and smack the bass with confidence, and his cat-and-mouse game with drummer Michael Minardi made mouths curl up at the corners Thursday night.

Put it all together, and you have a band that throbs with chemistry. The POLYCORNS aren't shy about experimenting, and they come up with a brand of Indie music that is surprising as it is right. When Campbell dumped the guitar for the keyboard on "In Fact," he bested LEN and all their stolen sunshine.

The POLYCORNS seem like the band has incubated in oxygen that the members of Muse would have killed for when they were slogging shows in the U.K.

If Campbell and company keep growing, well, there's a big limelight with their name on it.

Listen for yourself at http://www.myspace.com/thepolycorns

Sweetwater Grill & Tavern was nearly at capacity during the first night of North By 35 Music Conferette Thursday night.

Plenty of the folks jammed into the patio were there to see Doug Burr.

There was no introduction and no banter during Burr's set, which he shared with Glen Ferris to gorgeous effect.

But then it's just like Doug Burr to let the music do the talking. And talk it did, with Burr on guitar, harmonica and tambourine and Ferris backing him gently on bass, banjo and keyboard. Burr played some of the gems of his catalog -- "Should've Known" was more stirring live than the recording. With Burr and Ferris alone on stage with nothing but some Americana and an audience that could have be a little quieter, there was nowhere for the duo to hide.

Denton Americana artist Doug Burr (right) and Glen Ferris, doing what they do best at the Sweetwater Grill & Tavern Showcase Thursday night, the opening of NX35 Music Conferette.

But Burr writes music and lyrics that are honest. Sure, he and Ferris rolled out the gloom that Burr does so well, but the redemption deep inside the tunes left a lump in our throats and a familiar ache in the chest.

Burr was on some lists of must-see acts of NX35 -- including our Denton's Top Five.

He and Ferris delivered on the promise.

The Small Time Ruffians help break the champagne bottle on North By 35 Music Conferette 2010 at banter Thursday night.

The Denton-based quartet, led by guitarist and singer Aaron Petri and guitar, banjo and organist Joel Adair, breezed into its set. They swung through "Drunk Philosopher," a tune about a self-absorbed drinker, and "Dr. Langstrom's Dental Assistant," a bit about a guy who finds his dentist's assistant fetching. With its vocal stock on the underdeveloped side, the band relies on the juxtaposition of the music with absurd lyrics, so some of the band's oomph was lost in the muddy acoustics of banter.

Check the Small Time Ruffians out at http://www.myspace.com/smalltimeruffians

Small Time Ruffians grinned and picked their way through a set at banter during a NX35 showcase.

NX35 got started Thursday night, and banter opened its doors to the lineup that was originally scheduled to cram itself into Circa 77.

Front man Justin Spike is a one-man band in the studio, where he recorded all the instruments on his latest release, This Knowledge. He was joined by a drummer and bassist for the gig. The trio raced through "Jaywalker," and eased into "Striped Hat," a cautionary note to avoid the mind traps that can take you out. He and his bandmates were hindered by muddy sound that blurred the lyrics beyond comprehension, but they carried on wearing game faces.

Justin Spike, who is Har Herrar, has the adulation of regional music critic. He picked up some new fans on Thursday at NX35.

Har Herrar managed a set that had the intimacy of an acoustic jam with a bite of punk-ish rock.

This Will Destroy You's performance at Hailey's tonight was certainly interesting, to say the least.

The band's haunting, sad melodies thumped throughout the room, reverberating in the floor and almost making ears bleed. Therein lies the problem. The quieter parts of their songs were compelling, but when they launched into the heavier parts, so much of the music was lost to drums turned up way too much. Often the vocals couldn't be heard at all over the crashing drums. An inebriated guitarist also detracted from what could have been a truly amazing show. At one point, an assistant had to come and take the guitarist's handle of Jameson whiskey away amid yelling from the other band members for the guitarist to just play the songs.

Though the guitarist managed to keep it together and even play well, the obvious annoyance of the other members greatly detracted from the show. The performance was entertaining nonetheless. Audience members were informed that is was the drummer's birthday and were led in an off key, dissonant rendition of the Happy Birthday song. The crowd responded with cheers at the end of each song, but there was a palpable sense of tension; should we laugh about the drunken guitarist, or be annoyed?

This is a band that would definitely be worth seeing if they could balance their instrumentation a little better and save the heavier drinking for after the show.

A This Will Destroy You guitarist reels under the powerful amps, music and whiskey

The Dirty Old Basement at J&J's Pizza is playing host to a small crowd as the band The Daily Beat turns up the amps for their pop-punk show.

With a sound somewhere between Blink 182 and The Misfits, The Daily Beat is coaxing head bangs from the 20 or so people who fill the room. Cans of Schlitz and Lone Star bottles are scattered about on the tables that line the walls of the basement, but no one is sitting.

By the keyboardist's rapid head banging, and the drummer's frantic beat, it's obvious that the Beat is enjoying themselves. The three guys and one girl crew that is The Daily Beat crank out tunes that are full of energy and punk-rock angst. The band is missing their original guitarist, who couldn't make it out of New York, but the group's original keyboardist is filling in and nothing of the sound is sacrificed.

Sitting on the old church pews lining the walls is like getting a massage. The amps, jacked up surely well above loud, are sending vibrations through the room that make your ears ring like a Spanish Mission bell at noon.

J&J's may have seen bigger crowds, but the one here is attentively tuned into the show; little attention is paid to anything besides lighting cigarettes, drinking beer and jamming out. "You guys are so good!" is just one of the complements being exchanged with hugs as the band packs up their gear and the Basement gets ready for the next round.

The Daily Beat plays J&J's, offering a pop-punk mix that raises pulses.

The dance floor at Hailey's club is its usual dark, smoky self. The band on stage, Saboteur is playing the kind of music that starts raging moshpits. No one, however, is moshing yet. The hard, industrial sound of the band has yet to whip-up a frenzy among the 30 or forty patrons who are standing at the foot of the stage, a few head banging along. The line to get in wasn't too bad, but there were unhappy words from people not sporting the Nx35 wrist bands who had to pay the walk-up cover fee. There is definitely a lack of energy from the crowd, maybe this just isn't the night for sabotage. With only two or three songs left, the band has yet to inspire the crowd. The members of the group seem to be enjoying themselves, at least.

The patio area at Sweetwater is packed to the gills.

The bar and dinning room areas aren't as busy, though the place is definitely doing business. If you want to actually see Seryn playing their set, good luck. Standing room only was a long, long time ago. Already into their fifth song, the crowd is definitely content with the mellow tunes coming out. It's hard to hear anything over the rowdy cheering that accompanies the end of a song.

If you're in the mood for something a little more laid back and relaxed, Seryn's songs so far are right up your alley. Their playing exudes a quiet energy sure to pop-off as the show progresses.

Feeling mellow? So was Seryn on the inaugural night of NX35 2010.

Fingers will dance over guitar and viola strings, sticks will crash with drum heads and someone will be squeezing the air out of a pump organ tonight at Sweetwater after Denton folk-bluegrass band Seryn takes the stage.
The band was absent from last year's Nx35 event, not because they wanted to be, but because they hadn't gotten together yet. This year, however, the band will be cranking out the jams at Sweetwater before moving out to catch other shows.
"The first year I didn't know it was going on, now it just feels like the first real year that it's taking off," said Chelsea Bohrer, the violinist and piano player for the group. "A lot of our friends are getting a hold of the idea, they're getting involved, putting on day shows, house parties, everyone's in support of North by this year, it makes us excited."
Guitarist Nathan Allen said that last year's event surprised him.
"I would see the posters around and be like 'wait, what happened? That sounds like the best thing ever.' So I think its just exciting that it's gonna happen and that it's bigger and that its here in Denton versus going down to Austin and doing that thing."

Seryn plays NX35 9 p.m. Thursday at Sweetwater Grill & Tavern.

Seryn got together around this time last year mostly by chance, said Allen.
"We all met March-April of last year; it was all kind of random, looking back. It just kinda all happened. Everything just fell into place and continues to fall into place in a cool way," Allen said.
Having only been together for a year hasn't affected the band's desire to have fun and give their fans good shows, though.
"I think we don't think about how long we've been together," Allen said. "We just think about what would be the next coolest thing to do."
While Seryn's members are excited about playing the festival, they see it as having a greater effect on the city, rather than the band's career.
"North By is gonna be awesome for Denton, for all the bands, and all the people that get to see the music," Allen said. "I think Nx35 is kind of like stone soup, someone puts a pot in the middle of town 'what've you got? Punk Rock. What've you got? Jazz Funk.' It's like everything's in there."
The mix of music at Nx35 is definitely something that Seryn members would know about. The five members use around ten different instruments in their show. And they all sing.
The mix of different sounds is what Allen considers his favorite part about being in a band, even his favorite part of music.
"When you have one part and its kinda cool and you have another part and its kinda cool and you put the two of them together: really cool," Allen said. "Its like cheese is cool and grilled is cool, but grilled cheese..."
Though Allen and Bohrer don't see the festival as being a history making moment for the band, they are nonetheless excited about tonight's show.

Who- Seryn
Where- Sweetwater 115 S. Elm
When- 9 p.m.

Denton resident Kevin Roden liked the philosophical discussion group he started in college so much that he never did drop it.

When he was a student at University of North Texas, Roden recalls living in the "artsy dorm" Bruce Hall. He started a regular, casual meet-up in his dorm room for peers who wanted to join reflective but energetic conversations. At least for Roden, the chance seemed like a break in the typical college scene, where group discussion were more likely to be study groups, and the alternative was lots of drinking and lots of partying.

That forum grew into Drink & Think, a regular local meeting of the minds about life's big questions -- and local issues -- over beer and wine.

It all incubated in that dorm room, though. A group of students reflecting and chewing on questions about morality, responsibility and what it means to be human.

"I called it the Thought Forum," said Roden, a 35-year-old doctoral student pursuing a degree in philosophy. "There was so much going on with people who wanted to be entertained. But I didn't think there were many opportunities for students to sit together and have thoughtful conversations with other people. And there were some of us who wanted to do some talking and reflecting on something that was deeper."

When he graduated, Roden went to work for UNT as the assistant director of student life at the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science. There, he transitioned the Thought Forum into Dessert & Discussion.

"I put out signs inviting people to come," Roden said. "Then I got married, and my wife and I had this old house on Fry Street. We did the same thing. We put out signs. It was a good way to stay in touch with professors and people who wanted to engage in this sort of relational discussion. And we'd talk about things like the topic we discussed recently, and that Mayor Mark Burroughs came by to help us discuss, the topic: 'What does it mean to be Denton?' Then when we moved to our house on Texas Street, we brought it with us. That's when it became Drink & Think."

That was 2000. Roden has continued to provide "fine adult beverages" to people who want to talk about big questions - questions about life and questions that relate to being a citizen. Because Roden has a day job, has a 22-month-old daughter and is trying to get his PhD, Drink & Think happens when his schedule allows.

"I try to have at least three a semester," he said.

Drink & Think isn't all talk. Roden has invited local bands to the session to play a set or two. He doesn't consider Drink & Think part of the Denton house show phenomenon.

"I ventured out to a house show last fall," Roden said. "I noticed that it was a mostly younger crowd, and the house show scene is more about partying. If you come into the group sitting around my living room, you're not going to be talking [while the discussion is going on]."

Roden said he's not fussed about concrete action growing out of the sessions.

"On some level, I think if it became institutionalized, I don't think it would work," he said. "It would lose some of it's flavor, wouldn't it? What I would like to see come out of this is for other people to start these kinds of groups in their neighborhoods."

Roden won't prescribe a model for the ideal session.

"If someone else tried to be Kevin Roden, it would be inauthentic. That's not to say I wouldn't give someone else advice, or answer their questions. I'd be up for that. It has to be what it's going to be, though."

Roden will host a special session of Drink & Think from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday at banter, 119 W. Oak St. A panel will use the Drink & Think format to pose the question: "Is Midlake Better Than Miley Cyrus? (If, How So? If Not, Then What The Hell Are We Doing?)

To keep up with Drink & Think, visit www.thinkdenton.com. You can connect to the forum's facebook site from the site

The Thursday Texas 8 Ball showcase has been moved due to the venue's closure. The show venue has been amended here.

Thursday
Panels
banter, 219 W. Oak St. 940-565-1638.
1 to 2:30 p.m. - DFW, the Arts, and the Future: A Roundtable Discussion about the role artists are playing in encouraging new ways of living and thinking to promote culture and protect communities in the current challenges the region faces.
3 to 4:30 p.m. - Where We Hear Local Music, a discussion about where to find great local music. Local media members discuss where they get the music.

Dan's Silver Leaf, 103 Industrial St. 940-320-2000.
4 to 6 p.m. - Music Makers Mixer, a time for people in the music business to get to know one another including artists, producers, engineers, songwriters, attorneys, accountants, managers, booking agents and members of The Recording Academy Texas Chapter.

Music
Andy's Bar, 122 N. Locust St., No. 8. 940-565-5400.
History At Our Disposal, New Science Projects, Nervous Curtains (Dallas), The Timeline Post, Drink to Victory.

banter, 219 W. Oak Street
Lazy Native, 8 p.m. (moved from Texas 8 Ball)

Circa 77, 225 W. Oak St.
Andrew Tinker, Jessie Frye (DFW), Small Time Ruffians, Har Herrar (Fort Worth).

The Boiler Room, 101 W. Hickory St. 940-566-5483.
Snarky Puppy, Zorch (Austin), Kaboom, Zlam Dunk (San Marcos), Orange Peel Sunshine (Dallas).

, Savage and the Big Beat,

Dan's Silver Leaf, 103 Industrial St. 940-320-2000.
KXT 91.7 presents Carrie Rodriguez (Brooklyn), RTB2, OK Sweetheart, Jacob Metcalf (Dallas).

Hailey's, 122 W. Mulberry St. 940-323-1160.
This Will Destroy You (San Marcos), The Crash that Took Me (Dallas), The Bizarro Kids (moved from Texas 8 Ball) ,Saboteur (Dallas), My Empty Phantom (Austin).

The Hydrant Café, 208 W. Oak St. 940-384-0033.
Daniel Folmer, A.M. Ramblers, Jenn Gooch, Roy Robertson.

J&J's Pizza 118 W. Oak St. 940-382-7769.
Cocky Americans (Dallas), Burywood (Austin, moved from Texas 8 Ball), The Daily Beat, Parata, The Virgin Wolves.

Jupiter House Coffee, 106 N. Locust St. 940-387-7100.
Fox and the Bird (Richardson), The Beaten Sea (Dallas), Sabra Laval, Delmore Pilcrow.

Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios, 411 E. Sycamore St. 940-387-7781.
Evangelicals, Sunnybrook, Savage and the Big Beat (moved from Texas 8 Ball) Manned Missiles, Native Lights (Tulsa, OK).

Sweetwater Grill and Tavern, 115 N. Elm St. 940-484-2888.
Julianna Barwick (Brooklyn), Doug Burr, The POLYCORNS, Seryn, Glen Farris.

Friday
Panels
Hailey's, 122 W. Mulberry St. 940-323-1160.
1 to 2:30 p.m. - Keynote: Steve Albini, a Chicago based musician, engineer and writer.

Dan's Silver Leaf, 103 Industrial St. 940-320-2000.
3 to 4 p.m. - From the Physical to the Digital will explore questions about different ways of artistic content distribution in the digital age.

banter, 219 W. Oak St. 940-565-1638.
4 to 6 p.m. - Drink and Think: Is Midlake Better Than Mylie Cyrus? If, how so? If no, then what the hell are we doing? This is an informal gathering for those who want an evening discussing big questions while drinking adult beverages.

Music
Andy's Bar, 122 N. Locust St., No. 8. 940-565-5400.
Sleep Whale, Ola Podrida (Austin), Mount Righteous (Grapevine), Spooky Folk, Caleb Ian Campbell.

banter, 219 W. Oak St. 940-565-1638.
Frontier Ruckus (Michigan), The Demigs, Summer of Glaciers (San Francisco), Lane & Paul.

The Boiler Room, 101 W. Hickory St. 940-566-5483.
HEALTH (Los Angeles), Record Hop, PVC Street Gang, Dear Human.

Dan's Silver Leaf ,103 Industrial St. 940-320-2000.
Sarah Jaffe, Jupiter One (NYC), Trespassers William (Seattle), ODYSSEY (formerly This Old House).

Hailey's, 122 W. Mulberry St. 940-323-1160.
Woven Bones (Austin), Fergus & Geronimo, Pure Ecstasy, Final Club.

The Hydrant Café, 208 W. Oak St. 940-384-0033.
Icarus Himself (Madison, Wisconsin), Museum Creatures, The Angelus, Robot Arm, Handbrake.

J&J's Pizza, 118 W. Oak St. 940-382-7769.
GioSafari (NYC), Curvette, The Hope Trust, The Lonesome Heroes (Austin), Electric Electric.

Jupiter House Coffee, 106 N. Locust St. 940-387-7100.
Points North, Nicholas Altobelli (Dallas), Welcome Signs, Monastery.

Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios, 411 E. Sycamore St. 940-387-7781.
Indian Jewelry (Houston), Babar, White Drugs, hotel hotel (Austin), Vexed UK.

Sweetwater Grill and Tavern, 115 N. Elm St. 940-484-2888.
Whiskey Folk Ramblers (Fort Worth), Boxcar Bandits, Pinebox Serenade, Le Not So Hot Klub de Denton, The Jakeys.

Texas 8 Ball, 218 W. Oak St.
The Rocketboys (Austin), Here Holy Spain, Bridges & Blinking Lights, The Phuss (Fort Worth).

Saturday
Panels
Sweetwater Grill and Tavern, 115 N. Elm St. 940-484-2888.
1 to 2:30 p.m. - The Ever-Shifting Live Music Landscape in DFW, a discussion about the changing venues and booking process of musicians.
3 to 4:30 p.m. - The Changing Nature of Music Journalism, a discussion of how changing journalism outlets are affecting the music scene.

Music
Andy's Bar, 122 N. Locust St., No. 8. 940-565-5400.
Colourmusic (Piedmont, OK), The Laughing (Austin), Sarah Reddington, (Denton/Portland), BigBang (Los Angeles/Oslo).

banter, 219 W. Oak St. 940-565-1638.
The Naptime Shake (Dallas), Warren Jackson Hearne and the Merrie Murdre of Gloomadeers, Guitar George Trio (Sanger), Green Corn Revival (Weatherford, OK).

The Boiler Room, 101 W. Hickory St. 940-566-5483.
420 Blues, Oso Closo, Trebuchet.

Texas 8 Ball, 218 W. Oak St.
I Heart Lung (Long Beach/Pasadena, CA), Rare Grooves Orchestra (Long Beach, CA), Shiny Around the Edges, Dust Congress, .E (St. Louis, MO), Mariachi Quetzal.

Dan's Silver Leaf, 103 Industrial St. 940-320-2000.
Slobberbone, The Low Lows, Robert Gomez.

Hailey's, 122 W. Mulberry St. 940-323-1160.
The Black Angels (Austin), Matthew and the Arrogant Sea, Jack With One Eye, The River Mouth.

The Hydrant Café, 208 W. Oak St. 940-384-0033.
Young and Brave, Minorcan (Austin), Sarah Renfro (Brooklyn), Claire Morales.

J&J's Pizza, 118 W. Oak St. 940-382-7769.
The Heelers, Joe Pug, Grandfather Child (Houston), Paul Benjaman Band (Tulsa, OK).

Jupiter House Coffee, 106 N. Locust St. 940-387-7100.
Floating Action (Asheville, NC), Feathers (Miami), Br'er (Asheville, NC/Philadelphia).

Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios, 411 E. Sycamore St. 940-387-7781.
Telegraph Canyon (Fort Worth), Hogpig, Doug Gillard (NYC), Eaton Lake Tonics (Fort Worth).

Sweetwater Grill and Tavern, 115 N. Elm St. 940-484-2888.
Horse Feathers (Portland, OR), Robert Ellis (Houston), Dan Montgomery (Memphis), Buffalo Clover (Nashville).

Sunday
Panel
Recycled Books, Records, CDS, 200 North Locust St. 940-566-5688.
12 to 6 p.m. - Words and Music By will feature 17 of Denton's songwriters, poets, authors and wordsmiths for spoken word and musical performances.

Dan's Silver Leaf, 103 Industrial St. 940-320-2000.
1 to 2:30 p.m. - 40 Bands/80 Minutes! Each band will be given two minutes to present their uncompromising musical visions to the world.

The Eight Track Museum, 314 E. Hickory St.
2 p.m. - Metal Machine Music a free short eight track discussion, tour of the museum and a lecture on Lou Reed's infamous 1975 double album.

The Boiler Room, 101 W. Hickory St. 940-566-5483.
2 to 3:30 p.m. - Many Songs Told is an opportunity to share a story about a song.

Music
Andy's Bar, 122 N. Locust St., No. 8. 940-565-5400.
DJ MomJeans (Hollywood, CA), Pigeon John (Northridge, CA), Damaged Good$ (Dallas), Dem Southernfolkz (Dallas), Yeahdef, Sore Losers, I-45 (Houston), Anonymous Culture (Dallas).

Circa 77, 225 W. Oak St.
Baruch the Scribe, The Hand Combine, Natalia Mallo (São Paulo, Brazil), FELILI (Brooklyn).

The Boiler Room, 101 W. Hickory St. 940-566-5483.
Smile Smile (Dallas), Giggle Party (Dallas), The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt! (Purchase, NY), The Shakes (Los Angeles), Math the Band (Providence, RI), Fishboy.

Texas 8 Ball, 218 W. Oak St.
Harvey Sid Fisher, Peopleodian, Corporate Park, The Clouds Are Ghosts (Austin).

Dan's Silver Leaf, 103 Industrial St. 940-320-2000.
Kissaway Trail (Odense, Denmark), Pattern is Movement (Philadelphia), Via Audio (New York/Boston), The Middle East (Queensland, Australia), Autumn Owls (Dublin).

Hailey's, 122 W. Mulberry St. 940-323-1160.
The Walkmen (NYC), Jookabox (Indianapolis), Pomegranates (Cincinnati), Follow That Bird! (Austin).

The Hydrant Café, 208 W. Oak St. 940-384-0033.
The Fieros (Brooklyn), The Contingency Clause, Writer, The Wellington Lights, Little Birds (McKinney).

J&J's Pizza, 118 W. Oak St. 940-382-7769.
Unwed Sailor (Tulsa), A Shoreline Dream (Denver), Hello Lover (Dallas), Dim Locator.

Jupiter House Coffee, 106 N. Locust St. 940-387-7100.
Strangers Family Band (Orlando), Quiet Company (Austin), Thunder Power (Omaha), Drive Like Maria (The Netherlands), The Diamond Center (Richmond, VA).

Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios, 411 E. Sycamore St. 940-387-7781.
Neon Indian (Brooklyn), Florene, French Horn Rebellion (Brooklyn; Milwaukee), Ishi (Dallas), Fur.

Sweetwater Grill and Tavern, 115 N. Elm St. 940-484-2888.
Birds & Batteries (San Francisco), Peasant (Doylestown, PA), Western Giants, The Slow Burners, Galapaghost (Queens, NY).

Red-hot for the blues

George Woolard can't count the number of times he's burned it up on the historic downtown Denton Square.

Woolard - known as "Guitar George" on the Denton music scene - has musical roots that spread out across the county and Dallas-Fort Worth and they burn red hot for the Blues. He's probably best known these days for his work in Big Daddy Alright and the Guitar George Trio. Music fans with a longer memory can put him in the lineup for High School Caesar or Swine Cadillac.

It started just after he graduated from Krum High School.

"It was 1987, and some friends of mine got together to play, and we found out that this gal, Sara Hickman, was looking for some musicians to play with her," Woolard said. "So we played with Sara, and that took us all over DFW."

After developing a reputation for being a reliable band member with guitar chops, Woolard played with Wanda Jackson.

"And now she's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, God bless her. She was a lot of fun to play with," he said.

Woolard released his first Guitar George Trio album on New Year's Eve, but the guitarist said he might just treat his 8 p.m. gig on Saturday at banter, 219 W. Oak St., as another CD release party.

"I'm really glad they [North By 35 Music Conferette organizers] picked me, and I'm glad to get this kind of PR. I think it's going to be a real good time."

The trio uses a "classical" blues set-up. The pianist plays the base line, the drummer keeps the beat and the guitar goes crazy.

Guitar George plays NX35 on Saturday

"I wanted to get that classic feel, that 1950s groove with the b3 [upright piano] doing its thing," Woolard said. "I wanted to mix that '60s groove with some delta blues."

He's brought some trio favorites to the self-titled record - "The Fry Street Boogie" and "The Harry Hines Bop." Saturday night, Woolards plays with keyboardist Damian Sisca, and Robert Hamilton on drums. Bruan Ferguson, a member of Eleven Hundred Springs, played drums on some of the tracks on the new record.

Woolard can recall the days when the Denton music gained momentum as a music town -- not just a town with a university music program. He was even part of an upstart nonprofit for the preservation and promotion of blues music. The nonprofit died, but Woolard's schedule has stayed brisk.

"I'd say there is a blues scene in Denton, yeah. There are about a half dozen bands, Pops Carter being right there at the top," he said.

He said the city's music scene seems to have revived, with NX35 being an indicator of the new energy.

"I think it's first of all 'finally,'" he said. "With this festival, you have a chance to hear all these bands, a lot of them new. It'll put Denton on the map. Denton's been on the map for a while, with folks like Brave Combo, but this will go that much further, I'm looking forward to it."

Guitar George resumes his summer gig at the Prairie House Restaurant in Crossroads in May.

In the last few days before North By 35 Music Conferette blasts off downtown, The Denton Record-Chronicle will highlight the five local acts we think you'd be crazy to miss during the four-day, walkable fest. We listened, read and watched what we could find on the festival roster. We decided in the end not to rank the acts, but to just give them a piece of our blog.

Remember how catchy the theme to 'Peanuts' was? That tune has nothing on Andrew Tinker.

Andrew Tinker went to the University of North Texas College of Music, where he earned a degree in music theory. He walked off campus and into the Denton music scene to carve out a niche that no one else could -- not that we know of, anyway. When he takes to the stage with drummer Jeff Randall, guitarist Kelyn Crapp and bassist Julia Adamy, Tinker doesn't come off like a music theory nerd. He comes off like a monster on the piano, with stage presence to match his musical acumen. His album, It Takes the World, was released last year to. Since then, he's played in the studio at KXT 91.7 FM. He chatted with the Denton Record-Chronicle Tuesday by phone.

Q. You unapologetically identify yourself as a pop/rock musician. Do you think claiming the pop mantle is at all dangerous or marginalizing in Denton, where people talk about ambient music and experimental music, sometimes in hushed tones?
A. Yes! Yes it is. And it has actually proven to be somewhat of a liability and I might not use that any more. I think when people think of pop, they think of electronic pop. They think of Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus. When I put pop music on my album, I did it to distinguish it from western art music. It's so hard to get into this discussion because there is so much pop music that is art music.But when I use the term 'pop' I think of it as populist music. For me, it's more populist than popular.

Q. Commercial airwaves are monopolized by the heavy rhythmic structure of hip-hop. What brings you back to the singable melodies and harmonies that you create?
A. I think you're on to something. I think what I do musically, it's almost sort of a reaction against that. I want to be careful here, because I don't want to sound like someone who doesn't think there is room for rhythmic music, because I don't think that. Take the song "B Sweet [on It Takes the World]." I wanted to do an R&B song, but I wanted to put a little counterpoint in there and at the end, I put everything in there. I just throw it all in the pot - the verse and the chorus and everything.

Andrew Tinker and his band headline the showcase at Circa 77, 225 W. Oak. Doors open at 6 p.m. and music starts around 8 p.m. Andrew Tinker goes on at 11 p.m. BYOB.

Q. Music theory seems like sort of the dry and dull part of music. What interested you in music theory.
A. I did music theory because I wanted to grow my tonal vocabulary and to grow my ability for notation instead of saying: 'Hey, can you try this?' The funny thing about that is that after I got that degree, with my band, I stepped back and went back to the aural tradition of songwriting. I'd say: 'Listen to these chords. Let's go from there.'

Q. Somehow, when I listen to your music, these are the names that come to mind: Rufus Wainwright, Ben Folds, Matthew Sweet, Elton John, Bruce Hornsby and John Legend. Why do I think of men who don't mind cozying up to a piano when I listen to you?
A. Some of the associations have to do probably with the principal instrument. When I play live, my principle instrument is going to be keyboard. Back with a band I had a couple of years ago, I played mostly guitar. Back then, I'd never get Ben Folds [as a comparison]. When I play piano, I get Ben Folds. And I like Ben Folds.

Q. Let's talk about the piano for a second. Sometimes, I get the feeling that the piano is seen as being effete. You know, not as masculine as the guitar?
A. My piano is the most rock and roll instrument in Denton. I've dragged it all over the place; I've Jumped on top of it; I've blown smoke out of it - literally. My piano is rock and roll. And there's something to be said to taking a piano with you to a gig. A lot of people make do with a keyboard, but for me, it's not the same. For me, having that piano, it's like having a Cadillac. I don't really want a Prius right now. I want a Cadillac. And you know, when I go to a gig and I see a guy with a b3 [upright piano], I'm thinking: 'This guy's the real deal.' I think the piano is a good instrument for me. I did some acoustic sets in the last month, and I didn't even bring the piano. I just played guitar

Q. And the crowd didn't give you grief?
A. They don't know who I am. They have no clue I'm a piano player. I think if you asked me if I thought I'd be a piano player or guitar player a couple of years back, I would've told you I was going to be a guitarist.

Q. You have a solid voice. Have you studied voice?
A. My earliest training was piano, and then I didn't do that for a while. When I started getting really serious, I was in the Texas Boys Choir. The first tour I went on was when I was in fifth grade. Since then, voice has been my strongest instrument. Singing pop, really, is different than what you sing in choir. To sing [Beethoven's Symphony No. 9], which has this ungodly high note, well, you learn stuff for that. Pop singing is different. I have definitely worn my voice out by getting out hand at shows.

Q. When you're writing, when do you know you've struck gold with a melody?
A. You don't know. It takes an audience, and sometimes, the audience can be a few people. You sometimes have to play it for people and bomb. You have to get up there and be boring to learn.

Q. What are you working on now?
A. The next record will probably be a step back from It Takes A World. I've been working on 12-bar blues songs, which I've always liked. I've been approaching it by saying 'let's just play this thing for 10 minutes and let's find where the riffs are and what the song is.'

A bit of trivia: Tinker plays the guitar as a church musician, and he also plays French Horn.

Sarah Jaffe - That smoldering torch in the distance? That's Jaffe's muse

For Denton Indie-Folk artist Sarah Jaffe, slow and steady wins the race. Jaffe has been performing regionally and beyond for the last six years. Later this spring, she'll release her debut album, Suburban Nature, through Kirtland Records.

Jaffe is blessed with a smoky, torch-song contralto (she can float on up to the mezzo range, too), sharp songwriting acumen and keen sense of atmosphere. She's been a rising star with shows like Austin City Limits and South By Southwest. She made time recently for Q &A with the Denton Record-Chronicle. Be sure to catch her in her second North By 35 music Conferette performance. She's the headlining act at Dan's Silverleaf, 103 Industrial on Friday night.

Q. So, how's it been opening for Norah Jones (she opens tonight for Norah in Des Moines, Iowa)?
A. It's great.

Q. How did you get the gig with Norah Jones?
A. I was on the road with Midlake, and with my good friend Melanie [Little] Gomez and Robert Gomez. They're good friends with Norah. They know her back from her [University of North Texas] days. Melanie and Norah and Robert were together and Melanie asked her if she'd heard my music. She played some music for her. Basically, Norah asked if Melanie knew whether I'd be interested in playing with her. I heard from Norah and the dates were set.

Q. How was the tour with Midlake?
A. It was about a month in Europe, and it was wonderful. This was my first month-long tour, let alone in Europe. It was pretty amazing to be able to play live every night and get your music out to a whole new crowd.

Q. People know about Midlake overseas, but they might not know of you and your music. Did you consider this an introduction?
A. It couldn't have been more of an introduction. No one had a clue who I was. They just knew I was there with Midlake. There I was, kind of there, waiting to prove myself.

Sarah Jaffe headlines at Dan's Silverleaf Friday during NX35.

Q. Did you pick up some new fans?
A. Sure, absolutely. I felt confident in what I was doing, and I definitely love what I'm doing. Mainly, I was happy to be in my favorite cities in Europe every night. The people were beautiful and the whole thing just had that charm of traveling. I met people every night.

Q. What were the crowds like? Were they listening crowds, or was it noiser?
A. It can be the same anywhere. There are some chatty crowds. There were a few shows where people were so quiet - Midlake commands a respectful audience - they're an intelligent group that does intelligent music. These people came to the shows to hear the lyrics. It was nice to be touring with this group that commands that kind of audience.

Q. You were there promoting your debut album, Suburban Nature?
A. I sold a promo copy of the album. It basically was kind of a knock of the record. I took it out there so I'd have something to prove.

Q. When you play live, do you get a different sense of the songs from when you wrote them?
A. I've been playing these songs live for five or six years. Some nights you bring a different energy to the songs. To me, it's a good thing to bring new energy to these songs - to see how people perceive a song differently. The audiences over there are a little different, yeah. They like anything with an accordion. They liked [my] songs [that] I wouldn't necessarily lean toward. It's kind of funny that way. But I like that. I wrote them and then it's like: 'O.K., take 'em.'

Q. Your one of the musicians in Denton who is mentioned when the city is getting love for a vibrant local music scene. What's it like to be singled out as a reason Denton shouldn't be a town you pass on the way to Dallas or Oklahoma City?
A. To me, that's like an honor. To be honest, I haven't thought about it as an honor - when I think about what I'm doing, it has everything to do with what I'm doing as a musician. It was really almost a childish decision that turned out to be this great part of my life. I was just passing through Denton with a friend and he said 'You know? You should move here.' The music is why I ended up here.

Q. Who are you excited about right now musically, and is there anyone you'd like to catch at the festival yourself?
A. I think, just overall, this is huge. I'm obviously very excited to see Midlake and The Flaming Lips. I'm also looking forward to the night when Matthew And The Arrogant Sea are opening for the Black Angels [Saturday night at Hailey's Club, 122 W. Mulberry St.]

Wanna go? All-access wristbands - $65. All-venue wristband for all single-night programming - $20. Saturday single-night wristbands are sold out. Patrons must present valid ID and a voucher to pick up their wristbands at artist and registration check-in between noon and 8 p.m. No walk-up wristbands will be sold. Buying early is wise. Register for your wristband at www.nx35.com

Here's a roster of Denton Record-Chronicle writers involved with NX35 coverage:

Lucinda Breeding, Features Editor

Tim Monzingo, DR-C blogger, and contributing writer to the University of North Texas' newspaper, The Daily.

The folks here at The Denton Record-Chronicle have a challenge for those who plan to attend North By35 Music Conferette from March 11-14 in downtown Denton.

We want you to submit photos of any crazy beard you see at NX35. The bigger the better. The crazier the better. Heck, you can even submit a self portrait featuring your own beard. Why? Because the 21st Century Grizzly Adams is Denton's unofficial logo. (The toughest of the tough sport an out-of-control chin-blast with dreadlocks. Think of it as "North of Ordinary" without a razor.)

Betcha can't go up against this glorious chin. You say you can? Prove it.

We'll post your beard photos on the NX35 blog throughout the festival. If our rag-tag crew covering the festival isn't dead from trying to keep up with you music-loving whippersnappers, we might even declare a winner.

Oh, and there are some rules: we won't post beard photos that are shot with vulgar gestures or T-shirts emblazoned with curse words. The beards can be dirty, but the pictures can't. Also, tell us who took the picture, and where the beard was sighted.

Where to send photographic evidence of nuclear facial hair: drconline@dentonrc.com. Please put "How Beard Can You Get?" in your subject line.

Sen. Phil Gramm has had a Denton moment. Exhibit A: These mutton chops.

A roster of must-see acts from Denton

In the last few days before North By 35 Music Conferette blasts off downtown, The Denton Record-Chronicle will highlight the five local acts we think you'd be crazy to miss during the four-day, walkable fest. We listened, read and watched what we could find on the festival roster. We decided in the end not to rank the acts, but to just give them a piece of our blog.

Keep coming back from now through March 11. Oh, and feel free to comment - just keep it dignified.

Doug Burr - Doing Americana, little D-style

Denton Americana artist Doug Burr earned critical praise for his for his 2007 release On Promenade, both for his skillfull musicianship and for lyrics that provoke. Shortly after that, Burr released The Shawl. He has a new album pressed and ready to go. Lance Yokum, the head honcho at Spune Productions, Burr's representation, said the title and cover art will be announced at www.spune.com any day now. For the latest album, Burr reunited with the team he assembled for On Promenade: Britton Beisenherz mixed and engineered; Todd Pertil played guitar and pedal steel; Glen Farris plays. Burr spoke to features editor Lucinda Breeding.

Q. What's been going on for you musically since The Shawl?
A. I have been working on another full length record. The Shawl was a side project, it was meant to be an in-betweener. Because of the nature of the work it was different than what I normally do. I didn't write the words. [Burr borrowed biblical Psalms for the lyrics to The Shawl.] I'd been working on that a while. I just had a chance to get it done, and I was at a point where I was telling myself 'I've got to get this other out.' The timing on that was good. So, I'm working on the follow-up to On Promenade. It is it done. It's in the can. I started in August and we finished recording in the end of January.

Q. How many tracks are on this record?
A. Eleven tracks. One is an instrumental. This is the first time I've recorded an instrumental, and to me, it can act like a palate cleanser.

Doug Burr Plays NX35 this week.

Q. Thus far, critical reception of On Promenade and The Shawl has been very friendly. How did you feel about those pieces when they were released, and how do you feel about them now?
A. We felt really good about them, and the thing is, I've I learned to rely on other musicians. I feel like I do my thing really well, but it's fairly limited in scope. Some guys can go in and record and play everything. It's not that you have to be the way I am, but I have musicians that I rely on to fill things in. You can start really second guessing what you do, and at some point, you think: 'Well, if this is OK for everyone else, maybe I should chill out on it a little.' You have to trust people at some point that, yeah, we feel really good about this stuff. Now, there are times that I have to push back to get what I think is right if something's off, but I've learned to trust the people around me.

Q. After having a record released and be well-received, does it make you nervous about the next project?
A. It does. It's a good problem to have. It's funny, because we want attention, we get attention, and then it's 'oh crap, we have attention.' But I don't want to be doing it if it isn't on par with other people out there doing it - like Lyle Lovett or Ryan Adams.

Q.You're one of the artists that have defined the Denton music scene as being both vibrant and important in the last two years. Does that feel like a heavy responsibility at all?
A.It's always slightly burdensome if there's any intention [in what you're doing as a musician] If you drop that torch, there's a price to pay. There are guys who came long before me. The Will Johnsons and all those guys. I'm just happy to be a part of it. This is the city I grew up in, and hey, if that's where I grew up and this is where I can write and make music, I'm happy to do my part.

Q.If you were introducing Denton's music scene as a character in a novel - or a friend - to someone you'd like to eventually meet Denton, how would you describe Denton?
A.The way I see the Denton music scene is that it is very healthy artistically in that grassroots way. Because it's not self conscious, it's not trying to be something it isn't. It's not [Los Angeles] and it's based on that punk scene that is saying 'eff you' to the man. It's not at all worried about it's photos. It is very DIY.

Q.Who in Denton has you really excited about local music?
A.For one, I've known Sarah Jaffe for a few years and I'm really excited about what she's doing. I know what I was writing at that age and it wasn't even in the same universe. To see her hitting her stride is really a great thing. Seryn - they are going to be backing me in some of my upcoming shows. To see a buzz starting around them is exciting, and Dust Congress. There are a ton of great bands . I haven't even toured abroad as a musician from Denton, so I haven't really been a Denton music ambassador. There is so much talent in this city that it's intimidating. It's just I'm a late bloomer with everything.

Catch Doug Burr at NX35 around 10 p.m. March 11 at Sweetwater Grill & Tavern, 115 N. Elm St.

Wanna go? All-access wristbands - $65. All-venue wristband for all single-night programming - $20. Saturday single-night wristbands are sold out. Patrons must present valid ID and a voucher to pick up their wristbands at artist and registration check-in between noon and 8 p.m. No walk-up wristbands will be sold. Buying early is wise. Register for your wristband at www.nx35.com

Festival coins a word, just to keep it 'beard'

What: NX35 Music Conferette
When: March 11-14, 2010
Where: Downtown Denton
How much: All-access wristbands - $65. All-venue wristband for all single-night programming - $20. Saturday single-night wristbands are sold out. Patrons must present valid ID and a voucher to pick up their wristbands at artist and registration check-in between noon and 8 p.m. No walk-up wristbands will be sold. Buying early is wise. Register for your wristband at www.nx35.com

So, what's with the whole "conferette" part of North By 35 Music Conferette?
We asked the guy who could get the credit or the blame for this foundling of a word - festival director Chris Flemmons.

Flemmons started his explanation with the festival's brand, NX35.

"This started out as an afternoon fest at [South By Southwest,]" Flemmons said, suspending the rule prohibiting mentions of the big behemoth to the south known by its brand, SXSW. "We'd have this late afternoon party of acts from Denton that deserved to be seen along with groups that had a critical draw."

After years of talk about staging a festival in Denton just a week before SXSW, Flemmons and a team of spunky volunteers broke a champagne bottle (or some other, cheaper spirit) against the inaugural NX35. Which was branded a "conferette" from the start.

"From the get-go, it was 'what do you we call it?'" said Flemmons, a longtime Denton resident and guitarist for The Baptist Generals. "We suggested something you can't print. SX [expletive] You. We wanted people to get that this was some sort of antagonistic, off-festival thing. I thought it would be cool for the title to be directions to Denton."

Like a bucketful of Denton musicians, Flemmons is connected with a lot of people who know music, music culture and all its regionalisms. For every scenester who wants nothing more than to lift a glass and do a weird dance at one of Denton's venues - nearly all of them connected during the festival by a chain of rip-snorting bills - there's another who wants to get a dose of egg-head data about The State of Things. For those folks, Flemmons & Co. prepared a schedule of panels.

Also known as the conferette.

"We wanted it to be a dressed-down thing," Flemmons said. "Because this is supposed to be a casual thing, I wanted the discussion part of it to be small and hassle-free. We wanted the event to be walkable. I wanted the discussion part of this to lend itself to being smaller and easier."

Smaller than easier than what? The road-glutting phenomenon that is The Other Festival That Shall Not Be Named. In Austin. Anyway, conversations about nursing a music scene that isn't commercial in a Nashville or Los Angeles sort of way were bound to happen anyway. Festival organizers were smart to line-up moderators and air conditioned buildings for the inevitable.

The crew at NX35 has talked about "conferette." Flemmons said they went as far as to Google it. Flemmons found an antique microphone model with the brand, but nothing else.

So "conferette" it is. And if the term offends you, you don't have to use it to acknowledge it or attend the discussions. NX35 folks are laid back that way.

And for the cranks out there, maybe time will soothe your rage. After all, The Denton Arts & Jazz Festival started out as the pert and breezy "Spring Fling."

- Lucinda Breeding