On New Year’s Eve, I saw a lot of people posting about how awful 2010 was. I can’t disagree, as 2010 was a big kick in the teeth for me as well. But that’s not what this post is going to be about. 2010 did have several positive aspects as well. Back in July, I started to delve into the DFW music scene. The stress of the year was greatly relieved by bands like Rivethead, The Razorblade Dolls, Echelon High, Bit_Rot, The Broadsiders, Home Wrecker, A Theory of Disaster, and The Killdares.
Though I'm not one to make new year's resolutions, I do intend to make it to even more shows this year. I got a great start on that this past weekend, with two great shows in Deep Ellum. On New Year's Eve, at 2826 Arnetic, I saw Over Odds, Dälom, Bombing Ibiza, Echelon High, and Giant of the Mountain. New Year's Day, at the Liquid Lounge, I saw Etchmark, Ending the Vicious Cycle, and Dälom again. Both were great shows, and there wasn't a bad band among them.
There were standouts. As you might guess from the repeat between the two nights, I really liked Dälom. The first thing that grabs your attention is Krista Mendoza's powerful voice. Soon, though, you realize that the rest of the band has the talent to match. I really can't say enough good things about this band. Look them up on MySpace Music or Reverbnation and have a listen. Then go see them Jan 22 at The Cellar in Fort Worth or Jan 28 at The Prophet Bar in Deep Ellum.
I saw Echelon High somewhere around September at Skillman Street Bar... what a difference a few months can make. At that point, they were a good industrial metal act, but with just guitars and a synthesizer, it just didn't quite feel like a full band. Now, with bass and keyboards thrown into the mix, the sound has a lot more weight to it. While I'd still like to see them with a live drummer (they are looking for one), I was really impressed with them.
At the NYE show, most of the crowd left after the champagne toast. That's a damned shame, because the group that played after midnight, Giant of the Mountain, was an amazing metal band. The vocals are pretty much your standard death-metal gravel voices, but the music was great. If you like your music fast and loud, look them up on MySpace Music and check them out at Reno's Chop Shop in Deep Ellum on Sunday, January 9th.
I wish I had gotten to the New Year's Day show earlier. Etchmark sounded really good, but I only caught the last couple songs of their set. I'm going to have to track them down again. Ending the Vicious Cycle felt a bit like a throwback to the 80s. The vocals reminded me a bit of Peter Murphy, and overall it had a bit of a Joy Division feel. Definitely stood out from the other bands I heard over the weekend.
So, yeah, anyway, if your still reading at this point, the thing you should come away with is that you should check out the local music scene wherever you are. With the prices of shows with national headlining acts going through the roof, you're likely to find a lot of bands with just as much talent nearby, with a much more reasonable cost of entry. And if you find any bands you really like, let me know. I'm always looking for new music.
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