Countdown to NX35 2010: 49 Days ’til Beards! Beards! Beards!
49 Days ’til NX35 2010
The internet was down at work for most of the day, so sadly I am still only at the C’s in my quest to listen to all of the NX35 2010 artists (off the preliminary list, anyway). I know, what’s a computer tech supposed to do without the internet? Apparently people can break stuff without the internet, too! Hopefully, you are checking out NX35.com’s Five Primer because they are equally loving all of their artists there, a day at a time. As for me, here is my unashamedly biased choice for today:
photo credit: Spooky Folk's myspace page
Spooky Folk
Here’s my confession: I had worked in Denton for ten months before I truly discovered the craziness of the local music scene. Sure, I’d hit up a few bars for a band or two but do you know where the fun is? House shows. That’s where you see the chaos behind the scenes where the musicians frantically try to find a mic that works, the loyal fans patiently wait around and tell others to shut up during performances, and the whiskey flows as freely as you prepared. It was at the inaugural show at The Schoolhouse where I got to experience several beloved local acts in the raw and fell in love. I can’t mention Denton music without mentioning my friend, Petra Kelly, who uses social networking sites to lure any and all to watch any and all of the bands she is in. And that includes Spooky Folk. (And, as of today, that also includes Leatherwood, Jacob Metcalf, and The Early Birds!) Well, it worked on me and there I was.
I dare you to find a Spooky Folk show where the crowd doesn’t burst out singing along. I dare you to go to a Spooky Folk show where you don’t start bursting out in song as well. As I shuffled into the tightly gathered crowd, I quickly realized Spooky Folk has a fanbase that isn’t afraid to belt out loud and shake their heads in trance as Kaleo Kaualoku and company bring it. Described by Dallas Observer as “indie pop,” the group brings both catchy tunes and lyrics (notably “Bible Belt” – “I was born in the Bible Belt / Give me something sharp so I can kill myself / ‘Cause I can’t go on living this way”) and heartbroken howls that you will find humming for weeks.
The band is on a roll as they joined Kinky Friedman last September in opening up Smoke in Dallas, rocked out at the much talked about Spune Christmas, and are busy recording some tunes so we all can howl in our cars. You can check them out soon on January 30 at the Marlboro House with Ryan Thomas Becker and newly-formed The Early Birds and February 27 at The Doublewide with Bridges and Blinking Lights.
Notable tunes to preview online: “Polaroid,” “I Am a Ghost” / Myspace / Facebook
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