Typically you have two choices: You can either “call Tyrone” or call Lamar. This Saturday you should be able to catch both in their own individual, rare forms when Erykah Badu headlines the Lamar Street Festival. Located right outside of downtown Dallas, the Lamar Street Festival is a one-day music festival featuring an eclectic array of Texas bands around restaurants like Bill’s Records, Poor David’s Pub, Full Circle Tavern and The Cedar Social. There will be a total of four indoor stages in addition to the main outdoor stage at the 2013 Lamar Street Festival. Admission is only $5 for adults but bring your cash as there will be no ATMs on site. Kids 12 and under get in free!Tickets are available an hour before the festival commences.
The following neighborhood restaurants will be serving food at the festival!
Don’t miss this live DJ at 6pm – JT Donaldson
• The Cedar Social
• Spiral Diner & Bakery
• Nylo Dallas South Side
• Opening Bell Coffee
• Full Circle Tavern
• Off the Bone Barbecue
• Jack Daniels Saloon
• Four Corner’s Brewery
Between Baduizm, breweries and bands galore, you’re sure to have a fun time in Dallas this Saturday from morning til night with a music festival unlike any other!
Get a close look into D-town’s live music scene all day long with art on display, a short film competition and other outdoor festivities. Not to mention PETS ARE ALLOWED! Cyclers are more than welcome to the 2013 Lamar Street Festival and bike valet can be found at the Bellview Street Festival Entrance between 11am and 11pm. The area is safe and secure.
Multiple stages (indoor and out), live DJ’s, local bands, good food, works of art, featured films and hours of music = a successful DFW community event. The easiest way to find the Lamar Street Festival of Dallas is to follow the large red “SOUTHSIDE” letters to the east of downtown. See you on Lamar!
Verizon’s “How Sweet the Sound” is back and in search of the 2013 Best Gospel Choir in America. In its 6th year the Dallas regional will feature a gospel grudge match! That’s right, it’s a rematch of epic proportions as some of the greatest choirs from across the Southwest take the stage at the Verizon Theatre in Grand Prairie. How Sweet the Sound Dallas is not only a celebration of gospel choirs, it’s a celebration of the directors whose musical arrangements and animated directives are a show within themselves.
HSTS Dallas will be held 9/28 at the Verizon Theater in Grand Prairie
How Sweet the Sound is your opportunity to see and hear some of the nation’s greatest choirs. The audience will be replete gospel connoisseurs, church family and even some gospel artists. The judging panel for this year’s event will include local gospel chart topper, Tamela Mann; rising star Vashawn Mitchell and unrivaled choir master Bishop Hezekiah Walker. The event’s hosts return in the personage of gospel legends Yolanda Adams and famed choir director Donald Lawrence who is also celebrating a milestone with his latest release.
Hosts: Yolanda Adams & Donald Lawrence
Surely there are no grudges in Christ, but as with all competitions there are winners and losers. And with a returning cast from last year’s competition, you can expect the timbre of their joyful noise to reach fever ‘pitch’. Come lift your voice as the diaconate of doxology duke it out!
Last year’s judges in worship mod
Last year’s competition was so tight that the tension to decide a winner was palpable even backstage. The St. Mark Sanctuary Choir was crowned champion and closed out the HSTS 2012 season as National Runner-Up. This awesome choir will return to defend their regional crown. Last year’s “People’s Choice”, the St. John Church Music Ministry will also return to try and capture their prized place on the winners’ platform. The St. John Church Music Ministry won the Dallas regional in 2011, held at the American Airlines Center.
Marquinn Middleton and the Miracle Chorale returns this year to try and win the elusive top prize. Middleton and his phenomenal group got the crowd on its feet with their innovative harmonies and the stunning arrangement of the hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness”. Even without taking home a single prize, Middleton and the Miracle Chorale earned the prize of crowd favorite and most anticipated performance at HSTS Dallas.
Rounding out the list of metroplex praise pugilists and worshipping warriors, the United Voices from God’s Tabernacle of Deliverance return with expectancy. Each performance is critiqued and The United Voices have taken notes and return prepared to build upon their impressive performance at the 2012 Dallas regional.
Throwing their hats in the ring with these choir contenders are the 2009 Houston regional “People’s Choice” and Verizon Hopeline award winner, the Royalwood Sanctuary Choir as well as Montrae Tisdale-Johnson and the Friends Chorale from Oklahoma.
Get ready for a night of praise and worship you won’t soon forget. Since last year each of the choirs have grown impressively. Most notably, The St. John Church Music Ministry was featured on Bishop Richard “Mr. Clean” White’s release: “I’m Glad”. Marquinn Middleton and The Miracle Chorale have been featured across the country now have an increasing presence locally. Of course the St. Mark Sanctuary Choir finished the season as runner up and has reaped the benefits of such a lofty achievement.
There’s so much to see and hear at this year’s “How Sweet the Sound” Dallas Regional, you still have time to get tickets to one of the hottest gospel events to hit the metroplex. For ticket info, click here . Tickets are going fast so get yours today! We will see you there!
The National winner is awarded a recording contract. Click here to sample and buy Dexter Walker and Zion Movement’s new release on the eOne music label.
Gospel Music writer for the Examiner, Win Willis, is a musician and sound engineer from Fort Worth, Texas. Win Willis is a lover of all styles of music and loves to share and discuss music with other avid music lovers.
So you LOVE jazz, but you’re always missing the concerts or hearing about the festivals AFTER the fact? Lucky for you the Labor Day Jazz Explosion in Cedar Hill is still 2 weeks out! On Saturday, August 31st, some of the hottest jazz artists in the country will come together at the Valley Ridge Amphitheatre for an evening of dynamic music and dancing. Headlining the Labor Day Jazz Explosion is: multi-platinum selling guitarist Mark Harper who has recorded with artists like Dav Koz, Gerald Albright, Kirk Franklin, Wayman Tisdale and more. Also featured in the Cedar Hill jazz festival is Forth Worth’s Tatiana Mayfield, Dean James of the Bay area, soulful saxophonist Don Diego and Vandel Andrews from the City of Who Dat fans.
Here’s a taste of what you can expect from popular jazz guitarist Mark Harper’s this Labor Day weekend..
This event is in support of the charity Operation Finally Home, whose mission is to provide American s the ability to honor and thank America’s wounded and disabled veterans and the widows of the fallen who have sacrificed to defend our country in the global War on Terror. All active military and veterans can receive $10 admission (half price) by showing their military ID.
Speaking of admission, you can click here for information on tickets to the 2013 Labor Day Jazz Explosion!
VIP Admission (exclusive seating, free buffet & beverages) : $40
General Admission: $20
4-Pack General Admission: $70
Labor Day Jazz Explosion 2013 in Cedar Hill is Saturday, August 31, from 6:00pm to 11:00pm.
Feel free to bring you lawn chairs and picnic blankets as no seating will be provided to this outdoor concert, but leave any alcoholic beverages at home as well as snacks. Food and drinks will be provided on site. Also lawn seating is first-come, first serve so get there early! Sail into the holiday with smooth jazz that’ll relax and invigorate the whole family for a great cause at the 2013 Labor Day Jazz Explosion!
You know it’s big when Sweet Brown’s got time for it! Sweet Brown is coming to town! Oprah’s Life Class is coming to town! The biggest names in gospel music and preaching are all descending upon Dallas for this year’s MegaFest. There’s something for every member of the family, and this year has morphed into a Mega-Ministry minded festival.
Together Again
This year’s mega ministry event’s theme is beyond appropriate: Manpower, “Woman Thou Art Loosed”, “Mega-Kids”, “Mega-Youth” and entertainment and empowerment for the whole family! There’s something to do at all times of the day and the events will give positive perspective as well as round up revenue big for the BIG city of Dallas!
Bishop T.D. Jakes of the Potter’s House and his team of organizers have put together one of the largest church events to ever be hosted. This mega-festival will bring together believers and unbelievers alike under the guise of fellowship and family. I had the privilege of sharing a few words with event organizer Marcus Dawson of The Potter’s House Dallas. Marcus Dawson is an award winning producer and has earned awards and accolades while lending his gifts and talents to Potter’s House and numerous other artists and ministries.
August 29th
It begins and ends with Megafest
According to Dawson, this year’s event is something for the whole family. It will encompass the family and will benefit the entire city of Dallas. “Big D” pales in comparison to the magnitude of this year’s MegaFest. “Oprah’s Life Class” is the kick-off event and last leg of the 2013 McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour wraps up at MegaFest. As if that’s not big enough, the Woman of Purpose Concert is the next night at the American Airlines Center. Music, ministry and so much more this is bigger than big, it’s mega!
Personal Impact
The Woman of Purpose Concert is a labor of love for Dawson and his family. The concert will benefit Autism Speaks, an organization dedicated to outreach and the advocacy of autism research.
Screening of Winnie Mandela starring Jennifer Hudson & Terrence Howard
Dawson has for years been a staunch advocate for autism research, his son is autistic. Dawson has sponsored concerts across the country entitled “The Journey” and has partnered with Autism Speaks to increase awareness in the minority/church community in regards to autism. There will be screenings for autism as well as education to learn the signs of an autistic child. Dawson says that in the minority community, many children are screened for autism too late as opposed to their non-minority counterparts.
A mega man with a mega mind
Bishop Jakes continues to serve beyond the ordinary scope of excellence in civil and ministry ventures. Bishop Jakes has extended preaching invitations to the likes of Pastor Joel Osteen, Bishop I.V. Hilliard and Pastor Creflo Dollar, men who rival his mega ministry status. Up and comers like E. Dewey Smith also have a following and are increasing in visibility online and on television. Attendees are sure to be mega-beneficiaries; as each of these preachers command top billing on their own, yet they will share the platform that Bishop Jakes has created at this year’s MegaFest.
On TBN last week, Bishop Jakes shared a glimpse into the ministry mind of this year’s MegaFest. The show was highly touted amongst gospel industry heavies as well as stalwarts in the church. You’ve got to go, this is the year. If you’ve ever attended or viewed “Woman Thou Art Loosed” or “Manpower” then you know what to expect on a slight scale. This year’s MegaFest is exponentially greater than all the previous T.D. Jakes/Potter’s House conventions and will minster to you to the nth degree!
Devon Franklin of Produced by Faith – MegaFest panelist
In the words of Sweet Brown: “oh Lord Jesus, it’s a fire…er, MegaFest!
For all things MegaFest, please visit http://www.mega-fest.com and make sure you have everything you need to get your face in the place. Marcus Dawson had one other note, Oprah’s “Life Class” convenes at 9 am on Thursday August 29 so be sure to get there in time to be a part of this phenomenal opportunity!
So much to choose from:
What are anticipating most: Manpower, Woman Thou Art Loosed, Oprah’s Life Class, Just Churchin’ Comedy Show, McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration, Woman of Purpose Concert, The Code Concert or the Ball Up Championship Game and Slam-Dunk contest!
Gospel Music writer for the Examiner, Win Willis, is a musician and sound engineer from Fort Worth, Texas. Win Willis is a lover of all styles of music and loves to share and discuss music with other avid music lovers. Click here to see Win Willis’ full interview with Marcus Dawson of Potter’s House.
It doesn’t take a plane ride to Africa or Madagascar RedBox rental to experience Safari Nights. They can be found right off I-35 in Dallas every Saturday night this summer!
Join The Dallas Zoo as they extend park hours for zoobilee of tunes and after hour fun! The Safari Nights Concert Series are presented by Texas Instruments giving DFW families the opportunity to enjoy great live music on the weekends for 8 consecutive Saturdays. Once sun sets and night falls bring out the blankets and lawn chairs for performances under the stars by tribute bands, local songwriters and artists right at the shady Cat Green. Attendees can also enjoy visits from the Stars from the Zoo’s Animal Adventures outreach program.
Safari Nights Concerts are FREE with zoo admission. Food and drinks are available for purchase.
Dates:Every Saturday night during June & July (June 8, June 15, June 22, June 29, July 6, July 13, July 20, July 27)
June 29: Trout Fishing in America (folk rock/children’s music)
July 6: Satisfaction (Rolling Stones tribute)
July 13: A1A Live (Jimmy Buffett tribute)
July 20: The Killdares (Celtic rock)
July 27: Sara Hickman (noted singer/songwriter)
Hours & Admission
The Dallas Zoo opens at 9am on Saturdays. Regular admission costs $12 for zoo lovers between 12 and 64. Kids ages 3-11 and adults 65 and over are $9. Children 2 years and younger get in FREE along with Dallas Zoo members.
Travel & Parking
To avoid parking fees and traffic feel free to travel to the Dallas Zoo by DART. However, please be cautious and travel in groups if you plan on attending the Safari Nights Concert Series, especially when leaving after dark.
Cheers to the Weekends
*Parking is $8.00 per car and FREE for Dallas Zoological Society Members.
It’s confession time… admit it, you love Dallas music! You love the big names and national acts that infuse their roots into their songs played worldwide. You love the bars and clubs who have no shortage of talent every night of the week! You love going to eat in Dallas because you know for sure that the music is sometimes even a little better than the food! Right…? Right!
Dallas celebrates Dallas this weekend with the Homegrown Music Festival. It’s not your average music festival; many artists are coming home while many don’t have to leave their zip code. Like most festivals, there will be plenty to do while you enjoy the music. Stop by one of the numerous booths and sample the arts and crafts. You’ll be hungry so feel free to indulge your taste buds and taste all the good food. The spectacular lineup for the 4th Annual Homegrown Festival features only the hottest names in music from Texas/with Texas ties. Corporate sponsorship has been provided by Downtown Dallas,Inc.,The Chevy Music Showcase, KXT 91.7, WFAA Channel 8,Shiner Beer and Printed Threads. The goodness is going down on the Shiner Bock or Chevrolet stages, the lineup includes:
Divine Fits
The Polyphonic Spree
The Relatives
Larry g(EE)
A.Dd+
The Band of Heathens
Burning Hotels
Somebody’s Darling
The O’s
Zhora
Quiet Company
The Tontons
J. Charles & The Trainrobbers
Madison King
Datahowler
For complete stage and performance info on all the bands, click here
You have seen many of these bands at festivals all across North Texas in the past year. Many like The Relatives have been headliners. The Polyphonic Spree is enjoying a string of worldwide performances and is in the process of recording and releasing their newest album. Each of these acts are can’t miss! The true genius of Texas music is on display this Saturday at the Homegrown Music Festival. You’ll understand why many musicians and singers who weren’t born in Texas got here as fast as they could!
All this goodness goes down Saturday May, 11 2013 at the Main Street Garden Park, 1902 Main Street in Dallas and kicks off at 11 am! Grab your tickets today, and we’ll see you there!
Gospel Music writer for the Examiner, Win Willis, is a musician and sound engineer from Fort Worth, Texas. Win Willis is a lover of all styles of music and loves to share and discuss music with other avid music lovers.
Everything’s bigger in Texas…even the festivals. Every year around this time, the Real Texas Festival comes to town. The city of Mesquite knows how to throw a party-the festival is entering its seventh season and is getting bigger each year! This Friday and Saturday (April 26 & 27) in Mesquite this one a kind festival is in town and will be the perfect end to this week! Face it, you and your family deserve is so come on out and have the time of your life!
This year, the festival is headlined by Texas country legend Pat Green. That’s huge, and so is the entertainment that follows. The name Kevin Fowler ring a bell? Green, Fowler and many others will be rocking the Real Texas Festival on one of three stages: the Main Stage, the Mesquite Arena stage or the Celebration Station Community Stage.
The festival is real family fun and appropriate for all ages! Come out for family fun and a real Texas treat! That’s right, you can bring the whole family out to this one of a kind festival. There’s a performances at the world famous Mesquite Championship Rodeo (Resistol Arena), a Battle of the Bands, A BBQ Contest, a basketball tournament (rescheduled for a future date) and even charity work.
Don’t forget to bring a non-perishable food item for $5 off admission. All food items collected in the Mayor’s Food Drive will go to the Mesquite Social Services and the Sharing Life Community Outreach. Over a span of four years, the food drive has collected more than 10,000 pounds of food in addition to the thousands of dollars also collected in the Mayor’s Food Drive. Don’t forget to make your contribution to this life changing effort!
Still not convinced? Follow this link for a complete list of festival attractions. This weekend, Mesquite is the only place to get your entertainment! There’s even a ticket discount at Luby’s this week. Click here for ticket information. The festivities kick off this Friday and Saturday at 5 pm and end at 11 pm each night, we’ll see you there!
Gospel Music writer for the Examiner, Win Willis, is a musician and sound engineer from Fort Worth, Texas. Win Willis is a lover of all styles of music and loves to share and discuss music with other avid music lovers.
What started out as a one-block street party in 1995 has now grown into one of the largest visual and performing arts Festivals in the southwest region. Despite its huge growth since the nineties the now 3-day art festival continues to offer FREE admission and a range of the finest works by local artists. The 19th Annual Deep Ellum Arts Festival is on April 5-7. Get a real feel for the Deep Ellum Entertainment district during this weekend street party that features the highlights of what Dallas recognizes as anything considered “Deep Ellum”.
Food is BIG in Texas festival success and Deep Ellum has some tasty treats. You can’t leave this street party without a taste of at least one eatery. Click here for a complete list of the Deep Ellum Texas Restaurants that will be offering concessions at this year’s festival.
Interested in applying to volunteer, get your pet in the parade, be a sponsor, be a food vendor or even display your works as an artist, then CLICK HERE for online applications!
This Saturday, all the best blues comes to Dallas. Dallas is no stranger to the blues so this festival will be home for the artists and fans alike. This dynamic lineup includes Bobby Womack, Bobby Rush, Mel Waiters, Floyd Taylor, Shirley Brown and Theodis Ealy. The blues is alright and so is this festival! Floyd Taylor’s review of his late father’s music (Johnnie Taylor) is the best on the market. Johnnie’s tunes span decades of music that put listeners in a ‘soul heaven’. The Dallas singer marked the industry with hit after hit, his son does a phenomenal job covering his music and others! Bobby Womack is a legend among legends! His name is synonymous with blues and soul music. The ‘Bravest Man in the World’ is still going strong after intimating his recent, surprising health struggles but is still going strong and promises to deliver the award winning shows he’s known for!
Shirley Brown
The “Woman to Woman” legend Shirley Brown is bringing her soulful style to the Dallas Blues Festival.
Her legendary style and still smooth voice make her the perfect addition as the sole female headliner for the festival. Malaco Blues/R&B legend Mel Waiters is sure to have his whiskey, don’t forget to have yours! Don’t worry, Bobby Rush won’t be ‘studdin’ ya but is sure to have a song for all the “Hen Pecked” fellas, ‘Chicken Heads’ and “Young Tenderoni” in the house Saturday night! Of all the acts, Theodis Ealy is sure to get you on your feet…well, at least ‘stand up’ when he breaks out in his hit! Blues lovers and music lovers alike are sure to enjoy this festival. These artists bring amazing energy and years and years of road experience to this show as it convenes on the Dallas Convention Center this week.
The festival will be in Arena, A 200S at the Dallas Convention Center. The festival begins at 7 pm. The address for the Dallas Convention Center is 650 S. Griffin St, Dallas, TX, 75202.
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Gospel Music writer for the Examiner, Win Willis, is a musician and sound engineer from Fort Worth, Texas. Win Willis is a lover of all styles of music and loves to share and discuss music with other avid music lovers.
B-I-G….. P-O-P-P-A…..Come out to the P-L …..A-Z-A! It’s the city’s time to shine. Then again, when is it NOT the Big D’s time to shine?! Since we supersize everything else down here, Wednesday’s outdoor spring party at the AT&T Plaza will be no smaller. Celebrate BIG D, BIG D STYLE!
Why do YOU love the city of Dallas?? Helps us count the ways 3/27 beginning at 4pm as we get the party started with DJ Michael Jerome. If Live DJ’s aren’t energizing enough for you, catch the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders and Mayor Mike Rawlings in person too! Four hours isn’t nearly enough time to celebrate the wonders of this town, but it will have to do for the last Hump Day of the month.
Dallas’ BIG Celebration will run from 4:00pm – 8:00pm on March 27th right in Victory Park at the AT&T Plaza. Why wait until the weekend?
Get over that hump and cruise into Easter Weekend with a Wednesday night festival filled with upbeat music, Vocal Trash performance, putting greens, bounce houses, free giveaways and more cool treats for the entire family! There will be food and drinks available as well! You also won’t want to miss out on “Dallas Swag” so make a night of it with your fellow North Texans and celebrate the 9th most populous city in the U.S. the only way you know how, with a “fun factor’ the size of BIG TEX.
Located right outside of downtown Dallas, the Lamar Street Festival is a one-day music festival featuring an eclectic array of Texas bands around restaurants like Bill’s Records, Poor David’s Pub, Full Circle Tavern and The Cedar Social. There will be a total of four indoor stages in addition to the main outdoor stage at the 2013 Lamar Street Festival. Admission is only $5 for adults but bring your cash as there will be no ATMs on site. Kids 12 and under get in free!Tickets are available an hour before the festival commences.
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