Playlist

If I only had more room in my full review of the Al Jarreau concert Saturday night at the Eisemann Center in Richardson. Then I could mention every song he performed that filled my ears with his signature brand of joyful noise. But right here, in my addendum to the full review, I'll wax about a few other tunes.

Easy - A breezy jazz-pop number with a flowing vibe. A flute added to the wistful feel. But it was all about Jarreau's soaring vocals.

Sweet Potato Pie - Give him a shaker and he gets into jazz-funk mode. But really, this is the human beat box we're talking about. The shaker wasn't necessary.

After All - What a sweet pop ballad. The audience sang along with him. "After all, I will be the one to hold you in my arms...."

Take Five - Jarreau never fails to honor Dave Brubeck with this totally jazz tour-de-force. Piano and saxophone only made it better.

Ok, for a full review of the Al Jarreau concert, go to www.dallasnews.com/entertainment.

Photo: Al Jarreau gets his boogie down Saturday night at the Eisemann Center in Richardson (Mona Reeder/DMN).

The Metal God, that would be Rob Halford, brought his namesake group to House of Blues Monday night to perform 90 minutes of classic heavy metal music for a boisterous, adoring crowd. This is not a full review of the concert, just a few extra thoughts on four not-so-obvious tunes Halford pulled out onstage.

Nailed to the Gun - The one Fight track that Halford performed. Propulsive, and it put the audience in metal heaven. It's from the 1993 Fight album, War of Words.

Drop Out - An encore tune, perhaps not as well-known, taken from Halford's 2006/2007 Metal God Essentials, Vol. 1.

Heart of a Lion - Roaring, of course. The song is from Judas Priest's Turbo sessions (1986) but was not released until the 2004 5-CD compilation, Metalogy.

A Christmas song with an unprintable name - It was Halford's one deviation from the set list. Totally irreverent and hilarious. I'm not sure if he's ever recorded it.

For a full review of the Halford concert, go to www.dallasnews.com/entertainment.

Photo:The Metal God in full worship Monday night at House of Blues (Jason Janik/Special to DMN).

Chayanne loves the rhythm, the percussion, the revved up syncopation of Latin dance music. So at his Verizon Theatre concert Friday night before a nearly full house, the Puerto Rican singer, dancer, actor and all-around showman delivered plenty of tunes for athletic, choreographed moves.

This isn't a full review of the Chayanne gig. It's just a few added thoughts I have about the up-tempo half of his live repertoire.

Provocame - He opened with it. Still such a Latin pop blast of fun.

Caprichosa - If this one doesn't get your pulse racing, you must be asleep.

Tu Boca - From the new No Hay Imposibles CD. Simply said, it was a Latin party.

Baila Baila - Big congas, and enough energy to launch a rocket.

Salome - Love this song! It pulsates, makes your hips gyrate from side to side. Come on now, you can do it.

Ok, for my full review of Chayanne's concert, go to www.dallasnews.com/entertainment.

Photo: Chayanne works the Verizon stage Friday night (Jason Janik/Special to DMN).

Fantasia is destined for bigger and better things. One look at her kinetic stage show should tell you that. Even better, she'll "sang" that to you.

More than five costume changes later, the crowd was still standing, sometimes finishing her lines for her. To which she said, "Y'all stole my part." It's no wonder she won American Idol over the bland Diana DeGarmo; the game crowd at Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie on Thursday night seemed to reach into every demographic pool. With all the cellphone activity, one could imagine each of them still trying to punch in their votes.

A cover of "Kiss" unexpectedly freshened the Prince hit. Her cover of "Come Together," well, it rocked. The immediate assumption is to think that Idol and her turn on Broadway in The Color Purple taught her to transcend genre; upon further reflection, her voice -- at times teasing, winking, with a laugh thrown here and a sneer thrown there -- showed that it was all her.

Her songs took center stage, though. When "Free Yourself," her hit from her first album, was the second song out of the gate, fans had to know that this just wouldn't be an ordinary show.

Everyone in the house should have known that anyway, just after looking at the bill. The lineup included Kandi (Burruss, of Real Housewives of Atlanta, formerly of XScape and with several songwriter awards under her belt); a thankful, splendid and relaxed and Grammy-nominated El DeBarge on the comeback trail; and stage-stealing Eric Benet. They all had upcoming or just-in-stores CD to plug, which leant an urgency to the proceedings.

More on all of them, including more on Fantasia, later: Come back to read the full review of Thursday night's show at dallasnews.com/music.

(Photo by Sonya N. Hebert/Staff photographer)

Were you among the sold-out crowd at the Usher concert Wednesday night at American Airlines Center? I was. This isn't my full concert review, just a few extra random thoughts for added reading.

Nice And Slow - Decked out in white, including a sweaty tank top, he humped the stage floor, then did a little hip grinding. This is all just in case we're not sure what the song's about. Oh, and he also told us he was gonna sow his wild oats in Dallas. As if he hasn't already.

There Goes My Baby - Crowd sing-along time during this hooky ballad. The platform was all billowy smoke.

Mars Vs. Venus - This one included a video of Usher as a slick futuristic scientist building a woman. Dream on, right! Anyway, his dancers were all in spacey metallic costumes.

Yeah! - The crowd went ape. All his dancers were onstage working the choreography. The beats were loud and the excitement was palpable.

So what did you think of Usher in Dallas? For my full Usher concert review, go to www.dallasnews.com/entertainment.

Photo: Usher moves and grooves Wednesday night at American Airlines Center (Nathan Hunsinger/DMN).

Earlier this evening at the Gilley's complex, baby-faced 25-year-old rising star Bruno Mars belted out hits and album cuts for a healthy, adoring crowd. Mostly college-age and younger fans turned up to hear Mars' growing list of radio hits live, and the girls were definitely louder than the guys. The singer's voice is unparalleled in pop right now, and his on-stage energy proved to be infectious. His five-piece band's not half bad, either. I'll have a proper review tomorrow at dallasnews.com/arts, but for now, here's an annotated set list from the show:

1. "The Other Side" -- Mars opened with a condensed version of this song from his debut album 'Doo-Wops & Hooligans.' Too bad Cee Lo wasn't there to sing his part.

2. "Top of the World" -- Gave his band a chance to flex its muscles, and also allowed Mars to do a few comedic pelvic thrusts. The audience loved this.

3. "Money (That's What I Want)" -- A nice cover version that provided a thematic segue into ...

4. "Billionaire" -- This Travie McCoy hit that featured Mars on the chorus might as well have been his own. We didn't miss ol' Travie that much.

5. "Our First Time" -- A nice reggae-tinged slow jam that shows Mars' ability to seduce.

6. A mashup of "Billie Jean" and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" -- Random, but fun.

7. A cover of "Seven Nation Army" -- More random, more fun.

8. "Marry You" -- Mars referenced the fact that this song was covered on 'Glee' this evening. Catchy as hell.

9. "The Lazy Song" -- This throwaway ditty is a little too Mraz-y for my tastes.

10. "Count on Me" -- Mars rocked the ukulele on this sweet friendship anthem, but it's also pretty Mraz-y. Yeesh.

11. "Nothin' on You" -- Another hit that featured Mars but might as well have been his. B.O.B., who?

12. "Runaway" -- Perhaps the catchiest tune on 'Doo-Wops & Hooligans.' Just wait until you hear it.

13. "Grenade" -- The current single. Mars' vocal here was flawless.

14. "Just the Way You Are" -- No need to explain this one. Everyone knows it. Everyone's dog knows it. I will say that Mars took a moment while singing it to shake hands with front-row faithfuls, and he also took someone's video camera and provided them with an extreme close-up. Sweet guy.

Encores: "Liquor Store Blues" and "Talking to the Moon," both of which the band didn't exactly have down pat. But that somehow made Mars and his crew more likeable.

The multi-media spectacle that was Rogers Waters' The Wall Live concert Sunday night before a sold-out crowd at American Airlines Center had plenty of inflatable guests. Those would be characters from the 1979 conceptual masterpiece by Pink Floyd, The Wall. Waters masterminded the 26-song double-album.

The school master - His grotesque head was as big as his legs were long. His eyes were piercing mini-wheels with lighted centers. He carried a pointy stick. His appearance enhanced "Another Brick In the Wall, Part 2."

Mother - Whew! No warm fuzzies here. She was a towering, scowling figure with heaving bosoms and crossed arms. She'd scare any kid into cleaning his room and eating his brussel sprouts. She appeared during "Mother," naturally.

The woman-fish - Part female and part squid, at least that's what it looked like. A squiggly neon tube was its mouth. The arms were claws. Weird. She, or it, arrived during "Don't Leave Me Now."

The flying pig - Black, not pink. With many slogans and symbols painted on its body. It floated over the crowd. Pretty cool! We saw it after "The Show Must Go On" and during "In the Flesh" and "Run Like Hell."

For a full review of Roger Waters' The Wall Live concert, go to www.dallasnews.com/entertainment.

Photo: Waters and his multi-media spectacle (Rex C. Curry/Special to DMN).

Lyle Lovett and His Large Band have made a decade-long tradition of appearing at Bass Hall in Fort Worth for a couple of nights every fall. We should be so lucky that they'll continue that for at least another 10 or 20 years.

Despite the Saturday-night show by Elton John and Leon Russell just down the street at the Convention Center Arena, both Saturday and Sunday's Lovett shows nearly sold out. Lovett repaid the tribute on Sunday with a two-hour-plus show of two dozen songs, starting with the modern-cowboy ballad "Natural Forces" and ending with the gospel-tinged "Church" and "Ain't No More Cane" (with Lyle, his quartet of back-up singers and several other band members on vocals, that number could have put any professional men's choir to shame). It was chills time for everyone in the audience, and you could have heard the proverbial pin drop when the music stopped. Sometimes that two- or three-second silence, signifying "We're just stunned," is so much more powerful than an immediate standing ovation.

In between, Lyle displayed his dry, wry sense of humor, inserting a line about the Cowboys' win into one song, and, when a fan kiddingly shouted "Freebird!" he told a hilarious story about how that rock classic was the Klein High School 1975 class song. "They rejected our first choice, '30 Days in the Hole,' by Humble Pie," he joked. Or maybe not.

Anyway, the one constant with every Lovett concert is the absolutely superb musicianship, and the way he lovingly spotlights his band and singers (who were called upon this time to stand in as both chickens, on "Choke That Chicken," and thunder, on "I Will Rise Up"). The gloriously creepy solo cello rift by John Hagen on "You Can't Resist It" was worth the price of admission all by itself. As usual, Lovett ran the gamut of American genres -- country, soul, jazz, rock and swing were covered, as well as the Texas song-writing triumverate of trains, horses and women who break your heart.

The only way Lyle could break ours if he he quits recording and touring. Other than that, we're good.

PHOTO by Ralph Barrera/AMERICAN-STATESMAN: Lyle Lovett plays Austin City Limits Monday on Nov. 8.

Here are a few thoughts about specific songs Sarah McLachlan performed Monday night during her intimate concert at Verizon Theatre in Grand Prairie.

"The Path of Thorns" - The cut from Solace, a CD she doesn't visit in concert much anymore, found her on acoustic guitar. She gave it grace and power.
"Good Enough" - Ah, a Fumbling Towards Ecstasy number. Again, she was on acoustic guitar. The crowd loved it.
"Adia" - A trip to Surfacing. Full band treatment made it more up-tempo than the recorded version. Very nice. Her voice was supple and strong.
"Awakenings" - From the new Laws of Illusion CD, also very beat-heavy with airy synthesizer flourishes. McLachlan held a killer note on this one. She got a standing ovation.
"Rivers of Love" - Again, Laws of Illusion. Evocative and ethereal. Another full band treatment.

For a complete review of the Sarah McLachlan concert, go to www.dallasnews.com/entertainment.

Photo: McLachlan during a performance last month at the Women's Conference in Long Beach, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

For about 70 minutes on Thursday night, Wes Miles and his five Ra Ra Riot pals performed tunes from 2008's The Rhumb Line and 2010's The Orchard for 700 fans at Granada Theater. The sound was infectious and eclectic, blending '80s new wave, chamber music and modern-day indie pop.

Miles, who exuded nerdy charm and cool flair, provided the bridge for the dramatic tension created by cellist Alexandra Lawn and violinist Rebecca Zeller and the energetic rhythms of bassist Mathieu Santos, guitarist Milo Bonacci and drummer Gabriel Duquette. The exuberant numbers included "Oh, La," "Do You Remember" and "Boy."

Then again, the most evocative tune proved to be "Massachusetts," which arrived during the two-song encore. Three voices - Miles, Lawn and Santos - created a chant-like chorus that gave the cut's upbeat kick extra texture. It was almost haunting, even.

Opening acts for the night were: Ireland's Villagers and Louisiana's Givers.

For a full review of Ra Ra Riot, go to www.dallasnews.com/entertainment.

Photo: Ra Ra Riot in a shot from 2009 (Doran Gild).

He is the greatest living ranchera singer. At 70, he can still sell-out arenas, as he did Sunday night at American Airlines Center. He is like Elvis, making women cry, inciting sheer adoration, loyalty and respect. His voice is a marvel - still strong and robust. But his stamina is the most amazing. He still delivers three-hour performances.

We're talking about Mexico's Vicente Fernández, of course. Backed by the 12-men Mariachi Azteca, Fernández traced the highlights of his 50-year career, including three cuts from his new CD, El Hombre Que Mas Te Amó. The stage included three risers, video screens and a gate with a VF emblem. It looked like a hacienda plaza.

He brought with him opening act Paquita La Del Barrio, a fellow ranchera vocalist who's been his special guest before. But it was all about Fernández. The crowd kept chanting "Chente!" They sang all his songs. He would hold the microphone in front of him and that was their cue. Not that they needed any encouragement. Fernández is an international treasure. He is their idol, their connection to Mexico's rich history.

For a full review of Vicente Fernández, go to www.dallasnews.com/entertainment.

Photo: Fernández walks through his kingdom (Brendan Sullivan/DMN).

On a rainy-turned-chilly Saturday night, 5,500 fans braved the weather for Gary Allan at Superpages.com Center. He came armed with a seven-piece band and opening acts Jerrod Niemann, Randy Houser and Texas' Randy Rogers Band.

Allan performed for 100 minutes, giving us something from all of his albums, including three tunes from the current Get Off On the Pain. One of those was "Kiss Me When I'm Down," a cool country-rocker that the crowd sang as if it was a longtime hit. Other standouts were "Smoke Rings In the Dark," of course, "She's So California" and the mournful ballad "Best I Ever Had." Niemann and Houser joined Allan during the encore for a rowdy rendition of Georgia Satellites' "Keep Your Hands to Yourself."

Rogers and his five band mates spent 45 minutes on the platform right before Allan. They got plenty of warm Lone Star love for cuts such as "Interstate" "Kiss Me In the Dark" and "This Time Around." RRB drummer Les Lawless' bass drum sported a replica of the candlelit tree from the cover of the group's new Burning the Day disc. That was a nifty little visual.

For a full review, go to www.dallasnews.com/entertainment.

Photo: Allan in a relaxed pose (Tony Baker).

When people told me that a live Foxy Shazam show is a must-see spectacle, I was envisioning lasers, pyrotechnics... possibly something inflatable or a stage with moving parts. What I didn't expect was that the appeal of Foxy Shazam shows lie solely with the band's immense personalities and irresistibly fun rock music.

The audience of about 150 people at The Loft Friday night cheered as Foxy frontman Eric Sean Nally hit the stage in a big, white fur coat. After performing what might have been the funniest soundcheck of all time, the band launched into their set. Nally danced, pranced and strutted around the stage, twirling his microphone as he went. The rest of the six-piece band pulsated along with the song as Nally rolled the mic stand across his back.

Nally may have been the one stage diving, but keyboardist Sky White got in on the antics, too. Throughout the set, he would stand on his keyboard and stomp on the keys or do a handstand and clap along with his feet.

Here are the facts:

Maroon 5 drew 9,612 fans to Superpages.com Center Thursday night during the band's headlining set. Opening the show were Australian newcomer, singer-songwriter Ry Cuming, and Colorado pop band OneRepublic. Frontman Adam Levine and his five band mates (they toured with an extra keyboardist) performed for 90 minutes.

Now, a couple of thoughts:

Levine and company are super-tight onstage, dishing out their well-crafted blend of pop, dance, rock and R&B with exciting passion. Highlights included "Stutter," a should-be single from the new Hands All Over CD, and of course "This Love," which will forever be Maroon 5's anthem.

OneRepublic, fronted by Ryan Tedder, were loud. That isn't a knock, but wow. Anyway, they employed a cello and a violin in addition to the usual drums, guitar, bass and keyboards. Cool covers were Ben E. King's "Stand By Me" and Justin Timberlake's "Sexy Back." Tedder, who stepped out in the crowd and sang a bit atop a chair in the audience, was personable, talkative and energetic. He could barely contain himself during "Apologize," "All the Right Moves," "Marching On" and "Waking Up."

For a full review of Maroon 5's concert, go to www.dallasnews.com/entertainment.

Photo: Levine works it! (Jason Janik/Special to DMN).

A large and enthusiastic crowd mostly filled Verizon Theatre for Gorillaz' Escape to Plastic Beach tour. Considering Gorillaz is a cartoon band created by a musician (Daman Albarn) and a comic-book artist (Jamie Hewlett), it shouldn't be surprising that the show was a visual spectacle, a multimedia barnburner that was a feast for eyes and ears.

Leela James wanted a witness. She got 300. That was the passionate crowd Sunday night at the Granada Theater experiencing the R&B singer's powder-keg performance. James and her seven-piece band tore it up for 90 minutes of old-school soul from her three albums, 2005's A Change Is Gonna Come, 2009's Let's Do It Again and this year's My Soul.

Diminutive yet dynamic, James was immediately on fire after local soul men Geno Young and Deonis warmed up the stage for her. This is a woman who feels every word. Her body and her Afro-frizzed hair moved to the beat. When she pounced, her hair shook. When she hollered, her coif electrified. She was an earthy diva in funk mode.

Watching James reminded me of the explosive R&B women that came before her, namely Patti LaBelle and Chaka Khan. James is refreshingly comfortable on and off the platform. During "My Joy," her tour-de-force, she walked into the crowd. She hugged people, all the while talking about relationships and its emotional effects.

Indie rock keeps mingling with the mainstream. So far this year, Vampire Weekend scored a No. 1 CD on the Billboard charts and played two well-attended Dallas shows. Canada's Arcade Fire also landed a chart-topping disc and is approaching arena status. And the National released its breakthrough album, High Violet, which hit No. 3 upon its debut.

That fervor was palpable in the sold-out crowd Saturday night at House of Blues when lead singer Matt Berninger and his National band buddies took the stage for 100 minutes of arresting moodiness.

Berninger is a beguiling frontman. There's his wardrobe - black slacks, button-down shirt and black jacket. He looked like he just left the office. Then his voice - a deep, disaffected yet resonant baritone that frequently reminded me of Church vocalist Steve Kilbey. And his stage presence - brooding, prone to spastic outbursts and screeching hollering.

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Props to Carrie Underwood: She pulled off something I've never seen before at a concert, country or otherwise. About two-thirds of the way through her 21-song set Saturday night at American Airlines Center, she rode out over the audience perched in the bed of a bright blue pickup truck. Yes, a flying truck. And, somehow, despite the inherent silliness of the whole idea, it worked. Such is the power of the Underwood charm. (For our full review, check back here late Sunday or early Monday.)

It appeared to be a nearly sold-out arena, and the crowd heaped piles and piles and piles of adoration on Carrie, as well as her opening acts, Sons of Sylvia and Billy Currington. Sons of Sylvia is a great country band, but not so great a heavy rock band. The trio of brothers veered all over the place, stylistically; they need to settle into an identity soon. No problem with a little rock-pop with your country, of course, but they were at times going deep into near-punk territory. The AAC crowd, flush with teensy girls (many perched atop Daddy's shoulders) and retirees, did not seem to dig the heavy-rock moments. Billy Currington, on the other hand, has Toby Keith-stardom potential, but without the bombastic ego that Keith throws at the crowd.

As for Underwood, her stage presence has improved exponentially over previous appearances. She still seems uncomfortable with instruments (she played electric guitar on one song, acoustic on another, and piano on a third). She should probably just stick to the vocals. But she's gotten much better at crowd interaction and easing into the moods of various songs.

Highlights of the show included the rowdy "Last Name" and "Before He Cheats," and ballads "Jesus Take the Wheel" and "So Small." She sounded unfortunately nasally during the first part of the show, at times skirting dangerously close to Minnie Mouse territory. But she seemed to relax into it -- or else her sinus medication kicked in -- about halfway through, and the vocals soared. She hits every note, nasally or not, and with her obvious focus on working the charisma, she's proving why she's thus far been by far the most successful of the American Idol winners and runners-up who are dominating pop and country charts and and the touring season.

PHOTO by BEN TORRES/Special Contributor

Sugarland -- singer Jennifer Nettles and instrumentalist-singer Kristian Bush -- put on an energetic, rocking show Friday night at Superpages.com Center. For our full review, come back here later today or early Sunday. Suffice it to say that Jenn did her usual "human ball in a pinball machine" bouncing about and mugging, and Kristian did his usual straight-man-to-the-crazy-girl gig. All the hits came out, including the infectiously silly "Stuck on You" from the new CD The Incredible Machine, which comes out on Oct. 19.

But let's talk here about Little Big Town, one of two opening acts. (The first, Randy Montana, has mad guitar chops and a good singing voice, but he inexplicably wasted one song from his 30-minute set on a Don Henley cover. Hello, Randy? If you've only got half an hour, sing your songs.) LBT sang 10 songs, cruising with their signature glorious harmonies through "Boondocks," "Bones," "Bring It On Home" and others, including "The Reason Why" and "Little White Church" from the recently released CD The Reason Why.

PHOTO: Little Big Town

Liza Minnelli knows how to wring drama out of a nondescript director's chair. Recovering from knee replacement surgery, the 64-year-old Minnelli needed to sit down a few times during her Friday night concert at the Meyerson Symphony Center.

But that didn't stop the singer-actress from turning the high seat into a performance enhancing prop. As she enunciated the lyrics to "He's Funny That Way," Minnelli brought the standard to a big finish by tilting her head back, crossing one leg diagonally over the other and dropping an arm for supreme effect.

The nearly sold-out, well-dressed adult crowd roared its approval. Minnelli then got up, belted "Cabaret," the old-school show biz anthem that helped her win an Oscar, and enjoyed the first of three standing ovations.

After a good (put poorly lit) set from opening act Beach House, the diverse crowd at Palladium Ballroom on Thursday was eagerly anticipating the main event: Vampire Weekend burst onto the stage playing "Holiday," from their hit sophomore album Contra, amidst wild applause and screaming.

The set was more Contra heavy, with a sprinkling of tunes from their debut disc, Vampire Weekend. Still, the great part about having only two albums is that everyone knows the words and sings along, especially with songs as catchy as "White Sky," "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" and "Cousins."

Of course, the drawback to having only two albums under your belt is that the audience knew when to take a break. As soon as the band began playing low-key (but still great) songs like "Taxi" or "Diplomat's Son," the crowd headed for the bar or began chatting with friends.

But charismatic frontman Ezra Koenig can command a stage and easily won back the attention with energetic romps like "A Punk," "Campus" and "Oxford Comma." Vampire Weekend's music is unique in that they inspire a certain silliness, a sense of being free from inhibitions. Crowd members flailed about, dancing in whatever space they could make in the crowded venue, and singing and clapping along with the songs.

The set even offered a few surprises. With a fun call and response between Koenig and the audience, "Blake's Got a New Face" turned out to be much better live than on the album. And an encore performance of "Horchata" was a dreamy, slightly stripped down version that really showcased the talents of the four-man group.

Before leaving, Koenig announced that, while he didn't know when Vampire Weekend would return to Dallas, the band is going to start working on another album soon.

If you missed the show, try to make it to Austin this weekend to catch Vampire Weekend at Austin City Limits. (Check the schedule.)

Shakira as a belly dancing instructor? She tried Friday night, calling up six excitable women from the crowd of more than 15,000 at American Airlines Center. Perched on the circular end of a spoon-shaped catwalk, the Colombian superstar demonstrated hip moves, then prompted them to jump.

That scene came rapid fire, which was the ambiance of Shakira's two-hour show featuring her 8-piece band and two female dancers. It's a wonder she isn't breathless. She makes it work. Shakira's effervescent personality matches her voracious appetite for music and movement.

And drama. For the young audience of bilingual and bi-cultural fans - some couples, some singles, even a few children - Shakira turned up the drama, delivering a startlingly enveloping cover of Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters" that morphed into her own "Despedida" and finally a percussion instrumental as the soundtrack for an intense belly dancing interlude.

Progressive rock and progressive metal thrive. Commercially and critically acclaimed bands such as Tool, Porcupine Tree, Dream Theater, Muse and the Mars Volta keep creative oxygen flowing.

In the hyper pop-dance era of Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, iconic, influential progressive rock outfit Rush still commands arenas. Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart, all in their late 50s, transcend trends. These Canadians remain relevant with an engulfing, musically precise brand of progressive rock that draws the diehards and the curious.

Rush's Time Machine Tour stopped Sunday night at Superpages.com Center for a three-hour show attracting 11,445 passionate fans old, young and in-between. This trek, which began June 29 and ends Oct. 17, featured the trio playing every note of 1981's seminal Moving Pictures album.

GRAND PRAIRIE - Package tours usually reveal one outstanding performer. Even with the star wattage of several well-known artists, inevitably a true main attraction emerges.

At Friday night's Men of Soul show, that was Peabo Bryson. He left his fellow R&B crooners Howard Hewett, Freddie Jackson and Jeffrey Osborne looking like opening acts at Verizon Theatre. This was significant since Bryson did not close the three-hour concert. It was Osborne who sang last.

Bryson was a marvel to watch - and hear. His voice is richer, more robustly emotional than during his '70s and '80s heyday. For 45 minutes, Bryson polished soulful diamonds such as "I'm So Into You," "Can You Stop the Rain" and covers of "Show and Tell" (Al Wilson) and "Ain't Nobody" (Rufus & Chaka Khan). He thankfully ignored the syrupy Disney pop hits.

Come October, my high school graduating class will celebrate its 40th anniversary. Dozens of similar reunions will drop like confetti all over Texas. Pounds will be shed, limos rented, shirts tucked in over beer guts. Stories good and bad will be remembered ... if, that is, they're remembered at all.
The advent of Facebook has served as a mini-reunion all by itself, allowing us to reconnect with high school classmates whose faces we haven't glimpsed in 40 years. Facebook has served to rekindle a flood of memories, mostly of the incredible era we survived as teenagers. What I remember most about my own graduating class, at Samuell High School in Pleasant Grove, is when we entered our senior year -- 1969.
Now that was the year that was.
The hit television series Mad Men, to which my wife and I are hopelessly addicted, as are many of you, is but one reminder of the explosiveness of our era. My own theory about Mad Men is that the arc will take us to 1970, the culmination of a 10-year journey, and there the series will end. Thus Mad Men will have survived 1969, though not all Boomers did. Many were among the tens of thousands slain in the jungles of Vietnam. (Please read on to find out about the Beatles, the Beach Boys and more.)

Photo: Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys, who got mixed up in the wrong "family."

Tom Petty lifted his arms, guitar draped over his torso, and did a quick hip-shaking dance. He then laughed. Later he vamped with the most free-spirited look on his face.

My concert buddy Robb Peterson turned to me and said: "He's quite a showman. I didn't see that coming since he's so laid-back."

Petty and his stellar band, the Heartbreakers, commanded the Superpages.com Center Tuesday night for 100 minutes of classic rock songs old and new. Eight video screens flanked the stage and a series of light strips hung from the ceiling. When all were illuminated and the screens projected the players, the montage was engulfing. The audience of 15,000 loved every colorful image.

FRISCO - The demon onstage was Gene Simmons, the blood-spewing, tongue-wagging bassist for iconic classic rock band KISS. Simmons and fellow KISS mates Paul Stanley (the Starchild), Eric Singer (the Catman) and Tommy Thayer (Space Ace) headlined Saturday's Rock'N the Park at Pizza Hut Park.

The day-long festival attracted more than 12,000 fans and featured performances by two Dallas hard rock groups, Drowning Pool and Revengeance, Fort Worth's Pat Green, Daughtry, The Envy and The Academy Is.

Simmons had some competition from another demon, this one with a bleacher seat. Chris Hardt, 26, of Fort Worth, was decked out in demon regalia - full make-up, 7-inch platform shoes, spiked sleeve cape, everything. He posed for picture after picture.

After interviewing a bunch of people outside the showroom at the Winstar Casino in Thackerville, Okla., on Friday night, I began to strongly suspect that just about everyone who saw Adam Lambert at Dallas' Palladium Ballroom on Tuesday had patiently (or not so!) waited for Friday, then driven up across the Interstate 35 border to see him again. (Thackerville is normally just an hour and 15 minutes from downtown Dallas, although in Friday-night traffic it took us more like two-and-a-half.)

The Glamberts, the singer's most ardent fans, were out in full force, as seen in the picture of (from left) Trish Bollard of Rogers, Ark., Blaine Milligan of St. Louis, Dan'niel McKnight of Broken Arrow, Okla., and Lulu Thomsett of Nashville, Tenn. This was Lulu's 17th concert; she's 62 and has cards identifying herself as "GlamTrampin' Grannie." Uh-huh, if I could quit my job, I might just follow Adam Lambert around the country with ya, sweetheart!

You could've heard the pop of a bottle cap.

It was that quiet when hometown singer-songwriter Sarah Jaffe offered a stripped-down version of "Clementine" featuring a piano, an acoustic guitar and a microphone Saturday night at Granada Theater. The sold-out crowd of young hipster types and older, serious artist supporters listened to every nuance of a most enveloping song.

That's Jaffe's specialty. Her brand of fiery baroque folk-pop, from her nationally acclaimed full-length debut CD, Suburban Nature on Dallas' Kirtland Records, has a life-changing cathartic pull. Her tunes come bathed in stealthy hooks, as "Vulnerable" is, or awash in a soaring chorus like "Before You Go," her hour-long concert closer. It was then that she asked the audience to participate: "All I want you to do is sing as loud as you can," she said.

Photo: Sarah Jaffe smiles for the camera -- and the crowd (Robert W. Hart/Special to DMN).

It's a testament to Hayley Williams' dedication that she hasn't gone solo yet. She easily could, as she's proven lately in her chart topping duet with B.o.B., "Airplanes." But Williams is fiercely loyal to her Paramore bandmates and fans - and the feeling is mutual.

Friday's crowd at the 2010 Honda Civic Tour at Verizon Theatre in Grand Prairie loved opening acts Kadawatha, New Found Glory and especially Tegan & Sara. The latter group had the audience captivated with their easy-going, lyrical singer-songwriter vibe. The Canadian sisters served as a perfect appetizer to the frantic, electric sounds of Tennessee pop-punk group Paramore.

Paramore released their third album, Brand New Eyes, last year and sold 175,000 copies in its first week. The band has released five successful singles from the album. On Sunday, the band will appear at the MTV Video Music Awards where their video for "Ignorance," the first song on the album and the Friday concert's opening number, is nominated for Best Rock Video.

"Ignorance" kicked the show off with a literal bang, as the light screen behind the band displayed images of shattering light bulbs while oversized bulbs swung from the rafters. The enthusiastic crowd immediately starting chanting the worlds along with Williams, who had Tweeted earlier about feeling sick and downing Theraflu. You'd never know it just by listening to her on Friday. The band's sound was remarkably faithful to the albums; they sound just as good in a live venue as they do in the studio - quite a feat in our auto-tuned era.

Chicago metal masters Disturbed, fronted by the brooding David Draiman, headlined the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival Friday at Superpages.com Center with a 65-minute set decked with sophisticated video images, eight shooting flames of pyro and a chest-rattling, powerful selection of tunes.

Disturbed celebrated the recent release of Asylum, its fourth No. 1 album since 2002. That's the band Larissa Prilliman, 25, of Dallas, came to see. "Yeah, it's heavy metal but they have lyrics you can actually understand," she said. "And they have a very distinctive sound."

Her concert companion John Carter, 27, of Plano, braved the scorching heat for supergroup Hellyeah, which cranked out Southern-fried metal from 2007's Hellyeah and the new Stampede. Carter relished the Dallas-originated band's blistering performance on the smaller stage, but he's a regular at hard rock festivals.

Photo: Disturbed in a studio shot from 2009 (Warner Bros. Records).

It's about 9:20 Tuesday night at Palladium Ballroom. Adam Lambert, the star of the show, still hasn't taken the stage. The crew has finished changing the platform after opening act Allison Iraheta's set.

In a blink Lambert's face adorns the backdrop screen, a video image projected from the other end of the club. The crowd rushes forward, cell phones extended, to snap pictures of a picture.

The mere sight of Adam Lambert incites instant fan-demonium. His disciples are hardcore and multi-generational. The Palladium audience seemingly covered grade school to grandma, with most ranging from 20s to 40s. Many were dressed to honor the American Idol runner-up - a top hat here, a feathered boa there and a velvet trenchcoat over yonder.

Photo: Adam Lambert in all his flamboyant glory (Vernon Bryant/DMN).

So, this has been a busy concert weekend for the music staff -- and all at Superpages.com Center in Fair Park: Creed on Friday night, John Mayer on Saturday and the Budweiser Superfest on Sunday.

About Superfest: No one performer was allowed onstage for longer than 45 minutes, if even that. That meant galloping through signature hits and new songs, that given time, the audience might have found a groove to. As it was, it feels as if Kem upstaged Anthony Hamilton, who had the last performance spot. His show, though well-received, was a touch spotty. With the limited time allotted his set Sunday night, he just spent too much time on one thing. It didn't seem to matter to fans, who were alternately leaving the venue and just going outside to the fair-like atmosphere just inside Superpages.com Center. Jaheim was still posing for photographs at show's end. How's that for service?

Freelancer Matt Weitz on John Mayer: "Read too many interviews in which Mayer drops racial epithets, speaks poorly of a former lover or waxes poetic about onanism, and you might think of him as a bozo or, even worse, a creep.

"As Saturday's show made clear, that would be too bad."

"Mayer has a good voice, monstrous chops on the guitar and an onstage charisma that's hard to resist."

Freelancer Mike Daniel on Creed: "Creed's 16-song, 95-minute gig was methodical and plodding. ...

"[Lead singer Scott] Stapp recently said that Creed should be assessed by its live show now. Well, get it together for next time then, because this one was boring."

What happens when you ask the theater critic and a pop music critic to cover a show together? If you're really good and cross your fingers and wish upon a star, you get the review and column that I ended up with from Quick's Hunter Hauk and Morning News theater critic Lawson Taitte.

Both pieces are insightful, knowledgeable and well-thought-out looks at a band that's hit popular culture with the 1-2 punch of big CDs American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown, along with a Broadway show based on American Idiot.

Hunter writes:

We'd liken Green Day's concert Thursday night at Superpages.com Center to a three-hour stay at a demented amusement park.

Lawson says:

You can't get any more theatrical than Armstrong himself. During the three-hour set he played many parts .... Most of all he's playing a rock star.

(Photo by Special Contributor Jason Janik)

Meat Loaf sauntered across the stage, stopping at the platform's edge to give the excitable crowd an intense stare. Later he flew into a mock rampage, hollering at the audience in balcony seats to stand up and sing-along.

Oh the drama.

Meat Loaf leaves a visceral impression. The man born Marvin Lee Aday in Dallas delivered the bombast for two hours Thursday night at House of Blues. Backed by two female vocalists and five male musicians, Meat Loaf gave us exactly what you'd expect - loud, epic rock 'n' roll.

Photo: Meat Loaf basked in the bombast Thursday night at House of Blues (Rex Curry/Special to DMN).

As one of the pioneering women-in-rock bands, Heart, fronted by the still powerhouse sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, survived the heady '70s, a myriad of personnel changes, the hair spray days of the '80s and the grunge assault in the '90s.

The Wilson siblings remain indestructible, handily influencing new generations of singers on American Idol and Glee.

Ann Wilson, toward the end of an almost two-hour set Monday night at House of Blues, warmly thanked the sold-out crowd for always being there. Those weren't empty words. Heart has ridden the roller coaster of mainstream recordings, soaring to huge successes and plunging to stifling failures.

Photo: Nancy and Ann Wilson onstage Aug. 3 in New York (Caleb Ferguson/The New York Times).

Betty Vanderpool had no idea Loretta Lynn was about to stroll onto the stage of Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth.

Her daughter had planned the surprise. Jeannie Simpson had hidden the concert tickets for weeks from Vanderpool. Even as Vanderpool sat right before the stage where her favorite singer would perform in minutes, the surprise was sealed.

Simpson says it has been her mother's "lifelong dream" to see Lynn again in concert. Vanderpool and her husband saw the 76-year-old country superstar sing years ago in Louisiana, but after her husband died, she didn't think much more about it, she says.

Until Saturday night.

GRAND PRAIRIE - If you get lost in his lyrics, Jackson Browne will take you on a wistful, cathartic ride. Browne's poetic words speak of broken dreams and mended hopes. He sings of love's great elation, life's everyday disappointments and the resilience that makes it worthwhile.

For him it's all part of the journey, with music dotting every pit stop.

Before a large and loving crowd Friday night at Verizon Theatre, Browne performed for 2 hours and 35 minutes. The show began with a 45-minute acoustic set featuring Browne and that multi-stringed instruments marvel David Lindley. Then we got almost two hours of Browne and his full band, which also included Lindley.

Photo: Browne and Lindley during the acoustic portion of Friday's Verizon Theatre concert (John F. Rhodes/DMN).

The Granada threw a little party Wednesday night to celebrate its sixth anniversary as a live music venue. That's a nice little chunk of time. Then there was the evening's headliner, Built to Spill, whose frontman Doug Martsch announced the band's own milestone from the stage: Show No. 100,000.

Let's just blame the judges.
The past season of American Idol has been widely panned as the most lackluster ever. Ratings were down, ticket sales for the tour are down, general pandemonium for the show is down. But after tonight's concert, it's clear the contestants themselves have plenty of talent -- at least as much as the top 10 from the season before them. So I say we blame Simon Cowell and Co. for the failures of this year and call it a day.
Fort Worth's Casey James may have come in third in this little contest, but he was clearly the star of last night's show. The loudest squeals were reserved for him, and he responded with a soulful performance that included wailing on several guitars -- and, it should be noted, moving around a lot more on the stage than he ever did on the show.
The other local, Tim Urban of Duncanville, showed off a surprisingly pure voice, a more seasoned stage presence and that ever-adorable smile. "Honey, I'm home!" he shouted to the crowd, which responded with cheers.
Other standouts: 17-year-old Aaron Kelly, who was positively infectious and had the crowd jumping and dancing with his every note (who woulda thought, based on his timid TV presence?); Lee DeWyze, who infused his songs with a lot more passion than he did to win the Idol crown; and runner-up Crystal Bowersox. Simply put, her voice provided the chills for the crowd.
And that's just to name a few highlights. Did this season have a powerhouse singer like Adam Lambert to knock our socks off? No. Do these 10 singers deserve to go down in history as Idol's "worst?" No way. But their future careers will probably rewrite that history for them.

The message was perfectly simple, that the road to true love and self-awareness is paved with temptations in the form of booze, sex, fame, fortune and vanity. True thoughts. But progressive metal gods Queensrÿche brought them to life in a most entertaining, naughty and visually arresting way.

I'm talking about the Queensrÿche adults-only cabaret concert before an enthusiastic crowd Sunday night at House of Blues. Lead singer Geoff Tate, call him the cabaret master, backed by his four band mates spent about two hours rocking, vamping, belting and interacting with go-go dancers, trapeze artists, drag queens, a ballerina and various other characters.

Tate, bald and physically taut at 51, carried the proceedings with a wickedly watchable combination of confidence, flair, vocal prowess, instrumental tricks and a flamboyantly seductive persona. The guy should be doing musical theater.

Photo: Tate reigns high on his soapbox (Geoffrey Gribbin).

Ballads don't usually translate well in an amphitheater packed with 17,000 fans. Ah, but then there's Brad Paisley and his superb video wizardry.

In concert Saturday night at Superpages.com Center, Paisley caressed the opening verse of the heartbreaking "Whiskey Lullaby." Then from a corner of the stage appeared a clip of duet partner Alison Krauss so life-like that the crowd let out a collective gasp. It was a brilliant melding of melancholy and technology.

This is typical Paisley, though. He embraces visual electronics with sophisticated ease. A series of video screens engulfing the platform's backdrop showed eye-popping images of the wet stuff while he sang "Water," the inaugural number in his nearly two-hour set. That was apropos since his trek has been dubbed "The H2O Tour." Later we got his always hilarious animated video, "The Adventures of Brad Paisley."

Photo: Brad Paisley and the video wizardry Saturday night at Superpages.com Center (Khampha Bouaphanh/Special to DMN).

Yesterday, Demi Lovato made an appearance at Stonebriar Mall - about four hours late. Though I suppose having a fever so high you have to be whisked off to the hospital is a pretty good excuse.

The young starlet, known for her Disney channel roles in Camp Rock and "Sonny with a Chance", signed autographs for fans as a part of the Shop Til You Rock campaign, which promotes bands and malls alike. Also in attendance was The Ready Set, a band that performed a few of their songs, including the crowd-favorite "Spinning".

We were there to give you live updates via Twitter, so if you missed the updates, you can see them here. Be sure to check back for more music news and other live music feeds on our music Twitter, guidelivemusic.

Submitted photo.

Who would imagine that Ciara would even get out of bed for a set shorter than 30 minutes? Well, that's exactly what happened at the K104 Summer Jam on Saturday night at Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie.

Not that anyone was complaining. One peek at the sexy crunk-n-B goddess, and all was forgiven. Or so I'm told.

But Ludacris (right) played and played to a pretty decent-size crowd at Verizon, which is still suffering from name whiplash it seems. On the way to the venue, I heard a woman call in to K104 to ask where, exactly, Verizon Theatre was. When told, "30 at Beltline," she said, "Oh, Nokia?" Yes.

There were lots of album plugs, so let's get them out of the way here:

Dondria's (she's from Sachse) Dondria vs. Phatfffatt will be out Aug. 17.
Bobby Valentino's Fly on the Wall (I know, I know. Don't tell AC/DC) will be out soon, too.

And so on ...

The moment was far too brief. Lady Gaga, performing before a sold-out crowd Thursday night at American Airlines Center, finally sat down at the piano to perform "Speechless." It's her one recorded song that reveals true artistry, a poignant ballad where she proves she can sing and play.

But Gaga just couldn't help herself. She had to have that piano top in flames distracting us from the melody, the lyrics and the performance. Sensory overload is her modus operandi. Anything to fortify the spectacle while she masks the substance.

Therein lies the inherent problem with her two-hour concert, not to mention her career so far. She's outlandish for the sake of outrageousness. She strives to convince us that there's so much more to her disposable yet catchy array of thump-thump, electronic pop-dance hits. She hides under the "performance artist" banner in order to get away with props and costumes that are merely window dressing.

Photo: Gaga performing on the Today show earlier this month (Richard Drew/AP).

GRAND PRAIRIE -- Electricity crackled the moment Germany's heavy metal masters, the Scorpions, opened their farewell tour stop Wednesday night at Verizon Theatre with "Sting in the Tail," the title cut from the band's swan song CD.

What could have easily been a rote performance by aging rockers on their way to retirement was actually a musical manifesto. Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker and their three mates, including fiery drummer James Kottak, delivered a 90-minute set that solidified their reputation as experienced pros. More than four decades later, these guys are still hungry on that platform. They could teach the young guns a riff or two.

Meine, he of the piercing, high-pitched voice, blazed through a batch of tunes that stretched as far back as 1979's Lovedrive and hit all the highlights through Sting In the Tail. In the midst of the signature Scorpions sound, a blistering formula combining beefy rhythms, hard rock swagger and soaring vocals, we got a couple of effective ballads, the prophetic "The Best Is Yet to Come" and the anthem "Wind of Change."

Photo: Klaus Meine rocks with a vengeance (Courtney Perry/DMN).

At the peak of his interpretive powers, Canadian crooner Michael Bublé opened his sold-out concert Sunday night at American Airlines Center with "Cry Me a River." Not just any rote rendition of the grossly overdone pop standard, but the one with the Bublé stamp: A big, James Bond-inspired performance that was all nocturnal mood, screaming horns and thumping drums.

It is, without a doubt, the most imaginative reading of a song that lost its meaning decades ago. It's already a Bublé career signpost.

But then there's Bublé's take on Billy Paul's smoldering soul anthem "Me and Mrs. Jones." Nice enough, done big band jazz style, but it's antiseptic stacked next to the 1972 original. The tune still belongs to Paul.

Photo: Bublé owns the American Airlines Center stage Sunday night (Mona Reeder/DMN).

Uncle Calvin's Coffeehouse is, as I've written often here, among my very favorite venues for live music. At 58, I have reached a point where bars are easily my least favorite venues for live music (with Poor David's Pub being the rare exception). But aside from that, I love the surprises, the rare finds I discover at Uncle Calvin's, which tend to surface in unexpected warm-up acts I've never seen or even heard of. Such was the case last Friday night, when I went to hear one of my favorites, Austin singer-songwriter Jimmy LaFave and his consistently amazing band (John Inmon on lead guitar, Bryan Peterson on keyboards, Glenn Scheutz on bass and Bobby Kallus on drums). It was a Woody Guthrie Festival Preview, giving listeners an appetizer of what they might hear at this weekend's annual Woody Guthrie Festival in Woody's hometown of Okemah, Okla. Appearing with Jimmy were Okemah resident Susan Herndon and native Tasmanian Audrey Auld, who emerged as the night's biggest surprise.

Photo: Audrey Auld

ROWLETT - The Black Tie Dynasty reunion concert Saturday evening during QueFest at Elgin B. Robertson Park could have been a wash-out. A mere two hours before the four local band members hit the stage it was raining hard with a fierce wind, no doubt fueled by Lake Ray Hubbard next door.

The skies never cleared, but the wet stuff did stop. So Cory Watson, Brian McCorquodale, Blake McWhorter and Eddie Thomas wasted no time. They played a tight, hour-long set, as the opening act for headliner Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, that proved these guys should keep making music. The 11 songs came from three albums, 2005's This Stays Between Us, 2006's Movements and 2008's Down Like Anyone.

Immediately with the first number, "Bells," BTD encapsulated their sound - haunting, ethereal keyboard flourishes, kicking rock-dance drum beats, stinging guitar and bass licks and Watson's vocal combo of angst and disaffection. It's classic new wave.

Photo: Thomas, McWhorter, McCorquodale and Watson all tangled up (Jason Janik/Special to DMN).

When I went to the Granada a couple weeks back I felt like an old man. The Swedish popsters Miike Snow were in the house, and most of the revelers were rosy-cheeked twenty-somethings. But I found the fountain of youth Thursday at the Psychedelic Furs show. Not only was I on the younger side of the curve, but I rediscovered the glory of the lung-busting rock and roll sax solo.

On the American Airlines Center stage Wednesday night sat metallic models of New York City's Chrysler and Empire State buildings, congas, bongos, shakers, a slew of guitars and two banks of keyboards.

That meant one thing: It was an Aventura concert.

The NYC quartet, the hottest Latin music act of 2009 and 2010, drew 8,780 fans just over six months after it packed Grand Prairie's Verizon Theatre (then known as Nokia Theatre). The crowd was rabid, particularly the women who screamed every time lead singer Anthony "Romeo" Santos sang, swivelled, spoke...anything. He was clearly in charge, backed by fellow Aventura members Lenny Santos, Max "Mikey" Santos and Henry Santos Jeter as well as nine other musicians.

Photo: Aventura takes control of the AAC stage Wednesday night (Louis DeLuca/DMN).

Jordin Sparks belongs onstage. That fact was proven time and again during the American Idol winner's Tuesday night concert at House of Blues.

It's not just that Sparks has pipes, although she sure does and can belt a song like her next heartbeat depends on it. Most importantly, what the perky 20-year-old has in spades is charisma and that innate ability to sell a song. Flanked by a seven-piece band, including three background vocalists, Sparks delivered about 80 minutes of tunes from her national CDs, 2007's Jordin Sparks and 2009's Battlefield.

The musical mood of the evening was high-energy pop, R&B and dance. She kicked it off potently with the terrific radio single, "Battlefield," and the slamming club number, "S.O.S. (Let the Music Play)." As a performer, Sparks was perky and sassy. She worked the platform, strutting, gyrating and smiling. She was equal parts ingenue and grown-up.

Photo: Sparks belts it out Tuesday night at House of Blues (John F. Rhodes/DMN).

You'd expect an Eagles concert to highlight a couple of epics. The legendary group, which sold-out American Airlines Center Saturday night, put on a nearly three hour show complete with an intermission. So while not a jam band, the Eagles certainly have a few opuses in the repertoire.

They are "Hotel California" and "Long Road Out of Eden." The former arrived during the first set complete with a four-man horn section, an awesome guitar solo by Joe Walsh and atomospheric drum work and vocals by Don Henley. The latter, which is the title cut of the Eagles' long-awaited 2007 studio disc, came during the second half and was all sweeping precision and expansive beauty.

Those are hallmarks of an Eagles performance. The musicianship was stellar, not only from Henley, Walsh, Glenn Frey and Timothy B. Schmit but also from nine backup players that helped provide a full, tight and panoramic sound.

Photo: Schmit, Henley, Frey and Walsh Saturday night at AAC (Rex C. Curry/Special to DMN).

FORT WORTH - R&B's the S.O.S. Band toasted its 30th anniversary Saturday night at Sundance Square before an enthusiastic Juneteenth Celebration crowd that grooved, sang and jammed to 75 minutes of familiar tunes.

That was the perfect recipe. Original S.O.S. Band vocalist Mary Davis led seven musicians through key tracks from 1980's S.O.S., 1982's S.O.S. III, 1983's On the Rise, 1984's Just the Way You Like It and 1985's Sands of Time. The signature blend of heavy-bottomed funk, sweeping melodies, scratchy guitars, brassy horns and smooth synthesizers remains intact.

It was that sound of success, borrowing the words behind the band's moniker, that proved to be the sonic blueprint for famed songwriters-producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. They would later go on to multi-million-selling stardom with Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Usher, the Human League and Mary J. Blige. But the S.O.S. Band put them on the map.

Photo: Mary Davis funks it up for the Fort Worth crowd Saturday night (Mona Reeder/DMN).

GRAND PRAIRIE - Here's the scene: Erykah Badu's controversial video "Window Seat" plays on the screen behind her onstage at Verizon Theatre Monday night. But Dallas' unpredictable singer, songwriter and musical dramatist launches into a slow, slinky cover of Zapp's funk staple "More Bounce to the Ounce."

Huh? Is this Badu's sly commentary on her celluloid appearance as she stripped on camera while walking through Dealey Plaza?

With Badu, unanswered artistic questions are a foregone conclusion. So are long, winding concerts. She was on that platform for two hours. That was after 25 minutes from Janelle Monáe and 40 minutes from B.o.B. Add in set changes and we're talking about five hours. On a Monday night, no less.

Yes, another facet of Badu's charm is her lack of time constraints. Nobody can elongate a song the way she can. Nobody can spend precious minutes just vocalizing - frenetic scatting, operatic wails, you name it - and travel through neo-soul, reggae, funk, R&B, jazz, pop, hip-hop and beautiful spaciness like she can.

Photo: Badu in a top hat kind of mood Monday night (John F. Rhodes/DMN).

Two things are now certain about Tim McGraw: Seventeen years into his recording career he can still sell-out Superpages.com Center, as he did Saturday night with about 19,000 fans. And he's the superstar performer who will take the stage Sept. 10 during the last pre-Super Bowl concert at Arlington's Cowboys Stadium.

McGraw made the announcement himself, almost as an afterthought, and definitely in the heat of a nearly two hour show backed by his 10-piece band, the Dancehall Doctors. The crowd roared its approval. For them, there's never too much Tim McGraw.

The Louisiana native is easily one of the best male country music touring artists of the last decade. His two opening acts, Lady Antebellum and Love and Theft, should take lessons.

Photo: Tim McGraw in command of the platform Saturday night (Louis DeLuca/DMN).

Iron Maiden's show Wednesday night wasn't for the casual fan.

The sun and the moon slowly moved toward each other on the video screen high above Maxwell's stage Tuesday night at American Airlines Center. The eclipse was Maxwell's cue. He emerged in a suit, tie and shades.

That sun-and-moon dichotomy encapsulated Maxwell's artistry. He's an old-school R&B singer and songwriter comfortable in a falsetto or a throaty croon. He can revel in the libido, as he did on the super sexy "Til the Cops Come Knockin'" and then thoughtfully, passionately embody Kate Bush's stunning ode to adult resilience "This Woman's Work" without changing a word.

Maxwell, whose 90-minute set headlined an evening of music that began with a sassy, provocative performance by R&B songstress Jill Scott, brought with him a 10-piece band that included background vocalist LaTina Webb from Arlington. His show focused plenty on 2009's potent CD, BLACKsummers'night, with six songs from that comeback effort.

Photo: Maxwell was on from the word go Tuesday night at AAC (Jason Janik/Special to DMN).

A college professor of mine preached the truism that "good writing is wherever it is found." The same could be said for music. It never ceases to amaze me that the best music I hear is almost never in a loud, sweaty arena. Sorry, kids, you can have Lady Gaga (is that short for "Gaga me with a spoon"?). Fewer than 100 people show up most nights at Uncle Calvin's Coffeehouse on Central Expressway, or at Crossroads Coffeehouse & Music Co. in Winnsboro, but each cozy, well-kept secret of a venue keeps the customer satisfied -- and does so consistently. One recent find at Uncle Calvin's was singer-songwriter John Fullbright. He hails from Okemah, Okla., the same town as Woody Guthrie, and I'll be darned if he doesn't sound like Woody Guthrie incarnate. I had a similar experience Saturday night, when I wandered into 55 Degrees, a "wine bar & bistro" in West Plano. Owner Laura Lucia has put together quite a welcoming getaway with 55 Degrees, but it was aided in no small part by the velvety voice of Liz Feldman, whose covers of songs by Carole King and Burt Bacharach and Hal David were pure pleasure. Listening to Liz, I kept thinking of one of my favorite soundtracks, from the Helen Hunt-Jack Nicholson movie As Good As It Gets. I wanted to hear what Liz might do with the Danielle Brisebois song, "Everything My Heart Desires." (Please read on!)

Photo: Liz Feldman in concert

The Los Tres Tour Sunday night at American Airlines Center starred Joan Sebastian, Alejandro Fernández and Marco Antonio Solis. They wrapped up their inaugural nine-date trek together in Dallas. The three-hour concert sported 25 musicians, two sets from each Latin music superstar, duets and a finale that featured all three onstage.

The always eloquent, elegant Solis brought four female dancers for a pair of sets that covered solo as well as hits with his former band Los Bukis. He was in folkloric mode with "Mi Chaparrita," and "Morenita," then turned up the groove with "No Molestar," "Tu Carcel" and "Mas Que Tu Amigo." Solis was quite incredibly agile as he handily kept track with his young and taut dancers.

Later, Solis and Sebastian went with a traditional ranchera love song for their duet, while Fernández and Solis took a contemporary approach. The encore performance found Los Tres fronting the mariachi as everybody in the house raised cell phones and cameras to snap a shot of three respected Latin music artists sharing a song.

Photo: Solis vibrant in fiery red (Ben Torres/Special to DMN).

The Los Tres Tour Sunday night at American Airlines Center starred Joan Sebastian, Alejandro Fernández and Marco Antonio Solis. They wrapped up their inaugural nine-date trek together in Dallas. The three-hour concert sported 25 musicians, two sets from each Latin music superstar, duets and a finale that featured all three onstage.

The smooth-voiced Fernández, son of ranchera legend Vicente Fernández, dedicated his first platform stint to Latin pop with spirited takes on "Se Me Va La Voz," "Canta Corazón" and "Pecadora." For his second turn, he donned the charro suit and passionately delivered "Estuve" and others as an 11-piece mariachi provided beautiful musical authenticity.

Later, Fernández and Solis took a contemporary approach to their duet. The encore performance found Los Tres fronting the mariachi as everybody in the house raised cell phones and cameras to snap a shot of three respected Latin music artists sharing a song.

Photo: Alejandro Fernández in sleek, Latin pop mode (Ben Torres/Special to DMN).

The Los Tres Tour Sunday night at American Airlines Center starred Joan Sebastian, Alejandro Fernández and Marco Antonio Solis. They wrapped up their inaugural nine-date trek together in Dallas. The three-hour concert sported 25 musicians, two sets from each Latin music superstar, duets and a finale that featured all three onstage.

The affable, comical Sebastian declared during his second set that he loves meaty women. So he called up two plus-size females from the audience and danced with them as he sang an homage to large ladies. The song was a robust banda with plenty of horns, drums and a towering tuba. Earlier Sebastian was animated from the get-go with rhythmic numbers such as "Me Gustas" and "Secreto de Amor."

Later, Solis and Sebastian went with a traditional ranchera love song for their duet. The encore performance found Los Tres fronting the mariachi as everybody in the house raised cell phones and cameras to snap a shot of three respected Latin music artists sharing a song.

Photo: Sebastian isn't shy onstage, nor is he afraid to get a laugh (Ben Torres/Special to DMN).

The most poignant moment during Brooks & Dunn's final Dallas tour stop, Saturday night's two-hour concert at Superpages.com Center, came when Kix Brooks sat on a stool at the edge of the stage's catwalk and sang "Last Rodeo" accompanied by his guitar. Behind him, video images traced the country duo's storied 20-year career.

It was a sincere thanks from a pair of singer-songwriters that never anticipated their arranged union in 1990 - a record label executive put them together - would make them the most successful duet in the genre's history. Collectively, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn sold more than 26 million albums in the United States, won 27 Academy of Country Music awards, 17 Country Music Association awards and two Grammy awards.

Photo: Brooks & Dunn going out with a bang (Robert Hart/Special to DMN).

The Indigo Girls opened their Friday night House of Blues show with Joking. And they were in top form right from the start. I don't think anyone in the audience could have been any more thrilled to see them, especially one fan in particular that I met. Jamie has been a fan for eighteen plus years. But this was the first time she ever saw them live. She was clearly blown away.

But whether the audience members in the packed house were there for their first show or their hundredth, their enthusiasm throughout the show made it clear that the Indigo Girls did not in any way disappoint. Jamie stood at the rail stage side and sang every word. And so did nearly every other audience member, from the rail to the back row of the mezzanine.

With Amy Ray in her classic plaid pants, polka top, and black vest and Emily Saliers in her jeans and a button-up shirt, the pair seemed to be enjoying the evening as much as the audience. Their set included Fill it Up Again, Devotion, Love of Our Lives, Sugar Tongue, Power of Two, Get Out the Map, Southland in the Springtime, Ghost of the Gang, Driver Education, Shame on You, I'll Change, Closer to Fine, Lonely Tonight, and Galileo.

The stage set-up was nothing more than two mike stands and a box that says "Staring Down the Brilliant Dream" (see why below) with water bottles sitting on top. Stripes of purple fabric hang as a backdrop. The stage is empty but their voices fill the hall through and through. I love a show with lots of bells and whistles as much as the next girl. But there's something incredibly powerful about a show that really is all about the music

Throughout the show, the Girls stop singing and the crowd carries the tune at the top of their lungs. It is obvious how much Amy and Emily both truly appreciate every cheer and clap and memorized lyric. And there is some serious girl power filling the House of Blues. As always, the show gets empoweringly political and it's impossible to leave without feeling as if you're ready to change the world...for good.

The Indigo Girls announced their double live album coming out at the end of June, titled "Staring Down the Brilliant Dream." I received an advance copy this week and, I have to tell you, it is brilliant. I feel confident saying even now that their fans are going to be absolutely delighted with it. Amy and Emily also announced their first ever holiday album scheduled to drop during the 2010 holiday season.

They switch guitars and instruments between nearly every song. They sing harmonies that have the power to make you melt. They are consummate musicians, playing stellar guitar duets throughout the show. But, more than anything, they embody the spirit of music and performance. And they have been using that spirit throughout their careers to work for justice, to work for a world where peace and equality reign and hate is no more.

The power and the relevance of the Indigo Girls is as strong as ever. They perform with an enthusiasm and joy that belies their years of touring. Simply put, they put on a darn good show. Period.

In fact, the two-hour show goes by in an instant. You know what they say about time and having fun. Jamie, like much of the crowd, tears up as the show ends and lingers at the rail. "We had a great time," Emily says as she and Amy wave and head off-stage. "Thank you so much." And with that, they are gone.

We could quibble that Sting played it safe Saturday night at the Winspear Opera House. We could complain that he and his stellar three-piece band - drummer Josh Freese, keyboardist David Sancious and guitarist Dominic Miller - pandered to the 30-and-up audience by giving them many familiar solo and Police tunes as well as a few album cuts from that hit-making era.

But that would be dismissing a fabulous show of musicianship, stage presence and song selection. Sting, whose performance was part of the Super Bowl XLV Kick-Off Concert Series, was in stellar artistic form. He was so good that he made us forget how coy those North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee bigwigs were about the headliner of the Sept. 10 gig dubbed "XLV Countdown Live From Cowboys Stadium."

All we know is this person is a Grammy-winner and has sold more than 40 million albums. "Contractual obligations" prohibit them from saying anything else. Instead we got banter from hosts Troy Aikman and Daryl Johnston as well as Roger Staubach, Drew Pearson and Tony Dorsett.

Photo: Sting in piercing artistic form Saturday night (Ian Halperin/Host Committee).

We have eyes (and ears) everywhere, and those eyes reported back from the Cypress Hill concert on Wednesday night.

The concert was scheduled for the Palladium, but the venue was changed to Gilley's on the day of the show. That was probably because of the small-ish crowd, which at 8:15 p.m. still only numbered almost 50.

Cypress Hill, which didn't come on until 9:45, did a great job of mixing old tracks with the new: They were on some grown-man rap stuff. They started off with "Smoke a Pound," then they did "Sawed Off Shotgun." It was surprising how much of the crowd didn't know a lot of the older stuff. Even if they didn't know the songs, it was still a good crowd who was up for a good show.

The group traded microphones and shouted out to the Latinos in the crowd. After a while of that, they did "Insane in the Membrane." And they were off at 11:15.

In and out -- and good, just like we like to hear about hip-hop shows.

There seems to still be a demand for bands whose heyday was 25-30 years ago. That is, provided they follow a certain formula. Replace famous departed members with folks that sound like them, play the hits, and everyone is happy.

Tony Bennett, the 83-year-old living master of inhabiting songs, was all smiles onstage Monday during the first of a two-night stand at the Meyerson Symphony Center. The iconic New Yorker's career inspires young crooners, he paints regularly, records when he's ready, and everything he sings gets Grammy recognition.

The man was class personified. Backed by four accomplished musicians (a pianist, upright bassist, guitarist and drummer), Bennett offered 90 minutes of familiar songs performed with elegant, potent arrangements. It sounded like an upscale cabaret, or an A-list jazz bar. When the tunes hit their crescendos, and Bennett's voice hugged the hall, it could've been Broadway.

His pipes aren't as fluid anymore, but they're not lacking power. He can still hit notes. He's an expert at nuance. "Smile," an over-covered standard, belongs to him. He held certain syllables, stretched certain words. "Maybe This Time," perhaps best known by Liza Minnelli from her famed Cabaret role, was a showstopper in his hands as well.

Bennett was chatty, telling stories about his past, and then cheekily dedicating "The Good Life" to Lady Gaga. Yet the best moment of the evening was "For Once In My Life," a song most associate with Stevie Wonder but one that Bennett also recorded. He sang it quietly, sparingly with instrumentation to match. Then the big finish, thunderous applause and a standing ovation.

On the platform, Tony Bennett just smiled.

Photo: Bennett is all smiles (Ben Torres/Special to DMN).

Jeff Beck isn't a showy guitarist. He's a six-string craftsman that diligently delivers the best instrumental tones. His notes are perfect, played with subtlety and substance.

His 90-plus-minutes show Sunday night at Verizon Theatre featured the British guitar God with three stellar players - bassist Rhonda Smith, keyboardist Jason Rebello and drummer Narada Michael Walden.

Beck was a man of few words. He let his guitar do the talking, making it embrace psychedelic blues-rock, classic rock, R&B, blues and even pop standards such as his lovely instrumental rendition of "Over the Rainbow."

That remake is from Emotion & Commotion, Beck's beautiful new CD that finds him moving from progressive rock to soul to grand operatic numbers. From that disc, Beck also offered "Hammerhead," "Never Alone" and "Nessun Dorma."

Other highlights included "Brush With the Blues," a wailing and thunderous tune; "Rollin' & Tumblin'," during which Smith growled with abandon; the soulful Impressions staple "People Get Ready;" and the reflective Beatles chestnut "A Day In the Life."

Beck has a knack for taking familiar, sometimes overdone cover songs and filtering through his creative funnel. He's honors the tune, the art. He's the anti-superstar. That's why he's remained relevant and respected for more than 40 years.

Photo: Jeff Beck Sunday at Verizon Theatre (Rex C. Curry/Special to DMN).

Perhaps the best thing about Wednesday night's concert at the House of Blues was the fact that Dallas' rap glitterati got the chance to flex on a national tour date. Those were the highlights: Inertia (right), whose name belies a kinetic show, and Grammy-winning producers Play-N-Skillz (That T-shirt read "HIP ROCK" -- How can I be down?), who performed as though they owned the place.

A little bit over here and a little bit over there, they were at ease on the stage as if they were performing in front of a bedroom mirror. The duo, who did say they were "just coming to talk to us a little bit," served more as hype men for their featured artists, which unlike the headliners' group, didn't take up more than an hour of the audience's time. (After his set, Inertia walked between the stage and the crowd, shaking hands and kissing cheeks along his way. That kind of humility will go a long way toward gaining fans beyond "Beddy Crocka," which he obviously had fun doing in front of a hungry crowd.)

The crowd was glad to see the headlining Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, judging by the reception. Or maybe the standing O was because they went on so late that they elicited boos and catcalls from the crowd by the fourth "act" they introduced from their stable of artists. I'm sure some people in the audience were wishing they had a gong.

Hometown boy Terry Fator wowed a near-capacity crowd at the Meyerson Symphony Center on Tuesday night, where the cause he was benefiting was the Vogel Alcove, which offers a helping hand to homeless kids. The most moving aspect to Tuesday's performance was, however, provided by the Children's Chorus of Greater Dallas, a 240-child ensemble whose angelic voices served as a warmup to Fator's hilarious, easy-on-the-ears lounge singer-ventriloquist act. The children singing Tuesday night were selected from a combination of four Children's Chorus choirs (Prelude-4th graders, Apprentice-5th graders; Concert I-7th and 8th graders and Concert II-5th through 8th graders). Fator, who grew up in various hamlets in the Dallas area, is the son of janitorial workers. Now 44, he made it big (very big) after winning the $1 million grand prize on America's Got Talent in 2007, then signing a five-year, $100 million with the Mirage in Las Vegas.

Photo: Terry Fator with Winston the Turtle

As the curtain opened Monday night and Puddle of Mudd took the stage at House of Blues, the sounds of Johnny Cash were piped in over the speakers. As the song played, singer Wes Scantlin encouraged the crowd to stand and playfully said that he wouldn't stop the song until everyone was up.

Jason Castro seems so genuinely affable, like the guy next door that always says hello with a smile.

During his hour-long concert Saturday night at The Loft, Rockwall's Castro was chatty, easy-going, joking with his four-man band. The former American Idol finalist celebrated the release of his self-titled debut Atlantic Records album and launched his first headlining tour.

The 23-year-old offered us every track from his disc as well as a few extras, including "All Wrapped Up" and the rocking "Changing Colors." You can clearly hear the Ray LaMontagne, Jack Johnson, Bob Marley and Ben Harper influences. He makes feel-good tunes that are airy, uncluttered.

That sound didn't vary even on the ballads "It Matters to Me" and "You Can Always Come Home," which featured harmony vocals by younger sister Jackie Castro. His younger brother, Michael Castro, was an opening act.

"Let's Just Fall In Love Again" and "That's What I'm Here For" were signature Castro. Those songs are like him - lighthearted and amiable.

Photo: Jason Castro in action Saturday (Jason Janik/Special to DMN).