116 BEST OF DALLAS® 2026 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SPORTS & RECREATION | FOOD & DRINK | SHOPPING & SERVICES | READERS’ CHOICE | CONTENTS WWW.GETOUT.COM A YEAR OF FAMILY FUN, ALL IN ONE MEMBERSHIP T spinning on Friday and Saturday nights. On the outdoor Backyard stage, you can find live shows from bubbling-up indie bands as easily as you can find a set from longtime legends like Gwar and Project Pat. We’d never pass up the chance to support an independent venue, either. BEST OUTDOOR VENUE Longhorn Backyard Amphitheater 216 Corinth St., Dallas longhornballroom.com As if the reborn Longhorn Ballroom wasn’t enough, the venue opened an outdoor stage earlier this year that has quickly climbed the ranks as one of our favorite places to see a show in Dallas. The backyard amphithe- ater somehow manages to strike a balance between a festival atmosphere and the inti- mate, close-to-the-stage vibe that the in- door concert hall is so loved for. Traffic in the area has been the amphitheater’s only road bump so far. The venue has frequently warned concertgoers to allow ample time to arrive, but once you do, food trucks are on site, and the western-themed campus is a pleasure to explore. Thank you, Longhorn, for the reminder that Dallas needed: new things and history can absolutely live to- gether in harmony. BEST BAR TO SEE A METAL SHOW Reno’s Chop Shop Saloon 210 N. Crowdus St., Dallas facebook.com/renoschopshop If an idyllically scrappy dive bar meant for catching an equally scrappy metal show was formulated in a lab, it would look an awful lot like Reno’s Chop Shop Saloon. The walls are black with murals in neon paint. There’s a flutter of bras and dollar bills hanging from the ceiling. You can buy a pack of cigarettes from a vending machine. And the venue stage? Intimate enough that you feel the guitarist’s sweat splatter into the crowd as they dive into a sludgy, face-melting solo. These days it’s hard to find lasting remnants of the old-school Deep Ellum everyone is constantly reminiscing about. A show at Reno’s — which has been a fixture of the neighborhood for more than 20 years — will take you back to the golden days, at least until the lights come on. BEST PLACE TO HEAR LATIN MUSIC La Viuda Negra 2513 N Fitzhugh Ave., Dallas instagram.com/laviudanegrabar La Viuda Negra is a Best of Dallas alum, hav- ing won last year’s nod for the Best Speak- easy category. Back then, we praised its impressive roster of mezcals and zesty spe- cialty cocktails. What we didn’t mention, though, was the exceptional music pro- gramming always rooted in Latin culture. You’ll still hear house and disco music, of course, but the La Viuda team books per- formers who put their own Latin twist on it all. Dallas DJs Dusty and Solsis are regularly spinning, but you also catch area favorites like Oscar Lozada guesting on the board. BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL Jambaloo instagram.com/jambaloolive Jambaloo has become a few different things since its conception a few years ago, but its week-long, free festival celebrating local music has proven to be a valiant effort in growing the North Texas music ecosystem. Now an annual festival in the winter, Jamba- loo hosts shows at independent venues like the Granada Theater and Club Dada to showcase the best stages and sounds across DFW. The festival also partners with Ampli- fied Minds, another favorite local organiza- tion that provides healthcare resources to local artists. Good cause, good music and good to have in our backyard. BEST RECORD LABEL 600 Entertainment instagram.com/600_ent BigXThaPlug formally began his new re- cord label with a roster of local rappers Murdagang PB, KaineMusic and KevanGot- Bandz. The label’s West Coast-influenced compilation album, “6WA,” paid tribute to Photo by Andrew Sherman Longhorn Backyard Amphitheater