21 November 21 - 27, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Mariah Carey 7:30 P.M. THURSDAY, NOV. 21, AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER, 2500 VICTORY AVE. $59.95+ AT TICKETMASTER.COM Somewhere along the way, Mariah Carey shifted from generational pop-R&B talent to “Queen of Christmas.” It is a bit of an odd pivot from croon- ing plush ballads such as “Vision of Love” to bopping around with Santa Claus, but the 55-year-old Carey — multi-platinum many times over — has embraced her unofficial title with gusto. She earned this crown, thanks to her 1994 single “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” the best- selling holiday single of all time by a female art- ist. Its bouncy, jingling beat and showcase for Carey’s five-octave soprano is a staple of the season, and the impetus for the 20-city “Mariah Carey’s Christmas Time” tour which press mate- rials indicate “will feature … timeless holiday classics alongside fan-favorite chart-toppers, promising an unforgettable festive experience.” So load up on the egg nog, find some jolly attire and celebrate accordingly. PRESTON JONES Dwight Yoakam 8 P.M. THURSDAY, NOV. 21, TEXAS TRUST CU THEATRE, 1001 PERFORMANCE PLACE, GRAND PRAIRIE. $49+ AT AXS.COM Kentucky-born singer-songwriter Dwight Yo- akam has kept the flame burning for classic country generally and the “Bakersfield sound” specifically for the better part of four decades. He’s done this largely on the strength of relent- less touring, bringing his dynamic live show to just about every state in the union once or twice a year. He’ll pass through North Texas just days removed from the release of his 21st and latest studio album, Brighter Days, his first such effort in eight years. It’s a mix of originals and covers (including an entirely unironic “Keep on the Sunny Side”), as well as featuring a cameo from Grapevine-raised superstar Post Malone, who contributes vocals to the Yoakam-penned “I Don’t Know How to Say Goodbye (Bang Bang Boom Boom).” In keeping with Yoakam’s affinity for the next generation, Dallas’ own, Joshua Ray Walker, will open his Grand Prairie gig. PJ Kacey Musgraves 7:30 P.M. FRIDAY-SATURDAY, NOV. 22-23, AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER, 2500 VICTORY AVE. $59.50+ AT TICKETMASTER.COM The wounded fury of star-crossed has subsided, and Golden native Kacey Musgraves has turned inward for her sixth studio album, Deeper Well. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter has long been contemplative — even at her most rowdy — but Well is something else altogether, verging on brooding as Musgraves finds herself at a crossroads in life, sifting through decisions made, loves lost and paths not taken. As her ca- reer has garnered more visibility and accolades, she has found herself in ever-larger rooms (long gone are the days when you could see her in the comparatively cozy confines of, say, the Granada Theater) and it remains fascinating to watch the ease with which she commands such vast spaces, arenas full of fans singing her finely wrought verses back to her. With Lord Huron and Nickel Creek. PJ Deep Ellum Block Party NOON AND 7 P.M. SATURDAY, NOV. 23, INTERSECTION OF ELM AND CROWDUS; MULTIPLE VENUES IN DEEP ELLUM. DAYTIME ADMISSION FREE; $5 VENUE WRISTBAND FOR NIGHT SHOWCASES AT DEEPELLUM-FOUNDATION.COM/BLOCKPARTY For all its endless changes — good and bad — Deep Ellum arguably remains the beating heart of the North Texas artistic scene. Events like the sprawling Deep Ellum Block Party are a big part of the reason why. The 2024 edition of the Deep Ellum Block Party will be split in two: A free, daytime component featuring performances from Raekwon and the Polyphonic Spree, and a nighttime element, requiring purchased admis- sion (but only $5 for all-access), featuring so many must-see local acts we stopped counting after 30. “Playing the Deep Ellum Block Party is definitely going to feel like returning home in a way,” said Spree head honcho Tim DeLaughter in a statement. “Many, many fond memories were made down there back in the day.” Given the sheer abundance of artists on tap, a great many fond memories are all but guaranteed. PJ The Staves 8 P.M. MONDAY, NOV. 25, KESSLER THEATER, 1230 W. DAVIS. $26+ AT PREKINDLE.COM English folk-rock duo Jessica and Camilla Stave- ley-Taylor — performing as the Staves — make the sort of spine-tingling music possible when you harmonize with your sibling. (Originally, the group was a trio; Emily Staveley-Taylor departed in 2020, owing to the birth of her child.) The Staves first turned heads in the States over a de- cade ago, on the strength of their indelible 2012 debut Dead & Born & Grown. Its fourth and latest studio album, All Now, released earlier this year, feels both of a piece with what’s come before, as well as different, as Jessica explained in an inter- view with Hotpress: “It is slightly different with it just being two of us, but, because it’s been a new chapter, it feels like there are new rules with more freedom and experimentation.” Shallow Alcove will provide support. PJ Mat Hayward/Getty Images Deck the halls: Mariah “Queen of Christmas” Carey is gonna sleigh at AAC. | LET’S DO THIS | t Music TICKET GIVEAWAY SCAN HERE TO ENTER TO WIN TICKETS TO AN UPCOMING DALLAS MAVERICKS GAME The 100 bars we can’t live without. view this years full list www.dallasobserver.com/signup go to WEEKLY EMAIL D SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY EMAIL LIST for feature stories, movie reviews, calendar picks and more!
