Every month we like to share a few Denton-centric videos that have been on our screens lately. Since this month saw the end of J and J's Ol' Dirty Basement (You can read our thoughts on the subject here), we would take a look back at a bit of a history of the space through video. Below you will find a few recent videos from J and J's final month (including Kim Nall and Matt Farmer) in addition to a bunch of videos dating all the way back to 1997 when that same space was actually a Mr. Gatti's Pizza. There's a video we produced a while back featuring Julian Lynch, a video of a Wee Beasties "Christmas Show" from 2003 (featuring a very young Richard Haskins), and even a low-quality recording of classic Denton band Jet Screamer in the same space that probably 70% of those of you that are reading these words have at one point stood and played music in at one point or another.
Read MorePETTY FEST ADDS BASICALLY EVERYONE BUT PETTY, HIMSELF
Oaktopia returns to Denton in a little over a month. A few weeks ago, they dropped the news that Norah Jones had been added as a headliner in addition to a slightly mysterious kick-off party dubbed "Petty Fest." We knew that Petty Fest would feature musicians playing the music of famed Americana artist, Tom Petty, but we didn't have any specifics as to who would be playing. Sometimes waiting pays off. Read on to find out who will be playing Petty Fest in Downtown Denton, TX this September.
Read MoreFREE MUSIC NIGHTS IN DENTON
You can catch live music for free on any given night of the week in Denton. Did y'all know that? We always knew that in the back of our heads, but we didn't realize just how much of it there was. That is until we put together this (fairly) comprehensive list detailing tons of the various venues that you can catch some tunes for free in Denton or sign up to play at an open mic night. Believe us when we say there's something for everyone in here. Live music not your thing? Don't worry, we've got a few non-music cultural events of which you can partake in the list, too.
Aside from the sure-bets for live Denton music like Harvest House or LSA, we’ve picked some spots that tend to get overlooked. Here, then, is our handy dandy go-to WEEKLY WHAT-TA-DENTON-DO LIST when someone dares to wonder aloud, "What is there to do in town tonight?" Here's their answer...
Read MoreON NOSTALGIA AND MUSIC VENUES
I remember being 18 years old, a freshman at UNT and my friends and I thinking that we totally had Denton figured out. We spent our evenings eating J&J’s pizza off of paper plates on the courthouse lawn and drinking mocha and mint milkshakes from Jupiter House before heading off to a show at Hailey’s to catch Mouse Parade or Explosions in the Sky or Flickerstick. I would make sure my cash and ID were ready, knowing that my hand was about to be stamped with ink that would take days to get off, which would alert the bartender that I was not old enough to enjoy the beer that everyone around me was drinking. We would hunt down house shows in ramshackle rent houses on Bernard Street, or in some kid’s apartment on Avenue G, hoping that the cops wouldn’t bust it because of too many cars on the street or the music being too raucous. We would roll into our dorm rooms sometime before dawn, peeling off our clothes that reeked of smoke and sweat and spilled beer - and close our eyes, too tired to wash the smell off of our bodies.
Read MoreOAKTOPIA ADDS NORAH JONES AND PETTY FEST
Norah Jones will play Friday, September 23rd at this year's Oaktopia festival in downtown Denton, TX. Jones will be in good company with others such as Dr. Dog, Wavves, Nikki Lane, White Denim, Best Coast, Andrew WK, Mates of State, Beirut, Cat Power, Rae Sremmurd and others that have already been announced. Read on for more about this year's Oaktopia festival.
Read More3 SONGS: JULY 2016
Summer have you searching for new music perfect for driving on these long sunny days? The kind of songs which pair well with splitting a six pack of Armadillo Ale on the courthouse lawn with a good friend, or laying out, feet up, shades on, poolside at an apartment complex where none of your friends live, but there’s always someone swimming who knows your name? This month’s 3 Songs column brings you a trio of fresh, local tracks from Mah Kee Oh, Exit Glaciers and Pageantry which we’re confident will fill those summer cravings.
Read MoreCOMIC: DOGS OF WIGGLY PARK
We are in the midst of the dog days of Denton and as such it seems pertinent that our very own illustrator extraordinaire would take a liking to the observation of the many pups of Denton. During her time spent at the popular Wiggly Field, Anna Ryan has put together a field guide to Denton's most adorable companions by sketching what she refers to as some of the parks "regulars." Read on to check out some of Denton's most lovable sidekicks.
Read MoreMYTHICAL CREATURES IN THE DENTON WILD
Denton has been a’buzz recently about foxes and bobcats or even coyotes seen scampering ever closer from the edges of the city limits, which has caused some concern for house pets. We’ve even playfully addressed “Mythical Beings in Denton” when footage of the long-fabled White Stag (sometimes called The Christmas Unicorn) was definitively captured on smartphones. This magical sighting has had several folks now asking us: What other legendary critters are maybe really lurking around out there in the Cross Timbers? I’ll break down some of the top contenders and examine how much fact or fiction is involved.
Read MoreCATCHING THEM ALL IN DENTON PART 2
Pokémon Go is a recently released mobile game that augments your real life by adding cute little monsters to your phone camera. By now you've surely noticed the hoards of people gathering around the square at all hours excitedly swiping upwards on their phones. We are no strangers to the game ourselves. While I'm sure I have caught far more 'mon than Glen has, we've all been spending far too much time with the app. We recently found Denton's self-appointed "Geek Guru" and recruited him to aid us in our quest to catch them all. Last week, he shared some of the background on the game with us. Today, he has some tips that will help you in playing the game in Denton and how it relates to Niantic's previous mobile game, Ingress. Read on for more!
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