Dallas Observer | The Leading Independent News Source in Dallas, Texas

The nickname "Big D" is perfectly illustrated with the existence of the phallic Reunion Tower.

The 5 Best North Texas City Nicknames (and Some of the Worst)

By Mark E. Moon

Sep 9, 2021

Nicknames are like children: some of us don’t choose to have them, but here in Texas, they’re here to stay whether they’re planned or not.

A steel girder from one of the fallen Twin Towers.

8 Essential Films That Explore the Legacy of 9/11

By Liam Gaughan

Sep 8, 2021

In the two decades since the events of September 11, filmmakers have struggled to adapt stories of heroism and tragedy to the big screen to audiences that might not want to relive those memories.

Twitter users are comparing Texas to the dystopian land of Gilead from The Handmaid's Tale and to the Taliban following Gov. Greg Abbott's signing if restrictive abortion laws.

#TexasTaliban Trends on Twitter Following Restrictive Abortion Laws

By Eva Raggio

Sep 3, 2021

This week, a law went into effect in Texas banning abortions performed after six weeks of pregnancy. The law makes no exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape.

Influencer Addison Rae laughing at every sucker who watched her truly awful reboot He's All That.

He's All That Sucks, But We'd Still Like To See Gender-Swapped Versions of These '90s Movies

By Liam Gaughan

Sep 2, 2021

In case you’ve managed to avoid Netflix’s trend of terrible, schmaltzy high school romantic comedies thus far, you should be aware that they’re now not even contained to original stories.

After a string of roles in successful films and series such as The Handmaid’s Tale and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Grapevine's McKenna Grace is battling spirits in Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

This Fall's Most Exciting Movies Spotlight Local Talent

By Liam Gaughan

Aug 30, 2021

There was a time we got excited for new movies and not just confused.

Yeah, you've heard "Satisfaction" a million times, but that's not the band's most streamed song.

We Looked at the Top Streaming Songs From Classic Artists, and We're Confused

By Liam Gaughan

Aug 30, 2021

Music streaming has made a lot of things easier, particularly when looking for obscure music picks.

Johnny Cash released some of his best work in the latter part of his career.

14 Late-Career Masterpiece Songs from Old School Artists

By Vincent Arrieta

Aug 20, 2021

A couple of weeks ago, we looked back on the Rolling Stones’ best deep cuts, prompting us to take a deep dive into their later-career highlights.

It might just be easier to list the things supermodel Erin Wasson hasn’t done.

Hot Girl Summer's Not Over: The Top Models from North Texas

By Trace Miller

Aug 17, 2021

Hot girl summer is drawing to a close, but that doesn’t mean we must stop admiring hot people.

All we're saying is how exactly do we know what side of the Seinfeld/Newman feud we're on if we don't know the back story?

Wicked Is Headed To Dallas, But It's Not The Only Villain Backstory We Want To See

By Liam Gaughan

Aug 16, 2021

The phrase “a bad guy we love to hate” has seemingly been retired, because now we’re asked to empathize with those famous villains we use to dismiss as just purely evil.

Kura Revolving Sushi Bar is ready for those in a high-tech mood.

10 Things To Do in Dallas Before Summer Ends, According to Your Vibe

By Scott Tucker

Aug 3, 2021

Summertime comes to a close over the next few weeks and Dallasites don’t want to miss the opportunity to kick back and enjoy all the perks of what the city has to offer this special time of year.

Can't snooze on this spread at Snooze an A.M. Eatery.

Best Breakfasts in Dallas

By Kristina Rowe

Aug 2, 2021

If restaurant meals in Dallas were a family, brunch would be the youngest sibling — the one who gets all the attention. Breakfast, on the other hand, is the responsible oldest sibling, getting up early and doing all the chores.

In Craig Gillespie’s biopic I, Tonya, Margot Robbie takes on the role of Tonya Harding, an ice skater who dreamed of Olympic gold while proclaiming her “white trash” heritage.

10 Medal-Worthy Movies for Those Who Can't Get Enough of the Olympics

By Liam Gaughan

Jul 27, 2021

It's not just the pandemic that makes this year different for the Olympics. New sports that aren’t exactly familiar to ancient Greeks are being included for the first time, including karate, sport climbing, surfing, and skateboarding. Is horseshoe pitching next? Maybe we can try to lobby the Olympics committee before...

Yeah, you've heard "Satisfaction" a million times, but you should expand your Stones playlist with these deep cuts.

10 Rolling Stones Deep Cuts That Justify Their Outrageous Cotton Bowl Ticket Prices

By Vincent Arrieta

Jul 26, 2021

The world’s greatest rock and roll band is returning to Dallas

The Horror Freak store holds an impressive collection of creepy toys, art, masks and movies like Evil Dead II: Dead By Dawn starring Bruce Campbell.

G.I. Joe Sparking Your Action Figure Demand? Check Out These Dallas Toy Stores.

By Liam Gaughan

Jul 26, 2021

The days in which merchandise was inspired by movies have been subverted, and there's long been a trend of movies based on toys.

No one did The Beatles like The Beatles. But these covers are still pretty great.

The Best Covers of Songs by The Beatles

By Liam Gaughan

Jul 23, 2021

Oddly, the year 2021 is seeing a resurgence of Beatlemania, with Peter Jackson’s docuseries Beatles: Get Back headed to Disney+ this Thanksgiving.

We all have a favorite Wilson brother. But here's a scientific analysis to determine whether Luke or Owen is better.

Luke vs. Owen: Which Wilson Brother Comes Out on Top?

By Liam Gaughan

Jul 22, 2021

This is a big year for the Wilson family. Dallas-born brothers Luke and Owen are celebrating 25 years of their debut film Bottle Rocket, the now classic heist from comedy every hipster’s favorite director, Wes Anderson.

From left: Kansas manager Budd Carr, drummer Phil Ehart and violinist Robby Steinhardt with Charley Randazzo posing at the Montecito Award honoring Jennifer Aniston in 2015.

Remembering Kansas’ Robby Steinhardt, America’s Prog Rock Ambassador, in 5 Songs

By Vincent Arrieta

Jul 22, 2021

The most common images that come to mind when we think of prog rock are probably those of lavishly dressed Englishmen: Keith Emerson adorned in full chainmail regalia, making violent love to his keyboards in front of a sold-out stadium; Chris Squire in a lavender jumpsuit and accompanying magenta cape, attacking his bass with such fury that one wrong note may cause a rip in the space-time continuum; Peter Gabriel fully immersed in his onstage roles as a fox, a flower, an alien overlord, or whatever this is.

The 2006 Japanese premiere of V for Vendetta, one of the best films based on comic books.

The Best Comic Book Movies That Don't Have Anything To Do With Superheroes

By Liam Gaughan

Jul 13, 2021

Superheroes! They're everywhere! Movies about folks in capes and tights have been a mainstay in American cinema since 1978’s Superman: The Movie, and the genre rose to new heights thanks to the efforts of Tim Burton and Michael Keaton in 1989’s Batman.

Make us this excited about your press release.

How to Write an Effective Press Release

By Diamond Rodrigue

Jul 12, 2021

As music journalists, our email inboxes receive oodles of announcements, invitations to concerts and offers for exclusives on new songs and albums every day.

More Than A Dozen Ways to Celebrate Bastille Day in Dallas (And Why You Should)

By Kristina Rowe

Jul 12, 2021

Much like the Battle of Puebla, from which Cinco de Mayo emerged, the actual storming of the Bastille was more symbolic than a real victory at the time.

Lists

North Texas Musicians You Should Be Following on Instagram

A Complete Guide to Oktoberfest

I support

Keep Dallas Observer Free.

This Week's Issue