Fort Worth Weekly // February 23-March 1, 2022

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February 23-March 1, 2022 FREE fwweekly.com

Change is inevitable, and the outcome is still uncertain on this stretch of urban Fort Worth. S T O R Y

METROPOLIS Did a county employee work on his campaign during business hours? BY EDWARD BROWN

A N D

P H O T O S

EATS & DRINKS Into West 7th comes an Austin spot for late-night clubbing — and brunch the next day. BY C O DY N E AT H E RY

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S I M M O N S

STAGE In Amphibian Stage’s latest, two scientists discover the holy grail of medicine — a female Viagra. BY KRISTIAN LIN

MUSIC There’s lots more to Leon Bridges and Khruangbin’s latest than Marvin Gaye references. Plus, new tracks from The Me-Thinks and Bruce Magnus. BY STEVE STEWARD


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N umber 47

Febr uar y 23 - Marc h 1 , 2022

INSIDE 4

Make Mardi Gras Plans Now We’ve got you covered.

By Jennifer Bovee

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Ryan Burger, Art Director Jim Erickson, Circulation Director

Hemphill for Sale? Longtime residents of the street are worried development might ruin their way of life. By Madison Simmons

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Grunge Redux

Olive Vox wonders if fans would care as much if the band didn’t consist of two teenagers. By Patrick Higgins

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Edward Brown, Staff Writer

Megan Ables, Christina Berger, E.R. Bills, Jason Brimmer, Sue Chefington, Buck D. Elliott, Juan R. Govea, Patrick Higgins, Bo Jacksboro, Laurie James, Kristian Lin, Vishal Malhotra, Cody Neathery, Wyatt Newquist, Linda Blackwell Simmons, Madison Simmons, Teri Webster, Ken WheatcroftPardue, Cole Williams

Emmy Smith, Proofreader

EDITORIAL

Michael Newquist, Regional Sales Director Jennifer Bovee, Marketing Director Stacey Hammons, Senior Account Executive Julie Strehl, Account Executive Tony Diaz, Account Executive Wyatt Newquist, Digital Coordinator Clintastic, Brand Ambassador

BOARD

Anthony Mariani, Edward Brown, Emmy Smith

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Out in Southlake, there’s no limit to the number of wannabe Tucker Carlsons, starting with the Carroll school board.

Anthony Mariani, Editor Lee Newquist, Publisher

Ta t i B r u e n i n g

Fox News Auditions

STAFF

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Tuning in to The Hannah Show

Out in Southlake, it’s more right-wing drama. B Y

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Static Takin’ Care of Business Two weeks. That’s how long we’ve been waiting for a response from Jody Johnson about emails that may show fellow government employees working on his campaign during business hours. The constable running to assume Precinct 4’s commissioner seat from father J.D. Johnson, according to several emails we obtained from a whistleblower, appears to have blended personal and government business. At issue are campaign finance reports readily available on Tarrant County’s website. After taking office as Precinct 4 constable in 2016, Jody — who is in a heated battle against fellow Republican Manny Ramirez for one of five county commissioner seats — began using a county employee, administrator Nicole Benoit, to log, compile, notarize, and file his campaign finance reports. The constable followed state law by listing Sarah Hollenstein as his campaign treasurer, but he did not list her business address as re-

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Watch out, Fox News. There’s a new show competing for the fruit-fly attention of Southlakers. Since steamrolling into office on a wave of white fragility in early 2021, Carroll school board trustee Hannah Smith, a self-described “religious

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Cour tesy of Facebook

METROPOLIS “We have your back,” Hannah Smith told one parent who snitched on the location of This Book Is Anti-Racist.

freedom attorney,” has wasted no time coming to the aid of Christian zealots who are paradoxically oppressed yet capable of controlling an entire county, ours. In October, Smith pushed for the reprimand of a teacher whose classroom bookshelf included a copy of the New York Times bestseller This Book Is Anti-Racist. The religious freedumb warrior was likely taking orders from on high, which for Republicans like her means professional liar Tucker Carlson. Making the move largely unilaterally, without the consent of

staff or without any warning, Smith had compromised the district legally, which became evident after the teacher filed a grievance. Not one to take responsibility for her blunder, or probably much else, Smith, according to open records requests we reviewed, sought Christian-friendly legal counsel on behalf of Carroll’s board in the weeks leading to the Jan. 24 grievance hearing (“News Roundup,” Jan. 19). When trustee Sheri Mills learned that Smith was looking for lawyers for a

board that already had attorneys, Mills emailed fellow trustees Eric Lannen and Michelle Moore as well as superintendent Lane Ledbetter to voice concerns about Smith’s choice of the Amarillo-based Underwood Law Firm. Given the conservative makeup of Carroll’s school board, Smith likely knew she could garner a majority of votes for her push to hire Underwood. As Lannen and Smith “have placed this item on the agenda, it appears as [if

quired by Texas Ethics Commission rules. She also is not shown as the person who worked on any of Jody’s campaign finance reports — a majority of them have been signed by Benoit. My extensive review of Jody’s publicly available reports revealed that Benoit notarized and signed 11 of 16 of them between early 2015 and early 2022. State law forbids public officials like constables from using government employees and resources for personal matters like campaigning. Jody’s campaign staff did not respond to questions that I forwarded to Hollenstein, whom I was unable to reach directly because she did not disclose her contact information on any of Jody’s reports. Jody did not respond to my requests for comment, and neither did the staff at the Precinct 4 commissioner’s office. Finally, last week, I received a call from Jody’s campaign. After describing intimate details of the open records requests I had recently filed, the campaign member tried to intimidate me into not publishing my story. I’ve described the timbre of the off-therecord conversation because that privilege

does not permit individuals to attempt to influence a reporter actively investigating allegations of public misconduct. I requested digital copies of the whistleblower’s emails from the county through the Texas Public Information Act to corroborate the printouts of the same emails in my hands. My request for emails between Benoit and Jody between 2017 and 2022 returned 54 pages of communications that did not include any of the whistleblower’s emails. Indeed, several months at a time are missing from the communications compiled for me by the county. The absence of the whistleblower’s emails (originally obtained during an unrelated matter a few months ago) suggests they have either been deleted from county servers or intentionally withheld by the district attorney’s office. It’s hard to know if Precinct 4’s servers were tampered with or whether Jody used government resources for his personal campaign because the commissioner candidate has so far refused to comment on this story and no one else is raising any concerns. Given the nature of the accusations, we are electing to delay publishing details of the emails until we hear back

from Jody. We welcome the opportunity to discuss the missing, potentially damning emails with his campaign as long as the conversation refrains from attempts to dissuade me from following a story wherever it leads. Ramirez told me he is waiting to learn more before he judges his primary political opponent. “Elected officials are held to high ethical standards,” he said. “We would hope that this isn’t true. Jody is innocent until proven guilty, like anyone else.” Ramirez’ most recent campaign disclosures show that he has $160,323 on hand. Jody reported $224,064 in his campaign war chest on his most recent filings that were signed and notarized by Benoit. Last summer, J.D. donated $250,000 of $252,873 from his remaining war chest to his son. — Edward Brown

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This column reflects the opinions of the editorial board and not the Fort Worth Weekly. To submit a column, please email Editor Anthony Mariani at Anthony@ FWWeekly.com. Submissions will be edited for factuality and clarity.


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Tara Eddins, one parent on the committee who apparently thinks she’s auditioning for a Fox News show, has made her views on minorities and human decency known. Scoffing at investigative work on the part of two NBC News reporters who honestly revealed rampant racism in Southlake, Eddins vented to school leaders in October that NBC News should be examining the “breakdown” of the Black family unit and the perils of facemasks, or “muzzles,” as she says. Another Southlake mother on the new committee, Bonnie Pendergrass, suggested that board member Mills should face the same ongoing bogus criminal charges that the Tarrant County district attorney levied against Todd Carlton and Moore last spring, possibly as a favor to wealthy Republican donors in Southlake. The two trustees who texted each other when discussing ways to protect Black and LGBTQ+ students now face charges for allegedly violating Texas’ Open Meetings Act, marking the only time the DA has gone after anyone for anything similar since 432 A.D. Last fall, NBC News published audio recordings of a meeting headed by members of Southlake Families, the well-monied right-wing PAC that Smith loves. In the audio, Southlake Families co-founder Leigh Wambsganss detailed a litmus

test for candidates seeking those juicy PAC donations: support of the Second Amendment (because everyone needs a semiautomatic rifle to hunt deer), support of pro-life values (which should read “pro-embryo/anti-women” values), and uncompromising opposition to the Democratic party (because equality is so terrible). One normal Southlake parent who asked to remain anonymous said the new committees will likely gut any topics that promote diversity and open-mindedness from Carroll’s curriculum come fall. Smith’s right-wing antics have made The Hannah Show popular among Southlakers, who seem oblivious to the fact that most North Texans might be only slightly disturbed if a Biblical flood washed away the racist residents of the tony suburb. Powerful leaders who act with impunity and with little regard for the masses never fared well in the Bible, and throughout history real-life tyrants lost power when the people they sought to subjugate teamed up and fought back. l This column reflects the opinions of the editorial board and not the Fort Worth Weekly. To submit a column, please email Editor Anthony Mariani at Anthony@ FWWeekly.com. Columns will be gently edited for factuality and clarity.

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Smith and her fellow conservative board members] have hand-selected the attorney … before we hear the [grievance] against the board of trustees for the reprimand” of the teacher, Mills wrote. Trustee Mills went on to allege that Smith was pushing to add Underwood to the school district’s existing roster of law firms solely because the current board attorney advised that reprimanding teachers was beyond the scope of trustees. To Smith and the slew of Fox News pundits who likely inspire her, rules don’t matter. If you don’t like something, like the landslide electoral victory of President — President — Joe Biden, just gather your fellow right-wing nut jobs and agree that the truth can be whatever you want it to be. Mills also brought up one of Smith’s social media posts. To the racist parent who bitched about This Book Is Anti-Racist initially, Smith said, “We have your back,” meaning Smith and her Fox News true believers. Hiring Underwood was simply another favor Smith was doing for parents who have nothing better to do than med-

dle in school district dealings for purely ideological reasons, Mills argued — and we would add, “purely racist, purely elitist” reasons. Carroll’s school board, largely at Smith’s urging, hired the Underwood Law Firm in mid-January, and the board subsequently withdrew the teacher’s reprimand, likely to avoid a lawsuit. The most recent episode of The Hannah Show is tied to the celebrity trustee’s efforts to choose members of the school district’s new strategic action committee, the group of parents and school employees tasked with creating steps for implementing the district’s strategic plan. In culture war-loving Southlake, those committee members are potentially positioned to sniff out books and textbooks that don’t conform to the bigoted beliefs of wealthy supporters of twice-impeached Loser-with-acapital-L Donald J. Trump. Conservative school leaders across the state have recently begun tracking down so-called “woke” books that honestly depict the lives of nonwhite, noncisgender youths. A majority of Southlake parents on the strategic action committee have direct connections to Smith and her true believers, either through campaign contributions, political endorsements, or responses to Smith’s Facebook posts that sought volunteers.

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Change is inevitable, and the outcome is still uncertain on this stretch of urban Fort Worth. S T O R Y A N D P H O T O S B Y M A D I S O N S I M M O N S

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A mural of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata graces the side of a building on Hemphill Street. Artist Juan Velázquez collaborated with the grassroots organization Hemphill No Se Vende (Hemphill Not for Sale) to make the mural. Members of the group want to preserve the culture of Hemphill Street, particularly the predominantly Hispanic influence, from development.

juxtapositions. Just south of Magnolia Avenue, small family restaurant Paul’s Donuts, Subs, and Gyros neighbors Cassata Catholic High School’s grand stone building. Across the street, you can find an auto body shop next to a mystic

doing business out of a bungalow. The diversity, history, and proximity to already-gentrified, quickly growing areas have made Hemphill a hotspot for development. Residents and business owners, many who have been

in the area for decades, know change has arrived. “I’ve been in this part of this town for a long time,” said Virginia Murillo as she cut hair late Friday morning. continued on page 8

Jacinto Gonzalez prepares a burrito for a customer at Ernesto’s Taqueria on Hemphill Street. Gonzalez grew up in the area and still lives there. He has managed Ernesto’s for 15 years, waking up early in the morning to help open the kitchen. Gonzalez said he has not seen many changes come to the north end of Hemphill other than the reduction of the road to two lanes and the addition of bike lanes.

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emphill Street runs north to south through Fort Worth, weaving through neighborhoods on its journey between I-30 and I-20. I-35 roars along a few blocks to the east. To the west lies McCart Avenue and, beyond that, TCU country. Mostly Hispanic businesses and neighborhoods line the street, and loose zoning has resulted in whimsical

Hemphill Street begins north of I-20 and ends just south of downtown at I-30.

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Our Lady of Victory Catholic School reigns over a stretch of Hemphill Street. The sprawling 15-acre campus is surrounded by modest onestory homes. The Sisters of St. Mary of Namur shut down the school last year. Though there are no plans for the lot right now, neighbors have concerns over how the neighborhood could change if a large development takes the place of Our Lady.

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Murillo owns Straight Edge by Virginia, a barbershop south of East Berry Street on Hemphill. She has owned Straight Edge for 13 years. The Fort Worth native started her career at a shop on Hemphill as a teenager. “It hasn’t changed much in this part,” she said, referring to the south end of the street, “but it’s in the works. As long as it’s better for the area, it’s not a bad thing.”

Rent for her shop space has gone up, she said, but she does not blame the property owners. Property taxes have increased as the Hemphill real estate market heats up. Rudy Avitia knows a lot about increased demand for real estate. Avitia ran The Barber for 10 years on West Magnolia Avenue. Just after he had decided to buy the property from his landlord, a new business concept beat him to it. Avitia packed his bags and moved around the corner to Hemphill Street. He and his brother Ricardo Avitia grew

Born and raised in the neighborhoods along Hemphill, Rudy Avitia is invested in the future of the community. He and brother Ricardo Avitia founded the grassroots organization Hemphill No Se Vende to advocate for and protect the interests of the existing community in the face of new development.

up along Hemphill and still live in the neighborhood. They say they formed the grassroots group Hemphill No Se Vende to raise awareness of changes in the neighborhood and to protect the interests of the community. “It won’t all change right away,” Avitia said while cutting hair Friday afternoon, “but it will change eventually. There will be more density, more traffic,” gesturing out the north window of his shop. continued on page 9

Ernesto’s Taqueria has held its spot at 4050 Hemphill St. for more than 15 years. Jacinto Gonzalez said Ernesto’s is a family business, adding, “All around here, everything is a family business.” He said Ernesto’s has spent the past two years surviving the pandemic.


Hemphill Restaurant, a mainstay of the street, has been in owner Mohammad Khan’s family for 40 years. “As a restaurant, as a place the community meets up and talks … you know, you see all kinds of faces of the world at a restaurant,” Khan said. “You have to take care of the people who built the city. You have to start slow. People are thinking it’s just going to happen at once, but Rome wasn’t taken over in a day.”

In October, city council approved Tobias Place, a 292-unit apartment complex that will occupy a 10-acre strip at the southeast corner of Hemphill and Biddison streets. Most of the units will be designated “affordable housing,” but Avitia has concerns about the density the

project will bring to the already congested area. Similar fears exist for the lot one block north. The Sisters of St. Mary of Namur closed Our Lady of Victory Catholic School last year. It is expected the order will sell the sprawling lot. Avitia said he does not think the existing, predominantly Hispanic community has much of a say in the development of their own community. Down the street at Ernesto’s

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND PARTIES: Constellation Handley Power, LLC, has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for renewal of Air Quality Permit No. 45430, which would authorize continued operation of the Handley Steam Electric Station located at 6604 East Rosedale Street, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas 76112. Additional information concerning this application is contained in the public notice section of this newspaper.

Taqueria, manager Jacinto Gonzalez took a break from plating up carne asada and al pastor burritos to talk about changes in the neighborhood. Gonzalez, also born and raised in the area, said the biggest change has been congestion. “Since they did the bicycle thing, traffic is hard,” Gonzalez said, “but you don’t see anyone on bicycles around here. I don’t know why they did that.” continued on page 10

Virginia Murillo owns Straight Edge by Virginia, a barbershop on the south end of Hemphill Street. She said her shop was recently broken into and customers, residents, and other small business owners all checked in on her and made sure she had what she needed. “Even though that happened, I still feel safe here,” she said. “This is home.”

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Rudy Avitia cuts Venancio Coronado’s hair on a Friday afternoon. Avitia has owned The Barber on Hemphill Street for six years and owned a shop on West Magnolia Avenue for a decade before that.

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Virginia Murillo cuts regular Frank Colchado. She has been his barber since he was a teenager. Murillo has worked on Hemphill Street since she was 16. She said she has not seen major changes on her end of the street (farther south) other than increased traffic.

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In 2020, the City of Fort Worth converted the four-lane road into two lanes. The extra room went to widened sidewalks and bicycles. The consensus from business owners was this: People still drive too fast and recklessly, traffic is

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worse, and no one appears to be using the bike lanes with any regularity. But sometimes changes just take time. Mohammad Khan, owner of area staple Hemphill Restaurant, talked to me in between seating customers, making small talk with regulars, and running iced teas and plates heaped with chicken-fried steak to the tables of his small cafe. Khan’s

Hemphill Restaurant fits right in on the diverse, eclectic street. “We’re a Middle Easternowned restaurant that serves Tex-Mex — that’s diverse,” said owner Mohammad Khan. “It’s just acclimation and seeing how you can make it work.”

family has owned the restaurant for 40 years and has seen some of the changes firsthand. “You know, change is scary, especially in an old neighborhood,” he said. “It’s like, ‘Oh, my God, what’s going on, how is this happening, why is this happening?’ It’s scary, but it’s cool. You see old and new. It’s a really fun combination. I love it.”

Khan said that as a business owner, he does not feel he has much say in the city’s plans for the street. “Look, when you have an agenda, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “They’re going to do what they’re going to do, but I love seeing small businesses like myself thriving… You keep pushing and pushing and pushing and pushing.” l


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Texans are accustomed to wild daily fluctuations in weather, but the athletic climate at TCU is consistent hot-coach seats as of late. Both Gary Patterson and Jim Schlossnagle, long tenured and successful coaches of football and baseball, respectively, are gone. Neither of these men were “fired,” but after numerous successful seasons and a culture of achievement, their teams grew stale, and administration decided it was in everyone’s best interest to infuse new purple blood to lead those previously dominant teams. Jamie Dixon has been a more competitive hardwood general than any other Frog basketball coach this century, but don’t think for a second he’s immune from being sent the long way down Berry Street. Frog hoops fans need to dust off the archived game books to discover the last coach who led the purple dribblers to more than one NCAA tournament appearance. Johnny Swaim in the late ’60s and early ’70s managed two invitations, the latter of which the best finish ever for our Fort Worth hoopers[,] whose Cinderella season ended against Houston during the Elite Eight. Swaim’s predecessor, Buster Brannon, was an intermittent force in the old Southwest Conference, topping the league’s standings four times and leading his squad to three Sweet-16 appearances, not

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had ever walked off the court victorious before, in Norman. Still, the Frogs aren’t flirting with the top tier. The best four conference squads — who have been identified as belonging to the Top 16 teams in early tournament rankings — are Kansas, Baylor, Tech, and Texas, written from the top to reflect the conference standings today. TCU has yet to play the Jayhawks because their early game was relegated to the end of the season (thanks, COVID), and since the Frogs have lost handily to each of the others, they are likely to keep doing so. The good news for fans — and Dixon, as it were — is that right now TCU is expected to receive a tournament invite. Consensus bracketology is estimating the Frogs a 10seed — fashionably late to the big dance — but there’s still work to do. A recent threegame skid hasn’t helped their cause (though they weren’t “supposed” to win any of those games). TCU is sitting fifth in the murderous Big 12 tied in win total with both Kansas State and Okie State, who are each 1-1 against the Frogs. The standings benefit TCU right now because they’ve played fewer games — and have aggregated fewer losses — against the top teams, which are coming soon. The final two weeks of conference tips are daunting, but the Froggies took care of business on Monday during their first matchup of the season with the last-place Mountaineers. They’ll visit Morgantown a week from this Saturday during the regular season finale, but in between they’ll

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Despite TCU basketball’s failures, Jamie Dixon’s job is safe — for now.

Jamie Dixon needs to get his team to the NCAA tournament this season to stave off the winds of change.

have to play UT and Tech, followed by two consecutive games against Kansas in a threeday span. While their remaining schedule is a gauntlet, it also provides upset opportunities for Dixon to improve his team’s NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) ranking, which is currently 56th. One of the major factors in determining a team’s NET is their record in four separate quadrants. TCU’s win over West Virginia was essential because it represented the final game of the season outside of Quadrant 1. Monday’s game against WVU (NET ranked 69) was Quadrant 2 because it was played in Schollmaier Arena. If the rankings stay stable, when the Frogs visit Morgantown, it will be considered a Quadrant 1 game because the Mountaineers are ranked above 75th and are hosting the contest. All the other Frog opponents are Quad 1 no matter where the game is played. The dribbling disciples currently have four wins in the top quadrant, a winning record in Quad 2, and are undefeated in the lower two. Sweeping the series against West Virginia at the end of next week, even while losing four games in between, could be enough to sneak the purplers into the tournament. If the good guys are able to upset one of the conference big dogs in between, a dance invite is almost guaranteed. The bad news for Dixon is that, even if TCU gains a tournament invite, he’s the second highest paid coach in the conference. Being generously compensated may not sound like a bad shtick, but paying the ultimate prices for finishing anywhere from fifth to seventh in a conference doesn’t require an overpriced business degree to understand an imbalanced return on investment. Dixon’s contract runs through the ’23-’24 season, and his extension arrived following the UCLA Bruins trying to lure the native Californian back to the Left Coast. Collecting a second tournament invite, coupled with rebuilding the majority of his roster in one season, are his most effective staying points for remaining the head honcho at TCU after his prominent peers have been replaced. l

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Taking the Charge

Cour tesy Stephen Spillman

BUCK U

including his successful tenure with the Rice Owls before returning to the Fort. Brannon coached for 19 seasons and is unequivocally the most successful hoop commander in Frog history. Like Dixon, Brannon is a Frog alumnus, but Buster is a level of TCU royalty not attainable for anyone in modern sports, as he was a multi-year starter in both football and basketball as a player and worked as an assistant football coach under gridiron great Dutch Meyer during the fall. Granted, his resume can’t be replicated because the very nature of college sports then and now is about as similar as a Ford Model T and a Tesla. Considering the aforementioned, Dixon has still had a hell of a run reviving a program that was as dead during basketball season as Kansas is during football season. Dixon led TCU to the tournament once, and though expectations have been far from met by modern sports fan standards, he’s grinding through a season that is markedly better than his last two. The sticking point for modern purple hoops is the back half of the conference schedule (Big 12 basketball teams play each of their conference opponents twice, spaced throughout the slate), and this one has been no different. No one likes to be average, especially in sports and definitely not in Texas. This team isn’t, but “healthily above average” is the most apt descriptor I can muster, and that’s going to have to be good enough for now. Truthfully, average is 100% better than Frog hoops were projected to be. Mike Miles (#1) was the only notable returning contributor on a squad composed of roleplaying upperclassmen and portal pickups. Miles has been hurt in some fashion since the opening conference tip against Baylor. Most of the hot hands this season are new to the lineup, but fans are understandably excited about them. The ability of Dixon to Flip or Flop this team into a contentious middle-tier spoiler shouldn’t be discounted. The Frogs have reached a pair of playing milestones this season: holding Iowa State to their lowest home-scoring total — ever — and sweeping the Oklahoma Sooners where no Horned Frog

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Red Pills

The science of sex takes center stage in Amphibian Stage’s The Pleasure Trials. B Y

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Ever since Pfizer came up with its miracle blue pill in 1998, the pharmaceutical industry has been seeking a “female Viagra” as a holy grail. That quest has run into a number of obstacles, a major one being that while male arousal can be measured with a ruler, female arousal is much more difficult to gauge. That idea is the basis for The Pleasure Trials, the play that received its world premiere at Amphibian Stage on the weekend before Valentine’s Day. I’m not sure the comedy does everything it sets out to do, but it is quite a diverting piece of theater.

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E v a n M i c h a e l Wo o d s

STAGE

The story takes place in the laboratory of Dr. Rachel Milan (Megan Haratine), a pharmacologist with a checkered history who has a lead on such a drug along with Callie Young (Shyama Nithiananda), her lab assistant who calls herself “Doctor” even though she hasn’t completed her doctorate yet. When their pill proves effective in animal trials — Callie calls up Rachel and says, “The voles are fucking!” — they move on to human trials, recruiting women for the study and placing half on placebos and others on the treatment. This is written by Sarah Saltwick, who co-authored the play Egress, which Amphibian also premiered last fall. I find this to be a more satisfying stage work — like its predecessor, this play has an actor in multiple roles, with Kelsey Milbourn portraying all the women who agree to be test subjects. The quick-change work she does backstage is almost as impressive as the way she morphs into 10 distinct characters, women of varying sexual orientations, social classes, and levels of inhibition, which she fills out vividly. If ever a supporting role was meant to steal the show, surely it’s this one. In addition, there are some funny stagings of the women going to a private room off the lab to watch porn so that their arousal can be measured. We hear only audio of the porn as some of the women fixate on the weird details of what they’re seeing. On the other hand, we do get to see a fake TV

Shyama Nithiananda and Megan Haratine are giddy over a pharmacological goldmine in Amphibian Stage’s The Pleasure Trials.

commercial for the drug, and the mimicry is dead on. Then there’s a dance number when a pissed-off Callie takes a handful of the pills at once and that good stuff kicks in. It’s all handled quite well by director Kara-Lynn Vaeni, making her debut at Amphibian. Where the play goes a bit wobbly is on the intellectual side of things. It’s good that not all the women in the trial are pleased with the drug’s results, with a schoolteacher saying she doesn’t want to be thinking about sex when she’s with the children and almost everyone reporting weird dreams. A lesbian named Patricia has her libido revved up so high that her worn-out girlfriend winds up leaving. She explodes the study by

having sex with Rachel and questioning the parameters of what the scientists are asking. Rachel agrees with her and graphs erotic desire in a way that’s incomprehensible to either Callie or the investors behind the drug, and it’s hard not to sympathize with them. If there’s a point about male pharma executives being afraid of a drug that’s all about women’s orgasms, the play largely loses it. Even with this, the show doesn’t drag, and it’s consistently entertaining on a subject that hasn’t been done to death on the stage. I’ll take The Pleasure Trials over another performance of The Vagina Monologues any day. l


Cour tesy EventBrite.com

NIGHT&DAY Tuna is in town!

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If you’re a college student in North Texas, tonight is your night. No, it’s not a Thursday Supernatural marathon. It’s art! From 5pm to 8pm, head to the Amon Carter Museum of American Art (3501 Camp Bowie Blvd, 817-738-1933) for the inaugural Carter College Night. College and graduate students are invited to the museum’s lounge for free food and music and an opportunity to chat with Carter Community Artist Sarah Ayala. Explore the Sandy Rodriguez exhibit with an Art Discovery Guide and create art based on Rodriguez’ work. There is no cost to attend, but RSVP is requested at bit.ly/3yNvWxx.

defense/civil rights lawyer Jeffery Robinson draws a stark timeline of anti-Black racism in the United States, from slavery to the modern myth of a post-racial America.” The movie is 117 minutes long. Showtimes are 3:45pm, 6pm, and 8:15pm Fri; 5pm Sat; and 11:45am, 2pm, and 4:15pm today. Tickets are $10.

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Supposedly, pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America. But what Monday is it? According to the Google machine, it is a paddleball sport that combines elements of badminton, table tennis, and regular ol’ tennis that can be played with two or four players. News to me. If you want to check it out, a new indoor/

outdoor venue/restaurant in Grand Prairie called Chicken N Pickle (2965 S Hwy 161, @ChickenNPickleGPTX) has Newbie Night from 5:30pm to 7pm. The cost is $5 per person. Reserve your spot for tonight or a future Newbie Night at ReserveCNP.com/ Grand-Prairie/Event/Newbie-Night.

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At various times tonight thru Sun, Mar 6, come to Casa Manana (3101 W Tuesday Lancaster Av, 817-3322271) for The Choir of Man. This “runaway international hit” features a cast of nine men singing Broadway tunes, classic rock, folk, pop, and pub music, dancing tap, and harmonizing. There’s a working bar onstage, so it will be like

witnessing a singalong at the pub. The show runs for approximately 85 minutes. Tickets start at $29 at Ticketmaster.com.

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It’s Weird Wednesday at Downtown Cowtown at The Wednesday Isis (2401 N Main St, 817-8086390). Hosted by The Movie Mutant (@MovieMutant), this is a monthly secret screening of an obscure-genre film. For tonight, the genre is Action & Crime. There will be movie-themed drink specials, popcorn, and movie theater candy available for purchase. Parking is free on the street, and there are two paid lots nearby. There is no cost to attend.

By Jennifer Bovee

This weekend marks Round 8 of the AMA Supercross season and the sport’s return Saturday to AT&T Stadium (1 AT&T Way, Arlington, 817-892-4000), and fans here in North Texas will have a unique add-on opportunity. From noon to 6pm, supercross ticket holders are invited to attend the Monster Energy Supercross FanFest. The separate ticket provides viewings of special exhibits and the race team rigs, plus autograph and photo opportunities. You also get an insider’s look at the team practice sessions and the qualifying heat. Supercross tickets are $40-$80, and FanFest tickets are an additional $15 on SeatGeek.com.

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Magnolia at the Modern — an ongoing series featuring critically acclaimed films Sunday screened in the auditorium of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth (3200 Darnell St, 817-738-9215) — now offers Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America. “Interweaving lecture, personal anecdotes, interviews, and shocking revelations, criminal

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Tuna & The Rock Cats. Heard of them? Tuna and her band of rock ’n’ roll Friday kitties are kind of a big deal. They’ve been featured on the Netflix docu-series Cat People, they’ve appeared with Stephen Colbert on his late-night show, and they’ve also been on Animal Planet and PBS. At 8pm Wed, Thu, and today, you can see her perform — excuse me, purrform — in person at The Amazing Acro-Cats Frolic at Stage West (821 W Vickery Blvd, 817-784-9378). Tickets are $35-$45 at BrownPaperTickets.com.

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INTRODUCING: THE JUBILEE THEATRE 2021-2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Promotional Feature Knowing that a community organization is only as strong as its board of directors, Jubilee Theatre has assembled a board that looks to help ensure a very bright future, as they enter their fifth decade of providing high-quality culturally impacted theater entertainment to the North Texas spectrum. While Jubilee’s elite staff oversees the prolific entertaining and artistic performances on the front stage for the patrons to witness and enjoy, the board of directors are working behind the scenes to provide the theatre the needed resources, along with helping give a positive direction so that they remain a stalwart in the theater and entertainment community for seasons to come.

A look at the 19 board members displays North Texans that are ingrained in close to every important sector of the African American community, comprising of educators, corporate executives, business owners, faith leaders, government officials and other professions. They represent a strong and dynamic cross-section of the communities in parallel of Jubilee’s primary goal to vividly reflect the Black experiencethrough the arts. Many of the board members have been long avid patrons of Jubilee Theatre’s works over the years. They are now paying it forward in positions to help Jubilee keep its vibrancy for future generations.

Jubilee Theatre 506 Main St, Fort Worth, TX 76102 (817) 338-4411


The Dogwood, 1100 Foch St, FW. 512-573-5510. 11am-2am daily. All major credit cards accepted. S T O R Y A N D P H O T O S B Y C O D Y N E A T H E R Y

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meet their demise, paving the way for something bigger and out of character with the industrial layout of the entertainment district. News began to leak in late 2021 that notable stalwarts the Landmark Bar, The Yard, and Magnolia Motor Lounge — the only source of live, mostly original music on this side of 7th — would be replaced by a mixed-use development. Groundbreaking on the aptly named Van Zandt is set to begin in March. With an immediate live-music void — unless you want to cross 7th to Lola’s Trailer Park and Saloon, and why wouldn’t you? — the West 7th area has seen the formation of a more streamlined area along Foch Street, where spots such as Pour Decisions, Junk Punch, and The Backyard have joined the already-existing Lottie’s, Whiskey Garden, and Hooky, with Bottled Blonde’s opening not far behind. The recent addition of Austinbased good time spot The Dogwood has helped cement this densely packed two-block area with plenty of latenight — and even mid-morning — options. “We’re excited about opening in Fort Worth for multiple reasons,” said Chad Womack, who owns The Dogwood with twin brother Brad Womack, “and not just for the city itself but the West 7th Street district in particular. There is a cool, energetic vibe within the city of Fort Worth, and we strive to earn our place as a part of it all. The Dogwood has always attracted a good, diverse crowd, mixed with young professionals, college students, and tourists, all of which Fort Worth has plenty of.” The Womacks and operating partner Preston Enders run The Dogwood — with two locations in Austin and one each in Houston and Nashville — and nearly a dozen other concepts. The Fort Worth location

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Stay classy, West 7th.

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achieves a Western tone, complete with a stage, without overdoing it. And yet The Dogwood still incorporates kitschy Instagrammable sights such as a stripper pole near the entrance and a pink neon sign requesting to “send nudes.” The Womacks are aware that while they can’t really replace MML, they can still offer original musicians a home on the other side of Lola’s. “Without being a live music-only bar,” Brad said, “there’s a happy medium where a band or artist can play early in the evening, then we transition to having a DJ for the late hours.” Unlike the well-worn, grungy, intimate feel of the Motor Lounge, the fresh aesthetic worked well during The Dogwood’s grand opening last month, when Texas Music star Roger Creager played a two-hour set before a DJ took over. The bar was packed most of the night. Plenty of TVs dot the space, with two bars as well as a patio outfitted with seating and more TVs. There are lots of game-watching specials, and the menu is pretty standard bar food with some fun twists (sweet tea-marinated wings, chick-

en and waffle sliders, jalapeno mac with ground beef or chicken, grilled or fried). During happy hour (4pm-7pm Mon-Fri), a lot of items are only $6, including Cajun chicken fritters and smothered tater tots. Signature cocktails, topping out at $12, feature spins on classics. The Dogwood Flower is a mix of vodka, St-Germain, and Waterloo grapefruit sparkling water with a fresh squeeze of lemon, and rye, peach vodka, ginger liqueur, and peach bitters go into the Southern Belle Manhattan. If you’re craving a light and fizzy brunch beverage that isn’t a mimosa, the Violet Rose (gin, lychee liqueur, blueberries, sparking rose) will more than satisfy. And brunch — this place is built for brunch. Basic biscuits come as a pair with house-made gravy for $8, or, for a dollar extra, you can inhale the Chick’n Biscuit with whipped honey butter. When Taco Bell doesn’t do the trick during the wee hours of the morning, the Hair of the Dogwood has you covered with a face-sized burrito loaded with bacon, scrambled eggs, home fries, and cheese, all topped with queso and gravy for $10. That’ll get your digestive system back on track in no time and ready for the evening. l


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Here in Fort Worth, we’re already pretty purple (#TCU #GoFrogs). For Mardi Gras on Fat Tuesday, March 1, we throw in a little green and gold, grab our favorite krewe mates, and away we go. Now thru next weekend, North Texas has a ton of New Orleans-style events. Here are eight to check out. 1.) Are you in search of the perfect King Cake for Mardi Gras? Cinnaholic has you covered. Each cake includes your choice of frosting flavor and Mardi Gras sprinkles in the obligatory purple, yellow, and green color scheme. Order in advance by calling or going to Cinnaholic.com. The locations nearest the Weekly include Fort Worth (817 Currie St, 817-203-2421) and Arlington (5001 S Cooper St, 682-414-9044), plus one in Mansfield (1671 E Broad St, Ste 105, 833-246-3726) will be opening very soon. 2.) The Foundry District and Fort Worth Bike Sharing (@FWBikeSharing) have partnered for a Mardi Gras-themed parade for the two-wheeled set. Tour de Foundry Mardi Gras: Krewes + Brews is 4pm-6pm Tue at Maple Branch Craft Brewery (2628 Whitmore St, @MapleBranchBrew). At the brewery, you will enjoy a pour of beer and

decorate a Fort Worth Bike Sharing eBike that will be provided for you. Then, the parade will head off to Locust Cider (710 S Main St, Ste 100, 817-378-4483) for a flight of ciders and a slice of Gambino’s King Cake. The parade route then takes you back to the Foundry District for bites and cocktails at Tulane’s (2708 Weisenberger St, 817-6159980). Tickets are $45 on Eventbrite.com and include the aforementioned snacks and drinks. Additional food and beverage items will be available for purchase at each stop. 3.) To celebrate Mardi Gras, Oak Highlands Brewery (10484 Brockwood Rd, Dallas, 469-802-9455) recently introduced its Bière de Fête Chicory Mild Ale, “as much a mood as it is a beer style,” they said. “Back when most beers were some shade or another of brown and mostly distinguished by strength and price, Mild was your everyday drinker. Low to moderate in alcohol content, body, and flavor impact. Ours is made traditionally by taking weaker ‘runnings’ from the same mash as a stronger beer, in this case, Porter, and boiling, chilling, and fermenting separately. We also added molasses and roasted chicory root, an ingredient made famous for its use in New Orleans-style coffee. The result is a deep brown ale with a medium-light body but rich flavors of dark chocolate raisins, hearty toasted bread, and a surprisingly crisp finish.” Try a pint noon Sat at the Mardi Gras Crawfish Boil. Enjoy authentic

Cajun food, live Louisiana-style music, and 20 beers on tap. 4.) Primo’s MX Kitchen & Lounge (4120 River Walk Dr, Flower Mound, 469-4515019) will celebrate Mardi Gras by way of decadent crawfish tacos served with remoulade slaw. They’re $15 per plate from Tue thru Fri, Mar 4. 5.) From 11am to 5pm Sat, head to the annual Race Street Mardi Gras Celebration at the 2900 block of Race Street. This family-/pet-friendly festival will include artisans with handmade items for purchase, a costume contest, food and drink vendors, live music, and street dancing, plus a parade that starts at 12:30pm. The event is free to attend, and parking is also free. 6.) Fat Tuesday is on Mar 1, but The Statler Hotel (1914 Commerce St, Dallas, 214-4593930) is celebrating thru Fri, Mar 4. Party Gras takes place in the ballroom with a hosted bar, the dance band Party Machine, and light bites from the hotel’s restaurants, including Primo’s MX Kitchen & Lounge and Sfereco. Additional Cajun food offerings will be available for purchase. Tickets are $49 per person or $199 for a VIP table for four at TheStatlerDallas. com/Party-Gras. Also, Scout, the Statler’s sports bar playground, is offering a crawfish etouffee special ($17 for dine-in or carryout) from Tue thru Fri, Mar 4.

7.) At noon Saturday, head to Texas Live! (1650 E Randol Mill Rd, Arlington, 817852-6688) for the Sailor Jerry Mardi Crawl Live party. Entry into Texas Live! is free, but you’ll need party passes and drink tickets. General admission party tickets are $15 in advance — or $25 the day of the party — and include two drink tickets. VIP admission party tickets are $25 — or $35 on the day of — and include five drink tickets. Enjoy crawfish boils, drink specials, Hurricanes, and live music all day and night. 8.) On Sat, Mar 5, Wild Acre Brewing (1734 E El Paso St, Ste 190, 817-882-9453) is throwing a Fat Saturday Crawfish Boil. To circumvent the madness, crawfish tickets will not be sold at the door. Instead, you’ll need to pre-purchase crawfish tickets ASAP thru Tuesday. Five-pound tickets are $45, and three-pound tickets are $30. Each ticket comes with crawfish, corn, potatoes, and sausage, plus live music by Terence Bradford and Congo Square. There will also be a dual beer release of Pinch & Twist Pale Ale and King Cake Golden Pastry Stout. Beer wristbands are available for pre-purchase thru Fri, Mar 4, but will also be available for purchase at the door. Buy your tickets at PreKindle. com and then head to the check-in tent to redeem them for wristbands.

By Jennifer Bovee

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MUSIC

Olive Vox-y The psyche-grunge duo of brothers creates a fuzzy sound that recalls music twice as old as they are. B Y

P A T R I C K

H I G G I N S

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Ta t i B r u e n i n g

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If you live long enough, it’s inevitable that you will witness, to some degree, the culture of your youth being recycled into a subsequent generation. I can recall, as an adolescent, the bewildering reemergence of bell bottoms, middle parts, and circular peacenik sunglasses. The past couple of years have seen the zombie-like reanimation of mom jeans, synthwave, and the ubiquity of Tron-style ’80s-neonpastel futurism so prevalent that it’s even used in Taco Bell commercials. I suppose it was only a matter of time before socalled “grunge” — the ’90s primal scream/ death rattle of rock music as the dominant

mainstream genre — would find its way into a new generation. One group that draws a great deal of its musical lifeblood from that era of waisttied flannel and combat boots is Olive Vox, the brother duo of Parker James and Caden Shea. After releasing a series of singles over the last year and playing a handful of shows, the duo is putting out its self-titled EP Friday. “I like the whole grunge scene — the whole destruction, the distortions,” said guitarist Shea. “I feel like there’s not a lot of people that are making that kind of stuff anymore. I just want a new generation to explore all the music that’s out there.” No mere derivative quiet-loudquiet Nirvana throwback, on the unambiguously titled Olive Vox EP, the pair effectively blend the thick distortedguitar assault of Mudhoney with a trippy Ty Segal psychedelia, resulting in a sound that is simultaneously aged and ageless. Recorded at Denton’s famed Echo Lab by producer Matt Pence (Centro-matic, South San Gabriel, Sarah Jaffe), with Shea playing all the instruments except drums,

Olive Vox: “I think if some maybe 40-year-old dudes were making the music, who had literally grown up in that era — no hate, you know — but I don’t think it would be as big of a thing.”


Music

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the five-song effort is right if you like Northwestern turn-of-the-century guitardriven alt-rock like Screaming Trees or the lava lamp-friendly groove of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club alike. Olive Vox is officially just James and Shea. Onstage, however, they are backed by drummer Bryson Nix, longtime friend Dayton Phillips on rhythm guitar, and bassist Ben Reed. Though their biggest inspirations may be bands whose careers ended a quarter century ago, the pair themselves are still in their teens. Perhaps the irony is that the music that James, 19, and Shea, 15, draw from is from a time when teen angst practically became a lifestyle. Far from insecure about their youth, the brothers see it as an asset. “I think it’s a huge aspect [of our band] that we’re young,” said vocalist James. “A lot of people are surprised when they find out how old we are. They will come to our shows and like us and ask us how old we are, we’ll tell them, and they’ll get all freaked out, like, ‘Whoa! That’s crazy!’ So I think it’s a positive thing.” Shea is a bit more candid about the influence their age plays on their listeners. “I think if some maybe 40-year-old dudes were making the music, who had literally grown up in that era — no hate, you know — but I don’t think it would be as big of a thing. I wasn’t even alive when all that happened. Neither of us were.” Coming from a very close and musically minded family — their mother played guitar and their father was a drummer who also sang — James said it was only a matter of time before he and Shea would start a band. Due to a five-year age gap, James said he just needed to wait for Shea “to catch up a little bit,” but once the young brother began to play guitar, James knew they needed to work together, with Shea forming the musical foundations and the two of them working out the lyrics and vocals together. Some of the songs in Olive Vox’s catalog, like their first single, “Bury Me Low,” date back to when Shea was just 12 years old. When asked whether they’re worried about sibling rivalries, James dismisses any concerns. “We’ve always been close,” he said. “I don’t have many friends. I mostly just like to hang with Caden. The guys in Oasis have their own issues.” From playing their first show, a set at Doc’s Records & Vintage for last summer’s Record Store Day just six months ago, to playing in front of a crowd of hundreds at last month’s NOT STOCK Festival at Tulips, Olive Vox is picking up quite a bit of momentum despite being practically newborn working musicians. “It’s been a work in progress for a while,” James said. “We’re just going into it headfirst. Now we’re out on the road pretty much and releasing the album. It’s pretty cool to see things go from zero to 100.” l

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Hearsay New Tunes from Leon Bridges, Me-Thinks, Bruce Magnus

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The press material accompanying Texas Moon is really pushing the narrative that the sequel to Texas Sun — the 2020 collaboration between Houston-based psychedelic surf trio Khruangbin and Fort Worth soul singer Leon Bridges — sounds like a Marvin Gaye album, and superficially (and sonically), the press release is not wrong. You hear the sumptuous groan of the bass bends, and Bridges’ voice is shadowed in judiciously trippy slap-back reverb. There are also hand drums scattered throughout that intensify your head nod, locking you deeper into the groove. Bridges takes his inspiration from the greatest voices in soul, and when the reverb-soaked guitar hits a minor chord, you do indeed get that satisfying feeling of What’s Going On? But listen a little deeper, and this EP — and its predecessor, for that matter — makes it clear that both Khruangbin and Leon Bridges are their own things, influenced by the back half of the 20th century but firmly planted in the 21st. Together, these artists have crafted a pair of releases that carry a similarly smoldering, low-lit, weed-and-thunderstorm, sex-onthe-couch vibe as Gaye’s 1970 masterpiece, but in the Texas Moon version of this vibe, instead of the glow of candles and lava lamps, your living room is bathed in the blue and violet hues of Roku City. It’s like hearing Side 2 of the Isley Brothers’ The Heat Is On after eating a couple shrooms or what you’d put on if you and your lover got a room in a hotel orbiting the Earth. I highly recommend it, even if you’re just sitting on the couch watching Roku City drift along by yourself. — Steve Steward

Thanks to my “local music industry” connections, I received a couple previews of upcoming releases in my inbox this week, both of them of the “high-gain rock band” variety. The first is an early mix of the new Me-Thinks single “Keep Haltom High,” in which the long-reigning kings of local fuzz-rock blast another anthemic tale of suburban stoner burnout fueled by “a thousand kinds of weed” (sans stems and seeds) and some scalding hot, deliciously cheesy shredding courtesy of area guitar wizard Michael “Doty” Doty. Later, the outro happens, in which frontman Ray Liberio’s chugging, chuffing bassline suddenly gets fogged in a hefty huff of saxophone riffage from local sax master Chris Bellomy. It’s hilarious and satisfying, like a fit of laugh-coughs at the end of a huge bong rip. So that’s something to look forward to — if I had to guess, the Me-Thinks will probably put it out on vinyl. Or 8-track. Or in a VHS recording of an above-ground pool collapsing. I dunno. But the other upcoming local rock release that came my way is from Bruce Magnus, who are dropping their next LP on March 11. Spare Beans leans into the band’s inherent goofiness, slathering their funky blues-rock with a sauce that seems to have been sprinkled with a Ween-ian willingness to get weird. Spare Beans was recorded in 2021, and few tracks of said weirdness are on Spotify — “Robbery” and “All Curses” not only put these unhinged Nightmare River Band-esque ideas on full display, but they also showcase the Bruce Magnus’ airtight musicianship. It’s kind of a stylistic leap from their 2019 debut and 2020 followup, both of which kind of made me think of them like a shaggier, boozier Blind Melon. With these new songs, I get the idea that this is actually what Bruce Magnus is supposed to sound like, and that’s pretty exciting. — S.S. Contact HearSay at Anthony@FWWeekly.com.

Pooneh Ghana

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Khruangbin and Leon Bridges’ Texas Moon

More New Sounds from Locally Sourced Artists

Khruangbin and Leon Bridges shouldn’t be hamstrung by references to the past.


Ol’ South Pancake House New Year, New Career! We are now hiring at all both locations for all shifts! To apply for Burleson (817-989-9090) and Fort Worth (817-336-0311), go to: OlSouthPancakeHouse.com/JoinOur-Team HEALTH & WELLNESS Aloe Care Health Medical Alert System The most advanced medical alert product on the market. Voiceactivated! No wi-fi needed! Mention offer code CARE20 for $20 off Mobile Companion. Call today. 1-888-385-0891 Cardiovascular Disease & Stroke These are leading causes of death, according to the American Heart Association. Screenings can provide peace of mind or early detection! Contact Life Line Screening to schedule your screening. Special offer - 5 screenings for just $149. Call today: 1-833-636-1757 DENTAL INSURANCE 1-888-361-7095 Physicians Mutual Insurance Company covers 350 plus procedures. Real dental insurance - NOT just a discount plan. Do not wait! Call now! Get your FREE Dental Information Kit with all the details! Call or visit Dental50plus. com/fortworth (#6258). Green Roads’ Pain Relief Cream Great for backaches, arthritis, muscle aches & more. Get pain relief exactly where you need it most. Use code: PAIN to get three FREE gifts! Visit: GreenCBDToday.com/Fort Inogen One Portable Oxygen Concentrator 866-970-7551 May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Call for free information kit!

MIND / BODY / SPIRIT Gateway Church Church time is the BEST time! Join us for online church each weekend. Online services start at 4 pm on Saturdays and are available to watch any time after at https:// gway.ch/GatewayPeople. Hannah in Hurst 817-590-2257 MasseuseToTheStars.com Alternative Health Sessions available immediately by remote with SKYPE, Zoom online or by cell phone. Services include Hypnosis for Health, Reiki, Engergetic Healing Techniques, Guided Medication. Call for a consultation. MT#004747 MUSIC XCHANGE Music Junkie Studios 1617 Park Place #106, FWTX www.MusicJunkieStudios.com We offer lessons on voice, piano, guitar, bass, ukulele, violin, viola, drums, recording, and music for littles! PUBLIC NOTICES TDLR Complaints Any Texans who may be concerned that an unlicensed massage business may be in operation near them, or believe nail salon employees may be human trafficking victims, may now report those concerns directly to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) by emailing ReportHT@TDLR.Texas.gov. RENTALS / REAL ESTATE Cyndy Reep, Realtor Berkshire Hathaway HA Alexander Chandler Realty 2900 S Hulen, FWTX 817-806-4100 Critic’s Choice for Best Realtor in Best Of 2021: “Here in North Texas, ladies — and gentleman, for that matter — tend to do what they want. Realtor Cyndi Reep is no exception. While she does have listings and can certainly help you sell your property, her true love is being a buyer’s agent. Whether it’s buying or leasing a commercial or residential space, she has a flair for helping clients find exactly what they want and need... (Read more at FWWeekly.com.)

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Trojan Commercial Real Estate Services TrojanCRE.com Full-service company specializing in consulting, leasing, property management, real estate, and sales. Call today! 817-632-6252 PRODUCTS & SERVICES AT&T Wireless 1-877-384-1025 Two great new offers! Ask how to get the new iPhone 11 or Next Generation Samsung Galaxy S10e ON US with AT&T’s Buy one, Give One offer. While supplies last! Become A Published Author 1-866-256-0940 DorranceInfo.com/FtWorth Dorrance Publishing - trusted by authors since 1920 - wants to read your book. Manuscript submissions are currently being reviewed. Comprehensive Services: Consultation, Production, Promotion, and Distribution. Call or go online for your FREE Author’s Guide. DIRECTV NOW 817-730-9132 No Satellite Needed. $40/month. 65 Channels. Stream Breaking News, Live Events, Sports & On Demand Titles. No Annual Contract. No Commitment. Earthlink High-Speed Internet 1-866-827-5075 As Low As $49.95/month (for the first 3 months.) Reliable High Speed Fiber Optic Technology. Stream Videos, Music and More! Call Earthlink Today. Eliminate Gutter Cleaning Forever! 1-877-689-1687 LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call today. GENERAC Standby Generators 1-844-887-3143 Providing backup power during utility power outages, so your home and family stay safe and comfortable. Prepare now. Free 7-year extended warranty ($695 value!). Request a free quote today! Call for additional terms and conditions. SUBMISSIONS We’d Like To Hear From You! Do you have thoughts and feelings, or questions, comments or concerns about something you read in the Weekly? Please email Question@fwweekly.com. Do you have an upcoming event? For potential coverage in Night & Day, Big Ticket, Ate Day8 A Week, or CrosstownSounds, email the details to Jennifer@fwweekly.com.

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

NOTICE OF RECEIPT OF APPLICATION AND INTENT TO OBTAIN AIR PERMIT (NORI) RENEWAL PERMIT NUMBER 45430 APPLICATION. Constellation Handley Power, LLC, has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for renewal of Air Quality Permit Number 45430, which would authorize continued operation of the Handley Steam Electric Station located at 6604 East Rosedale Street, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas 76112. This link to an electronic map of the site or facility's general location is provided as a public courtesy and not part of the application or notice. For exact location, refer to application. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/hb610/index.html?lat=32.727222&lng=97.22&zoom=13&type=r. The existing facility is authorized to emit the following air contaminants: carbon monoxide, hazardous air pollutants, nitrogen oxides, organic compounds, particulate matter including particulate matter with diameters of 10 microns or less and 2.5 microns or less and sulfur dioxide. This application was submitted to the TCEQ on February 2, 2022. The application will be available for viewing and copying at the TCEQ central office, TCEQ Dallas/Fort Worth regional office, and the Fort Worth Public Library-East Regional Library, 6301 Bridge Street, Tarrant County, Texas beginning the first day of publication of this notice. The facility’s compliance file, if any exists, is available for public review in the Dallas/Fort Worth regional office of the TCEQ. The executive director has determined the application is administratively complete and will conduct a technical review of the application. Information in the application indicates that this permit renewal would not result in an increase in allowable emissions and would not result in the emission of an air contaminant not previously emitted. The TCEQ may act on this application without seeking further public comment or providing an opportunity for a contested case hearing if certain criteria are met. PUBLIC COMMENT. You may submit public comments to the Office of the Chief Clerk at the address below. The TCEQ will consider all public comments in developing a final decision on the application and the executive director will prepare a response those comments. Issues such as property values, noise, traffic safety, and zoning are outside of the TCEQ’s jurisdiction to address in the permit process. OPPORTUNITY FOR A CONTESTED CASE HEARING. You may request a contested case hearing if you are a person who may be affected by emissions of air contaminants from the facility. If requesting a contested case hearing, you must submit the following: (1) your name (or for a group or association, an official representative), mailing address, daytime phone number; (2) applicant’s name and permit number; (3) the statement “[I/we] request a contested case hearing;” (4) a specific description of how you would be adversely affected by the application and air emissions from the facility in a way not common to the general public; (5) the location and distance of your property relative to the facility; (6) a description of how you use the property which may be impacted by the facility; and (7) a list of all disputed issues of fact that you submit during the comment period. If the request is made by a group or association, one or more members who have standing to request a hearing must be identified by name and physical address. The interests the group or association seeks to protect must also be identified. You may also submit your proposed adjustments to the application/permit which would satisfy your concerns. The deadline to submit a request for a contested case hearing is 15 days after newspaper notice is published. If a request is timely filed, the deadline for requesting a contested case hearing will be extended to 30 days after mailing of the response to comments. If any requests for a contested case hearing are timely filed, the Executive Director will forward the application and any requests for a contested case hearing to the Commissioners for their consideration at a scheduled Commission meeting. Unless the application is directly referred to a contested case hearing, the executive director will mail the response to comments along with notification of Commission meeting to everyone who submitted comments or is on the mailing list for this application. The Commission may only grant a request for a contested case hearing on issues the requestor submitted in their timely comments that were not subsequently withdrawn. If a hearing is granted, the subject of a hearing will be limited to disputed issues of fact or mixed questions of fact and law relating to relevant and material air quality concerns submitted during the comment period. Issues such as property values, noise, traffic safety, and zoning are outside of the Commission’s jurisdiction to address in this proceeding. MAILING LIST. In addition to submitting public comments, you may ask to be placed on a mailing list for this application by sending a request to the Office of the Chief Clerk at the address below. Those on the mailing list will receive copies of future public notices (if any) mailed by the Office of the Chief Clerk for this application. AGENCY CONTACTS AND INFORMATION. Public comments and requests must be submitted either electronically at www14.tceq.texas.gov/epic/eComment/, or in writing to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Office of the Chief Clerk, MC-105, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087. Please be aware that any contact information you provide, including your name, phone number, email address and physical address will become part of the agency’s public record. For more information about this permit application or the permitting process, please call the Public Education Program toll free at 1-800-687-4040. Si desea información en Español, puede llamar al 1-800-687-4040. Further information may also be obtained from Constellation Handley Power, LLC, 6604 East Rosedale Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76112-7027 or by calling Mr. Perry Galloway, Constellation Energy Generation at (817) 446-2539. Notice Issuance Date: February 7, 2022

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EMPLOYMENT Eagles Point Bar & Grill 1029 N Saginaw Blvd Looking for a fun place to make that coin? We are searching for fun, energetic cooks for full or parttime positions that always put their best food forward. Experience is a plus! More info at: Facebook.com/ EaglesPointBarGrill

Planned Parenthood Available Via Chat! Along with advice, eligible patients are also able to receive birth control, UTI treatments, and other healthcare appointments via the smartphone app and telehealth appointments. To chat, you can text PPNOW to 774-636.

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Fort Worth’s #1 Drag Show Comes Downtown to the Sleeping Panther

Drag Brunch and Drag Bingo every Sat & Sun Nightly drag shows every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night myohmytheshow.com or 817-946-2295 for tickets

1000 Houston Street

ADVERTISE HERE!

If you need to hire staff or promote your business, let us help you online and/or in print. For more info, call 817-987-7689 or email stacey@fwweekly.com today.

Can You Be Queer & Be A Christian?

This is the question that the newly founded Ark Church is posing. On the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month, they would like to explain why they believe that “yes!” is the resounding answer. On March 2nd at 6pm, head to Tulips FTW (112 St. Louis Av, 817-3679798) for Beer & Bible, the church’s gathering, and drink some pintes while chatting about the Book of Acts. More info at: Facebook.com/ArkChurchDFW

COWTOWN ROVER

Inspection almost due? Are you road-trip ready for Spring Break? With our handy pick-up and drop-off services, having your car checked out could not be easier. Get ready for the holidays. Call today! 3958 Vickery | 817.731.3223 www.CowtownRover.com

The Gas Pipe, The GAS PIPE, THE GAS PIPE, your Peace Love & Smoke Headquarters since

4/20/1970! SCORE a FREE GIFT on YOUR Birthday, FREE Scale Tuning and Lighter Refills on GAS PIPE goods, FREE Layaway, and all the safe, helpful service you expect from a 51 Years Young Joint. Plus, SCORE A FREE CBD HOLIDAZE GIFT With-A-Buy thru 12/31! Be Safe, Party Clean, Keep On Truckin’. More at

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HISTORIC RIDGLEA THEATER

THE RIDGLEA is three great venues within one historic Fort Worth landmark. RIDGLEA THEATER has been restored to its authentic allure, recovering unique Spanish-Mediterranean elements. It is ideal for large audiences and special events. RIDGLEA ROOM and RIDGLEA LOUNGE have been making some of their own history, as connected adjuncts to RIDGLEA THEATER, or hosting their own smaller shows and gatherings. More at theRidglea.com

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MINERAL RIGHTS WANTED

Wants to purchase minerals and other oil and gas interests. Send details P.O. Box 13557, Denver CO 80201

EMPLOYMENT

American Airlines, Inc. has openings in Ft. Worth, TX for: Manager, IT Vendor Relations (Ref. 414): Resp for prep, negotiation, accept & mng’t of commercial contracts & subcontracts, incld’g licensing agreements in the IT division; Technical Lead, IT Applications (Ref. 1728): Resp for lev’g cutting edge tech to solve bus probs at AA by participat’g in all phases of the dvlpmnt process from inception thru transition, advocat’g the agile process & test-driven dvlpmnt, using object-oriented dvlpmnt tools to analyze, model, design, construct & test reusable objects, & making the codebase a better place to live & work; Sr. Architect, IT Applications (Ref. 1746): Resp for architecting sftwre dvlpmnt projects & provid’g techl leadership during project implementation; Sr. Developer, IT Applications (Ref. 2079): Resp for provid’g expert code’g, test’g, implementation, advice, & support of custom sftwre apps in Java area. To learn more or to apply send inquiries &/or resume to American Airlines, Inc., Attn: Gene Womack, HR, 1 Skyview Dr, MD 8B204, Ft. Worth, TX 76155; please include Ref # in cover letter.

NEED A FRIEND? Ronnie D. Long Bail Bonds

Immediate Jail Release 24 Hour Service. City, County, State and Federal Bonds. Located Minutes from Courts. 6004 Airport Freeway. 817-834-9894 RonnieDLongBailBonds.com

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Vacations or Staycations

DOGGIE DAYCARE for Small Breeds

With your help, we can provide 25,000 pet meals.

Day & 24 Hour Boarding for All Sizes Grooming For Small & Medium Sizes

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221 E Broadway Ave 817-332-4364 Heart of Fort Worth’s South Main Village!

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