rhett miller

A little over a month ago, I braved the soul-crushing drive from Houston to Dallas for a nice little weekend of music: moe. on Friday at the Lakewood and Rhett Miller and the O’s on Saturday at the Granada. The Saturday show had the bonus multiplier of being a benefit show for a worthy charity: The Breathe Easy Foundation, who raise money for Cystic Fibrosis research. Your primary familiarity with Rhett Miller is likely through his work with the Old 97’s, but he’s also released a string of solid solo records since 2001, beginning with my favorite in the group The Instigator. This was my first time seeing him fly solo; however, having seen the 97’s around twelve times, I figured I could count on a few things from his performance. Namely that it would be high-energy, crowd-pleasing, and feature at least a few sexually-confusing moments lost in Rhett’s charm. When he’s onstage performing, the man radiates an earnest love for both his craft and the crowd who’s there to revel in it. The lyrics he writes are packed with clever and quotable one-liners and catchy-but-not-cloying choruses that lend themselves quite perfectly to beer-buzzed singalongs. Before Rhett took the stage though, one of the best new bands in Dallas music, The O’s, were due to perform. Well, technically the first performer of the night was Salim Nourrallah, but we unfortunately missed him (blame it on gravity and/or the Barley House). Read on for a full recap of the night along with plenty of pics and videos after the jump.

Congrats to Russ Kirk! Stay tuned for a full review, and keep an eye out for future giveaways and loads more musical deliciousness.

We are giving away a pair of tickets to see Rhett Miller, Salim Nourallah and The O's on Saturday, 11/14 at Dallas' Granada Theater. All you have to do to win is leave a comment with your full name and e-mail address and/or telephone number. Again, leave your name, email and/or number IN THE COMMENT. We will announce the winner on the website and through e-mail/text on Friday, so keep your eyes open. If you win, you should donate the money you save on tickets to the Breathe Easy Foundation.

While you're busy entering the contest, check out this video of Rhett Miller playing a great solo version of the Old 97's "Timebomb" at a benefit for the people of Darfur.

One of Dallas’ most beloved musicians is playing the Granada Theater this Saturday, and, given my longtime man-crush on Old 97’s frontman Rhett Miller, there’s no way I’m going to miss the chance to see him play at the best venue in his hometown. Bring it on I-45, I've got plenty of tunes and Diet Mountain Dew to combat your suckiness. Rhett will be joined by several other Dallas favorites: Salim Nourallah, the O’s, and Shibboleth (as part of the VIP performance). Even better, the show benefits the Breathe Easy Foundation, which is a charity for cystic fibrosis. The event aims to raise money and awareness about this life-threatening genetic disorder affecting over 70,000 people worldwide.

VIP tickets are just 75 bucks, and get you 30 minutes of Shibboleth and 30 minutes of Rhett Miller acoustic. Regular tickets are only $25, so snag ‘em while you can. Check out the video here for more information, then buy your tickets to a great concert supporting a charity you can feel good about!