Concert Spillover

Dallas feels the groove from Austin PsychFest music festival

For years, Dallas-Fort Worth music lovers have enjoyed the effects of the annual Austin-based extravaganzas South by Southwest and Austin City Limits. We don't have to suffer through massive crowds and even larger lines for beer while sitting through dozens of bands we don't want to see just to catch a 40-minute set from one of our favorite acts. That's because nearly all stop by Dallas on their way to or from the Texas capital.

In the very recent past, the edgy, somewhat dangerous Fun Fun Fun Fest has begun to provide the same positive outpouring of nationally touring talent. This year, the Austin PsychFest — now in its sixth, stellar year — can officially be added to the list of Austin festivals that benefit North Texan music fans.

To sum it up, these are some the concerts coming to Dallas-Fort Worth thanks to Austin PsychFest spillover.

Thursday, April 25

Black Mountain, Besnard Lakes and Suuns at Dada
All three of these bands play at PsychFest, and Vancouver's Black Mountain headlines this sweet bill in Dallas. But it's another Canadian band that people shouldn't miss. Besnard Lakes, led by Jace Lasek and his wife, have yet to release a bum album. Their brand-new record, Until in Excess, Imperceptible UFO, is perhaps the best yet. As with the other shows on this list, expect the walls to rattle from the synth- and guitar-driven soundscapes emanating from the stage.

Friday, April 26

Man Or Astroman? at Dada
One of the stranger acts to come out of Alabama — that we can think of, at least — is the psycho, surf-rock-loving group who are touring to promote the addictive Defcon 5...4...3...2...1, the group's first proper release in 12 years. Any band that's led by dudes named Starcrunch and Birdstuff is probably worth catching live, especially if they're known to shred the stage.

Clinic and No Joy at Dan's Silverleaf in Denton
Continuing the international trend of bands coming through this week, England's post-punk crew has a new set of tunes to play, thanks to the excellent Free Reign LP. For fans of the Doors or the Black Angels, this is a band you need to know if you don't already. Dan's is an excellent setting for this show. Get there early enough to catch the set from No Joy, the Montreal-based band of shoegazers that just released the very epic Wait to Pleasure.

Boris at Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studio in Denton
This band of Japanese women brings the noise. Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studio is a perfect venue for Boris, as the walls seem to be damn near indestructible. With an experimental catalog that goes back to 1996, Boris experiments with its sound, creating a psychedelic vibe. It's not noise; it's deafening bliss. Don't miss killer local opening acts Pinkish Black and Bludded Head. Good luck to you and your set of senses.

Saturday, April 27

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at House of Blues
One of the headliners of PsychFest, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is supporting its newly released, addictive record, Specter at the Feast. Although it's less dark and more anthem-esque than past offerings, these American garage-rock heroes know when to groove and when to thrash. Seeing them outdoors late at night in a festival setting would be cool, but the set at House of Blues likely will feature a light display that rivals the tunes. Stay safe out there.

Sunday, April 28

Os Mutantes at The Kessler
Canada and Japan aren't the only foreign lands represented in Texas this week. Brazil's Os Mutantes ("The Mutants," in English) brings a mystical brand of experimental psych-folk to The Kessler stage. Touring in support of new album Fool Metal Jack, the veteran crew (a rather large outfit, actually) puts a swirling spin on what many know as "world music." The band certainly knows what it's doing by now, as members started performing in the late-1960s, though they did take a lengthy hiatus. This group knows where to find the groove.

Canada's Besnard Lakes created perhaps the best album so far this year.

Photo by Richmond Lam

Canada's Besnard Lakes created perhaps the best album so far this year.

Movie Review

Revived Coyote vs. Acme shows Looney Tunes’ enduring appeal

Wile E. Coyote in Coyote vs. Acme

Photo courtesy of Ketchup Entertainment

Wile E. Coyote in Coyote vs. Acme.

No movie studio has gone through more ups and downs in the past few years than Warner Bros. In 2022, they oddly shelved two mostly-completed movies, Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt. But the next few years brought major movies like Barbie, Dune Part Two, Sinners, Superman, Weapons, and One Battle After Another, giving them a huge boost. Strangely, that led directly into a proposed sale to Paramount that is now going through legal battles.

Another previously-shelved Warner Bros. movie, Coyote vs. Acme, is now seeing the light of day thanks to a deal with a small company called Ketchup Entertainment. Taking its cue from the classic Looney Tunes cartoons, the film creates a world in which Wile E. Coyote - sick of constantly being thwarted in his pursuit of Road Runner by faulty Acme products - decides to sue the company.

To do so, he approaches the law firm of Avery, Jones & Maltese, led by Kevin Avery (Will Forte). The firm typically takes on small cases that are easy to settle, but - with a little subterfuge from Wile E. Coyote - they are soon presenting Acme and its lead attorney, Buddy Crane (John Cena), with a lawsuit that could be worth millions of dollars. Naturally, the big corporation won’t give in without a fight, leading to all sorts of shenanigans on both sides.

Directed by Dave Green and written by Samy Burch from a story by Burch, James Gunn, and Jeremy Slater, the film is a fun mixture of nostalgia and clever storytelling. Most of Looney Tunes’ classic characters make an appearance in the film, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, and Sylvester. The two, other than Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner, who get the most play are Tweety, who appears in some of the movie’s funniest scenes, and Foghorn Leghorn, reimagined as the CEO of Acme.

The blend of live action and animation is not quite on the level of something like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but it is still effective. It also affords the film plenty of opportunities to employ Looney Tunes’ signature brand of cartoon violence that doesn’t actually leave lasting damage. The gags are very familiar for those who grew up on the studio’s short films, but combined with the inventive ways in which they’re used and the pointed jabs at corporate culture, they become somewhat fresh again.

Naturally, there are plenty of references in the film, starting with the name of the law firm, which pays homage to legendary directors Chuck Avery and Chuck Jones, as well as writer/animator Michael Maltese. Sly jokes that could turn the film from PG to PG-13 sneak their way in, although they steer clear of elements that haven’t aged well (documented in a recent viral comedy clip). But the film is at its best when it leans into the well-earned traits of its favorite characters and just lets them cook.

Forte is a great scene partner for Wile E. Coyote, as he can turn even minor slights into comedy gold. His deadpan reactions are the ideal way to counter the insanity going on around him. Cena has proven in other films that he has great comic timing, and he demonstrates that skill well here, too, especially in a fantastic scene opposite Tweety. The voice talent does a good job with the iconic characters, although the legendary Mel Blanc remains the gold standard.

Coyote vs. Acme is not a world-changing movie by any means, but it is a fun twist on the characters many know and love that deserved to be seen by moviegoers. Wile E. Coyote may never actually catch Road Runner, but this movie shows that his unceasing attempts remain entertaining after all these years.

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Coyote vs. Acme is now playing in theaters.

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