Concert review: Cannabinoids featuring Erykah Badu versus Shiny Toy Guns at Victory Plaza (October 16)

by Sarah Crisman

DALLAS — There have been a rush of beverage-sponsored concerts in Dallas of late. Some large corporation shells out massive amounts of cash and provides coolers full of product and free tickets (procured by jumping through some fairly simple, if not immediately obvious, hoops like fanning the right Facebook page or knowing the right magazine editor). In exchange for some menial task, you get a free show and free drinks. I'm totally down for a marketing ploy if it involves good music.

First we had Heineken's Red Star Soul featuring Estelle and Big Boi at Ghost Bar (it was okay), then Southern Comfort brought us The Polyphonic Spree (not too bad), and on Friday night, Red Bull hosted Cannabinoids featuring Erykah Badu and Shiny Toy Guns. Red Bull wins. Erykah trumps all.

The Red Bull Soundclash was by far the most interesting event I've been to. Held in the grandeur of Victory Plaza, Red Bull smartly played off the Red River Rivalry by pitting Oklahoma's Shiny Toy Guns off of Dallas' Cannabinoids featuring our goddess, Erykah Badu. It was pretty cool, albeit a completely unfair fight. I will give it to Shiny Toy Guns, they held their own. But come on, they're a punky electro-pop band who appears to have formed at the Toni & Guy academy versus one of the greatest soul stars of our generation (and yes, our hometown). The bands performed in four rounds, and the audience made a lot of noise to determine the victor.

Really, not a fair battle. It's Erykah Badu and her futuristic band from space. Watching them perform is essentially a spiritual experience. Shiny Toy Guns were okay -- clearly popular, not bad -- but not Erykah. It's silly to look at the Soundclash as a competition; the bands seemed to have fun jamming together. The Toy Guns stepped up to the Cannabinoids challenge, and had to have walked away better musicians. Texas was well represented. Then again, I'm biased -- but aren't we all are on Red River Rivalry weekend?