Before the 35 Conferette, set your iPod to these Dallas-Fort Worth bands

by Jessica Harp

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There are too many bands at the Denton festival to see all of 'em. Here's who you should put on your playlist.

DENTON — The highly anticipated music festival in Denton known this year as the 35 Conferette (formerly NX35) is quickly upon us. Music fans, audiophiles, and local music supporters will flock to the Little D for a four-day fest that has more bands performing simultaneously than ever before. That is enough to make your head spin!

We've picked out a few local bands we think you should pay attention to:

New Science Projects: When most people think of the punk rock genre, the bands that come to mind are the likely culprits: the Sex Pistols and The Ramones – fast, loud, and anti-establishment. Denton band New Science Projects has their own take on punk rock, and it is grungy, blues-inspired, and low-fi. Wait. What? Punk rock has gone low-fi? Yes, yes it has. And it sounds so good.

Bonus! The band has been known to wear make up that makes them look as if they have been beaten up. They're a sight.

People On Vacation: We have talked about this band a lot since the whispers of their formation made its way to our ears. Two local music titans have put their musical differences aside to create a local music super group. One member (Jaret Reddick of Bowling For Soup) comes from a more mainstream background, with a Grammy nomination under his belt. The other (Ryan Hamilton of Smile Smile) is an indie musician to the core who is not afraid to write songs about his emotions. With a handful of performances under their belt, no album out, and a UK tour happening in April, the buzz surrounding this band at 35 Conferette will reach an unbearably catchy pitch. You have to watch them perform to fully understand why People On Vacation are kind of a big deal.

MySpace

Novaak

Novaak: Since we got our hands on this band’s debut album, I Am, You Are, we have had one song in particular on repeat: “You Pushed The Crash Button.” This duo’s otherworldly dream pop gives us goose bumps it is so musically good. They're destined for movie soundtrack-dom. To truly fall in love with Novaak and their beautiful music, see them in action.

Telegraph Canyon: This band has received a lot of accolades for their album, The Tide and The Current, and it is well earned. The beautifully layered instrumentation and ethereal melodies is enough to stop you in your tracks. Their sound is raw, soul bearing, and pure. It is no surprise that they were picked to play at one of the biggest stages at the festival.

Giggle Party

Giggle Party: Are you ready to get messy? This upbeat punk pop band is guaranteed to bring the party, and the cupcakes too. The thing is, those cupcakes we mentioned … they are probably going to throw them on you, along with possible confetti and maybe some balloons. This band doesn’t take themselves or their music too seriously, but what they do take seriously is that they are here to bring the party. There is a splash zone involved, so if you are standing near the front, bring a poncho. Note: Giggle Party has since moved to San Francisco, but they got their start in Dallas.

Photo by Josh Hogan

Spooky Folk at Hailey's

Spooky Folk: This band is a veteran when it comes to 35 Conferette. Don’t let their name fool you. This band is in no way spooky, but they are a bit on the folky side. Their music, along with their attitude, is definitely Denton inspired: a do it yourself kind of band who isn’t in it for anything but the music. You can feel it in every chord and every word. Spooky Folk are as enchanting as they are enthralling.

Honorable mentions -- also known as great local bands you might not know: Tiger Darrow, Baruch the Scribe, The Cush, Manned Missles, The Virgin Wolves

The old faithfuls -- also known as great local bands we talk about way too much: Sarah Jaffe, Seryn, Doug Burr, Somebody’s Darling, RTB2

We can't list every Dallas-Fort Worth band playing at the 35 Conferette. To see all the local bands performing, click here.