It’s almost time to Get Loud.
For the third year in a row, KXT will celebrate the North Texas music scene with an Oct. 25 concert, just north of downtown Dallas.
The 2024 edition of Get Loud with KXT, which will crank up the volume at Ferris Wheelers in Dallas, features an eclectic line-up, inclusive of Abraham Alexander’s soulful, R&B-tinged pop, the Rosemont Kings’ bluesy funk and DJ Bella Scratch, a queen of the turntable.
“We’re so excited for this year’s Get Loud show,” said KXT program director Benji McPhail in a statement. “It’s going to be the perfect way to round out our month-long celebration of North Texas’ incredible music scene.”
Tickets are $25. To grab yours, or for complete details, visit kxt.org/getloud.
In the spirit of our ongoing Homegrown Music Month, read on to learn more about this year’s Get Loud performers.
Abraham Alexander
From: Fort Worth
Sounds like: A really smooth glass of whiskey, sipped in a cozy leather recliner
Goes good with: Devon Gilfillian, the Lone Bellow, Joy Oladokun
Origin story: Born and raised in Athens, Greece, Alexander moved to Fort Worth to attend college. That’s when he first crossed paths with Leon Bridges, who asked Alexander to contribute backing vocals to Bridges’ 2015 major label debut, Coming Home. Five years later, Alexander was forging his own path as an artist, with the 2023 release of his debut full-length, SEA/SONS, and stints opening for Ani DiFranco, Black Pumas, the Lumineers and many more.
Quotable: “I see the weight of music firsthand, and what it’s like to be responsible for a community that you get to create, and it’s beautiful. … Now I’m seeing the weight of it from people all over, and I’m reminded of the power of music and how it can help lift the heaviest load off, and make people feel like they’re connected.” — Alexander to KXT in Dec. 2023
Fun fact: Alexander excelled at playing soccer in high school, so much so that he earned a scholarship to play at Texas Wesleyan University.
Band website
Rosemont Kings
From: Dallas
Sounds like: The freewheeling neighborhood block party to end all neighborhood block parties
Goes good with: Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, the Dap-Kings
Origin story: The Rosemont Kings came together gradually, then suddenly. Born out of loose, informal jam sessions among neighbors on the same street (Rosemont, in Oak Cliff), the Rosemont Kings took things professional once they discovered a phenomenal chemistry between the players. Initially focused on only instrumentals, the Kings found another gear with the addition of vocalist Kraig Loyd. Fixtures at venues like Reveler’s Hall, the band dropped its self-titled debut LP in 2023.
Quotable: “It’s been a struggle finding the balance. But every single time I play music with this band, whether it be practice, recording, or a performance, it is 100 percent clear that it is all worth it and probably the only thing that keeps me fairly sane.” — Keyboardist Brad Taylor to the Lakewood Advocate in Jan. 2024
Fun fact: The Rosemont Kings first called themselves Doghouse, because the men’s wives were reportedly annoyed at how long the jam session would last.
Band website
DJ Bella Scratch
From: Dallas
Sounds like: Rifling through your friend with great musical taste’s record collection
Goes good with: Spinderella, Alison Wonderland, Peggy Gou
Origin story: DJ Bella Scratch is partial to soul music and hip-hop, but is a firm believer, as her press materials say, that “good music is good music.” She splits her time between the club and the airwaves, because …
Fun fact: DJ Bella Scratch is better known to her colleagues and listeners as KERA midday host and Think technical director Bella Syrus.
Artist website
Get Loud with KXT featuring Abraham Alexander, Rosemont Kings and DJ Bella Scratch at Ferris Wheelers, Dallas. 7 p.m. Oct. 25. Tickets are $25.
Preston Jones is a North Texas freelance writer and regular contributor to KXT. Email him at [email protected] or find him on X (@prestonjones). Our work is made possible by our generous, music-loving members. If you like how we lift up local music, consider becoming a KXT sustaining member right here.