Sunday evening at Zounds Sounds B-Side in Dallas brought a warm, communal energy as three acts—Kimberley Swenke, Mayhill, and The Tabasco Birds—shared a bill curated by Simon Pruitt.
Part of the night itself was sparked by a moment of local radio serendipity. Both Kimberley Swenke and The Tabasco Birds made their KXT debut on the Homegrown Music Show that aired July 17. After hearing their sound for the first time, Swenke reached out to the band, drawn in by their style and energy, and before long she was added to this bill on the East Dallas stage.
The B-Side space, tucked inside the Zounds Sounds School of Music, has quickly become a hub for emerging talent and intimate shows, and this one was a reminder of how much Dallas’s DIY-leaning scene thrives on collaboration.
In a denim dress and rose-pink slides, Kimberley Swenke opened the show a little before 7:30pm. Playing acoustic guitar with a drummer, she sang through songs both tender and lively. After a few songs, she introduced “the weird one,” which unraveled into a cinematic, moody number with a standout guitar riff, feeling like the soundtrack of desert epic.
Next up, Mayhill returned to songs they recorded five years ago but had rarely played since. Though they’ve been a band for years, they only released their debut EP Sunset Super 8 a month ago—making this set feel like both a long-awaited arrival and a reunion with their roots.
Mayhill carried an indie-rock warmth that nodded toward Wilco: introspective yet powerful. The lead guitarist’s lines felt like sonic tears—melodic phrases that ached and soared at once—layered over the band’s steady grooves.
By the time The Tabasco Birds crowded the stage, someone in the audience laughed, “There’s so many people up there, I feel like it’s a Tiny Desk.” With 8 members—two guitars, bass, drums, keys, steel guitar/harmonica, sax, and backing vocals—the band felt larger than the stage but tighter than some outfits twice their age.
Most of the group originally met at Booker T. Washington HSPVA, and now continue their studies at UNT—a background that helps explain both their cohesion and adventurous musicianship.
Their set was as playful as it was diverse. Owen Swift’s deep vocals paired with tender harmonies from their vocalist Chris Smith, while Jacob Bullman swapped in to deliver lead vocals on a standout tune that felt festival-ready in its scope. Another song, introduced as “a kinda murderous one… it’s kinda sweet,” leaned into dark humor with charm. The crowd fed off the group’s energy, rising to their feet during a barn-burner finale full of hoots, hollers, and south-of-the-border flair.
The Tabasco Birds just finished recording their debut album at The Echo Lab in Denton, with a release expected next year. Listen to their self-titled debut EP Tabasco Birds everywhere now.
Upcoming shows at Zounds Sounds B-Side:
- August 22 – ilearnedtotalkinspring, writing hmoe about you, Judge Boy Scream, idreamofyou
- August 23 – empty parking lot, Cliffmoor, Lqm,, Second Place, Vail
- August 31 – Dallas Songwriter Festival
Find more details and tickets on the venue’s website.
