Chelsea Callahan is pretty hard to miss. With a mane of curly blond hair and sassy style that usually involves a cowboy hat and boots, Callahan is easy to spot at music gigs. That's also because she's at so many. Nary an evening goes by when she is not at City Tavern or Granada; Good Records or the Cavern.

JASON JANIK/Special Contributor

Callahan, 34, grew up in Granbury. And true to her music-loving roots, she chose the University of North Texas – mainly because she loved the bands there, such as Brutal Juice and Baboon. She moved away for a short while, but landed back in Dallas in 2002 and has become an indispensable part of the local music scene.

She books shows at Double Wide. She was co-event director for the M2S2 music festival earlier this year at Life in Deep Ellum. She does PR work for local musician Creede Williams. She DJs. She's the music coordinator for Art Conspiracy. And occasionally, she sings backup.

Leah Shafer

Q: Your music connection is practically prenatal. How is that?

Callahan: Well, my parents met because they were both violinists in the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra. My father still owns something like 16 guitars. I've always been around it. But when I moved back to Texas, some of my college friends were in the Polyphonic Spree, and so I ended up with a part-time job at the old Good Records. That's how I got re-immersed, since a lot had happened since I was in school in Denton. It's been about the music for me for a long time.

Q: Every year, you have legendary birthday celebrations. What's planned for 2009?

Callahan: I always have a big charity event for my birthday. The first year I tried to think of a ridiculously long name to be funny, but now I've had to use it every year. So this November will be "Cha Cha's Sixth Annual Rock and Roll for Charity Gala." But since I'm turning 35 and there's a Mexican theme, I kind of just want to call it "Cinco de Cha Cha." Cha Cha (or Dirty Cha Cha) is my nickname and one of my DJ names.

Q: So, Dirty Cha Cha, what kind of music do you spin?

Callahan: As Dirty Cha Cha, I play whatever I want. Sometimes I do a metal set or hip-hop. Sometimes it's Telegraph Canyon, Slider Pines, DJ Slim – I've even thrown in Fela Kuti. I also work under the name DJ This Is Texas, where I play all Texas music. Mostly, I'm at Double Wide and sometimes at Old Monk.

Q: Your company, Manhandler Management, has three bands: Dove Hunter, Hello Lover and Record Hop. Do you ever have to play the heavy with your musicians?

Callahan: I let the members of the bands I manage pick that name [laughs]. It came about because of Sean [Conway, bass player for Hello Lover]. One night I grabbed his arm, and he accused me of manhandling him. So that name was his suggestion.

Q: Tell us about your gigs singing backup.

Callahan: I don't want to be in a band full-time or be a lead singer or anything like that, but I do like to sing backup every once in a while. I got to sing on a Doug Burr track last year, and that was a magical experience. And I got to sing on a song with the Toadies at Dia de los Toadies.

Q: What's the most memorable act you've booked at Double Wide?

Callahan: I personally get excited about bands that we have from other countries. We had Peelander-Z, these three Japanese dudes, and they have the craziest shows ever. They dress up like comic book characters, and it's very much about audience participation: human bowling, out in the audience, people onstage. The whole thing is nuts.

Q: You're on the board of directors for the Carter Albrecht Music Foundation. What are your hopes for its impact on Dallas?

Callahan: Right now, the foundation is pretty new and I am extremely new on the board. But it could be wide open – the sky is the limit. I would like to see it honor his memory. I think that Carter would be excited about any and all of it. It's hard not to get excited about the possibilities about the foundation making a really big difference.

Nickname: I have a lot, but Cha Cha is the most popular.

Skill I wish I had: I wish I could play one of the three instruments I've owned for years: guitar, bass and violin.

Movie I've seen dozens of times: Snatch

TV show I can't turn off: Dexter

Guilty pleasures: Watching really bad movies and taking naps. I like to sleep.

Song I wish I had written: "Lover, You Should've Come Over" by Jeff Buckley

My last meal would be: Medium-rare steak; mashed potatoes with cheddar cheese and Hatch green chiles; sourdough bread and aioli; and strawberries and whipped cream for dessert.

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