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Three Chords and the Truth By Ronnie Narmour ronnienarmour@gmail.com
Steve Earle and the Dukes… The Steve Earle show at the House of Rock was a total gas last Sunday. A bunch of us crammed into Art’s cab and actually left the island to go to a concert in the big city. I wasn’t sure what the protocol was but I had
May 14, 2015
Island Moon
As Me and You’re the Best Lover I Ever Had. It wasn’t Jimmy Reed or Stevie Ray. It was Steve Earle. And he’s always been a bluesman in my book. Call this record a blues record if you want. I call it another songwriting masterpiece. BTW, his new Dukes guitarist is none other that Chris Masterson from Houston, Texas. I knew Chris back in the 90’s when he was a young hot licks blues player that I used to book into Billy Blues on Richmond Avenue. Back then at the ripe old age of 17, he was holding his own with the likes of Kenny Wayne Sheppard, Texas Johnny Brown, Grady Gaines, Joe Hughes, Clarence Hollimon, Johnny Clyde Copeland, Clarence Green and Pete Mayes. Masterson was a young gun and capable of anything. I was glad to see him surface as a Duke… he’s a perfect fit. So is his fiddle playing wife, Eleanor Whitmore. There was a lot of music coming off that stage. Yes sir, it was a total gas.
Jesse Dayton will play the Back Porch on Saturday.
Another great week… Thomas Michael Riley played the Back Porch last Friday
Local islanders on the way to the Steve Earle show. We don’t get off the island much my passport ready just in case. I had seen Steve Earle a couple of times, years ago in Austin and San Antonio. I am more than familiar with his expansive body of work. I have every one of his 15 CD’s. I’ve read his biography, Hardcore Troubadour and I sing Copperhead Road every Thursday with the Free Beer Band. The guy is in my all time top ten. But I hadn’t heard his latest release, Terrraplane, yet. I’d kept meaning to check it out but must admit, I was less that enthusiastic when I found out it was Earle’s attempt at a blues record. Don’t get me wrong, I love the blues. It’s on my resume in pretty much all of the last four decades. I’ve booked it, sold
The Beau Walker Band played Giggity’s last Friday I also caught shows from Beau Walker (Kingville, TX) at Giggity’s, Thomas Michael Riley (Fredericksburg, TX) at the Back Porch and Randy McAllister (Paris, TX) at the Back Porch. Beau Walker’s show came in pretty hot. My ears were ringing for two days. It was a pleasure to see Thomas Michael. I love his storytelling. He brought in a big crowd. And Randy McAllister was also on fire. It’s always a treat to watch him beat on the tables and chairs. He’s got that East Texas groove down to a science.
Steve Earle with Chris Masterson on guitar played the House of Rock on Sunday it, played it, worked it and lived it. But in my little pea brain, Steve Earle had already played blues in his own way: Transcendental Blues, Ft. Worth Blues, South Nashville Blues and My Old Friend the… you get the picture. I know he roamed the streets of Houston (a town steeped in blues) with Townes Van Zandt and holds such “true bluesmen” as Lightning Hopkins, Robert Johnson, Howlin’ Wolf and Mance Lipscomb in high regard. But blues is such a big catch-all genre… Delta Blues, Chicago, Memphis, Kansas City, Swamp, powerhouse and Texas blues. I figured the Steve Earle version of blues had to mean he’d added another notch to his seven divorces and was just needing to work some stuff out. I was wrong. His latest was just as cool as the ones that got him here and it sounded like, well… Steve Earle. His set list combined the obligatory Guitar Town, Some Day and Galway Girl with Terraplane’s debut of Go Go Boots Are Back, Baby’s Just As Mean
Drummer Randy McAllister played the Back Porch on Saturday DO NOT MISS LIST 32 Annual Songwriter’s Showcase… nd
The 32nd Annual Songwriter’s Showcase, benefitting the Island Art Center, will be held in Roberts Point Park this coming Sunday. This event was started by island ex-pat Jessie Bishop and was originally held in the courtyard of the Tarpon Inn. This year’s showcase will be dedicated to memory of the late Dan Winship, a longtime supporter of the arts and music in Port Aransas. The event is organized each year by Arts Center director, Mary Rose and local musicians Elvin “Preecher” Williams and Woodie Ray Lawson. This years showcase will feature 22 local artists including (listed in order of performance) Simon Jay, Father James Derkits, Mark Wilks, Perry Wing
GIGGITY’S RESTAURANT & BAR Free Beer Band Ruben & the Rolling J’s Red Giant Antone & the All Stars Open Jam w/ Selfie Paul Taylor Band Billy Snipes
IN PORT A
The Spot for your
Island Fiesta
May 14 May 15 May 16 May 17 May 18 May 19 May 20
Open 11am-2am Daily. Kitchen open til 1am. 722 Tarpon, Port Aransas, TX
Handsome Sailor Tiki Bar
Specializing in 70 Premium Tequilas! Catering for any Occasion Closed Monday 222 Beach St. Port A (361) 749-0022
Open Mic
May 15
Special Surprise Guest
May 16
Open Mic
May 22
Earl Guard & Friends
May 23
Open Mic
May 29
The Handsome Sailors
May 30
508 Bigelow @ Conn Brown Harbor, Aransas Pass (361) 790-6668
Arrrr you ready?
Adventure Tour More than a boat ride. It’s a show and you’re in it! Fend off a Pirate Attack in an Epic Squirt Gun Battle Woody’s Sport Center 136 W. Cotter, Port Aransas, (361) 749-6969 CHRISTOPHER TODD JORDAN Designer & Builder of Food & Beverage Facilities
• Creative Problem Solving • Decorative Concrete • Custom Lighting • Residential & Commercial • References Provided
Lighted Pier in the Gulf of Mexico Pole Rentals
christophertoddjordan@gmail.com
Bait, Beer, Burgers & Wings
361-453-0147
Horace Caldwell Pier Port A 230 N. On the Beach (361) 749-5333
in his arena and he told me, “Leaving for tour with John Doe from X in June and playing on his new record in LA next month. Working on a new solo record that comes out end of the summer. New solo record will have new songs co-written by myself and Hayes Carll and me and Mike Stinson.” That guy never ceases to amaze me. He never stops.
and Tim Miler, Dan Brodhag, Carol Elliott, Todd Dorn, Ty Dietz and Tony Saracene, L. Leon Sands, Ruben Limas, Garrett Wieland and David King, Guy LeRoux, Marc Borde, Billy Snipes, Hamp Brockman and Janet Drew, Tyler McCumber and Woodie Lawson and friends. Also, the 10th Annual ArtFest featuring 40+ artisans, will be held at the park on both Saturday and Sunday. Both events are free to the public. Bring your lawn chairs, kids, dogs and ice chests and make a day of it. The Showcase will start at 4 PM and go until 10 PM. In the case of rain, the Showcase will be held in the pavilion at Roberts Point Park.
Coming this week… Also coming this week, watch for shows by Cody Canada and Jason Eady at Brewster Street on the 17th. On the 18th, bad girl (with a kitty cat fetish) Mandy Rowden (Austin, TX) will play Shorty’s, Clarissa Serna will play Brewster, The Bellfuries will play the Back Porch and reggae superstars, the Supervillains (Orlando, FL) will play the House of Rock. On Saturday the 16th Fred Eaglesmith (Ontario, BC) who is known for writing songs about machines or vehicles, including songs about trains, tractors, trucks, cars, and engines, will play the House of Rock. Also on Saturday, the great Austin honky tonker, Jesse Dayton, will return to the Back Porch. File this one under DO NOT MISS. Dayton, a Beaumont native, is a man of many hats including singer-songwriter, recording artist, horror movie producer, writer and director, actor and guitarist who has worked with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. I asked Jesse what was new
Joe Ely will play the Black Marlin on the Fourth of July. On the horizon… On the horizon, watch for shows by Ulrich Ellison, Gary P. Nunn, Matt Hole, Larry Joe Taylor, Max Stalling, Josh Abbott, Kyle Park, Jack Ingram, Passing Strangers, Mike Blakely, Hold Fast Fables, Patrice Pike, Walt Wilkins, Clay McClinton, Mark McKinney, Thom Shepherd, Statesboro Revue, Shinyribs, Cover Girl, Max Stalling, Aaron Einhouse, The Dirty River Boys, Zane Williams, Joe King Carrasco and Joe Ely. That ought to keep you busy for a while. v♫ ♪ And, that’s the truth! ♫ ♪
Live Music Tonight
Thursday, May 14 Free Beer Band @ Giggity’s Scarecrow People @ Back Porch Duke E. Brown @ Rockit’s Darren McGill @ Scuttlebutt’s Cody Canada, Adam Hood, Jason Eady @ Brewster Street Ice House
Friday, May 15 Ruben & the Rolling J’s @ Giggity’s The Bellfuries @ Back Porch Jim Dugan @ The Gaff Open Mic @ Handsome Sailor Tiki Bar Chris Saenz @ Scuttlebutt’s Mandy Rowden @ Shorty’s John Eric @ Schlitterbahn Clarissa Serna @ Brewster Street Ice House Supervillains, Audic Empire, Tydings, Flatbroke @ House of Rock Myndfield @ Vino Mio Social Club Rich Lockhart @ Drop Anchor Saturday, May 16 Red Giant @ Giggity’s Billy Snipes (3-7) ,Ty Dietz Band (8-12) @ Shorty’s Jesse Dayton @ Back Porch Russell Edge @ The Gaff Fabian Rivera @ Scuttlebutt’s David Washington & Ross Rutherford @ Schlitterbahn Fred Eaglesmith, Tif Ginn @ House of Rock Special Surprise Guest @ Handsome Sailor Tiki Bar Metal Shop @ Brewster Street Ice House Paul Renna, David Martinez @ Executive Surf Club Antone & the All Stars @ Vino Mio Social Club Sunday, May 17 Songwriter’s Showcase @ Robert’s Point Park Antone & the All Stars @ Giggity’s John Eric @ Scuttlebutt’s Hipwaiders @ Executive Surf Club Monday, May 18 Open Jam w/ Selfie @ Giggity’s Darren McGill @ Scuttlebutt’s
Scarecrow People
May 14
The Bellfuries
May 15
Jesse Dayton
May 16
Tyler Rogers
May 21
Gary P. Nunn
May 22
Larry Joe Taylor
May 23
132 W. Cotter St. Port A On the Waterfront
Monday, May 18 continued Strung Out, Red City Radio, La Armada @ House of Rock
Tuesday, May 19 Paul Taylor Band @ Giggity’s John Eric @ Scuttlebutt’s Chelsea Grin, Word Alive, Like Moths to Flames, Sylar @ House of Rock Wednesday, May 20 Billy Snipes @ Giggity’s Darren McGill @ Scuttlebutt’s
Mandy Rowden Billy Snipes (3-7), Ty DIetz Ulrich Ellison & Tribe 90 Proof Beau Walker Band Jim Dugan Hold Fast Fables
May 15 May 16 May 22 May 23 May 24 May 29 May 30
OPEN Till 2am • 823 Tarpon St. Port Aransas
Full Bar & Grill
Rich Lockhart (6-9) May 15 Billy Snipes (6-9) May 22 361-945-9595, 118 Cut Off Rd., Port Aransas www.dropanchorportaransas.com
Best Rates Call for special pricing
(361)290-7143 314 E. Ave. G www.bronsbeachcarts.com
The Gaff Beer ● Pizza ● Belt Sander Races (361) 749-5970
Thursday, May 21 Selfie @ Shorty’s Free Beer Band @ Giggity’s Tyler Rogers @ Back Porch Rich Lockhart @ Scuttlebutt’s Black TarPoon, Matt Pless, Mathias, Shayna Sands @ House of Rock Duke E. Brown @ Rockit’s Friday, May 22 Ulrich Ellison & Tribe @ Shorty’s Mark Wilks @ The Gaff Lyrical Bynge @ Giggity’s Gary P. Nunn @ Back Porch Jim Dugan @ Schlitterbahn Open Mic @ Handsome Sailor Tiki Bar Billy Snipes @ Drop Anchor Chris Saenz @ Scuttlebutt’s Ruben V @ Vino Mio Social Club Ballyhoo, Coral Thief, Audic Empire @ House of Rock Scarecrow People @ Executive Surf Club Flatbroke @ Rockit’s Saturday, May 23 Matt Hole @ Giggity’s 90 Proof @ Shorty’s Belt Sander Races, Uncle Willlie, Russell Edge @ The Gaff Larry Joe Taylor @ Back Porch Earl Gard & Friends @ Handsome Sailor Tiki Bar Robert Brown @ Scuttlebutt’s Destiny @ Schlitterbahn Ciara @ Brewster Street Ice House Nic Armstrong, Steven James @ House of Rock