A 18
Three Chords and the Truth By Ronnie Narmour ronnienarmour@gmail.com
Barefoot Mardi Gras… The good news is, I don’t have any dead guy to write about this week. I’m starting to feel like that raven on the fence. The other good news is (and I consider myself the good news messenger) it’s almost Fat Tuesday and time for everyone’s favorite party, Mardi Gras. It comes early this year. Down here you get a double dose. For starters, this will be the 7th year for the Barefoot Mardi Gras Parade on N. Padre. Around noon on Saturday, February 6th, you can go to the beach near Bob Hall Piet and see one of the world’s only (if not THE only) Mardi Gras
and a horn section… enough said. Band leader and founder, Jim Beal, had this to say, “Barefoot Mardi Gras is a natural ball, has been from downbeat the first year we played it. Originally it felt like a grown-up frat party in a WW II artillery bunker. At Schlitterbahn there’s more elbow room but people still come to party and so does Ear Food.” Prepare to dance and revel ‘til the cows come home. This is one world class partay.
The Flying Balalaika Brothers will play the Vino Mio Social Club on Friday.
Fun at Shorty’s last weekend.
Port A Mardi Gras Parade. Photo by Miles Merwin Fat Tuesday in Port A… The Barefoot Mardi Gras Parade last year. Parade actually parading down the beach and everyone is barefooted. You get the picture. My cohorts at your Island Moon always rise to the occasion with some sort of bonkers theme and this year I’m told it will ever amaze you. I’m also told I can’t spill the beans yet. Here’s a hint: me and Dale will be the ones wearing Army helmets. And, as is tradition, there will be a world class party following that evening with the rockin’ roots-blues-zydeco-party band, Miss Neesie and the Earfood Orchestra, to be held at Schlitterbahn this year. In case you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past 20 years of so, Earfood is a musical institution from San Antonio who demands a rockin’ good time. They play an array of monkey songs which stir the soul. Led by the smallest member of the band, the little ax, Miss Neesie Beal, can belt out a ripping soul number like a woman possessed. The band features an accordionist
January 28, 2016
Island Moon
And on the following Tuesday, February 9, (make that Fat Tuesday) which is Mardi Gras proper, the festivities move up the road to Port A. Port Aransas is a town that takes it’s Mardi Gras seriously. According to founder of the parade and the Port Aransas Leisure Society (PALS), Janet “Planet” Calvert, this is the 20th year for annual parade and I can attest, they just get better and better every year. The first time I asked Janet Planet about the Mardi Gras Parade in Port A (about 8 years ago), she was driving to New Orleans to buy beads and was
on the causeway between Lafayette and NOLA and didn’t know me… and she was grumpy and I could tell, didn’t want to be bothered. She couldn’t figure out who I was and why was I asking her these stupid questions. But through the years we’ve become good friends so it’s a little easier (though not much) to get her to talk to me on record. Here are Janet’s words of wisdom this year, “We have been parading around port Aransas for 20 years now! I owe all the success to everyone who has participated. It must be thousands by now. With the help of the PALS this has become a great success. I believe that it is because this is a parade for the people, by the people. Happy Mardi gras y’all! Laissez les bon temps roulez!” All of the festivities begin at the Gaff where the floats will line up around 3 PM. The parade starts at 5:00. I know Giggity’s has a killer funk band that night, FunkaSaurus Tex, from San Antonio. So dig those beads out and let the good times roll.
The Independent Thieves played Shorty’s last weekend The Independent Theives… I happened in to a special night at Shorty’s last Saturday. I guess I should have realized it before hand since the Independent Thieves (Corpus
Miss Neesie and the Earfood Orchestra will play the Barefoot Mardi Gras Party this year.
Janet Planet, the founder of the Port A Mardi Gras Parade.
FunkaSaurus Tex will play Fat Tuesday on Feb. 9 at Giggity’s
GIGGITY’S RESTAURANT & BAR IN PORT A
Free Beer Band
Jan. 28
Duke E. Brown
Jan. 29
Mike Milligan
Jan. 30
Antone & the All Stars
Jan. 31
Open Jam w/ Selfie
Feb. 1
Paul Taylor Band
Feb. 2
Billy Snipes
Feb. 3
Buy One Entree & Get Second One FREE
Trinity by the Sea
of Equal Value or Less With this Coupon
www.trinitybythesea.org
Open 11am-2am Daily. Kitchen open til 1am. 722 Tarpon, Port Aransas, TX
The Episcopal Church Welcomes You!
Not good with any other offer
433 Trojan St., Port Aransas
Catering for any Occasion Closed Monday 222 Beach St. Port A (361) 749-0022
Sundays 9 & 11 a.m.
65 ft USCG certified passenger vessel Shady lower deck, sunny upper deck Clean restrooms, coolers welcome! Wheelchair accessible
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
DO NOT MISS LIST There’s a ton of good talent heading our way this weekend. Songbird and Winter Texan fave, Carol Elliott will play an early show at the Drop Anchor on Friday. I understand they are pulling out all the Winter Texan stops with a daily array of “All You Can Eat” specials including shrimp, flounder and wings and cheap drinks. Billy Snipes will perform the next night and I understand he lost a football bet, so expect to see him on stage in a Bronco’s cheerleading outfit. Also on Friday, the real deal old school blues and R&B band, Duke E. Brown, will play Giggity’s and one of the stand outs from the Corpus Christi Songwriters group, Buddy Trevino, will play Shorty’s. And at the very cool Vino Mio Social Club in Corpus, the Flying Balalaika Brothers (Austin, TX) will perform what they describe as a “Slavic Dance Party” with everything from Russian folk to bluegrass. I may have to make that show. I like what those guys are doing at Vino Mio. On Saturday, Mike Milligan and Texiana Blues will play Giggity’s and Ty Dietz will play Shorty’s with slide guitar wizard Tony Saracene. On the horizon, watch for shows by James Little, Terri Hendrix, Matt Hole, Picklefish, Jerry Diaz and the Toman Brothers. That ought to keep you busy for a while. Be safe out there.
♫ ♪ And, that’s the truth ♫ ♪
Live Music Tonight
Thursday, January 28 Free Beer Band @ Giggity’s Something Silky @ Vino Mio Social Club Flaw, Freaks Like Me, Notrol @ House of Rock Chris Knight, Ty Dietz @ Brewster Street APEX @ Rockit’s Whiskey Bar Billy Snipes @ Wild Horse Friday, January 29 Duke E. Brown @ Giggity’s Mark Wilks @ The Gaff Buddy Trevino @ Shorty’s Carol Elliott (5-7) @ Drop Anchor Flying Bakalaika Brothers @ Vino Mio Social Club Another Level @ Brewster Street Lucas Jack, Jimmy Wilden @ Rockit’s Billy Snipes @ Wild Horse Women of Ink @ House of Rock Saturday, January 30 Mike Milligan & Texiana Blues @ Giggity’s Jim Dugan @ The Gaff Billy Snipes @ Drop Anchor Ty Dietz & Tony Saracene @ Shorty’s Jarrod Birmingham, Richie Allbright @ Brewster Street Duke E. Brown @ Rockit’s Swimming With Bears @ House of Rock
Welcome Winter Texans! Closed til March 132 W. Cotter St. Port A On the Waterfront
Buddy Trevino
Jan. 29
Jim Dugan
Jan. 30
Ty Dietz
Feb. 5
Selfie
Feb. 6
Stevie Start
Feb. 12
Billy Snipes
Feb. 13
OPEN Till 2am • 823 Tarpon St. Port Aransas
Full Bar & Grill Live Music • Dog Friendly
All You Can Eat Specials Thurs-Sun, Shrimp, Flounder and Wings Cheap Drink Specials Carol Elliott Every Friday (5-7) Billy Snipes on Saturday 361-945-9595, 118 Cut Off Rd., Port Aransas www.dropanchorportaransas.com
Sunday, January 31 Antone & the All Stars @ Giggity’s Mike Williams & Jack Trowbridge (11 AM) @ Giggity’s Vanna Pinehas, Like Moths to Flames @ House of Rock Monday, February 1 Open Jam w/ Selfie @ Giggity’s
CHRISTOPHER TODD JORDAN
Christi, TX) were playing and I know that they were one of the favorite acts at the old Tarpon Ice House, and of many Winter Texans. It was great running into the old crowd. The owners or the Ice House, Paul Fain and Dede Smith were there, as were a large contingency of friends and fans. This band is also a favorite of mine. They play a wide variety of folk music and sing along faves. It’s melodic and comfortable. The lead singer, Garrett Wieland, is also the host of the NPR show, Some Call It Folk. He is accompanied by David King on mandolin and smokin’ acoustic guitar and Derek Galvan on bass. I can’t say enough good things about these guys. Go check ‘em out.
Tuesday, February 2 Paul Taylor Band @ Giggity’s Open Mic @ House of Rock Wednesday, February 3 Billy Snipes @ Giggity’s Port A Rockers @ Bernie’s Scarecrow People, Arcade
Wednesday, February 3 continued Hustlers @ House of Rock P.O.D., Ten Years, Dead Letter Circus, War of Ages @ Brewster Street Thursday, February 4 Free Beer Band @ Giggity’s Flatbroke (acoustic) @ House of Rock Friday, February 5 Bad Buoys @ Giggity’s Emily Dale @ The Gaff Ty Dietz & Tony Saracene @ Shorty’s Carol Elliott (5-7) @ Drop Anchor Spazmatics @ Brewster Street Nightowls (tribute to Al Green), Arcade Hustlers @ House of Rock Saturday, February 6 Barefoot Mardi Gras Parade @ N. Padre Beach Ear Food @ Schlitterbahn Russell Edge @ The Gaff James Little @ Giggity’s Selfie @ Shorty’s Terri Hendrix & Lloyd Maines @ Third Coast Theater Lamb of God, Anthrax @ Concrete Street Zane Williams @ Brewster Street Splendiferous @ Rockit’s Sunday, February 7 Antone & the All Stars @ Giggity’s Mike Williams & Jack Trowbridge (11 AM) @ Giggity’s Monday, February 8 Open Jam w/ Selfie @ Giggity’s Fat Tuesday, February 9 Mardi Gras Parade @ Streets of Port A FunkaSaurus Tex @ Giggity’s
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
Wednesday, February 10 Ruben Limas @ Giggity’s Port A Rockers @ Bernie’s Thursday, February 11 Free Beer Band @ Giggity’s Friday, February 12 Matt Hole & the Hot Rod Gang @ Giggity’s Billy Snipes @ The Gaff