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Three Chords and the Truth By Ronnie Narmour ronnienarmour@gmail.com
October is the best… Now we’re getting somewhere. The telltale signs of autumn are upon us. I actually turned off my air conditioner for a couple of days last weekend and pumpkins mysteriously appeared on my downstairs neighbor’s door. But the real clincher is, I went into town (well… Aransas Pass) and bought a new pair of long pants (there’s nowhere to buy them in Port A). Football on the tube, a fleeting chill in the air, pumpkins at the IGA and miles and miles of beautiful empty beaches… this is the time we all live here for. October on the island is the absolute best.
Randy McAllister shows up with Johnny Cash tribute band he found in South Dakota on Craigslist …
Coastal Ride and the Thieves, were then judged by the number of ticket stubs they collected at the Brewster show. I honestly thought the Independent Thieves put on the best show. They played only original songs where the other three bands were strictly cover bands. No accounting for taste I suppose. I suggest that next year they develop a panel of judges to find the best band.
Randy McAllister with Rob Dewan (guitar),Matt Higgins (Bass) and Mya Van Nuys (fiddle) played the Back Porch last Friday.
My pals from Oklahoma showed up and claimed responsibility for bringing the cooler weather with them but they still played their Friday gig at Shorty’s in shorts and sandals. I have seen Joe Mack perform a few times now, once with the Queen of Oklahoma herself, Carter Sampson, and was aware of his mind blowing talents. When he performs alone, he usually uses a looping patch which allows him to record various instruments and sounds in real time and build the song as he goes along. Subsequently, I had dubbed him the “happy mad scientist”. Watching him at work was like watching a mad scientist on steroids as he’d run around the stage and grab anything handy to create his rhythms. But this time he showed up with a real deal bonified hillbilly flat picker, Thomas Trapp, who was a complete genius on guitar. This guy played a guitar the way a hummingbird flies. Together, the two of them gave us a lesson in humility. I actually had visions of Doc Watson, Bill Monroe and Lester Flatt. They stayed at my house for a couple of days while they were here and I can honestly say that these guys eat, sleep and breathe music. The only time they stopped playing was to either change guitar strings or go to the store for more beer. These boys live in Tahlequah, OK which is very close to Arkansas in the Ozarks. They are a big fixture in the thriving Oklahoma/Arkansas music scene and regularly play the “A” rooms in Tulsa, OKC, Stillwater, Fayetteville and Norman with such monsters as the Red Dirt Rangers, Wade Bowen, Cody Canada and The Damn Quails. You gotta know your stuff to hang with those pros. The good news is, Joe Mack and Thomas Trapp love our little island and don’t mind the 12 hour drive it takes to get here. We’ll be seeing them fairly regularly and they promised to bring more of their kind with them. At this point, though I haven’t actually been there since I was 12 years old, Oklahoma
One of our all time favorite souls, Randy McAllister, graced us with his yearly visit to the Back Porch last weekend. Randy is a super talented multi-instrumentalist who is among an elite few who fronts the band from the drummer’s chair. I think of Randy as a sort of Levon Helm meets Doyle Bramhall. For the past several years, Randy has showed up with a different band every time… last year it was with blues legend, Andrew” Junior Boy” Jones, in tow. This time (and you really can’t make this stuff up), Randy showed up with a group of young sidemen that was hard to figure out. The way Randy told it, he had moved from his home in East Texas to South Dakota to marry. Now Randy’s not a computer guy but he had a couple of vehicles to sell and decided to give Craigslist a try and quickly found an ad looking for a drummer. As it turned out, it was a Johnny Cash tribute band from Tennessee who was touring the Midwest. Randy responded to the ad, played a couple of gigs and then talked the band into ditching the Johnny Cash wannabee to hit the road with him. The end result is what we saw at the Back Porch on Friday: 16 year old Mya Van Nuys on fiddle, 18 year old Rob Dewan on electric guitar and 23 year old Matt Higgins on bass. I’m here to tell you, these kids played like their hair was on fire. Randy was his usual great self, playing drums, scrub board, harmonica, the pavement, a chair, a table… anything he could find to beat on. I watched him break two drum sticks that night. Keep it coming Mr. McAllister. You never cease to amaze me. I can’t wait to see who you show up with next year.
Independent Thieves come in second… My favorite string band, The Independent Thieves (Corpus Christi, TX) came in a close second in the recent “Battle of the Bands” competition held at the Brewster Street Ice House. The winner of this competition won the honor to open this year’s Ziegfest on October 25 at Whataburger Field for headliners Kevin Fowler, Casey Donahew, Reckless Kelly and Uncle Lucius. This “competition” was actually more of a popularity contest as there were no actual judges. The finalists were picked from an online tally of votes where fans could vote as many times as they wanted. This procedure gathered over 20,000 votes. The four finalists, Costello, No Vacancy, Jake Wade and the
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The Independent Thieves participated in the Battle of the Bands competition at Brewster Steet Ice House last Wednesday night.
DO NOT MISS LIST
Joe Mack and Thomas Trapp played Shorty’s last Saturday night.
October 10, 2013
has officially become my second favorite state, just edging out Louisiana. In the name of music, I’ll try to ignore the “Boomer Sooner” rants they are all obsessed with… not to mention the Longhorn bashing.
Okie invasion: Joe Mack & Thomas Trapp…
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3Oth Annual Pig Party at Shorty’s this weekend…
The Dust Devils will play the 11th Annual Coastal Bender at the Back Porch Saturday night.
in 2011 and the business changed hands to local restaurateur, Edwin Myers, in November of 2012. Myers added, “Miss Rose was a unique person and to celebrate her life is just a part of a Shortys tradition that will continue on. Shortys is a special place. It’s a living museum and a special place in Port Aransas that continues to make history. Come be a part of its history this weekend!” The entertainment this year will be Will Owen Gage (San Antonio, TX) on Friday night from 9-1. On Saturday, Stevie Start (N. Padre Island, TX) will play from 1-4, Antone and the All Stars (Corpus Christi, TX) will play 4:30-8:30 and J.T. Coldfire (Austin, TX) will play 9-1. On Sunday, Ruben Limas and the Rolling Jays (N. Padre Island, TX) will play from 2-6. As always, local yokel Steve Coons will be cooking the pig.
This Weekend…
Also this weekend, Aloha Dave and the Tourists (Corpus Christi, TX) will be at Giggity’s on Friday and Melissa Brooke will Antone and the All Stars will play the Pig be there on Saturday. Tom Gilliam (Austin, Party this Saturday. TX) will get the ball rolling over at the Back Porch for their annual Coastal Bender. This event is hosted each The late Miss Rose Smithey year by Kevin Higgins and the would be proud to know that her Dust Devils (Austin, TX) who will annual Pig Party will continue on play the Porch on Saturday. This at Shorty’s Place in her absence. wild event invites the rabid Dust An island staple since 1946, Devil fans, affectionately known as Shorty’s is known as the “oldest Storm Chasers, to the island each and friendliest” bar in Port A. year to party with their favorite Each year, scores of motorcycle band. I’ve been to a few of these enthusiasts descend on the famous it usually gets pretty crazy. Also on watering hole to pay homage to Friday, the last yearly installment Miss Rose on her birthday. Miss Rose collected pigs, from stuffed J.T. Coldfire will play of the City of Port Aransas’ Sunset toys to salt-and-pepper shakers the 30th Annual Pig Sounds will feature Russell Edge that are hanging or on display Party at Shorty’s this and Shirley Fischer from 7-9 at Saturday. the Patsy Jones Amphitheater in throughout the building. Her Roberts Point Park by the ferry fondness for pigs turned into a free feral hog barbecue, and eventually grew into a landing. This family and dog friendly event “hog rally’’ of upward of 500 motorcycle riders invites you bring your own lawn chairs and ice from around Southwestern United States who chests for this laid back island tradition. helped celebrate the occasion. Miss Rose died And that’s the truth!
Live Music Tonight
Thursday, October 10 Aaron Watson @ Brewster Street Free Beer Band @ Tarpon Ice House Not in the Face @ House of Rock Aaron Watson, Josh Ward @ Brewster Street Neil Edwards @ Dr. Rockits Fabian Rivera @ Scuttlebutt’s Open Mic @ Tango Tea Room
Sunday, October 13... continued John Eric Open Mic @ South Texas Ice House John Eric (3-7) @ Mikel May’s Open Jam w/ Uel Jackson @ Tarpon Ice House Last Resort @ Dr. Rockits
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Friday, October 11 Will Owen Gage @ Shorty’s Aloha Dave & the Tourists @ Giggity’s Travis Tritt, Leroy Parnell @ Concreate Street Russell Edge and Shirley Fisher @ Sunset Sounds Tom Gilliam @ Back Porch Mike Williams @ Tarpon Ice House Christian Colbert @ Mikel May’s Myndfields @ Executive Surf Club Rock & Roll Over (Kiss Tribute), Rich Lockhart @ Brewster Street Skylit Drive, At My Signal, Pvris, I the Mighty @ House of Rock Reno & the Groovegetters @ Dr. Rockits Shadow Moon @ South Texas Ice House Robert Brown @ Scuttlebutt’s Saturday, October 12 30th Annual Pig Party w/ J.T. Coldfire plus Antone & the All Stars and Stevie Start @ Shorty’s Melissa Brooke @ Giggity’s Joan Jett, Quiet Riot, Girl in a Coma, Matt Hole @ Concrete Street Coastal Bender w/ Dust Devils @ Back Porch Ruben Limas (2-6), The Daze @ Mikel May’s Lyrical Bynge @ Executive Surf Club Metal Shop, Rich Lockhart @ Brewster Street Ruben V @ Dr. Rockits Bruce Robison @ Third Coast Theater Sunday, October 13 Antone & the All Stars @ Giggity’s Ruben Limas & the Rolling Jays @ Shorty’s (2-6) Tumble Dry Low @ Bernie’s Beach House Open Jam @ Neptune’s
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Friday night Saturday night Oct. 18 Oct. 19 Oct. 25 Oct. 26
Tuesday, October 15 Steve Aoki, Waka Flocka, Borgore @ Concrete Street Open Mic @ House of Rock John Eric @ Scuttlebutt’s Wednesday, October 16 Open Jam w/ Wolfjaw @ Flats Lounge Vaden Todd Lewis @ House of Rock Rockaholics @ Dr. Rockits Purple Monkey Lasers @ Neptunes Retreat Chris Saenz @ @ Scuttlebutt’s
Thursday, October 17 Whiskey Myers, William Clark Green @ Brewster Street Free Beer Band @ Tarpon 132 W. Cotter Port Aransas,TX Ice House Fayuca, Subrosa Union, Flatbroke @ House of Rock Whiskey Myers, William Clark Green @ Brewster Street th 30 Annual Kevin Hill @ Scuttlebutt’s PIG PARTY This Weekend!!! Open Mic @ Tango Tea Friday Will Owen Gage (9-1) Room Saturday Friday, October 18 Stevie Start (1-4) Antone & the All Stars (4:3053rd Annual Texas Jazz 8:30) J.T. Coldfire (9-1) Fest @ Heritage Park Sunday Ruben Limas & the Rolling Jays (2-6) Red Giant @ Shorty’s OPEN Till 2am • 823 Tarpon St. Port Aransas Three Way Street @ Giggity’s Jerry Diaz & Hanna’s Reef @ Back Porch Christian Colbert @ Mikel May’s Scarecrow People @ Executive Surf Club Mike Williams @ Tarpon Ice House Kip Moore, Bri Bagwell @ Brewster Street Overthrower, Entitlement, Marker Effect, Revisions @ House of Rock Ju Ju Beans @ Dr. Rockits Thom Sheppard @ South Texas Ice House Fabian Rivera @ Scuttlebutt’s
Keepers Horace Caldwell Pier
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Saturday, October 19 53rd Annual Texas Jazz Fest @ Heritage Park Ruben Limas & the Rolling Jays @ Giggity’s Cathouse @ Shorty’s Clay McClinton @ Back Porch Ruben Limas (2-6), Lyrical Bynge @ Mikel May’s