A 16
Island Moon
February 27, 2014
Three Chords and the Truth Port A Mardi Gras Parade & Ponty Bone…
By Ronnie Narmour ronnienarmour@gmail.com
On a foggy night in the Gulf of Mexico…
Todd Dorn performed along with Amy Myers and Woody Lawson at Giggity’s last Friday night Ponty Bone and the Squeezetones will play Giggity’s on Fat Tuesday, March 4th. Then on Fat Tuesday, March 4th, the action is definitely on the streets and in the bars of Port A Ghost ship. The Polyanna docked up when the 19th Annual Mardi Gras Parade finally during dense fog in Port A arrives. The “floats” (and I use the term loosely) line-up in front of the Gaff on Beach Street It’s time to wipe February off the map and all afternoon. There is no official registration. welcome March… the gateway to Spring, or Anyone and everyone is welcome to be in this as we call it in Texas, the ten minutes between parade, just get in line. The parade will depart Winter and Summer. And on the “just to state the Gaff (ground zero) at 5:00 and head west the obvious” front, how about that fog lately? down Beach Street to Alister, make a right to The weather guys call it “sea fog”… something Cotter, jog around the flat’s area and go left at about the temperatures of the land, the sea and the Tarpon Inn to Station Street then go right, the air not being in sync. It was so thick last back down to Beach. Last year the head met night, you couldn’t see more than a quarter mile. the tail. It was the biggest parade so far and I really dig it. In my little pea brain, Sherlock parade founder, Janet Planet, tells me she Holmes is lurking around every corner and expects this year to be even bigger. As far as I think I just spotted the Loch Ness Monster. live music is concerned, I know Giggity’s will Where I live, by the wetlands near the ship have the great accordion master, Ponty Bone channel, I hear loud fog horns blasting all night and the Squeezetones (Austin, TX) playing from the big ships… this is perfect fodder for a directly after the parade (approximately 6:00) mystery novel. Throw in some coyotes howling and Shorty’s will have the Mike Williams and and a deranged man in a powered wheel chair Rocky Arnold Dixie Land Jazz Band playing rolling down the streets at midnight and we may on the porch as the parade goes by and will have something. Wait a minute, that’s all real continue to play through the evening. Also, the PA Rockers will be playing at Bernie’s. There stuff around here (no offense Greg). is no cover for any of these shows and if you’ve Barefoot Mardi Gras & Earfood… never seen Ponty Bone, you’re in for a real treat. Ponty knows the inside of a roadhouse like the back of his squeeze box. This is rompin’ stompin’ zydeco roots and blues at its best and NOT TO BE MISSED. I think they’ll probably have some mud bugs or etoufe’ and Hurricane specials going on… the owner, Edwin Myers, is from Southern Louisiana. And this just in, The Gaff will have live music on their front stage from Jef With One F. Miss Neesie and Earfood will play Barefoot
Mardi Gras on Padre Island March 1st. Depending on your point of view, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is: IT’S MARDI GRAS TIME!!! And I have some great parties to tell you about. The bad news is: Mardi Gras will be immediately followed by Spring Break where a kazillion crazed college students will descend upon us with little or no mercy… not to mention the battalion of cops sent here to maintain order by micro-inspecting our every move. But, let’s talk about the good stuff… the 5th Annual Barefoot Mardi Gras Parade and Party will hit the beaches of Padre Island this Saturday, March 1st. This family friendly parade will start at 12:00 on Ranch Road 22 at the beach and the “adults only” party afterwards will go from 6-9 at the Briscoe King Pavillion on Padre Balli Road and features the rockin’ roots and zydeco big band, Miss Neesie and the Earfood (San Antonio, TX). I’ve been to several of these soirees and will attest, these people know how to throw down. The $25-$30 ticket price includes a traditional Louisiana style dinner and usually sells out (get your tickets early www. barefootmardigras.com). This event goes to benefit the Big Brothers and Sisters Foundation.
Music by Todd Dorn and the Sea Drifters, a silent auction, a cake walk, a Cajun lotto and food vendors. This event goes to benefit the Jody McCormick Vocational Scholarship Fund.
SXSW is back… The mother of all music conferences, South by South West (SXSW), will flood the streets of Austin (March 7-16) for the 27th time since 1987. This music event has grown from 700 registrants in 1987 to approximately 47,000 registrants every March. The conference has become the world’s leading music industry event offering a multitude of panels, talks, Trade Show, Music Gear Expo and other conference activities at the Austin Convention Center. At night the city is saturated with musical performances from over 2,200 regional, national and international acts at over 100 stages around the city. Keynote speakers in past years have included David
Free Beer Band
Feb. 27
Riptide
Feb. 28
Three Way Street
March 1
Antone & the All Stars
March 2
PONTY BONE & THE SQUEEZETONES March 4 Red Giant Ruben & the Rolling Jays
March 7
March 8
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Cody Canada and the Departed played Brewster Street on Feb. 27th the 28th, blues diva Catherine Denise (Austin, TX) will play Dr. Rockits and the oldies band so popular with Winter Texans every Tuesday at Giggity’s, Riptide, will play a big “Winter Texan Final Blow-out Party” at Giggity’s this Friday from 8- midnight. On Saturday, March 1st, Americana pretty boy, Mark McKinney will play the Third Coast Theater, Uel Jackson will play Shorty’s, boot scooters, Three Way Street will play Giggity’s and country crooner, Doug Stone will be at the South Texas Ice House.
Coming next weekend…
Around town last weekend… I saw several good shows around the island last week. Trop-rocker Jerry Diaz (Beaumont, TX) played a show at Shorty’s to a flock of raucous Parrot Heads. Those guys are party animals. I also caught shows by Todd Dorn and the Sea Drifters (San Antonio, TX), Lyrical Bynge (Corpus Christi, TX) at Giggity’s and Tiffany Tuesday at Shorty’s. Also, Larry Joe Taylor (Stephenville, TX) and Richard Leigh (Nashville, TN) had a show at the Third Coast Theater and were running around town all weekend. I saw them a couple of times at Shorty’s and Giggity’s just hanging out. BTW, you really do need to catch Todd Dorn if you haven’t already. He’s really something special.
DO NOT MISS LIST Coming this weekend… Red
Dirt
fave,
Cody
Sharkey’s 8th Annual Mardi Gras Trop Rocker Jerry Canada and the Departed, will play Brewster Street Diaz entertained tonight, Thursday the 27th. Festival… And to round out our Mardi Gras celebrations, a big crowd of I’ve seen that show at Parrot Heads Brewster and can tell you Sharkey’s Beach Club will have their 8th Annual Mardi Gras Festival on Saturday, March 8th at Shorty’s last this… these guys are chick magnets. Really! On Friday, Friday with Weiner (and Small) Dog Races, Live
GIGGITY’S RESTAURANT & BAR
FINE ART Paintings • Sculpture • Jewelry • Photography • Glass • Fish Prints • Antiques • Bronzes • And More...
Grohl, Bruce Springstein, Bob Geldof, Smokey Robinson, Quincy Robinson, Lou Reed, Pete Townshend, Neil Young, Robert Plant, Little Richard, Daniel Lanois, Robbie Robertson, Ray Davies, Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, Nick Lowe, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Gov. Ann Richards, Michelle Shocked, Willie Nelson, Rosanne Cash, Kinky Friedman, Bob Guccione and Huey Meaux. A “Music Badge” that only gets you into the SXSW sanctioned music showcases will run you about $800. The Platinum Badge, which will get you into every event will set you back as much as $1700… (its cheaper the earlier you order). At 47,000 participants, you do the math. It’s sure grown since the early 90’s when I used to go.
Davin James will play the Back Porch on March 7th Our old buddy, Davin James (Spring, TX) has the honors of playing the first show this season at the Back Porch on Friday, March 7th. Also on the 7th, Red Giant will be at Giggity’s and Stevie Start will be at Shorty’s. On Saturday, the 8th, the great Folk Family Revival (Houston, TX) will play the Porch, Aaron Einhouse will play the South Texas Ice House, Two Tons of Steel (San Antonio, TX) will play House of Rock and Jim Dugan will be at Shorty’s. On Tuesday, March 11th, the Back Porch will host a big reggae show with Cassette Tape, Alvin and the Slickpunks and DJ Ragyd.
♫ ♪ And, that’s the truth! ♫ ♪
Live Music Tonight
Thursday, February 27 Free Beer Band @ Giggity’s AC ED, Flix, Murk @ House of Rock Fabian Rivera @ Scuttlebutt’s Cody Canada & The Departed @ Brewster Street
Friday, February 28 Riptide @ Giggity’s Russell Edge @ Shorty’s Danny & Taxi Piano Sing Along @ South Texas Ice House Medicare Band (6-9) @ Sharkey’s Ray T & the City Crew @ Flats Catherine Denise @ Dr. Rockits Robert Brown @ Scuttlebutt’s Flashback @ Executive Surf Club Daves Duo @ Katz 21 Saturday, March 1 Three Way Street @ Giggity’s Uel Jackson @ Shorty’s Mark McKinny @ Third Coast Theater Miss Neesie & Earfood @ Barefoot Mardi Gras Doug Stone @ South Texas Ice House Jon Wolfe, Jason Suthern @ Brewster Street First Saturday Jam @ Farley Boat Works Hilda Lamas @ Executive Surf Club Chris Saenz @ Scuttlebutt’s Now & Zen @ Katz 21 Sunday , March 2 Antone & the All Stars @ Giggity’s John Eric @ Scuttlebutt’s Monday, March 3 Open Mic @ Scuttlebutt’s Open Jam @ Dr. Rockits Fat Tuesday, March 4 Ponty Bone & the Squeezetones @ Giggity’s Mike Williams & Rocky Arnold Dixie Land Jazz @ Giggity’s PA Rockers @ Bernies Open Mic @ House of Rock John Eric @ Scuttlebutt’s The Groove @ Katz 21
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Wednesday, March 5 Wolfjaw @ Flats Lounge Run Down Legend @ House of Rock Stevie Start @ Scuttlebutt’s PA Rockers @ Bernies
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Thursday, March 6 Free Beer Band @ Giggity’s Curtis Grimes, JR Castillo @ Brewster Street Chris Saenz @ Scuttlebutt’s Tribal Seeds, New Kingston, Inna Vision @ House of Rock
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Davin James March 7 Folk Family Revival March 8 Casette Tape + The Slickpunks March 11 Cody Angel Della Mae Cruise Control
March 13 March 14 March 15
Russell Edge
Feb. 28
Uel Jackson
March 1
MIKE WILLIAMS DIXIE LAND JAZZ
March 4
Friday, March 7 Red Giant @ Giggity’s Davin James @ Back Porch Stevie Start @ Shorty’s Dave’s Duo @ South Texas Ice House Spazmatics @ Brewster Street Trysum @ Executive Surf Club ArtWalk @ House of Rock Kevin Hill @ Scuttlebutt’s The Groove @ Katz 21
Saturday, March 8 Ruben & the Rolling Jays @ Giggity’s Stevie Start March 7 Folk Family Revival @ Jim Dugan March 8 Back Porch Jul & the Chrome Wheels March 14-15 Jim Dugan @ Shorty’s Independent Thieves March 21 16th Annual Mardi Gras OPEN Till 2am • 823 Tarpon St. Port Aransas Fest w/ Todd Dorn & the Sea Drifters @ Sharkey’s Aaron Einhouse @ South Texas Ice House 2nd Saturday Sing-Along Piano Show @ Brewster Street 2 Chainz, Kirko Bangz, Bun B @ Concrete Street Myndfields @ Executive Surf Club Robert Brown @ Scuttlebutt’s Trisum @ Katz 21 Two Tons of Steel, Neal Edwards, Reckless Abandon, Hope & Hostility @ House of Rock
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Sunday , March 9 Antone & the All Stars @ Giggity’s Fuel, Cage the Gods, The Hunger @ Brewster Street Ghost Town, In Memory of, Through Disheartened Veins, At My Signal @ House of Rock John Eric @ Scuttlebutt’s