A 16
Three Chords and the Truth
March 12, 2015
Island Moon
By Ronnie Narmour ronnienarmour@gmail.com
South by Southwest… The 29th annual South By Southwest (SXSW) Music and Film Conference kicked off in Austin this week. The conference will feature over 2,200 musical performances on over 100 stages. This music event has grown from 700 registrants in 1987 to nearly 12,000 registrants. SXSW Film and SXSW Interactive events have grown every year, most recently bringing around 15,000 to 20,000 registrants to Austin every March. Bands must cover their own expenses for travel and lodging at the event. All performers are offered a cash payment ($100 for solo acts or $250 for bands) or a wristband package that allows access to all music events. SXSW is the highest revenue-producing event for the Austin economy, with an estimated economic impact of $190.3 million in 2012 increasing to $218 million in 2013. So the deal is, this is one money making monster. Wrist bands start at $695 and go up to $1745 for the Platinum package. But,
Old school Austin troubadour Fletcher Clark played Shorty’s last Friday
Beau Walker played Giggity’s last Saturday he really knows his stuff. Consequently, the Thieves’ shows are stocked full of classic folk song and their delivery is always spot on. I’ve noticed that they are playing more and more high profile gigs in Corpus and seem to taking off. They deserve it.
DO NOT MISS LIST The Back Porch got off to a slow start last week when the weather decided NOT to cooperate. They cancelled both their shows with Davin James and Scarecrow People. This week they’ll try it again and hope the weather man is right when he says, “warm and dry.” Tonight,
Ulrich Ellison and bassist Sabine played Giggity’s last Friday night
Snoop Dogg will be the keynote speaker at SXSW this year it’s entirely possible for an unknown to make it big at SXSW…. Just ask John Mayer. This year the keynote speaker is Snoop Dogg… I can’t make this stuff up. In years past keynote speakers have included Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga, Bob Geldorf, Smokey Robinson, Quincy Jones, Lou Reed, Pete Townshend, Neil Young, Robert Plant, Little Richard, Carl Perkings, Johnny Cash, Gov. Ann Richards, Kinky Friedman and Huey Meaux. Musical highlights this year include Ryan Bingham, Best Coast, Arcade Fire’s Will Butler, Diarrhea Planet, Viet Cong, Palma Violets, Houndmouth, Jukebox the Ghost, Delicate Steve, Rubblebucket, along with locals Max Frost, Riders Against the Storm, Ringo Deathstarr, Wild Child, Roger Sellers and more. Really… Diarrhea Planet?
The week in review… I saw some new faces on the stages last week. I feel like I’ve been chasing my tail lately, so it was nice to see Giggity’s debut some new talent. An old school Austin troubadour, Fletcher Clark, played a solo performance on Wednesday. I first met Fletcher in Austin in the early 70’s when he played with one of the early Armadillo World Headquarters pioneer bands, Balcones Fault. His show was 100% original material and drew a crowd of Austin ex-pats and aging hippies… of which there is no shortage in Port A (myself included.) On Friday, Austrian blues rocker Ulrich Ellison (Austin, TX) blew into town and pretty much blew our socks off. This guy had rock star written all over him. He definitely has the look and it came as no surprise
that he billed his sound as a “Viking Blues and Symphonic Rock .” His band consisted of his wife Sabine on (most excellent) bass and Mike Davila on drums. Davila’s drum kit had seven sets of cymbals and looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. Ellison came out of the shoot playing his guitar with a bow, ala’ Jimmy Page. He played fast and clean and worked the crowd like a seasoned pro. It was a mighty impressive show. I’m hoping they get him back. On Saturday, the tone changed from European rock star to South Texas redneck rock when Beau Walker (Kingsville, TX) broke out his Strat. I knew this was going to be a killer show when I watched them load-in a Hammond organ and Leslie speaker cabinet. His first words over the mic were, “Let’s play some Skynyrd.” It was a lowdown, rompin’, stompin’ lesson in good old South Texas rock and roll and I loved it. Also on Saturday, our pals The Independent Thieves (Corpus Christi, TX) played a show at Shorty’s as a duo. Garrett Wieland and David King held the post down, but fiddler Owen Fitzsimmons had duties elsewhere (presumably with Jake Ward.) I’ve become quite fond of these extremely talented and gracious young men over the past couple of years. Garrett hosts a radio show on the local NPR station every Sunday called, “Some Call It Folk” and
The Turnpike Troubadours will play Brewster Street on the 18th
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Free Beer Band
March 12
Bubba Westly Band
March 13
Shelley King Band
March 14
Antone & the All Stars
March 15
Open Jam w/ Selfie
March 16
Paul Taylor Band
March 17
Tiffany Tuesday
March 18
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Formerly the Fish House & Upper Deck Newly Remodeled and Under New Management Fresh Look and New Faces Open for Lunch & Dinner Live Music
224 E Cotter, Port A (361) 749-1947
The Tyler Rogers Band will play the Back Porch tonight. Thursday the 12th there are several hot shows to consider. Guitar wizard Ian Moore returns to the House of Rock with his band the Lossy Coils. John Cortez and Hilda Lamas. Moore is an Austin native who I remember from many, many shows back in the 80’s and 90’s. He was a guitar god, of sorts, and had a good deal of national success. At one point he traded in his shredding blues licks for a softer singersongwriter persona and moved to Seattle, stating that he wasn’t cutout for fame. Also on
Ian Moore will play the House of Rock tonight.
Thursday, Americana star Chris Knight will play Brewster Street and the Tyler Rogers Band (McKinney, TX) will play the Back Porch. On Friday the 13th, the Bubba Westly Band will drag some red dirt into Giggity’s, guitar slinging bad girl, Mandy Rowden will return to Shorty’s in support of her new CD “These Bad Habits”, the Mark Monaco Band (San Antonio, TX) will bring his outlaw twang to the Back Porch and ex-pat Melissa Brooke and Mike Stites will play an early show at the Drop Anchor from 2-5. This will be Melissa’s first appearance in Port A since October. On Saturday the 14th, Miss Bad to the Bone, Shelley King will play Giggity’s with her full band. That is definitely a DO NOT MISS show. Also on Saturday, Tiffany Tuesday will play her last Port A performance (Shorty’s) until her return from the Bahamas next September and the Latin jazz duo, Hot Pickles will play the La Playa Mexican Grille in Port A. On Tuesday the 17th, Nick Verzosa and Noble Union (College Station, TX) will bring their country sounds to the Porch. On Thursday the 18th, there is a BIG show at Brewster Street with the Dirty River Boys (El Paso, TX), Turnpike Troubadours (Tahlequah, OK), Johnny Burke plus Mike and the Moonpies (Austin, TX)… that will be a blow-out. Also on the 18th, the Back Porch will host a reggae show with Alvin and the Slickpunks (Alvin, TX). That ought to keep you busy for a while.
♫ ♪ And that’s the truth! ♫ ♪
Live Music Tonight Thursday, March 12 Free Beer Band @ Giggity’s Tyler Rogers Band @ Back Porch Robert Brown @ Scuttlebutt’s Chris Knight @ Brewster Street Ice House Ian Moore & the Lossy Coils, John Cortez, Hilda Lamas @ House of Rock Friday, March 13 Bubba Westly Band @ Giggity’s Mandy Rowden @ Shorty’s Mark Monaco Band @ Back Porch Melissa Brooke, Mike Stites (2-5) @ Drop Anchor Chris Saenz @ Scuttlebutt’s Unrehearsed & Unashamed @ Wild Horse Saloon Saturday, March 14 Shelley King Band @ Giggity’s Tiffany @ Shorty’s Cruise Control @ Back Porch Hot Pickles @ La Playa Jason Phillps @ Scuttlebutt’s 2nd Saturday Sing-Along Piano Show @ Brewster Street Ice House Bass Break, Ragyd, DJ Benvy, Golstein, Darth Gater @ House of Rock Steven James, Adam Holloway, Shae Vivant @ Cassidy’s Irish Pub
Tyler Rogers Band
March 12
Mark Monaco Band
March 13
Cruise Control
March 14
Nick Verzosa & Noble Union
March 17
Alvin & the Slickpunks
March 18
Moonlight Social
March 19
Statesboro Revue
March 20
Cody Bryan Band
March 21
132 W. Cotter St. Port A On the Waterfront
Mandy Rowden March 13 Tiffany Tuesday March 14 Ty Dietz & Tony Saracene March 20 Ruben & the Rolling Jays March 21 Billy Snipes March 27 Hold Fast Fables March 28 OPEN Till 2am • 823 Tarpon St. Port Aransas
Full Bar & Grill Melissa Brooke & Mike Stites (2-5) Rich Lockhart (5-8) Rich Lockhart (7-10) Jim Dugan (6-9)
March 13 March 14 March 20 March 21
361-945-9595, 118 Cut Off Rd., Port Aransas www.dropanchorportaransas.com
Sunday, March 15 Antone & the All Stars @ Giggity’s John Eric @ Scuttlebutt’s
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Monday, March 16 Open Jam w/ Selfie @ Giggity’s Blake Sparx @ Scuttlebutt’s
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Tuesday, March 17 Nick Verzosa & The Noble Union @ Back Porch Paul Taylor Band @ Giggity’s Open Mic @ House of Rock Darren McGill @ Scuttlebutt’s Wednesday, March 18 Tiffany @ Giggity’s Alvin & the Slickpunks @ Back Porch Bar Nutz @ House of Rock
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Wednesday, March 18 continued... Rich Lockhart @ Scuttlebutt’s Turnpike Troubadours, Dirty River Boys, Johnny Burke, Mike & the Moonpies @ Brewster Street Thursday, March 19 Free Beer Band @ Giggity’s Moonlight Social @ Back Porch Hot Pickles @ La Playa High Water Gamble @ Cassidy’s Irish Pub Aaron Watson @ Brewster Street Ice House Fabian Rivera @ Scuttlebutt’s Santana @ Selena Auditorium Memphis May Fire, Crown the Empire, Dance Gavin Dance @ House of Rock Friday, March 20 Paul Orta @ Giggity’s Ty Dietz & Tony Saracene @ Shorty’s Statesboro Revue @ Back Porch Unrehearsed & Unashamed @ Wild Horse Saloon Chris Saenz @ Scuttlebutt’s High Water Gamble @ Cassidy’s Irish Pub Two Tons of Steel @ House of Rock Ruben V @ Vino Mio Social Club Tribal Seeds, Fortunate Youth, The Movement, Leilani Wolfgramm, SensaMotion @ Concrete Street Saturday, March 21 Todd Dorn & the Sea Drifters @ Giggity’s Ruben & the Rolling Jays @ Shorty’s Cody Bryan Band @ Back Porch Metal Shop @ Brewster Street Ice House Robert Brown @ Scuttlebutt’s Circa Survive, Balance & Composure, Chon @ House of Rock Randy Rogers Band & Friends @ Concrete Street Amphitheater Sunday, March 22 Antone & the All Stars @ Giggity’s