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Three Chords and the Truth By Ronnie Narmour ronnienarmour@gmail.com
Scattered shots… It’s been another super week of great live music in my world! I joined some friends for Carol Elliott’s performance at the all new Black Marlin Bar and Grill at the Palmilla Beach Golf Resort last Thursday. I gotta say, it was a very nice setting for this early evening show. I believe they plan to make these Thursday shows a regular event. Carol Elliott I know Uel Jackson is performed at the playing there next week. new Black Marlin On Friday, our pals Bar and Grill last from Austin, Mandy week in Port A Rowden and Billy Abel, returned to Shorty’s for an outstanding performance. I really love those guys. They have a special chemistry I haven’t seen since Noel McKay and Brennan Leigh. On Saturday, I had two shows on my agenda: Jake Ward and the Coastal Riders at Giggity’s and The Dirty River Boys (El Paso, TX) at Brewster Street Ice House. Jake Ward is the new kid on the block that has my ears perked. He won the “battle of the bands” competition at Brewster last year where the winner got to open Ziegfest. My fiddling buddy, Owen Fitzsimmons (Independent Thieves) plays with them occasionally and told me to check ‘em out. I must say these young lads are fresh and tight and did an outstanding job. The crowd absolutely loved them. They played all the happening Americana hits with a smattering of originals, and did so with enthusiasm, showing real talent and stage presence. Watch for the boys… they’re going be somebody someday. The Dirty River Boys have easily become one of my favorite bands. They have a special brand of “outlaw folk” that is all their own. It’s fast and rowdy, yet gentle and harmonic at the same time. Their show at Brewster was fairly well attended, but everyone there was definitely one of those rabid fans who knew all the words to every song. They’ll be at the Back Porch at the end of July.
Jake Ward and the Coastal Riders played Giggity’s last Saturday DO NOT MISS LIST SandFest 2014… The big news this weekend is SandFest 2014. By the time you read this column, our little sandbar will have been invaded by, shall we say, a whole bunch of people… as in several multitudes. Last year’s numbers were around 100,000, so get ready for a traffic snarl of monstrous proportions. Trust me and take advantage of the shuttle services at Sharkey’s
and Robert’s Point Park or find some way to circumvent the traffic by walking or biking… and set your patience meter to high. But, once you get out there, it’s well worth the effort. This family friendly event is our shining star. A small army of professional and amateur sand sculptors will spend three days creating the most mind blowing creations you can imagine.
SandFest weekend is upon us. Here sculptors are seen in the early stages of creating Monument Mountain. Photo by Miles Merwin And that’s not all! There is non-stop music, food and craft vendors of every description and even sandcastle building lessons for kids. I’ll be playing stage manager at the music tent this year, so stop by and say howdy. Here’s the band schedule: Friday: Jared Clark (12-2), Mike Stites (2:30-4), Melissa Brooke Band (4:306:30) Saturday: Rae Ann & the Ride (10-12), Triggerfish (12:30-2), Mike Milligan and the Altar Boys (2:304), Passing Strangers (4:30-6:30)
Melissa Brooke played SandFest 2012, 2013 and will play twice this year. This pic is from 2012.
Sunday: Ken & Mike Show (10-11), Sand Band (11:30-1), Kara & the Dam Band (1:30-3:30), Awards Ceremony (3:30-4:30), Melissa Brooke Band (4:30-6:30)
Shelley King… To say there’s a lot going on in town this weekend is a gross understatement. On Friday, one of the greatest blues/gospel/ roots voices on the planet, Shelley King, will grace the little stage at Shorty’s with a solo performance. This woman is literally all Shelley King will over the map. Aside from play Shorty’s on her solo performance, Friday. she tours and performs regularly with several musical units including Carolyn Wonderland, Girls With Bad Intentions (Lisa Morales and Robyn Ludwick), the Young Ancients (members of the great New Orleans roots band the Subdudes) and her own band of ever changing stellar Austin musicians. Shelley was named the official “Texas State Musician” in 2008 by Governor Rick Perry and shares those honors with Willie Nelson, Billy Joe Shaver and Ray Benson.
Patrice Pike… The great Patrice Pike (Austin, TX) will be playing at the Gaff (8-11) on Saturday. This
Open 11am to 5pm Sunday Noon-3 Closed Monday
Free Beer Band Lyrical Bynge Mike Milligan Antone & the All Stars OPEN JAM Tiffany Tuesday Neil Austin Imber
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show is brought to you through the efforts of Father James Derkits at Trinity By the Sea Episcopal Church in Port A. Father James befriended Pike in Houston some years back and found spiritual inspiration in her songs. She will also be singing a song at Trinity next morning, which happens to be Psalm Sunday. Billboard Magazine proclaimed the 43 year old singersongwriter “one of the finest up and coming contemporary rock singers in America.” She recorded with her band Sister 7 for the major label, Arista Records.
Larry Joe, Mike Milligan, Matt Hole…
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Also on Saturday, Larry Joe Taylor (Stephenville, TX) will play the Porch, the 80’s dance band Passing Stranger (San Antonio, TX) will play Stingrays, Patrice Pike will the “in your face” play the Gaff on funky rockers, Vallejo (Austin, TX) will be April 12th. at the Executive Surf Club and the always happening in a big way, Mike Milligan and the Altar Boys (Austin, TX) will play a show at Giggity’s after their SandFest performance earlier that day. And finally on Saturday, the oldest and friendliest, Shorty’s Place, will be celebrating their 68th birthday with music by Stevie Start (4-7:30) and Matt Hole and the
Joe Mack and Carter Sampson will play Shorty’s on April 25-26. Bagwell at Brewster Street. That’s a HOT ticket! On Friday the 18th, the adorable Rankin Twins will play the Back Porch and everybody’s pal, Jim Dugan, will be at Shorty’s. On Saturday the 19th, blues master Ruben V will play the Porch for the first time this season and Melissa Brooke will play Giggity’s. Easter Sunday, April 20th, marks the return of the Sandy Bottom Boys. The SBB’s are an old timey gospel band made up of island locals who get together once a year to play the Easter sunrise service at Robert’s Point Park. The band is made up of yours truly on acoustic guitar, Tiffany Duckworh on acoustic guitar, Father James on acoustic guitar, Steve Goldstein on mandolin, Crawford Brown on stand up bass, Ty Morris on acoustic guitar, Barney Farley on fiddle, Tim Burdick on banjo and Preecher Williams on drums. We all sing and do songs like Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Amazing Grace, Turn Your Radio On, The River of Jordan and Are You Washed in the Blood. Can you think of a better way to start you Easter off? I don’t want to brag, but we rock.
On the horizon…
Matt Hole and the Hot Rod Gang will play Shorty’s 68th Birthday on Saturday. Hot Rod Gang (8-12). They’ll have free BBQ in the afternoon. Stop by and pay homage to this legendary island shrine.
Next week… On Sunday the 13th, the House of Rock will begin a new monthly series they’ll call Corpus Christi Songwriters hosted by Hope and Hostility. There’s a ton of great acoustic talent in Corpus and I hope to make some of these shows. On Wednesday the 16th, Giggity’s has begun booking solo artists to play 8-12 and this week the up and the coming Americana talent of Neil Austin Imber will make his debut. On Thursday the 17th, Americana heavyweight, Roger Creager, will play a show with Bri
A little farther down the line on April 2526, our favorite Okies, Joe Mack and Carter Sampson, will play Shorty’s. That one is definitely a DO NOT MISS and I’ll be talking more about that show as we get closer. J.T. Coldfire (Austin, TX) will be playing a CD release party at Giggity’s on the 25th. And on the 26th Lisa Morales will play the Porch and Todd Dorn will play Giggity’s. On May 2nd, the phenomenal Hold Fast Fables (Galveston, TX) will return to Shorty’s and on the 3rd, the amazing Austin Heat will hit town for a two nighter. Also on the 3rd, the original “holler and a swaller” man, Thomas Michael Riley will return to the Porch. And way down the road, watch for shows by W.C. Clark, The Rusty Brothers, blacktopGYPSY, Jesse Dayton, Aloha Dave and the Tourists, Billy Snipes, Rotel and the Hot Tomatoes, Larry Joe Taylor, The Derailers, Charlie Robison, The Tejas Brothers, Uncle Lucius, The Whiskey Sisters, Shinyribs, Joe King Carrasco, Statesboro Revue and Two Tons of Steel.
♫ ♪ And that’s the truth! ♫ ♪
Live Music Tonight
Thursday, April 10 Free Beer Band @ Giggity’s Aaron Watson, Rankin Twins @ Brewster Street Double R Nothing @ Katz 21 Mad Caddies, Mrs. Skannotto, Love Handles @ House of Rock Robert Brown @ Scuttlebutt’s Starlite & the Moonbeams @ Dr. Rockits Triggerfish @ Stingrays
Friday, April 11 SandFest Jared Clark (12-2), Mike Stites (2:30-4), Melissa Brooke (4:30-6:30) @ SandFest Lyrical Bynge @ Giggity’s Shelley King @ Shorty’s Gary P. Nunn @ Back Porch Sand Band @ Stingrays Double R Nothing @ Katz 21 Scarecrow People @ Brewster Street Adam Carroll, Chris Carroll, Hope & Hostility @ House of Rock Ray T & the City Crew @ Flats Lounge Kevin Hill @ Scuttlebutt’s Reno & the Groovegetters @ Dr. Rockits Issac Pineda, DJ Natural @ Boat House Bar & Grill Bill & Kate Isles @ Rialto Theater Saturday, April 12 SandFest Rae Ann & the Ride (1012), Triggerfish (12:30-2), Mike Milligan (2:30-4), Passing Strangers (4:306:30) @ SandFest Mike Milligan & the Altar Boys @ Giggity’s 68th Anniversay Show w/ Matt Hole, Stevie Start @ Shorty’s Patrice Pike @ Gaff Vallejo @ Executive Surf Club Larry Joe Taylor @ Back Porch 2nd Saturday Sing-Along Piano Show @ Brewster Street
Gary P. Nunn Larry Joe Taylor Rankin Twins Ruben V Scarecrow People Lisa Morales
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Saturday, April 12 SandFest Continued Passing Strangers @ Stingrays Shadow Moon @ Katz 21 Local Licks @ House of Rock Fabian Rivera @ Scuttlebutt’s Barney Sledge & the Sledgehammers @ Dr. Rockits
Sunday , April 13 SandFest Ken & Mike Show (10-11), Sand Band (11:30-1), Kara & the Dam Band (1:303:30), Melissa Brooke (4:30-6:30) @ SandFest Antone & the All Stars @ Giggity’s CC Songwriters @ House of Rock John Eric @ Scuttlebutt’s Monday, April 14 Open Jam w/ Stevie Start @ Giggity’s Open Jam w/ Ray Summy @ Executive Surf Club Open Jam w/ Antone Perez @ Dr. Rockits Tuesday, April 15 Tiffany Tuesday @ Giggity’s Open Mic @ House of Rock Puddle of Mud @ Brewster Street John Eric @ Scuttlebutt’s Run Down Legend @ Dr. Rockits Wednesday, April 16 Neil Austin Imber @ Giggity’s Wolfjaw @ Flats Lounge Fabian Rivera @ Scuttlebutt’s Kicking Dynamite @ Dr. Rockits
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Thursday, April 17 Free Beer Band @ Giggity’s Roger Creager, Bri Bagwell @ Brewster Street Double R Nothing @ Katz 21 Inner Circle, Ashes of Babylon, Flatbroke @ House of Rock Robert Brown @ Scuttlebutt’s Starlite & the Moonbeams @ Dr. Rockits