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Three Chords and the Truth By Ronnie Narmour
Garrett) have a well polished, high quality show. Stewart Mann’s voice is beyond good.”
ronnienarmour@gmail.com
The year in review… 2014 was an eventful year. I went back through my last 50 columns and took a little trip down memory lane. The bottom line is I saw a lot of music this year. I tend to only write about the stuff that I like and if I think a band sucks, I generally choose to not write about them instead of raking them through the coals. I came up with a list of ten shows that I found to be the most impressive (in my humble opinion). I’m not going to rate them in a top ten “best of” list, instead I’ll list them chronologically:
The Shelley King Band played Giggity’s last July
- Dirty River Boys 7/31/14 at the Back Porch. I first saw the Dirty River Boys at the House of Rock and later at Brewster Street and was immediately impressed with their passion. They are a four piece band of multi-instrumentalists who only have one speed. I wrote, “…and laid back, huh? Nope… these guys have no stun setting. They’re set on kill every song.” Their four part harmonies and edgy songwriting are turning heads all over country. In fact, they are one of the hottest acts on the red hot Sun Radio in Austin.
-4/17/14 Patrice Pike at The Gaff. I am an old fan of Miss Pike and saw her perform with Sister 7 many, many times. This show was marvelous. This woman has soul oozing out of every pore in her body. In my review I wrote, “This lady is 100% rock and roll spirit and when she found her zone on Saturday night, it was nothing short of magical. I literally had chicken skin the whole time.”
-Mike Stinson 7/24/14 at the Back Porch. My music loving friends in Austin and Houston had been telling me about Mike Stinson for some time. So, I made the effort to go see him one hot Saturday night in Austin at Ginny’s Little Longhorn. The place was packed and the band was on fire. This Virginia native by way of Los Angeles and Houston is one of the most well kept secrets around. His roots gravitate around Gram Parsons as well as the traditionalists, Johnny Cash and George Jones. I wrote, “He’s got the pedigree. Stinson’s show was spirited and original. He didn’t soak us down with tired relics, instead treated our unsuspecting ears to a barrage of sharp as a tack hooks and turn on a
New Year’s Eve…
The Rosellys from Bristol, England played Giggity’s in October. -The Roselly’s 10/9/14 at Giggity’s. This band was a complete surprise. This Bristol, England group showed up with some old friends of mine from San Antonio; The Lavens, and billed themselves as British Americana. And actually, that’s exactly what they were. They were a full band with a brother/sister front, Rebecca and Simon Roselly, who came across as “nothing short of spellbinding.” I wrote, “Rebecca’s voice was pure and driven and the band sounded like they’d played the Texas Roadhouse circuit for the last 20 years. They held the massive crowd captive from the first note.” I thought they were so good that I even followed them to Austin for their show the next night.
Wednesday, Dec. 24 Ty Dietz & Tony Saracene @ Giggitys 10th Annual Tamale Dinner @ House of Rock
Shinyribs aka Kevin Russell played the Back Porch in June.
GIGGITY’S RESTAURANT & BAR Selfie
Dec. 25
Ty Dietz & Tony Saracene Dec. 26 Selfie
Dec. 27
Tiffany
Jan. 2
Jim Dugan
Jan. 3
Coming this week…
This just in… Selfie booked a last minute show at Shorty’s on Christmas night. Spread the word. Also on Thursday, the Free Beer Band will play Giggity’s as always. On Friday the 26th, the blues boys from Austin, Preacher Keen and the Altar Boys will play Giggity’s. Keen will be backed by Mike Milligans band for this performance since all of the musicians have played together many times. Also on Friday, Clarissa Serna is at Brewster Street and Kevin Fowler and Casey Donahew will play Concrete Street. On Saturday, Todd Dorn and the Sea Drifters will play Giggity’s, Duke E. Brown will play Brewster and Selfie returns to Shorty’s. On Tuesday (and every Tuesday until March) the great Paul Taylor will be holding court at Giggity’s form 6:30- 10. You really gotta check out his A team band including Eddie Olivarez on tenor sax.
Ponty Bone and the Squeezetones will play Giggity’s on New Year’s Eve.
The New Year’s Eve line-up is looking like the Ponty Bone and the Squeezetones show at Giggity’s will be the place to be… especially considering there’s NO COVER. Elsewhere, it’s Jul and the Chrome Wheels at the Coast Club… which I heard has sold again, the Rockaholics at Scuttlebutt’s, the Sing-Along Piano Show at Brewster and In Living Color at Dr. Rockits.
♫ ♪ And, that’s the truth! ♪ ♫
Live Music Tonight
-6/26/14 Shinyribs at the Back Porch. Kevin Russell aka Shinyribs and the Gourds front man, more than “knocked it out of the park” I wrote about this quirky genius. I was always a huge Gourds fan, but his Shinyribs alter ego is a force to be reckoned with. “He sang and danced around in bare feet and played his arsenal of strings like he was born with a pick in his mouth. He had more fun than anyone there. I was reduced to a bobble head doll.” -7/10/14 Stewart Mann and Statesboro Revue at Giggity’s. This was a Fourth of July show and I remember thinking how perfect it was for this band to be playing this holiday. Stewart Mann has one of the strongest voices known to man and is often invited to sing the National Anthem at major sporting events. I wrote, “The Mann brothers (Stewart and
Happy Birthday Little Baby Jesus…
If you get this paper in time, I want to invite everyone out to Trinity By the Sea Episcopal Church on Christmas Eve night at 8:00 PM for a nice evening of singing and listening to Christmas carols and celebrating the birth of Jesus. Several locals will be on hand to lead the music including Carol Elliott, Jenna Ward, Aaron Kennigsberg and myself. It’s a really special way to usher in Christmas. The church is located at 433 Trojan Street at Avenue E. in Port Aransas.
The Dirty River Boys played the Back Porch in July.
-7/24/14 Shelley King Band at Giggity’s. I have been keeping up with Shelley King’s career for many years. I confess, I am a disciple. Without a doubt, this lady has one of the strongest, clearest blues-gospel-roots voices anywhere. I used to represent a few top notched female blues belters like Tracy Nelson and Miss Lavelle White and believe me when I tell you, Shelley King can hold her own with the best. She had been showing up at Shorty’s and playing solo gigs for the last couple of years, so this full band endeavor really impressed me. I wrote, “brother, this show rocked and rocked hard.” Calling this gal the “real deal” is an understatement.
DO NOT MISS LIST
dime themes. I heard a new Ely in the making. His polish is raw enough to keep you off guard yet slick enough to steal your lunch money.”
-7/17/14 Ian Moore at House of Rock. I was a fan of Ian Moore’s since the old days in Austin. I used to see him perform on a regular basis when he was a fresh faced blues god. There was a time when he was one of the big boys in town but he moved to Seattle and vanished into obscurity, only surfacing every few years, proclaiming, “I was not cut out for that world.” This show impressed me mostly because I got to observe how he grew and developed into a well rounded artist. I wrote, “It’s definitely rock and roll but a fusion of world music and avant garde where every song is a journey.”
-4/3/14 Merle Haggard at Selina Auditorium. This was my first time to see Merle who is a real idol of mine. Rockin’ Dale Rankin went with me to this show and we had a blast. I was really impressed that this 50 year veteran of the stage played so many B-sides at this concert. He stayed true to his Lefty Frizzell roots.
Patrice Pike played the Gaff last April.
December 24, 2014
Island Moon
Open 11am-2am Daily. Kitchen open til 1am. 722 Tarpon, Port Aransas, TX
Happy Holidays! (361) 749-1540, (361) 749-5555
skydivesouthtexas.com
Lisabellas Bistro & Bar Casual Dining at it’s Finest Celebrating Coastal Cuisine
Open Tuesday - Saturday at 5:00 pm
Friday, Dec. 26 Preecher Keen and the Altar Boys @ Giggity’s Ty Dietz & Tony Saracene @ Shorty’s Clarissa Serna @ Brewster Street Kevin Fowler & Casey Donahew @ Concrete Street Chris Saenz @ Scuttlebutt’s Russell Edge @ The Gaff Vinyl @ Executive Surf Club Reno & the Groovegetters @ Doctor Rockits Saturday, Dec. 27 Todd Dorn & the Sea Drifters @ Giggity’s Selfie @ Shorty’s Russell Edge @ The Gaff Duke E. Brown @ Brewster Street Fabian Rivera @ Scuttlebutt’s Leopold & His Fiction, Blind Owls @ House of Rock Sunshine Collective @ Executive Surf Club Rick Lee & the Night Owls @ Doctor Rockits
132 W. Cotter St. Port A On the Waterfront
Ty Dietz & Tony Saracene Free Beer Band Preacher Keen Todd Dorn Antone & the All Stars Open Jam w/ Selfie Paul Taylor Band (6:30-10)
Dec. 24 Dec. 25 Dec. 26 Dec. 27 Dec. 28 Dec. 29 Dec. 30
PONTY BONE & THE SQUEEZTONES
NEW YEARS EVE
OPEN Till 2am • 823 Tarpon St. Port Aransas
Full Bar & Grill
Happy Hour Drink Specials 11am-7pm Wed-Sun Fresh Gulf Oysters - Daily Food Specials Full Bar- Fresh Food -Family Friendly-Dogs Welcome
361-945-9595, 118 Cut Off Rd., Port Aransas www.dropanchorportaransas.com
Merry Christmas!
5009 Hwy 361 Port A @ Cinnamon Shores
Monday, Dec. 29 Open Jam w/ Selfie @ Giggity’s Darren McGill @ Scuttlebutt’s Open Jam w/ Antone Perez @ Dr. Rockits Tuesday, Dec. 30 Paul Taylor Band (6:30-10) @ Giggity’s Brian & Diana @ Scuttlebutt’s
New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31 Ponty Bone & the Squeeztones @ Giggity’s Rockaholics @ Scuttlebutt’s Sing-Along Piano Bar @ Brewster Street In Living Color @ Doctor Rockits Jul & the Chrome Wheels @ Coast Club Thursday, Jan. 1 Free Beer Band @ Giggity’s Friday, Jan. 2 Ty Dietz Band @ Giggity’s Tiffany @ Shorty’s Russell Edge @ The Gaff Spazmatics @ Brewster Street Saturday, Jan. 3 Shelley King Band @ Giggity’s Jim Dugan @ Shorty’s Russell Edge @ The Gaff Nina Diaz @ House of Rock Sunday, Jan. 4 Mike Williams Jazz Band (11 AM- 3 PM) @ Giggity’s Antone & the All Stars @ Giggity’s Monday, Jan. 5 Open Jam w/ Selfie @ Giggity’s Open Jam w/ Antone Perez @ Dr. Rockits
Sunday, Dec. 28 Antone & the All Stars @ Giggity’s John Eric @ Scuttlebutt’s Mike Williams & Jack Trowbridge (11 AM- 3 PM) @ Giggity’s Mongo Stereo @ Doctor Rockits
945-JUMP 361-749-4222
Christmas, Dec. 25 Free Beer Band @ Giggity’s Selfie @ Shorty’s Make Out Bandits, Wild Ones, Shayna Sands, The Tropical @ House of Rock
HAPPY HOLIDAYS CLOSED UNTIL MARCH
Tuesday, Dec. 30 continued Open Mic @ House of Rock Reno & the Groovegetters @ Doctor Rockits
Tuesday, Jan. 6 Paul Taylor Band (6:3010) @ Giggity’s Open Mic @ House of Rock
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, Jan. 7 Uncle Willy @ Giggity’s PA Rockers @ Bernies Bar Nutz @ House of Rock Thursday, Jan. 8 Free Beer Band @ Giggity’s Aaron Watson, Clayton Gardner @ Brewster Street Audic Empire @ House of Rock