April 7,2011 by Maroon Weekly

Issue 197 | April 7, 2011

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How to survive Chilifest

Publisher Mick Maynard Caviar Dreams: Font

Business Manager Andrea Maynard Editor in Chief Chris Shepperd MANAGING EDITOR Chris Zebo Design/Layout Cara Matocha, C2-Studios Inc. writers

By Kassie Cessna The biggest thing that happens in Snook, Texas isn’t a basketball game, or a livestock show, but instead a country music festival with thousands of people drinking beer, and having a chili cook off. This is known as Chilifest. Chilifest is very unique in the fact that it’s a giant party for a GREAT cause! It’s a fundraiser that’s fun and includes some of people’s favorite things: drinking beer, listening to good music, and eating. What’s there not to love? But the real question is how do thousands of people get there? Bus? Car? Plane? Hot air balloon? There are numerous ways to get there and I discovered a few crazy ways people get there, and a few normal ways. A way that Chilifest helps to not promote drinking and driving is by offering a free park and ride from the Texas Hall of Fame. You simply park there, and get on a bus and they take you the site. It’s a great deal, and I’ve run into numerous people who have done this, or they get dropped off at the Hall and picked up so they aren’t drunk driving. Also, after Chilifest the Hall has the largest Chilifest after party, which is convenient since that is where the park and ride is. One of the craziest ways heard of to get to Chilifest is by hitchhiking. This is how Erin Groth got to Chilifest last year.

“I just kind of walked around campus and saw people loading coolers and asked them if I could hitch a ride to Chilifest.” Groth said. It worked for her because all of her friends went Friday night so all she needed was a ride there on Saturday morning because she would ride back with her friends. “It did the job, and those people were really cool, I see them at Northgate occasionally,” Grothe said. For most people the “normal” way to get to Chilifest is to take a car full of people and get there early Saturday morning when the gates open, and stay until the end. There are out of town teams, and rumors are teams fly from all around the country to come to Chilifest. That’s dedication, and awesome! From hitchhiking to carpooling to park and ride, there is a way for YOU to get to Chilifest this weekend. No matter which way it is, please be sure to designate a driver and be safe.

Kassie Cessna Autumn Dawson Turner Dawson Josh Howell Sarabeth Lacy Mara Minsberg Sherrill Mogonye

Gabrielle Nguyen Brandon Nowalk Erica Pitman Megan Roiz Ian Soares Joey Trevino

Photographers Valerie Clark Steven Heger Distribution Kyler Dillon Andy Nguyen Becca Nelms interns Vladimir Amador

Maggie Dotson Ryan Frische Cameron Gott Lana Rothe

Maroon Weekly is an independent, student-owned publication and is not affiliated with A&M University. Maroon Weekly receives no student fees or university funding. Opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the editor, publisher or the newspaper staff. Maroon Weekly is not liable for omissions, misprints to typographical errors. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express consent of the publisher. 1st copy is FREE, additional copies are $0.50 each Maroon Weekly 110 Lincoln St. #107 College Station, Texas 77840 ph: 979.696.3971 | fax: 281.312.5160 © Copyright 2010 Legacy Media Inc.

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Chilifest : Friday

plus tax

Rob Baird By Sherrill Mogonye

710 University Drive East • 979-691-8501 • rosascafe.com

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Rob was involved in music from an early age. He quickly moved south to attend Texas Christian University (TCU), but his musical past never escaped him. He and some friends made the decision to start a band and began performing at local bars and fraternity parties. He has explained that he always walked around singing songs in high school and finally decided it was time to write his own. Rob graduated from TCU in 2009 with hopes to enhance his music career. As fate would have it, he soon met Frank Liddell, who has produced great names like Eli Young and Miranda Lambert. Liddell encouraged Rob to release an independent EP, which he did. After Liddell heard the EP, he signed Rob to Carnival Records in Nashville and the ride has been uphill ever since.

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Rob now resides in Austin, the heart of the Hill Country, and he’s touring countless venues throughout the Southeast and the Lone Star State. Although he likes Texas country music, Rob says he does not want to be labeled a Texas country artist. He has inventive ideas and doesn’t want to be limited to only one genre. His musical influences include Tom Petty and Neil Young, and his music has rock and roll sounds with a southern influence. One might call it “southern rock” or “alternative country.” Whatever you call it, it’s good. His lyrics have a sense of darkness mixed with feelings of loneliness and regret. The song “Fade Away,” from his latest album Blue Eyed Angels, was written soon after he visited Europe and Scotland, where it was dark and rainy. The final lyrics came to him while driving home from the recording studio in the dark of the night in the middle of nowhere. He pulled over and finished it right there. A 1920’s pump organ was used in the song to create a haunting sound in the background. The instrument also made its way into several other songs on his Blue Eyed Angels album, which has brought him rave reviews. In fact, 2010 was a big year for Rob Baird. The song “Fade Away,” from the Blue Eyed Angels album made it to the top five on the Texas Music Charts. Rob was also nominated for “Emerging Artist” at the 2011 Lone Star Music Awards and “New Male Vocalist” for the 2011 Texas Regional Music Awards.

Located on Northgate 103 Boyett, College Station

Where a Pint Precedes Every Story...

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www.obannonstaphouse.com 979-846-9214

Rob Baird is young and creative, and he’s just beginning his journey into the music business. He is sure to bring a distinctive sound to this year’s Chilifest.

Chilifest : Friday

Photos c/o The Cody Johnson Band

By Maggie Dotson Cody Johnson Band travels across the state of Texas and beyond, opening for wellknown Texas country stars such as Roger Creager, Brandon Rhyder, and Stoney LaRue. The six-manned band originally from Huntsville, Texas was founded in 2006 by lead singer Cody Johnson and drummer Nathan Reedy. Interestingly enough, a Craigslist ad was used to enlist bass player, Danny Salinas. The current members of the band who collectively influence the rock-country sound of CJB include lead guitarist Jeff Smith, guitarist Matthew Rogers, bass guitarist Danny Salinas, fiddler Jody Bartula, drummer Nathan Reedy and the front-man himself, Cody Johnson as lead singer. The band’s latest and first professionally-produced album, Six Strings One Dream, includes their charting singles “Texas Kind of Way,” “Another Try,” and “Nobody to Blame.” Since the album’s release in September of 2009, their single “Nobody to Blame” has risen to #7. Additionally, “Texas Kind of Way” currently holds an advancing position on the Texas Music Chart. Cody Johnson Band will hit the Chilifest stage on Friday, April 8. If you are unable to catch their show in Snook, it seems the band’s post-Chilifest tour will be in areas around Texas, including San Angelo and Lubbock at the beginning of May. Visit CBJ’s official website for further touring information at thecodyjohnsonband. com or visit their official Facebook page at facebook.com/TheCodyJohnsonBand

Emory Quinn Photos c/o Emory Quinn

By Ryan Frische Taking the stage at Chilifest this year is one of Texas A&M’s very own. Emory Quinn consists of four Aggie graduates from very different musical backgrounds. This diversity defines the sound of Emory Quinn, or rather does not define it. Nathan Rigney who plays lead guitar, said due to their versatility and musical ability and passion for so many genres, they are hard to categorize. However, this is an aspect that enables the band to explore musical possibilities with no limitations. Founded by Nathan Emory Rigney and Clint Quinn Bracher while they were roommates at A&M and also by their friend Case Bell, their sound stems from the musical background that each brought to the table paired with their love for other genres. From classical violin, piano and guitar to blues influences and Texas Country, Emory Quinn continues to bring a fresh aspect to each show they play. After enlisting the talent of professional musician Erik Frankson, also an A&M graduate, Emory Quinn solidified their presence. While they may not be able to define exactly what kind of music they play, one thing is evident: Their musical ability is on another level. The band is known for their fun and energetic performance that derive from their pure love for playing music and writing songs that people can connect with. If you have yet to hear the sound of such a creative band around Northgate, you can see them live at Chilifest on Friday, April 8. Visit Emory Quinn’s official website for further touring information at emoryquinn.com or their official Facebook page at facebook.com/Emory Quinn.

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Photos c/o Max Stalling

Sean McConnell

Chilifest : Friday

By Joey Trevino Sean McConnell isn’t just your run-of-the-mill musician. With music seeping through his pores from years and years of developing a natural talent, he is so much more. He has what many people try to achieve but somehow seem to fall short of achieving. He has something that I feel has been lost in modern music. Sean McConnell is a musician, he is a poet; Sean McConnell is a true artist.

Max Stalling By Vladimir Amador Going from earning a Food Science degree at A&M to performing on the venerated Chilifest stage, Max Stalling is an artist you should be excited about. Stalling embodies Texas country and his songs will have you up on your feet, dancing away. With Jason Steinsultz on bass, Bryce Clark on guitar and Jeff Howe on drums, the band creates a fun and energetic environment at every show they play. His latest album, Home To You, is full of soft ballads, such as “Saddest Song Ever,” and also upbeat tunes, such as “I Could Be Wrong.” Good luck listening to “Crazy Like That” without tapping your foot or resisting the urge to pull your partner onto the dance floor. It’s hard to believe Stalling once thought he wouldn’t make it as a country artist and instead took a job at Frito-Lay after graduating from A&M. His talent of performing paired, with a knack for songwriting, is something the world definitely would have been missing out on had he chosen to stay as a chip scientist. Thank goodness he chose to bring Texas and the rest of the country his catchy music. Stalling is definitely on the rise, earning a Best Male Vocal and Best Album nomination at the 2011 LonestarMusic Awards. Be sure to catch Stalling and his band on the Chilifest stage Friday April 8. You can visit Max Stalling’s official website for further touring information at maxstalling.com or his official Facebook page at facebook.com/maxstalling. 6 | MAROON WEEKLY April 7 - 13 www.maroonweekly.com

Last week I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to talk with him about his upbringing, his music and his latest album, Saints, Thieves, Liars. Sean McConnell was raised in a family of full-time musicians. Both his mom and his dad were singer/songwriters in the Massachusetts folk scene. As a child, he and his brothers and sisters would tag along as his parents would play various coffeehouses around the Boston area. Around the age of ten, McConnell picked up the guitar and started writing songs of his own--something that he says came very natural to him. Before he made a name for himself as an artist, McConnell was a successful songwriter. His songs can be heard on the albums of Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Randy Rogers Band, Wade Bowen, The Eli Young Band and The Plain White T’s. Sean McConnell released his first full-length album Saints, Thieves, Liars in 2010 and it features the single “Lie Baby Lie,” which is currently number 16 on the Texas Music Chart. Unlike his past releases, the EPs Walk Around and Tell the Truth, McConnell was able to make the album that had the quality that he was looking for. “For Saints, Thieves, Liars, I had been writing so much music that we had to pick eleven songs out of 100 songs that I had written,” said McConnell. “It was the first time that I was able to create a cohesive record lyrically, where all the songs kind of lived in the same world.” I say McConnell is a true artist not only because he is such a great musician but because he also has such a strong focus on the lyrics that form each and every one of his songs. McConnell writes with the mentality that the lyric is central and the story is the most important part of the song. He classifies his music as “Lyric-Driven, Roots Rock with Soul.” “I’m of the mind that if I don’t have something to say then I probably shouldn’t say anything,” said McConnell from his hometown of Nashville. “Lyric Driven Roots Rock with Soul is a genre that I came up with that best encapsulates what I do.” McConnell is set to take the stage Friday, April 8 at Chilifest. Don’t miss your chance to see such a great musician live!

Chilifest : Friday

Photos c/o Charlie Robinson

By Joey Trevino On Friday, April 8, Charlie Robison, one of the biggest names in country music, will be performing live on the Chilifest stage. Over the past few decades, Robison has been both a solo artist and a member of several bands on top of releasing seven albums--five of which have hit the US top country charts. A native Texan, Robison was raised on his family farm in Bandera and began writing music at the young age of 15. After briefly attending what was then Southwestern Texas State University (now Texas State University), he and his brother dropped out of school and moved to Austin to follow their dreams of becoming musicians. Before launching a solo career, Robison started off as a member of Chaparral, Millionaire Playboys and Two Hoots and a Holler. As a solo artist he released his first album, entitled Bandera, in 1996. Life of the Party, his second release, dropped in 1998 and features the singles “Barlight,” “My Hometown,” and “Poor Man’s Son,” all of which saw time on the charts. Some of his other releases include a live album that features his brother Bruce and well known country artist Jack Ingram. His video for the single “El Cerrito Place” off of the album Good Times was featured as a CMT top ten video. In 2009, Robison released his first self-produced album, Beautiful Day. Throughout his career, he has gone from upbeat and reckless to showing off his emotional side, but one thing has always stayed the same: He has done it in his own original style; it’s the only way he knows how. You won’t want to miss him live on stage at this year’s Chilifest! Visit Charlie Robison’s official website for further touring information: charlierobison.com or his official Facebook page: facebook.com/charlierobison

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Chilifest : Saturday

Bart Crow Band By Ryan Frische Texas country is a genre all its own, one that embodies passion and genuine love for music. Fame and fortune do not take center stage; the songwriting and sound take precedent. The Bart Crow Band is no exception to this mentality; their honest lyrics and intensity come through in every song and make you want to hear what else they have to say. I was hooked after I heard “Wear My Ring,” as was everyone. It became a massive hit that stayed on the Texas Music Chart’s Top 15 for over 20 weeks. It has become a staple in the genre, and when unfamiliar music fans ask exactly what Texas country is about, I automatically think of “Wear My Ring” and the Bart Crow Band. They exemplify the sound and attitude that fans love. The Bart Crow Band has a great ability to stay true to their sound and roots while still bringing a fresh sound and story to each song. Even though lead singer Bart Crow says he is not sure how to describe their sound, they always try and focus on writing songs that are genuine rather than “forge a certain route.” This approach paired with Crow’s distinct vocals and ability to passionately tell a story enables the band to consistently create great music. It’s evident that each song was written to paint a picture of experience rather than make a pleasing sound which reiterates the bands goal of playing music that they believe in. Crow said he is most proud of the fan’s response to their original songs and the rewarding feeling that comes along with “being on stage and knowing someone liked something that I created.” The key to staying power in the Texas country

scene, in addition to great songwriting, is the capability of consistently putting on a great show. BCB has proven their presence on stage is one of pure enjoyment and they are invested in playing a great show for their fans. Crow described their show at Chilifest last year as a great experience and he is looking forward to playing again. “Everyone was rowdy and it was a great time,” said Crow, and he expects this year to be just as entertaining. Their continued success on stage and within the industry can be attributed to their “collective creativity,” said Crow. “We work really hard and play all the time to be the best we can be.” With this dedicated mentality to not only improving themselves but maintaining

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a great relationship with fans will only enhance their success. For Crow, the best case scenario to the band’s career entails continuing to “play live shows, sell out clubs and sell a few records. We get to be successful and are blessed to do what we do. It is not about a dollar figure but wanting people to listen.” To fully understand why the Bart Crow Band has become a staple on the Texas country music circuit do not miss them as they take the stage at Chilifest on Saturday at 11 am. Visit the BCB’s official website for further touring information at bartcrowband.com or their official Facebook page at facebook. com/bartcrowband.

Be on the look-out for this sticker around town:

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Chilifest : Saturday By Joey Trevino Although music has always been a part of his life, Jason Boland decided that his life needed to be taken in a new direction. Not knowing what road a college education would eventually lead him down he decided to follow his gut and do what he loved to do. Boland formed the band Jason Boland and The Stragglers in the later part of the 1990’s. Since hitting the country music scene he has released a total of seven albums, two of which include the 2002 release “live and lit at Billy Bobs Texas” and his most recent release 2010’s “High in the Rockies.” “High in the Rockies” was recorded at performances from Steamboat Springs, Ft. Collins, and Denver, Colorado as well as in Laramie, Wyoming. It is as a testament to the live performance that die-hard straggler fans have enjoyed and come to expect through out the years. The album has enjoyed a great deal of achievement on the music charts and has already sold over 200,000 copies. The single “Outlaw Band” sits currently at number 8 on the Texas Music Chart, something that is rare for a live single to do. “I’ve talked to some fans and they have told me that this album is an instant classic for them,” said Boland of his most recent release during our interview last week. Although “High in the Rockies” has been such a success, it is nothing new to Boland. In 2008 the band released the studio album “Comal County Blue” and it earned its own chart spots such as climbing to number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Top heart seekers chart. The Album featured collaborations with many prominent country performers including a duet with Texas Aggie Robert Earl Keen and a song that is written by Boland and Cody Canada from Cross Canadian Ragweed.

JasOn BOland & The Stragglers

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Recently Boland and The Stragglers have been busy recording a new studio album that is set to be released within the year. According to Boland, the newest album will have a lot of the signature sound that fans have come to expect from the Stragglers. Jason Boland and The Stragglers are not strangers when it comes to the Chilifest stage and will be set to take the stage once again when they play live on Saturday, April 9, for a show that Boland said he is very excited about. You don’t want to miss out on a great performance. Visit the band’s official website, www. thestragglers.com, for up-to-date news, video, and tour date information or you can follow the band at twitter by searching @ BolandStraggler.

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Chilifest : Saturday

Stoney LaRue By Maggie Dotson “Let’s strive to be happy today in this world that sometimes seems to be uninviting. I’ll go first.” –Jan. 12, 2011, via Stoney LaRue’s personal Twitter page It takes going to a Stoney LaRue concert to understand how great this musician embodies the role as a live performer and entertainer. As a collective effort, Stoney LaRue & the Arsenals encompass full-throttle talent and pure greatness to provide fans with shows that prove to be more than worth the money. Classified as a Red Dirt musician, and an Oklahoma boy at heart, Stoney LaRue has risen to success just in the past decade. The young musician started out in Oklahoma with a band named The Organic Boogie Band and released his first album, Downtown, in 2002. Texas became LaRue’s home a short while later, and his 2005 The Red Dirt Album hit the Billboard sales charts just in its debut week. LaRue’s third album, Live at Billy Bob’s (2007), includes many well-known Texas country music tracks fans have come to love, such as “Oklahoma Breakdown,” “Texas Moon,” “Forever Young,” and “Feet Don’t Touch the Ground.” Stoney’s latest release, Live Acoustic Album, hit the shelves in 2009. It’s about time this main man of Texas country releases something new. Word on the street is Velvet will be his fifth album, hopefully becoming available by the end of the summer. LaRue’s accompanying band, uniquely titled The Arsenals, undoubtedly matches LaRue’s awing talent. Jamming on the drums is Jeremy Bryant, Jesse Fritz plays on bass, Kevin Webb on the guitar, Jeremy Watkins bows the fiddle and Steve Littleton jams on the keys. Being truly genuine is characteristic of Stoney. He truly appreciates his fans. Quoted dire ctly from his Twitter, “We were not allowed to finish our set via the fire Marshall,” he said recently. “Not much to express other than I wish we could have finished the set for the hard working people that paid to see it. Life and power to the people!” LaRue, a true American, also supports our hard working troops, and he stated in January: “Don’t forget to show appreciation to our service men and women despite your political views. They do it for your right to have one.” Stoney LaRue & the Arsenals can sure-fire bring a crowd to complete applause. Among the over 300 shows and festivals Stoney performs yearly, you can catch him next when he takes the stage at Chilifest 2011. Visit Stoney Larue’s official website for more touring information at stoneylarue.com.

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Randy Rogers Band

Chilifest : Saturday

By Chris Zebo Randy Rogers Band might just be one of the hardest working Texas country groups in the nation. Aside from being on the road over 200 days a year, the band still finds time to write and record new music and raise their families. They recently celebrated their 10-year anniversary and released their fifth studio album. “Interstate,” a song from their most recent release, Burning the Day, is currently #1 on the Texas Music Chart. Randy Rogers Band will be playing in the Saturday (April 9) lineup at this year’s Chilifest. MW: How does it feel to be 10 years in now--in terms of who you are now and how you’ve changed personally over the years? Rogers: I feel like I’ve accomplished lots of goals that I set out for the band, and I feel like there’s still a lot left unsaid. You know, there’s a lot of stuff I still wanna say. I’ve made 7 records, and I’ve written lots of music that’s on those records, and I still feel like there’s more that I have to say. MW: You got into music at a young age, right? You had a family of musicians. Rogers: Yeah, I mean, music was in the family. I was playing guitar by 11 or 12, writing songs and stuff. That’s, I think, pretty early.

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MW: What music was your family playing for you at that age? Can you remember? Rogers: Lots of Christian music. Lots of church music. My dad had a really cool record collection from the 60s and 70s, which was some country, some Glen Campbell, some Rolling Stones, some Beatles. MW: You grew up with a lot of traditional country influences, too. Rogers: Yeah, Willie Nelson was my hero when I was little. MW: And you also grew up in the era of alternative music. Rogers: In the 90s. MW: For your high school talent show, you played a Stone Temple Pilots cover, didn’t you? Rogers: Yes. I actually sang it. I sounded like a hick. Sounded like a redneck. MW: But you made a conscious decision to play country. What made you go in that direction without looking back?

Rogers: I just think that everything I wrote was country, all my songwriting. I just feel like it was kind of imbedded in me. Plus, when I sang, I was country. And when I was big on Pearl Jam and Nirvana, I was dreaming of being George Strait, watching the movie Pure Country (laughing) and wishing that I could be a big country singer. MW: Let’s talk about country today, especially Texas Country and the red dirt scene. There’s been a rivalry between the Nashville sound and Texas Country for a long time. Do you feel like that animosity still exists? Rogers: I feel like it’s been there since… for who knows when. Forever. And I feel like being from Texas, I think as Texans we kind of have a chip on our shoulders, think we’re better at everything, from football to music. So I think it’s still there, but I don’t have any particular hatred for any city because I play them all, you know. But I’m proud that I’m from Texas, and I’m proud that they call me Texas music–I mean,

Chilifest : Saturday

“It’s just Texas music. It’s just red dirt music, or whatever.”

But I do think, in many ways, the way we go about doing things in Texas is different than Nashville. We actually go and play 200 or more shows a year and tour. We grow things organically from the bottom, grassroots. And Nashville is very single-based. If you don’t have a single on the radio, you’re probably not gonna get a band and not gonna get on tour. It’s just two ways about going about doing the business.

Mercury out of Nashville. Did you ever start to get any pressure on your creative process from the industry?

They automatically assume that everybody coming out of this region is going to sound the exact same. And I can tell you–honestly– Kevin Fowler sounds nothing like Eli Young Band. But, for whatever reason, they’re both lumped into–or Randy Rogers Band, for that matter–they’re all lumped into one category. It think it’s unfortunate. There’s a stigma.

Rogers: I have a boss there at Mercury–and now I’m on MCA, but it’s still the same boss– that told me never to chase radio, never to change myself, never to conform, to resist the temptation to conform. So, I’ve never felt pressure. I’ve always felt like they’ve liked our band and they like us being us. As long as we keep doing that, everyone wins; everyone’s happy.

MW: I can see where there are differences on the business side. But do you feel like Texas is getting any closer to Nashville in sound?

That doesn’t only exist in Texas music. Speaking of the grunge movement: In the 90s, Nirvana and Pearl Jam did not sound anything alike.

Rogers:There are some guys in Texas that sound pretty similar to the country music that’s considered Top 40; and there are some guys in Texas that sound nothing like what we’d consider Top 40 country music. And it’s all lumped into one category-which is Texas and red dirt. And I find that amusing, sometimes, when people are like,

MW: And they were lumped together.

what else can they call me? I live here.

Rogers: It’s just natural human behavior to label things. And it doesn’t bother me. And I don’t hate Nashville or think Nashville sucks. I think there’s lots of great music and talented musicians in both Texas and Nashville.

So, you know, I didn’t ever feel like I was going to have to compromise something. And I still don’t. I mean, this is my third record with them, and basically they said, “Go make a record and turn it in.” And we did.

MW: Your last few albums were released on

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Chilifest : Saturday

By Sherrill Mogonye Wade Bowen is a man who wears many hats. He’s a singer, songwriter, husband and father. Wade excels in each area of his life and yet continues to show dedication and humility throughout his endeavors. He was born and raised in Waco, Texas and moved less than three hours away to make a new home with his family in New Braunfels after graduating from Texas Tech. Bowen is not new to the Texas country music scene. While in college at Texas Tech, he and some friends began performing, and soon the West 84 Band was created. In 2002, the band released their first independent album, Try Not to Listen. Its title track shot into the top ten on the Texas Music Chart. After a turnover of band members, the band eventually changed their name to Wade Bowen. In 2006, Wade released another album called Lost Hotel. The album’s hit single, “God Bless This Town,” was an instant chart topper. The video was also a Top 20 debut on Country Music Television (CMT) and even spent several weeks at the #1 spot on CMT’s Pure Country 12-Pack Countdown. Following the album’s success, Wade gained an even wider fan base by joining the Lee Ann Womack and Friends Tour.

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Then in 2008, he released another buzzworthy album called If We Ever Make It Home, which debuted at #2 on Billboard’s Top New Artist Chart. That album also produced four #1 singles and the #3 most downloaded song on iTunes in its first week! Wade is a passionate artist who loves performing and being on the road. He and his band won the Live Act of the Year Award at the 2010 Lone Star Music

Chilifest : Saturday

Wade Bowen Awards, which can be attributed to their chemistry on stage. His latest tour includes over 200 shows throughout the year that have also helped increase his popularity–a fact made apparent by his packed concerts at Hurricane Harry’s. Wade is also a serious songwriter who has co-written songs with artists like Randy Rogers, Brandon Rhyder and Bleu Edmondson. He also co-wrote “When It All Goes Down” with Cross Canadian Ragweed front man, Cody Canada, who also happens to be his brother-in-law. Even Pat Green used Bowen’s deep lyrical skills to write “Don’t Break My Heart Again.” Although Wade Bowen works alongside these Texas country musicians, he aims to

have a different sound. He has said that he is passionate about being a genre-crossing artist. Some of his musical influences are Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, Paul Thorn and Patty Griffin. This translates into his music, which is an itnersection of rock, alternative country, traditional country and blues. Live at Billy Bob’s Texas”is Bowen’s most recent album, available on iTunes and also in a deluxe CD/DVD package. Twenty songs were recorded live at the legendary venue in Ft. Worth, Texas in November of 2009. The album showcases some of his greatest hits and also included two new songs produced by Frank Liddell that became #1 singles, “Matches” and “Bottle Into Gold.” Among his many honors, Bowen’s latest acclamation was winning the Texas Regional Radio’s 2011 Best Male Vocalist Award. And although he has many honors from the past nine years, he has built a reputation of being humble and grateful throughout his journey. Fans consider him straightforward, honest and modest, which will keep him in the lime light for years and years to come. As one of the headliners for this year’s Chilifest, you will be able to witness Wade Bowen’s talent firsthand. Be sure the catch his show on Saturday, April 9. Visit Wade Bowen’s official website for more touring information at wadebowen.com or his official Facebook page at facebook.com/ thewadebowen. www.maroonweekly.com April 7 - 13 MAROON WEEKLY | 17

18 | MAROON WEEKLY April 7 - 13 www.maroonweekly.com

Chilifest

Chilifest actually does have chili By Ian Soares Some things require no formal introduction; they are simply too big, too well known or too grand. If you’re from Aggieland, then you certainly understand this to be true about Chilifest. For years Chilifest has consistently brought in some of the best live music entertainment to the area. With acts that have featured the likes of Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam, Aaron Watson, Robert Earl Keen, and Pat Green (just to name a few), it’s no surprise that Chilifest has become one of the premier concert events of the season; drawing crowds of well over forty thousand visitors to Snook, Texas every spring to enjoy good times and great Texas country music.

members and can have as many as 35. The price per team member is $40.00. This is actually a really great deal when you consider that teams get to enjoy that extra day of live entertainment. For instance, this year’s acts on Friday feature Charlie Robison, Sean McConnell, Emory Quinn, Max Stalling, Cody Johnson Band, and Rob Baird. While sitting back, relaxing, and taking in the sounds, many of the teams (which are permitted to setup tents and bring in couches and coolers) will then spend the entire afternoon on Friday preparing their chili and tending to their barbecues. The events of the day will very often carry over throughout the evening and traditionally most team members will camp out at the festival on Friday night and remain all throughout Saturday as well.

The judging of the chili competition then takes place on Saturday morning at around 11:00AM; where the teams are judged on two categories: 1. Best Chili and 2. Showmanship (otherwise known as “Best Build.”)

attention.

Since the gates for the general public only open at 10:00AM on Saturday, it’s easy to see how so many thousands of people who attend the festival every year can completely miss out on the chili cook-off portion of the festival.

So, there actually is chili at Chilifest and there really is a chili cook-off. The event has been and remains a very important part of the festival. Several thousands of people participate in the event every year, but many –many thousands more show up to the public concert on Saturday. Those people are often completely unaware of the great time that was had by the participants who attended on Friday and throughout Friday night.

The only other formal mention of the chili cook-off, on Saturday, usually only happens at around 5:00PM in the evening. At that time, the winners are announced and the trophies are handed out, but by that point, there is so much mayhem surrounding other activities that are competing for everyone’s

That being said, no matter what your level of participation in Chilifest; whether it’s as a competing Chili cook-off team, as a noncompeting team, or if it’s to simply attend a great concert on Saturday; good times will be had by all and all of the proceeds from the festival will be donated to local charities.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Chilifest and it’s nearly impossible to find anyone around who is not familiar with the event. With all of that history and all of that tradition, it can be a little intimidating to ask that one simple question that seems to be on lots of people’s minds. So, if you’ve ever wondered to yourself “Where’s the actual chili at?” Don’t feel ashamed and certainly don’t feel alone. This is actually a great question and it’s far more common than you could imagine. The first thing that needs to be said is that Chilifest did get its name from the chili cook-off that takes place on the first day of the event. The cook-off has always been a very important part of the festival and continues to be so to this day. In fact, annually there are approximately 500 teams and 15,000 people participating in the cook-off on Friday. Of those 500 teams, generally 75 to 100 actually submit chili to be judged. The remaining teams usually just end up barbecuing and hanging out and enjoying the entertainment. Teams must register several weeks before the cook-off. This year the registration date was March 5th and the 20X20 foot spaces were allotted on a first come-first serve basis. The teams can be as small as 15 www.maroonweekly.com April 7 - 13 MAROON WEEKLY | 19

Chilifest Charities

Boys and Girls Club of the Brazos Valley works SMART with Chilifest By Mara Minsberg While some may value Chilifest for its recreational and social value, many community organizations appreciate the event for its philanthropic endeavors. Among Chilifest’s major charitable beneficiaries is the Boys and Girls Club of the Brazos Valley, a locally-operated chartered member of the national Boys and Girls Club of America organization. The Boys and Girls Club of the Brazos Valley serves over 2000 local young people at three sites: the Central Unit in Bryan and the Lincoln Center and Teen Center located in College Station. Offering youth enrichment and extracurricular opportunities, the Boys and Girls Club strives to provide a safe and stimulating environment for its members with a constantly evolving roster of programs and activities. “Our organization has experienced some exciting changes over the years,” Boys & Girls Clubs of Brazos Valley president Ron Rolett said. “We have reached out to kids in public housing and to children being home-schooled and at the Lincoln Center provided support and assistance to families during the most challenging times of their lives. Because of our staff and volunteer efforts, hundreds more kids have a place to go after school – a place where they can do their homework and engage in stimulating activities rather than take to the streets.” With its unique approach to extracurricular programming, the Boys and Girls Club differentiates itself from other youth-serving organizations. Rolett stressed the important of consistency for children active in the Boys and Girls Club, highlighting that the club is open and available to members every day of the week and utilizes trained professional staff who serve as positive and reliable adult role models. “There is no better sense of satisfaction than to hear a story about a child whose life has been changed because of a Club professional,” Rolett said.

varied, including both national and uniquely local programs based on the organization’s Core Program Areas. These underlying thematic threads include Education and Career, Health and Life Skills, Character and Leadership, the Arts, Sports, Fitness, and Recreation, and other specialized initiatives. Core programs serve as a foundational pillar to guide youth to make positive choices while establishing skills to serve as building blocks for future personal success. The Boys and Girls Club is an affordable option for families seeking extracurricular activities and programs for their children, with membership dues at just $10 per child for a year-long membership. To maintain this level of accessibility, the Clubs rely on various sponsorships and donations from events and groups like Chilifest to keep programs running at a high level. Chilifest’s contributions to the Boys and Girls Club directly impact the Club’s SMART Moves initiative, a program designed to prevent or delay drug and alcohol use and sexual activity among young people. The SMART Moves program targets these behaviors by educating participants about these types of high-risk choices and by focusing on increasing open communication between staff members, parents and guardians and other Club members about these issues. SMART Moves also seeks to arm pre-teens and teens with the requisite knowledge to resist media influence and peer pressure and to develop good decision-making skills during a stressful time of physical and emotional growth and development. Thanks to the support of Chilifest, the Boys and Girls Club of the Brazos Valley can continue to provide a wide variety of high quality activities and offer the SMART Moves prevention program to local at-risk youth. “We are indeed fortunate to have the people who make positive things happen for kids in our community in support of our Club.” Rolett said.

BGCBV’s roster of activities is long and 20 | MAROON WEEKLY April 7 - 13 www.maroonweekly.com

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Chilifest : Saturday

by Chris Zebo Nashville has a fabled history as the Mecca of country music; “Music City,” as it’s often called, is the home of The Grand Ole Opry, CMT, the Country Music Association and the Country Music Hall of Fame. But in recent years, Nashville has become recognized as more of a music factory than the once venerated homeland of country. Once the town where small and relatively independent labels produced and made famous earnest and humble country artists, Nashville now has a stigma for being the LA of the East (at least for country artists). It’s now the home of big music production outfits and labels on par with Hollywood. And it goes without saying that, in the past 15 years, we’ve seen a once organic country music world become crassly corporate, fleeing the hills for the bright lights and money. Like any budding country artist with dreams of becoming a star, Dierks Bentley made the pilgrimage to Nashville. He left his home state of Arizona when he was just 19 years old and quickly immersed himself in the Nashville scene. He took a job working for TNN during the day, and at night he gigged venues in “The District,” meeting many of the musicians and industry people that would later push him onto the big stage. While working for TNN, he had the unique opportunity of seeing the Nashville music industry from two different angles. One of his first responsibilities with the company involved researching old music footage in the network’s tape library. He got to rummage through piles of country music history, and, consequently, he acquired a rare perspective for the music’s history. He later worked in the company’s

royalty department, preparing checks for songwriters who had their songs used in day-to-day programming on the network. It was while writing checks for musicians that he came face to face with the business end of the music. And despite the rude awakening and disillusionment that comes from realizing art is a business, he gleaned rare insights into the music industry that groomed his own future as a musician. Despite working for “the Man,” Bentley came to Tennessee, unlike many others, in search of roots. He found them in the small honky tonks scattered throughout the city where young and old musicians were still paying their dues. He also found new roots when he finally embraced bluegrass music, a genre he had once thought was old folks music and out of touch. He attended picking parties with young bluegrass talents and learned and appreciated a side of Nashville’s musical legacy that was largely being ignored by the new corporate music machine. I stumbled into the Station Inn one night right at the time that I was becoming pretty discouraged with the music business. I discovered a whole community of musicians and singers that played music for all the right reasons. They didn’t play because they wanted to be stars or be in music videos, they played because they loved the music. Being there made such an impression on me that I spent just about every Tuesday night there absorbing all I could take in. When he did eventually sign to Capitol Records Nashville, Bentley decided that instead of aligning with the music business formula and trading roots for stardom that he would make no concessions to the big

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guys. Instead, he fused Americana and bluegrass elements into popular country music in a way that both reached back into the past while looking into the future. His risk paid off. In less than eight years with the label, his seven studio albums have produced fourteen singles on the country charts--seven reaching #1 slots. His debut single, “What Was I Thinkin’,” was an immediate success and climbed quickly to the top. Others soon followed, including, “Come a Little Closer,”“Settle for a Slowdown,” “Every Mile a Memory,”“Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go),”“Feel That Fire” and “Sideways.” In 2010, Bentley took an even greater gamble. For years, fans and friends had asked him to produce a completely acoustic album solely of bluegrass and Americana music. It was a huge risk. He was already hugely successful, and to rock the boat in Nashville is a sure way to drown your career. But 2010’s Up on the Ridge, his seventh studio album with Capitol, was a critical and

financial success. It peaked at #2 on the US Billboard Country Chart and hit #1 on Billboard’s Bluegrass Chart. The album, which was a collaborative effort with many other artists, including bluegrass star Del McCoury and country legend Kris Kristofferson, took Bentley’s latent bluegrass tendency and shined a light directly upon it, a risk industry executives forecasted would be his doom. As this article goes to print, Bentley is at the Academy of Country Music Awards and waiting to hear his name called for Album of the Year. But he has quite the competition this year, with albums by Taylor Swift, Lady Antebellum and Kenny Chesney all viable candidates. Regardless of a win or not, being nominated for Album of the Year for Up on the Ridge is a statement all in itself, one that might imply the Nashville music world is growing out of its phase of facelifts, fitted pearl snaps and diamond-studded boots.

Chilifest : Saturday

Dierks Bentley www.maroonweekly.com April 7 - 13 MAROON WEEKLY | 23

FRIDAY line-up 5:00 p.m. - 5:45p.m. - Rob baiRd 6:00 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. - The Cody Johnson band 7:00 p.m. - 7:45 p.m. - max sTalling 8:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m. - emoRy Quinn 9:00 p.m. - 9:45 p.m. - sean mCConnell 10:00 p.m. - 11:15 p.m. - ChaRlie Robinson 11:15 p.m. - shoW oVeR - all ouT 24 | MAROON WEEKLY April 7 - 13 www.maroonweekly.com

SATURDAY

line-up

11:00 a.m. - NooN - Bart Crow BaNd 12:20 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1:20 p.m. - JasoN BolaNd & the stragglers 1:40 p.m. - 2:40 p.m. - stoNey larue 3:00 p.m. - 4:10 p.m. - raNdy rogers BaNd 4:30 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. - wade BoweN 6:10 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. - dierks BeNtley 7:30 p.m. - show oVer - all out

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Chilifest

Fraternity Build Contest reaches new heights By Ryan Frische Every year when Chilifest rolls around, people go to their perspective corners and choose teams. From themes to T shirts to random tent set ups, you never know what you will encounter in Snook on that weekend. One thing is certain; every fraternity is vying

at the chance to impress everyone and hopefully to capture the top prize in the build contest. If you have never gone to Chilifest or gone with a fraternity team, you may not fully appreciate or comprehend the work that goes into the build each year.

participating, planning begins weeks in advance to ensure their respective 40 x 60 foot lot stands out. Since Chilifest’s inception 20 years ago by the Texas A&M chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, it seems fitting that they judge the contest.

With

So what exactly is a build? Basically imagine

several

different

fraternities

Need a better spot?

Get your Access Card today!

979-764-3778 cstx.gov/parking

CITY OFOF COLLEGE STATION CITY COLLEGE STATION Home of Texas A&M University® Home of Texas A&M University® cstx.gov cstx.gov

CITY OF COLLEGE STATION

an area carved out of the field in Snook that transforms into a party of its own that is designed according to a chosen theme. From 20-foot entrances to balconies and elaborately painted signs, the builds are a focal point of Chilifest. Delta Tau Delta took second place in the contest last year and Chilifest Chairman, Dustin Vardeman hopes this year they can win the coveted Miller Lite can trophy. The judging criteria consists of complexity, creativity and detail and each fraternity puts in countless hours to ensure their build is a source of pride and has a viable shot at taking the title.

Staff is available MONDAY-FRIDAY 8 AM to 6:30 PM

Northgate Garage Rates 50 / mo 75 / mo $ 185 / sem $ 300 / sem $ 370

Monthly Daytime License Monthly 24-Hour License Semester Daytime License Semester 24-Hour License Multi-Semester Daytime License

Multi-Semester 24-Hour License

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600

Parking contract the right to park in the College Main Parking Garage, and is subject to availability. Specific customer spaces are NOT reHome ofonly Texasauthorizes A&M University® served. Monthly 24-hour pass equals $2.50 per day; Semester 24-hour pass equals $1.66 per day. Monthly daytime pass equals $1.66 per day; Semester cstx.gov daytime pass equals $1.03 per day. 26 | MAROON WEEKLY April 7 - 13 www.maroonweekly.com

Once you pass through the entrance of any build, the feeling of being stranded in a desolate area of Texas vanishes. From food, drinks, and even live bands playing inside a build, each one boasts a crazy atmosphere that is unparalleled. This environment is all a part of the allure that is Chilifest and what brings so many people from around Texas back each year. From the entertainment at the front stage to the Chili Cook Off to the build contest, it is all a comprehensive formula for a great weekend.

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Friday Night

O ne of

li n R ol

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Dirty HEads Cody Canada & The Departed Jonathan Tyler & the northern lights Rich O'Toole Jason marbach

Wolf

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Entertainment:

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Saturday

AP&R3IL0 29

One more special guest to be announced! Check out Saturday's lineup on DUCKJAM.org

Tickets only ! $10 per day $15 for both! DuckJam.org

GET your GROOVE ON 28 | MAROON WEEKLY April 7 - 13 www.maroonweekly.com

Chilifest Charities

CARPOOL

plays vital role at Chilifest By Lana Rothe This year Chilifest re-vamped and re-strategized charity awareness, marking the 20 year celebration of the popular spring festival. In addition to many recognizable community groups benefiting from Chilifest’s philanthropic efforts, Texas A&M University organization CARPOOL is excited to be included in such a great event. CARPOOL will offer safe rides home during the two day festival on April 8 and 9. The Texas Hall of Fame is a major parking spot for those wanting to get out to Snook and CARPOOL runs its’ operations from The Hall. Anyone can simply sign up at The Hall and you have the choice to take CARPOOL home at any time during Chilifest, day or night. After numerous years of Chilifest and local police requesting CARPOOL run all day, this year marks only the second year CARPOOL has been allowed to run during the daytime because of insurance policies. “After talking with not only Chilifest, but local police as well, we feel like this has made a major impact in keeping intoxicated drivers off the road as well as preventing many potential fatalities,” said Chris Salters, CARPOOL Director of Public Relations. Now that CARPOOL is able to run during the day, they will ensure the safety of concert goers who need a sober ride home. In return, CARPOOL gets a little more publicity during the daytime this year. “Many people from outside of the Bryan, College Station area come to Chilifest and for them to see there is a dedicated organization of students from Texas A&M that helps to keep not only fellow Aggies safe, but also anyone who many need the service, is a great thing,” Salters said. Chilifest contributes to CARPOOL, thus providing their service to anyone who attends Chilifest. Ultimately, they are doing everything they can to enable safe roads for Bryan/ College Station residents, as well as those who attend Chilifest. Due to high demand in the past, they anticipate a large number of rides will be given the entire weekend and so they are increasing the number of cars they run. The wait may be longer than you would like but it beats the alternative of chancing your life, the lives of others or being caught by the police and taken to jail. If you need a free, safe and nonjudgmental ride home, make the responsible decision to take a sober ride home with CARPOOL. For more information check out the CARPOOL website at http://carpool.tamu.edu www.maroonweekly.com April 7 - 13 MAROON WEEKLY | 29

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Chilifest Charities

Gary Blair Charities continue partnership with Chilifest By Vladimir Amador You may know Gary Blair as the head coach of one of the best womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s college basketball programs in the country. While he may be busy preparing his team to play in their very first Final Four in Indianapolis, his charity is hard at work here in Bryan/ College Station for a good cause. The mission of the Gary Blair Charities is to help raise money for the Special Olympics Texas program. The Special Olympics Texas program provides services and friendly competition for kids ages eight and older who experience intellectual disabilities. This program brings so many smiles to the faces of these kids and teaches them valuable qualities like courage, teamwork, discipline, bravery and having fun even in the eyes of adversity. The kids and even their families are able to build lifelong friendships with others who are in their same position and can understand their struggles. There are over 25,000 child athletes who participate in the program in the state of Texas, preparing themselves for the big-time Special Olympic games in the summer, fall, or winter. Win or lose, each participants receives a medal for their event, as the bravery that exhibited in competing is enough to crown them a champion. To ensure this experience has the ability to continue on each year, Chilifest has continued their commitment to the cause by donating a large portion of the proceeds raised at the two-day event to The Gary Blair Charities. All proceeds received go towards Special Olympics Texas. In addition to contributions received from Chilifest, one of the largest events Gary Blair Charities put on to raise money is the Coach Gary Blair Celebrity Golf Classic. This year the classic will take place on Friday, May 6th at Traditions Golf Club on W Villa Maria. The event will cost $225 per golfer or $900 per group of four. Participants can choose to compete with the early birds starting at 8 AM, or they can enjoy a few more hours of sleep and start with the afternoon

flight at 1:30 PM. Each flight will have a winner announced and will be awarded a prize. There will also be prizes given out throughout the day like a hole-in-one contest for a new car! The Gary Blair Charities will also hold a Celebrity Dinner and Auction on Thursday, May 5th from 6-9 PM at The Tap on Harvey Road. All golfers who participated in the classic along with one guest are invited to attend a night of dinner and drinks with silent auctions

scattered throughout the night. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor to such a wonderful organization and cause, consider becoming a medal sponsor of the event. You can find out more information of what the requirements and benefits are for each different medal on the Gary Blair charities website at www.garyblaircharities. org and click on Sponsors at the top. Get involved and make a difference in a childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life!

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Chilifest Charities

events Thursday, April 7

Salsa Dancing @ The Village Café

Claire Domingue @ La Bodega

Joe Telchman and A Formal Affair @

The Original College Night, Miss Chilifest

Schotzi’s

Contest @ Texas Hall of Fame

Blaggards @ O’Bannon’s Taphouse

Singer/Songwriter Night with Chris

Chilifest finds new ways to give back to the community By Erica Pitman

Clonts @ The Village Café

Sunday, April 10

Party on the Patio @ Ozona Grill and Bar

Katy Boyd & Benny Wain, Megan Ochoa,

Karaoke @ Schotzi’s

Joshua-Ray @ Stafford Main St.

Drew Kennedy @ Church Street Texas

DJ Verros and DJ Drock @ Schotzi’s

Blues and Barbeque

Pub Quiz @ O’Bannon’s Taphouse

Nat King Cole @ Miramont Country Club Monday, April 11 Friday, April 8

Predominant Mortification, IPV, A Quiet

Chilifest 2011 in Snook, TX

Mind, Primal, Wellborne Road @ Stafford

Higher Than Why, AfroFreque, Dem

Main St.

Southern Folkz @ Stafford Main St.

Open Mic @ Schotzi’s

Tyler Brown @ La Bodega

Chilifest, one of the most anticipated events in the Brazos Valley, is so much more than the recreation and entertainment event many people see it as. Attracting some country music’s finest performers in the area and entertaining mare than 45,000 people, so many people think that Chilifest is just a one time entertainment event. It is so much more than that. Chilifest is a fundraiser responsible for enhancing the quality of many valuable Brazos Valley organizations, who without Chilifest dollars, could not be as effective on their own. There are many misconceptions about Chilifest itself; that it is a “drunkfest,” an “arrestfest,” or just an event. Lina Lawson of Twinz Co. Marketing said, Chilifest is an opportunity to have a good time while enjoying quality entertainment, however, that is not its purpose or even the reason it began. “The true meaning of the even is about giving back,” Lawson said.

Jake Hooker & The Outsiders @ Texas

Tuesday, April 12

Hall of Fame

Absolute Karaoke @ O’Bannon’s

Sam Baker KEOS Fundraiser @ The

Taphouse

Village Café The Tea Merchants @ O’Bannon’s

Wednesday, April 13

Taphouse

Karaoke with Tyler Cannon @ La Bodega Salsa Lessons @ The Village Café

Saturday, April 9

Ben Morris and the Great American

Chilifest 2011 in Snook, TX

Boxcar Chorus @ Church Street Texas

Bob Floyd, The Dead Phonetics, Chris

Blues and Barbeque

Watson Band, Dan and the Stage Bang, and Blazing Ben Shelby @ Stafford Main St. The Longhaul Band @ La Bodega Grady Skelton @ Texas Hall of Fame Official Chilifest After Party/FREE with Chilifest Wristband @ Texas Hall of Fame

Check out maroonweekly.com for more info!

Make sure to submit your events at www.maroonweekly.com 32 | MAROON WEEKLY April 7 - 13 www.maroonweekly.com

Started in 1991, Chilifest was a philanthropy project of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. It started out as a one-day event, and was held in a Wal-Mart parking lot. The event was a success and continued to grow each year. In 1999 Chilifest Incorporated, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was created to professionally manage and organize the rapidly growing Chilifest event. Today, as an event that hosts thousands of attendants, Chilifest has contributed more than two million dollars to the Brazos Valley and surrounding areas. “The money has impacted our community in a positive direction,” Lawson said. “When organizations are interviewed on how the money given to them by Chilifest Inc. has changed the lives to those who are a part of that affiliation, that is what makes it memorable year after year.” Because of all the good Chilifest enables, the Brazos Valley has responded positively to the event and its efforts. “The community has embraced this event and it took time and dedication to have the reaction of people wanting to be a part of it,” Lawson said. “I expect a great and fun time in a safe, secure, and organized location with many volunteers assisting in the event’s success,” Lawson said. “We want to provide value to each ticket sold by providing an entertainment line-up that those attending can be excited about. We are always looking to add more value to the overall experience and each year we will add additional opportunities to make this a memorable event.” With an excellent reputation of providing the Brazos Valley with a good time, Chilifest keeps true to its purpose: “To offer assistance to thousands of ill, neglected, and less fortunate individuals; as well as to provide funding for the many organizations who put forth the effort to resolve the life threatening problems that endanger the lives of so many.” So as you come out and enjoy the Chilifest festivities, remember you are serving a greater cause and you are helping Chilifest give back.

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Mercy Project looks to set world record While you are catching some rays this weekend, a group of people will be out at Veterans Park wrapping up a WORLD RECORD 24 hour Flag Football game. You read that right. 24 hours straight of flag football. Some of you are probably thinking, “SWEET.” But this is more than just a game. This event is about awareness. Mercy Project is hosting it’s second annual world record event this weekend. This time last year a group of supporters participated in a 50 hour kickball game. Crushing the previous world record of 36 hours and raising over $20,000 in the process. That money, and the money raised for the game this weekend, is directly funneled through Mercy Project to help fund work taking place in Ghana, Africa on Lake Volta.

“Right now in Ghana, there are an estimated 7,000 children who are in slavery in the fishing industry. Many of them are as young as five years old—some having been sold for as little as $20. They work 14 hours a day, 7 days a week. They rarely smile or laugh. Their childhoods have been stolen. We are playing a kid’s game this weekend that these kids simply don’t get to play. We hope to change that soon,” Director of Mercy Project, Chris Field said. Field and others like him aren’t willing to sit on the sidelines and watch life happen. They are determined to do something.

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“One of the reasons we chose to do events like this is because it helps us raise both awareness and money. It’s important for us to get as many people involved as we can. To give people an opportunity, an outlet, to be about something bigger than themselves. Something that’s bigger than all of us. I think there’s going to come a day, when we are old and sitting in our rocking chairs on the front porch, when we will be able to look at one another and know that we did something that really made the world a better place. That’s going to be an incredible feeling,” he said. Making a difference is the main goal of everything Mercy Project puts their name on. From events like this to traveling over to Ghana, Mercy Project is making an impact. “Mercy Project is in the process of starting economic development projects, such as cage and pond fishing and agriculture, in the villages where these children live and work for their masters. Through these projects, Mercy Project is teaching the fishermen new and innovative ways to sustain their livelihood without the use of the children. This allows the children to be rescued, rehabilitated, and reintegrated back into their families, while also assuring that the fisherman have no need to use children as slaves in the future,” Field said. Everyone can make a difference in the life of a child slave. If you would like more information about what Mercy Project is doing, or would like to get involved check out their website: www.mercyproject.net. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter by searching “Mercy Project”

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Sports Calendar Thursday, Apr 7 TBA Track & Field, Cross Country vs Texas Relays at Austin, Tx Friday, Apr 8 6:30 PM Baseball vs Texas Tech at Lubbock, Texas 6:00 PM Women’s Tennis vs Oklahoma at College Station, Texas 6:00 PM Men’s Tennis vs Texas Tech at College Station, Texas

TBA Track & Field, Cross Country vs Texas Relays at Austin, Tx

Saturday, Apr 9 5:00 PM Baseball vs Texas Tech at Lubbock, Texas

Sunday, Apr 10 1:00 PM Baseball vs Texas Tech at Lubbock, Texas

1:00 PM Softball vs Missouri at Columbia, Mo.

11:00 AM Softball vs Missouri at Columbia, Mo.

6:00 PM Women’s Tennis vs Oklahoma State at College Station, Texas

12:00 PM Men’s Tennis vs Nebraska at College Station, Texas

6:00 PM Men’s Tennis vs UTSA at College Station, Texas Tuesday, Apr 12 6:30 PM Baseball vs Rice at Houston, Texas Wednesday, Apr 13 6:30 PM Softball vs Sam Houston State at Huntsville, Texas 12:00 PM Men’s Tennis vs Texas-Pan American at College Station, Texas 6:00 PM Men’s Tennis vs Tulsa at College Station, Texas

www.maroonweekly.com April 7 - 13 MAROON WEEKLY | 41

maroon weekly gamepage

answers

42 | MAROON WEEKLY April 7 - 13 www.maroonweekly.com

maroon weekly gamepage

www.maroonweekly.com April 7 - 13 MAROON WEEKLY | 43

ch a rt 1

Randy Rogers Band Interstate (Mercury)

Jarrod Birmingham Jesus and Johnny Cash (Winding Road)

Casey Donahew Band Let Me Love You (Almost Country)

Whiskey Myers Bar, Guitar & A Honky Tonk Crowd (Wiggy Thump)

Brandon Rhyder Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good (Smith Ent.)

John David Kent & The Dumb Angels My Girl (Blackland)

Eli Young Band Crazy Girl (Republic)

Josh Abbott Band Oh, Tonight (PDT)

Reckless Kelly I Hold the Bottle, You Hold the Wheel (YepRoc)

Jackson Taylor Boys In The Band (Smith Ent.)

Rich O’Toole The Cricket Song (PTO)

Ryan Beaver For A While (RB)

Deryl Dodd You’re Not Lookin’ For (Smith Ent.)

Wade Bowen Red Headed Woman (Smith Ent.)

Kevin Fowler Girl In a Truck (Kevin Fowler)

George Ducas Breakin’ Stuff (Propel)

Max Stalling Long Way To Get (Blind Nello)

Kyle Park The Heart Of You (Winding Road)

Aaron Watson Best For Last (Big Label)

Mike Ryan Won’t Let It Show (MR)

Hayes Carll KMAG YOYO (Lost Highway)

The Pear Ratz Ozona (Rancho Azul)

Sean McConnell Lie Baby Lie (SM)

JB and the Moonshine Band Whiskey Days (Average Joe’s Ent.)

Jason Boland & the Stragglers Outlaw Band (APEX Nashville/Proud Souls)

Sunny Sweeney From A Table Away (Republic Nashville)

Jamie Richards Easier By Now (Winding Road)

Scott Wiggins Band Home (SWB)

Eleven Hundred Springs This Ain’t The First Time (Smith Ent.)

Six Market Blvd. Silence In Me (SMB)

Granger Smith 5 More Minutes (GS)

Mike McClure Band Halfway Out (BooHatch)

Rob Baird Blue Eyed Angels (Carnival)

80 Proof Band Josie (Smith Ent.)

James Lann Halfway to Houston (Ari-Tex)

Charlie Montague Tomorrow is Gone (CM)

Jason Cassidy Sounds Like an Angel to Me (JCB)

Matt Kimbrow Kissed You In The Rain (Winding Road)

Brian Keane I’ll Sing About Mine (Independent)

Cory Morrow Lead Me On (APEX Nashville/Write On)

Cody Johnson Texas Kind Of Way (CJB)

John Slaughter Need a Little Something (JS)

Bart Crow Band She’s The Only Reason (Winding Road)

Justin Haigh I Ain’t Leavin’ (Apache Ranch)

Bleu Edmondson Blood Red Lincoln (American Saint)

Charla Corn Next to You (Sixth Street Syndicate)

Tejas Brothers Say It Again (Smith Music)

Nick Verzosa Look Back to Texas (Tiyaga Music)

No Justice Gone Ain’t Far Enough (Carved)

Scott Taylor Band Just a Little Rain Coming Down (Red Shack)

44 | MAROON WEEKLY April 7 - 13 www.maroonweekly.com

T H U R S D AY

Open Mic with the Ozona House

Band backing you up!

ave you ever wanted to see if you have “the chops” to be a performer? Tired of karaoke? Come perform for the Ozona crowd with the Ozona house band. Sing or bring an instrument and belt it out. This is your chance to play with a full band and show off your stuff...FOR FREE! If you’re not a performer, come out and see the up and coming artists around the Brazos Valley while enjoying some of the best drink specials in town! Thursday Party on The Patio: $2 Domestic Drafts $2 Well Drinks $3 Twisted Teas $5/lb Crawﬁsh

Ozona Grill & Bar 520 Harvey Road • College Station, TX 979-694-4618

2 $ 3 $5 $

Domestic Drafts & Well Drinks Twisted Teas

Crawﬁsh Crawﬁsh

Cedrick

and Mit ch of th e Ozona House B and www.maroonweekly.com April 7 - 13 MAROON WEEKLY | 45

BEST DESSERT - Maroon Weekly Best of BCS 2011

“Truly amazing,” - lifeinbcs.com A “more exotic experience.” - The Battalion More “Best of,” awards in more cities, including:

Thanks

off $1 Aggies! ooffer expires 8/1/11

Austin New York Los Angeles Seattle Chicago Las Vegas San Francisco

46 | MAROON WEEKLY April 7 - 13 www.maroonweekly.com