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LOOSENOTES - The Summer Soltice has finally arrived and once again, this is our time down here on beloved Texas Gulf Coast, on the live music SCENE. The month flew by blistering fast and right on queue, many of you were out there making it happen. You, Folks, are incredible… Here’s a quick rundown of some of what all we were able to catch.
WHERE EAST MEETS WEST – Happened in June at T-Bone Tom’s during the Pirates & Poets show, hosted by Jerry Diaz. Guest performers for the T-Bone’s house included Sunny James White from Florida and Bob Karwin from San Diego serving up an evening of Parrot Head pleasing originals. Bringing in performers from both coasts the same time to mix things up here on our Texas Gulf Coast makes sense when you think about it – After all, Kemah “is” the place where the breezes come together. Speaking of outdoor breezy summer weather, we caught up with Wood & Wind on the outdoor stage at Jackie B’s in June. Like many of us on the SCENE, these two like it outside during the summer months and will be playing out a bit more with promises to fire back up their regular indoor open mic this autumn. One spot on the SCENE still carrying an open mic this summer is at the Cockeyed Seagull on Thursday nights hosted by Cisco. The daytime job can sometimes get exhausting and being able to recharge by recapturing one’s downbeat and groove with good live music is a medicine many doctors wish they can prescribe, cuz it works. Why see a doctor, go catch you a live local music show near you. Got it? While you are out getting your groove on, may I also suggest some Andrew Bateman when you can on the SCENE? It’s been nearly a year since we’ve crossed paths with this one man show, perhaps a bit too long... These days, Andrew packs along three different axes and ably mixes each into a single song. We caught up with Andrew at Cock & Bull this month where tables of food, served piping hot, were simply sitting and getting cold as patrons would stop what they were doing and watch the Minister of Music play. But then that happens all the time…. <vbgrin>
MARK YOUR CALENDAR – We ventured into town in June to celebrate the 29th birthday of David Blassingame, ring leader of the annual Fab 40 show. David tells us that this year’s annual gig at Discovery Green will be October 4th and feature the Beatle’s album, “Revolver”, arguably one of their finest productions ever. Save the date! The party went down at the Continental Club with Picture Book on stage holding down the weekly Friday Night house band honors. Lead vocalist Ryan Guidry is no stranger to the SCENE, whom we first met at the Clifton’s Music Festival. Ryan will be opening for Kansas at the annual Baytown July 4th party in the park along with another local favorite, 4-Barrel Ramblers. Pretty cool, eh? Picture Book describes themselves as a “maximum British Invasion and U.S. Rock & Roll band” and scored a Houston Press nomination for Best Cover Band of the year and lead guitarist Chase Hamblin scored two nominations for Musician of the Year and Best Pop Artist. Not too shabby!
MIXED BOIL – Rewind to when Crazy Al’s Swampshack first opened. We stopped in to try out the menu, was impressed with the selection and went with a pound of everything. David Schwope was on stage and the weekend was nothing short of perfect. We stopped into the Swampshack in June and the place was packed with families enjoying great seafood eats and to our delight, David Schwope was on the stage – Some good things never change….
THE BLUES – Is something we all need from time to time. Some can never get enough. In June, we caught some of the finest in blues at T-Bone Tom’s with The Big Cletus Blues Experience, Katie’s with the Gulf Coast Organ Trio, and at Cock & Bull with Donn Eisle, Steve Shannon, and Hank Wolff. Cletus, a longtime instructor and Danny’s Guitar Hacienda, has assembled “A but rockin, jumpin and thumpin blues band composing of a rotating roster of Blues All-Stars”, which we can indeed testify is true. We saw Cletus with Little Terry Rogers sharing the stage on harp at T-Bone’s which for us, was an enjoyable reunion – The last time we had cross paths was during the IkeFest series and some of you should remember those. Also in the crowd were Mr. and Mrs. V, hosts of the Sunday morning Blues on the Move - Sunday: 8-11 a.m. hosted by Mr. and Mrs. V (and their sidekicks, Nancy & Buddy Love) an eclectic blues program that covers all genres of the blues but concentrates on soul blues, female based blues and local and Texas based artists. You never know just who you’ll meet at T-Bone’s…. The Gulf Coast Organ Trio at Katie’s on a Wednesday night was an awesome treat – Not to many Hammond B3’s complete with Leslies are out there these days and boy did it sound sweet. After my earlier visit to the Continental Club, I simply can’t say enough how well we have it with Bob and Katie always bringing in quality music night after night, an enjoyable setting to catch the shows, and never a cover! The Cock & Bull show of Eisle, Shannon and Wolf is an interesting mention not just because we got a chance to hear Hank play the trap (which was an evening of clever presentation itself), but the boys took it back to the 20’s & 30’s playing the music that caught not just our ears, but according to Wikipedia, that of Eric Clapton, whose first songs he ever learned reportedly were of that era and genre. Not sure if Eisle, Shannon & Wolff will be living the life of Clapton anytime soon but we appreciate getting to experience the sounds and the Cock & Bull for having us.
SUNDAY FUNDAY – About a year ago on the last Sunday of June was a gathering of musicians at the Cockeyed Seagull (with one of the best AC’s in Clear Lake) that was very near and dear to me. Fast forward a year later and one of the bands there, Andy and The Dreamsicles, are still at it – A Sunday night, the next day a workday, yet packing the house and having a blast partying away. In the month of June, we witnessed them do it again, this time at Claudio’s. But then, we’ve been seeing the Dreamsicles do just that on countless summertime Sundays since we first happened upon the SCENE at the old Sundance Grill on the point. It’s nice seeing bands making people smile and laugh. When they do that at each and every show, you know they’ve a good thing going. And speaking of which, I’d like to add mention to Zone 504 to that call. The Zone is one interesting place where the night crowds on weekends are always young and fun but when you’ve been at it for as long a they have, and start having Sunday all age events for the regulars (and in this case, it was their Hello Summer, Goodbye Crawfish Festival complete with Mark Lum & Friends on the indoor stage), you know you’ve reach the level of being considered a “neighborhood bar”, a worthy title, no matter the SCENE. Well done!
TOUR STOP CLEAR LAKE – And this month, it was out of curiosity we ventured to Scout Bar for My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult which treated us to musing videos along the lines of Hank 3 & Pink Floyd, and with an electronic funky disco that had the crowd moving in a way that probably in part, created the roll of today’s modern DJ. Opening for this band from Chicago via LA was our own Erase The Virus whom has a following that always gets what they want to hear but this night for me, was different with ETV adding Jessica Perry (The Scars Heal In Time & Vanilla Sugar) to the fold. Electronically, Jessica held her spot down very well with the boys and perhaps the most intriguing moment came when she and Chris shared vocals on a back & forth that had a witty, gritty cleverness about it that got me thinking Paradise By The Dashboard Lights. Gonna have to mark ETV as a band to follow-up with this possible development.
NEW GIG ALERT – Well, actually they’ve been doing it awhile, but the folks at Punk Star has a weekly gig happening at Scout Bar, Full Throttle Night complete with live broadcast interviews, incredibly good live music, and creating an excitement that’s unique, bringing in guests from all around the greater Houston metro area, which good people, reaches a heck of a way! Their broadcasts can be seen on locallivehouston.com and is hosted by Khris Harding & Chris Calderas.
OVER THE TOP – We don’t give these out too often and this month, happy to mention the Will Play For Food, Volume III for taking us there. Through the course of the 8 hour event (yup, we where there for the stretch) , we heard 15 bands let it all hang out with a zest roosted solidly in magical territory. The turnout this year was in great form for this Galveston County Food Bank fund raising event and the Scout Bar Staff was utmost taking care of everybody. All this mention aside, the event has solidified to one where people who sometimes only gets a chance to cross paths at these shindigs making it reunion of sorts - for music lovers covering the widest spectrum of genres never meeting otherwise, which good people, is pretty dang cool…. Yes? Kudos to all who helped make the event happen – Before, during, after, and to become….
IT’S A WRAP – W
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