Dustin Perkins Band, moving forward, fast forward

Dustin Perkins

Story and photos by Mary Jane Farmer, photos taken 100% using Dustin’s mother (Sandy)’s Canon lens.

Dustin Perkins Band is continuing to make their own history, their own mark in the music world, and their tenacious climb from “local” to “regional” status continues it’s journey upward.

Friday and Saturday night, they made a little history being the last band to play at the Diamondback Lounge at Choctaw Casino in Durant, the last because the club is being rebuilt as the third in the Gilley’s Bar and Saloon chain, not now a secret. The new club is due to open Memorial Day weekend and is being called Gilley’s Belt Buckle. But more about that later.

The band is made up of Dustin as songwriter on most songs, lead singer, and guitar, Colton Gilbreath on lead guitars and harmonies, Nathan Brown on drums, Michael Waitt on bass guitar, and Chris (Jett) Romain on keyboards and rhythms. They have been together now about a year and a half, and had quite an adventure along the way, having had a stint with professional management that didn’t quite pan out, played a special concert for the 2010 Super Bowl, and now released their CD “The Next Step.”

The band has two gigs coming up for the prestigious South by Southwest festival in Austin, and also will be playing Texas Music Revolution, March 10 in Wylie. And, Dustin will be be interviewed March 8 and featured on the Paris Radio Station K95.5′s radio show, 7-8 p.m. at The River Bar and Grill, Choctaw Casino, Grant, Oklahoma. March 31, they alongside Spur 503 and others, will be intitionating J.R.’s grounds in Savoy, in a one-day festival known only, right now and unofficially, as J.R.’s event and maybe Po’ Boys Picnic.

The Dustin Perkins Band has also created an exciting new set list, one that moves smoothly and energetically from one song to the next, featuring many of the songs on “The Next Step” CD, plus a couple from the original CD “I Wrote You A Song,” and new ones not yet recorded. Their cover of Adelle’s “Rolling In The Deep” is uniquely their own arrangement, and one of the rare covers the band performs.

To top that off, the band will soon be developing a professional video, based on the song they intend to release next off “The Next Step,” the song called “Too Late To Turn Back Now,” or as I think of it, “Somewhere south of Austin.”  They are using the Internet capability offered by KickStart to help finance that video. You can access it by clicking on this link here. (Just a note:

KickStart for the Dustin Perkins Band video:

Sean Franks

Saturday night, Sean Franks opened the show at The Diamondback, an acoustic set featuring his on-stage personality and his rich deep voice. At other times, it has been and could be the Chase Sanford & Swamp Rat Jackson band that opens for Dustin and the guys.

When The DP Band took stage Saturday, they rocked the house with that new set, then Dustin did a couple of solo songs including the one he wrote and played for his grandfather at his funeral. Powerful stuff, powerful tribute to a man who had been a powerful influence in Dustin’s life. They took a short break, then got back on stage to keep the pace moving.

Thursday, (Feb. 16) the band will be at One Eyed Jack Saloon in Whitewright, with an all-acoustic set.  And their full schedule can be found on the Web site: dustinperkinsband.com

Keep this band on your radar. Plug them into your GPS. Mark your calendars. They are already making Texoma, North Texas, and southern Oklahoma proud and that’s only the beginning. They are creating new, loyal fans with every new venue and every mile added to the van. They are going places.

For Diamondback Lounge  pix, click here:

For Hanks Texas Grill pix, click here:

For Love & War pix, click here:

Category: *- Features, Choctaw Casinos, Hank's Texas Grill, Love & War in Texas