Texas Music Showdown, Rd 2 Wk 1

Mary Jane Farmer | March 19, 2016 | Reply

Hillrise

Photos by Mary Jane Farmer — Click on the links below for more photos

Two bands, Hillrise and Gander Slu, met on the White Elephant Saloon to kick off Round 2 of this 11th annual Texas Music Showdown. Judges Brett Dillon, Dustin Hendricks, Scott Copeland and Aubrey Lynn England selected, after both bands gave it their all during their 30-minute sets. Hillrise to move into the finals.

Gander Slu

Gander Slu is a 5-piece band based primarily in Denton and features Jordan Barta on lead vocals, Eric Stark on lead guitar, Ladd Temple on bass, Stefan Wright on acoustic guitar and vocals, and Sammy Lawson on drums. Barta’s voice has the same strength that Aubrey Lynn England is blessed with. The band chose as its one cover song “Nobody’s Baby,” by Reckless Kelly. Their next-to-last song came as acoustic, without bass or drums behind the three vocals of Barta, Stark, and Wright, a crowd and judge favorite.

Hillrise was without its lead guitar player this time, as it was without a bass player in Round 1. However, this contest allows for such variation. Those playing were Steve Valenzuela on lead vocals and acoustic guitar; Mike Box on drums; and Clayton Edwards on bass. They chose Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive” as their cover song. Valenzuela was the only one on vocals, and it was England who mentioned during the critique that she missed hearing harmonies.

Two more unique qualities of this White Elephant Saloon-sponsored contest is (1) Singer/songwriter Brad Hines opens and closes every night — always a treat, and (2) the talent buyer, Jason Tighe, for the venue is in attendance and hears the bands. This is an attribute the bands appreciate and one which is often missing in other venue-sponsored contests.

all musicians and brett This coming Wednesday, March 23, will have Tin & Tonic evenly matched against Big Town Rodeo. Brad plays at 7 p.m., the bands compete beginning at 8 p.m., and there’s no cover charge. White Elephant Saloon is at 106 E Exchange Ave. in the Fort Worth Stockyards.