Big Joe Walker Band

Click on the links below for many photos

After having been iced out and postponed the previous week, the White Elephant Saloon Texas Music Showdown finalized its first round this Wednesday (3.11.15) with three judges selecting Big Joe Walker and his big band to move into Round 2.

This contest was between Big Joe’s band, the Keith Owens Band, and the Molotov Dogs. Three powerful bands, all of which brought their No. 1 game to the contest.

Each band had three original songs and one cover song to perform for grading, plus they got a full song as a sound check. Usually, these songs get the judges’ attention, too, although they don’t score anything on it.

Judges this week were James Dunning, who leads the Lost Immigrants band; Frank Jackson with Smith Music; and KHYI’s Brett Dillon, who also organizes the contest for the White Elephant Saloon. After each band’s songs, the judges offered some words of constructive critique. Then, when all three had performed, they adjourned to deliberate and make their selection.

Keith Owens Band

The Keith Owens Band opened up. Their sound check song was a good execution of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition,” and their cover was a Keith Whitley hit. At critique, Dillon said he liked the band from the sound check. Dunning commented he especially liked an AC/DC riff in t he band’s last original song, and Jackson mentioned that he really liked their original songs and said, “you are a musically really tight band.”

Members of the Keith Owens Band are: Owens on lead vocals and guitar; “Captain” Kirk Richardson on bass; Trace Bivens on lead guitar and backup vocals; Dwayne “Gummi Bear” Berry on drums; and Kim Danforth on harmony and backup vocals.

Next up were the Molotov Dogs, led by Blake Brownlee on vocals and guitar. Others in this group are Matt Hall on bass; Lucas Albano on drums; Poppy Xander on keyboard; and Jesse Thompson on electric banjo. At critique, Dillon gave the Zoolander Award to

Molotov Dogs

Thompson, and commented that musicians Mark Shelton and Big Joe were really jammin’ to the band. Their cover song was Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades.” Shelton said later, “That was one of the most original covers of that (heavy metal) song I’ve ever heard.” Judge Dunning liked it to, plus, he said, he liked the variety of instrumentation. “It was a great balance, even when the guitar crapped out on you in the end. The band went on and carried the song.”

Jackson commented on that little snag, too. “It was a good move, not to focus on it and just keep going.” He added good comments about Xander’s keyboard work.

Big Joe Walker band covered George Strait’s “Run.” With Big Joe, who plays both guitar and keyboards, were Chris Johnson on drums and background vocals; Adam Carrillo on bass and background vocals; Casey Green on lead guitar; and Michael Poole on fiddle.

Judges reversed their deliveries, with Jackson starting the critique by saying, “Your songs are strong, your smile is so infectious, and it all sounds so good.”

Dunning commented on the band’s dynamics and diverse song selection, plus their musicianship. And Dillon added “You are hit-maker band. You come alive on the keys, Big Joe.” He closed it off saying, “This is a competition and all these bands are amazing.”

Blake Brownlee, Keith Owens, and Big Joe Walker sharing a song

Big Joe, after the announcement, and his band performed two more songs for the crowd. The first was a Zac Brown cover. On the second, he invited Brownlee and Owens back onto the stage to sing along with his band, and that was a great conclusion to the night’s events, with everyone remaining friends and admirers of one another’s music.

This next Wednesday (March 18), Round 2 begins with Josh Halverson Band taking on Twisted Pistols. Then, on March 25, it will be the Matt Nix Band against Big Joe Walker. Until, finally, on April 1, it will come to a close with the winners of those two weeks coming together for the grand prizes. Music starts at 8 p.m., and singer/songwriter Brad Hines performs solo each night from 7-8 and again after the night’s contest ends. No cover charge.

Big Joe Walker photos, click here

Molotov Dogs photos, click here

The Keith Owens Band photos, click here

For other photos, click here

Josh Halverson

For many photos, click on the links below

It was one duo and two trios, the first three bands that kicked off the 10^th yearly White Elephant Saloon Texas Music Showdown. One of those bands, though, was from Oklahoma.

Competing Wednesday (Feb. 11, 2015) were the Josh Halverson band from Denton, Moonlight Social from Austin, and Hellbilly Homicide from Durant, Okla.

At night’s end, everyone learned that it would be Josh Halverson Band moving into Round 2.

But they actually didn’t start the music. Brad Hines, a regular and favorite at the White Elephant and its affiliate Love Shack in the Stockyards, opened it all, giving arriving folks a friendly and welcome feeling with his songs.

Organizer for the White Elephant Saloon and KHYI (95.3 The Range) on-air personality Brett Dillon told the crowd, before introducing the bands, that the last two Texas Music Showdown winners, Green Light Pistols (2013) and Buffalo Ruckus (2014), had gone on into the Shiner Rising Star and won that one also. That speaks well for the caliber of bands in this contest, he said.

Hopefully, a list of ALL the prizes these bands are vying for will be available next week, but know they are a combination of career-enhancing and just-plain-fun prizes, including a spot at the April Larry Joe Taylor Texas Music Festival and in the October Tommy Alverson Family Gathering.

Helping Dillon judge this week were Matthew and Brayland Smith, co-owners of Magnolia Motor Lounge and Robert Gallagher with Billy Bob’s Texas. They offered quick critiques after each group’s set.

Dillon also explained that the bands have five songs: the first is for sound check only and not judged; and of the remainder, three are to be originals and one a cover song.

Moonlight Social came as a duo, Jeremy Burchard and Jennica Scott, with an experienced

Moonlight Social

blend of co-vocals and harmonies. Jeremy plays acoustic guitar. Jennica said they have a full band, but chose to make this contest as a duo, “so we could sing the songs like they were written.” Their cover song was “Let Her Go” by the Civil Wars, whom they heard at a past Austin City Limits festival, Jennica explained. This duo also brought a couple to the dance floor. They also performed, as one of their original songs, one they have released to the radios, “Heading South.”

Critique: Dillon led off, saying he’d seen the video on “Heading South” and know they are on a radio tour now. “Great harmonies. Great job!” The Smiths, collectively said they were impressed with the vocals, stage presence, and stage presence. Gallagher said he specifically liked their second and fourth songs, asked how long they had been writing together and learned that Burchard and Scott have been together about four years. “Keep writing. You are talented and you shine together. I’d love to see you with a full band.”

Hillbilly Homicide, a rockabilly trio with David Stark on lead vocals and guitars; Randal

Hellbilly Homicide

Hickman on stand-up bass and vocals; and Victor Seeley drums, hit it hard after entertaining the crowd with not only their music and talent, but also their on-stage antics. The two on the front line kept up a constant stream of animation along with their guitar and bass licks. Their cover song was Hank 3’s “Smoke and Wine.”

Critique: Dillon called it all “A great set. You are much like Stray Cats meets Sid Vicious. The White Elephant will never be the same.” Matt Smith spoke for both of them, saying, “Yu guys are F… awesome. I love you, man.” And Gallagher commented on the way they built their songs up. “You are kick ass. Lots of energy and everybody has fun. I like that you slowed down the third song.” And to that, David responded… “This was a slow set.” “No kidding?” Gallagher reacted with a chuckle.

Last up was the trio made up of Josh Halverson on lead vocals and acoustic guitar; Josh Haar on electric guitar; and Joel Irwin on drums. After the contest ended, and this band had been declared as the one moving into Round 2, the guys said they had actually only played together once before. They had met in Shiner Rising Star contest when Haar and Irwin were with contestant Troy Murph band and Halverson was in it, too, with another group of musicians. It was a mutual-respect thing, and natural that these three would pair up again in their future. Halverson did the same cover song as that night at the SRS contest, “My 38-Year-Old Cocktail Waitress,” made popular by Possessed By Paul James, and did a great rendition of it.

Critique: Dillon: “Great job, cool groove, great look, a nice 3-piece band, and really good songwriting.” Smith commented on the “dynamics between you three… and vocals are spot on. Drummer (Seeley), you were really awesome.” And Gallagher closed it out by simply saying, “Good band, buddy, good band.”

Halverson performed a few more songs, solo, before Brad Hines returned to the stage.

This contest continues every Wednesday through March 25, beginning at 8 p.m. at the historic White Elephant Saloon in the Fort Worth Stockyards.

For Hellbilly Homicide photos, click here

For Moonlight Special photos, click here

For Josh Halverson band photos, click here

For other photos, click here

For Moonlight Social’s video “Heading South,” click here