Last Chance Saloon, on Avenue K in old Plano, wins my own personal prize as the best Shiner Rising Star host to date, and there have been a lot of great clubs along the way. Not only do they have great food, but the staff there is great and fun to be around. They are honestly glad when you walk in the room! Music from Wednesday through Saturday nights.

Bands were (Winners) The Will Callers, with stiff competition from the Chet O’Keefe Band and the Brandon Stedham Band. We should be hearing more music over time from these two amazing bands, as well as the Will Callers.

Judges were Merrol Ray, Brett Dillon, and Kelly Dearborn.

Pictures by Mary Jane Farmer

At LaGrange, the downtown bar operated by Rob Shumacher, former member of the 2009 Shiner Rising Star champion band Grant Jones & The Pistol Grip Lassos. Whether it was this connection or  just because it’s a great place, LaGrange’s hosting was perfection. Fans packed the place, and overflowed onto the sidewalk because of the raised, garage-door style front wall. Stage lighting was good and there’s a great outdoor back patio.

Winners this week were The Robert Donahue Band, who were crisply challenged by Andrew Delaney & The Horse You Rode In On and by the Drifting Outlaw band. Joshua Jones, Brett Dillon, and Kelly Dearborn judged.

Pictures by Mary Jane Farmer

Main Street Liquid Company, on Belt Line/Main Street in old downtown Richardson, hosted this week’s event. Competing were (Winners) The Rock Bottom Ramblers from Oklaholma City, Two Door Ford, and The Mike Sckidora Band, all three incredible and perhaps one of the closest competitions to date. Judges were Kelly Dearborn, Darryl Lee Rush, and Brett Dillon. If you haven’t been into Main Street Liquid Company yet, treat yourselves. Brett hosts singer/songwriter nights on Tuesdays, beginning around 7 p.m., and there’s also live music on Thursdays, never a cover charge.

Pictures by Mary Jane Farmer

Fans of all three competing bands packed this downtown Dallas night club. The Beaumont band, Slow Rollin Lows, took the win, but the Jesse Sims band and the Kyle Wayne Kutscher band gave them a run for their money.

For pictures, click here

This week’s music competition was held at Hat Tricks in Lewisville. The amazing Shutdown Town and their high energy let them move on to Round 2, but close behind them were the Kerry Davis Band and the Chris Rivers Band

For pictures, click here