Category Archives: Earlier Posts

Shiner Rising Star, KHYI, 2011, 10/6/11, Love & War in Grapevine

Story and pix by Mary Jane Farmer

Round 2 Week 2 has come and gone, but not without delivering an incredible night of showmanship, musicianship, songwriting-ship, and downright fun!  Held this week (Oct. 6) at Love & War in Texas, Grapevine, Pearl Street Riot took on the Rodeo Clown Dropouts in 45-minute sets that must, and did, include two cover songs mixed in with their originals. These bands, plus 22 others that began in July in this weekly, 3-round contest, were there to win a recording contract through Shiner Records, plus the opening spot on the 2012 Texas Music Revolution, and a complete band outfit provided by Kona Guitars and DP Percussions. Links to all those, and to Rogue TV, who is video-taping each segment and streams it during the contests, will be at the end of this review.

Judges this week were sponsoring radio station KHYI personalities Brett Dillon and Chuck Taylor, Love & War owner Tye Phelps, and longtime professional music promotor  Mark Jenese.

The beginning was unusual, but it worked well for the two band members who are friends off the stage and friendly competitors on stage. Pearl Street Riot drew the opening straw, and took the stage with the calmness that is part of their demeanor (At least until they crank up the sounds!) But, when bass player Justin Cashion, aka ‘Cash’ plugged his guitar in, it simply did not work. Now, when other bands in the competition have had equipment problems, they have always jumped up and helped each other. And that could have happened this time, too, except that Rodeo Clown Dropouts bass player Jimmy Duval didn’t have an electrical bass — he plays doghouse, rockabilly, stand-up bass.

The Amazing Ric Denker, who is an electrical engineer for Raytheon and a pretty mean fiddler player on his own, and who helps each week set up and tear down the basic equipment, was there, tools in his car. He said, with assurance, he could fix it.

So, Rodeo Clown Dropouts took the stage first, and that gave Denker 45 minutes to go to work on Cash’s treasure. Of course, Cash and the rest of the band were apprehensive, because without the repairs and the bass, they were hamstrung. Denker took his tools out, took the bass completely apart, found several wires inside it which had broken loose, welded them together, put the bass back together, and the rest became history as the night moved on.

Ric was thereafter referred to all night as “The Amazing Ric Denker” by both bands, on and off the stage.

Pearl Street Riot is made up of Cash, its newest member,  Rodney Key on drums, Cody Phifer on lead guitar and back-up vocals, and Wesley Joe Malone on acoustic guitar and lead vocals. To hear this band, one would think of Corb Lund combining with The Flatlanders and adding in some rock n roll of anyone’s type who has fun with it.  In fact, they opened with their first cover, Tom Petty’s “Anything That’s Rock n Roll.”  Keeping the momentum going, they also covered Janis Joplin’s “Mercedes Benz.” In between were a multitude of self-written songs, historical in nature in some cases, and others bringing people onto the dance floor. “I like rock n roll with my beer,” Wesley Joe belted out.

Dillon opened the critique with the simple word “Awesome. I got no negatives for you guys. Cody, always a great job on lead, and Wesley Joe, love your vocals. You all look like a band and you feel like a band, thanks for dressing like a band.”

Phelps said he especially liked the original “(The Battle of) Butcher Holler”  and added that the lead vocals were great, and the band was tight, as if “You know what’s going on.” He noted, too, that when there was a glitch, barely noticeable, Wesley Joe made it less noticeable by slowing down the tempo a bit. And to Cody, he said he liked that Cody didn’t turn up his amp so loud that nobody could hear anything else.

Taylor was a little less complimentary, stating that Pearl Street Riot’s music is “not the kind of music I could play on a radio st ation, and I’m looking for that. You are a punk band.” Wesley Joe answered, “We still love you.”

Jenese said of Pearl Street Riot, “It’s a great rockin band, great guitar. I had a blast watching. You are not country by anyt stretch. I would love to hear another 45 minutes of you playing.”

Pearl Street Riot pix  (moving on)

The Rodeo Clown Dropouts are as much fun to watch as they are to listen to. The band is made up of Jimmy Duval on that non-electric bass that got used as a stool by the lead guitarist, Jimmy James Arnold and a pinwheel (at times) for Jimmy, and Jimmy’s son, Cody Duval, on drums. Together, they combine rock n roll with rockabilly with country with energy.  For covers, they chose “Rada Love” and “Mystery Train,” both selections which pleased the judeges during critique.

Rodeo Clown Dropouts

In fact, Dillon compared the band with “Texas true rockabilly in the style of the late great Ronnie Dawson.” He especially liked, he commented, that they threw in a ballad between the fast-paced rockabilly songs, and called their original “White Trash Anthem” a great tune. “You did a rock solid, great job.”

Phelps‘ first comment was on Cody’s talents on the drums. “Good job, I love the drummer who plays within himself.” Of the whole band, he commented, “Great energy, Axel Rose meets Vince Gill, but Two Tons and Buddy Holly type as well.” It was the band’s diversity that awed him, Phelps said.

Taylor remembered that during Round 1, the Rodeo Clown Dropouts have a touch of def metal country to them. “I didn’t quite get that this time, but still got your psycho-billy.”He said the band blended the best of 1100 Springs with Rev. Horton Heet. On the constructive criticism side, he said that the band didn’t seem to engage it’s audience between songs. “You didn’t seem like you had the set thought out. You have marketability and songs that can play on the radio.”

Jenese said “I would buy your record right now,” and Jimmy laughed when he said, “I got them in the van.”

Rodeo Clown Dropouts pix

Just some other pix

This Thursday, Oct. 13, finalizes the preliminary competitions, with Jeremy Phifer & the Badwater Band of Lamar County vying against Brad Dunn & Ellis County of the San Antonio area. Note this change — it has been moved from its previously announced venue to Southern Junction in Rockwall. Since these are both larger bands (5 members in Phifer’s band and 6 in Dunn’s), it should be nice to have them on such a large stage as the one at Southern Junction.

Check out these links:

Shiner Beer

KHYI’s 2012 Texas Music Revolution

Shiner Records

RogueTV.net

Kona Guitars and GP Percussion,

Alternate Root

 

 

Shiner Rising Star, KHYI, 2011, Rd 2 Wk 2, 9/29, City Tavern in Dallas

Story and Photos by Mary Jane Farmer, SceneInTown.com

Shiner Rising Star is closer to the end of the 13-week contest than it is to the beginning, and with the advancement comes tighter competitions. Round 2, Week, of Sept. 29 was prime example of how tight it has become. Blackbird Sing drove up, and brought a crowd with them, from their homebase in San Antonio, and vying against this 5-piece band was Texoma’s Twisted Pistols, also there with supportive fans.

In this round, each band is given 45 minutes on stage and must cover two songs, then complete their sets with all original music.. Judging were KHYI’s Joshua Jones and Brett Dillon, singer/songwriters Deryl Dodd and Kate Miner.

Blackbird Sing drew the opening straw, and got on the stage at City Tavern in downtown Dallas. Robert Salinas, James Magallanez, Daniel Magallanez (brothers), Andee Salazar, and George Ransom  electrified the dimly-lit stage. Salazar had his corner of the stage, first behind keyboards, then switching back and forth between horn and electric guitar. Others kept momentum with bass, lead and acoustic guitars, drums, and other percussion instruments.

They re-performed the Bruce Springsteen/Jerrod Medulla song “I’m on Fire” as one of their covers, and stumped the judges on the second one.

Dillon opened critique time by calling the band 100% original “Great voice, great connection with the crowd. You did the DJ thing by letting people know when more people came in.”

Dodd said their performance made it well worth having been there that night.

“You had me from the git-go,” Deryl said, and then repeated the single-syllable rhythm Blackbird Sing had opened with. They then answered back with the opening lines. Dodd called the members of the band “young guys with old souls.”

Jones spoke more about how the band could improve. “I love the keys, great song and harmonies, but one to say I am a guitar tone snob Yours is kind of thin. I want you to bring some raunchy ass -kicking guitar tone (if you come back). None of this girly stuff. Hand on your hearts and promise me… I want it to be crunchy cool.” Jones offered other criticisms delivered constructively.

Miner gave the band a “10” score for “most overall band hotness,” she said, “on behalf of all the girls in the room.” She said the bass player is the glue, with good tone and a good teammate with the drummer. To another she said, “I loved everything you did, harmonica, and such.” Miner said the band’s last song was its best, “and if that could be where you start all the rest of your songs.” To the lead singer she said, “I don’t think you have found your voice yet, and thee’s more to you than what you are giving”

Blackbird Sing pix, Moving On

The Twisted Pistols opened with their first cover, “Counting Flowers On The Wall,” because, lead singer Zach Hendicks said, their practice hall has flowered wallpaper. Lead guitarist Johnny Wilson moved back and forth between finger pickin’ and use of a slide to keep his guitar talking its own talk though the songs. Justin Boren on drums and Spencer Wylee Whitney, the newest member of the band, kept it steady on bass and drums.

The Twisted Pistols also incorporated the Twitter suggestion which Jones puts up every Thursday morning, as an incentive to earn a few more points. This week’s suggestion was to create a joke around the words “California surfing cop.”  Wilson did that, wish I could remember the joke. The band finished out with the Radney Foster cover song, ”Folding Money”

Dillon recalled first hearing Zach years ago, before he had developed a band, and said, “You’ve come a long way.” Great originals, Dillon said about their songs, “Texas Grunge.. Steve Earle started like this. On the (Foster) cover, “Folding Money” is a big song to cover, and I thought you guys killed that.”

Double D asked the band if they had fun, and every one said definitely, they did have a good time. “You have (to Wilson) great guitar tones and you play great.”  To the whole band he said, You guys have got you musicianship together, there’s a lot of power in the song.”

Jones remembered the Twisted Pistols having competed in Rising Star three years ago, and said they have improved.” He also said, “Hats off to the two covers. It’s good to hear The Statler Brothers.   Also I appreciate the sponsors’ plug in the beginning.” On the criticism side, Jones told Hendricks it looked like he had taken a Xanax before getting on stage. “If  you are going to be a lead singer of a red dirt Texas country bad-ass band, you have got to give me some energy. You guys have confidence, but I want to see a little swagger.” Jones said he did give them 5 extra points for that Hollywood surfing cop punch line. “The vocals wee there, but it’s negated by the lack of energy.”

Kate also gave this band 10 points on the hot-band scale, she said. She added that she disagreed with Jones, that the band was intriguing and fascinating. “I loved it. From the git go, from the first chord out, you had a matuity and confidence that made me relax. I would buy your record.”

Twisted Pistols pix

Just some fun pix

To view videos from this week, and all weeks, go to www.roguetv.net. The producer also sells DVDs of each night’s performance on scene.

 

Shiner Rising Star is a band competition with prizes that include a recording contract through Shiner Records, an opening spot on KHYI’s 2012 Texas Music Revolution festival, full-band equipment outfit from Kona Guitars and GP Percussion, and a feature article in Alternate Root, an American music magazine. Dallas American radio station KHYI, Shiner Beer, and Shiner Records are the sponsors.

The next week, we received a press release from Blackbird Sing’s publicist, and it states:

The Bexar County bad boys refuse to be stopped.  On September 29th, Blackbird Sing  travelled the long road to the City Tavern in Dallas, Tx for another trial in their quest to beat the best in the Shiner’s Rising Stars contest.  At this stage the only game left is the “A” game; those who bring it will be victorious but anything less means instant elimination. Now, the only San Antonio band to enter the competition remains standing as one of the few bands to make it far enough to have a shot at taking the whole shebang.   Robert Vito and crew hit the trail with a legion of loyal supporters, strapped on their six strings, and left it all up there on the stage, reminding music lovers everywhere that it’s not how you play but what you play, Blackbird Sing emerged victorious and now prepare for the ultimate finale in October that will crown only one band as 2011’s Shiner’s Rising star, complete with exposure and a recording contract with Shiner Records!  Let’s congratulate our hometown heroes as they 
prepare for the last battle against the toughest competition yet and check for updates for the next round!  Congratulations Blackbird Sing and thanks for putting the Alamo City back in the spotlight! 
 
 
 

Red Dirt Revolution, the first of many to come, 2011

Chis Gunn

Story by Mary Jane Farmer, Pix by Mary Jane Farmer and Mark Bickham
PARIS (No, not that one in France, silly. Paris Texas, where music is red dirt) — It has come and gone, but not without notice. Three weeks ago, bands from Texoma and beyond took the stage at the first Red Dirt Revolution, the first of more to come, fans already are hoping. RDR was held on a ranch in Deport, about 10 miles south of Paris. The first people to get festival goers set the pace of a friendly and helpful staff, one which obviously had one goal in mind — to help the festival goer have a good time.
Music started at noon with Shutdown Town setting a high bar for each of the following bands. And each of the following bands raised that bar a bit higher, until the momemtum kept rising throughout the afternoon and into the evening. Shutdown Town pix
 It was the last performance for Whiskey Roadshow as it was with those band members. The band is restructuring and moving on, and some of the band members have started another band which has begun to play around the area. More on that later on.  Whiskey Roadshow pix
 
Merrol Ray and his band highlighted their set with a new, serious song complete with deep emotions, but which this reporter doesn’t know the name of.
Merrol Ray & The Regulators pix
 
Songwriter Zane Williams provided a surprise performance. He stopped by on his way to a gig later in the evening, and, as he always is, was willing to share his music in a short set.
Zane Williams pix
 
Another acoustic set came from David Grace, who producer said was also playing his wedding the next week. Let’s hope this songwriter returns with a full band next year. Greatness!
David Grace pix
 
A new highlight for this reporter was the Cody Riley Band. Cody is as animated on stage as Tyler Bryant, who followed him. This reporter is already planning to listen to this band again in November.   Cody Riley Band pix
 
Tyler, who I will probably always call Tyler Dow Bryant, having followed him through the years by his full name, returned to the area for the first time in a while. Fans got a good mix of the old-time blues he learned from his local mentor Roosevelt Twitty, and the newer rock music he coaxed out of his guitar. The Honey Grove resident can only go up, he’s that good.   Tyler Bryant pix
 
Johnny Cooper sat enthralled through Tyler’s set, before stepping onto the stage himself. Coop said he has known Tyler from the days when they both were young teenagers breaking into the business and both with supportive families.    Johnny Cooper pix
 
After Coop and his band completed their set, another surprise was that Tyler got back on stage with Coop and his band, and the performance was electrifying.
Tyler and Johnny pix
 
Jason Boland closed out the night with the same versitility of style that he’s so known for. 
Jason Boland pix
 
The producer, Chris Gunn, reported there were more than 2,000 people in attendance, not bad for a first effort. Many of those came with ATVs and spent the day listening to the music while mudding in a special pit into which thousands of gallons of water had been hauled in. As the evening closed, those muddy fans sidled up to the stage, still energetic and appreciative. 
 
Just a suggestion, but a real one. Watch for notification of the 2012 Red Dirt Revolution, then get ready to have your faces melted off by the music that has made Texas music a household word

Shiner Rising Star, KHYI, 2011 Rd 2 Wk 1, 9/22, Hat Tricks in Lewisville

Story and pix by Mary Jane Farmer

Two passionate and billiant bands met on the Hat Tricks stage Thursday night (9/22) to kick off Round Two of Shiner Rising Star. When the judges’ scores were counted, Sidekick Mafia had beat out The Dustin Perkins Band by a margin that was closer than Friday morning’s fog to the ground.

In this round, both bands were given 45 minutes on stage, and that included set up and break down, and requried to perform two covers. Another change for this night was that there were four judges in place of the usual three. Judges were Bonnie Whitmore, Big Gus Samuelson, Coach Joe Avazenno, and Brett Dillon. And the full support crew was there, too — Ric Denker, Lisa Hooks, Jake Samuelson, and the RogueTV.net crew, William and Trisha.

Judges for Round 2 Week 1

Dustin Perkins and Justin Pickard

Dustin and his band, Michael Waitt on bass, Nathan Brown on drums, and Colton Gilbreath on lead guitar, led off with their 2010 release that garnered consideable airplay, “Greener Pastures,” then kicked into their first cover, Sheryl Crow’s “If It Makes You Happy.” During the set, the band also played their newest release, “Luckiest Man Alive,” which is making waves in the Regional Radio Texas Chart. The band’s second cover was John Mayer’s “Gravity.”

Dillon opened the critique at the end of the set by first  eliciting a laugh from Colton with his compliment, “Your fro is so coo, so 70s, it is awesome.” He also called Colton’s guitar talent “awesome.” To the band, Dillon said he loved both the covers and was glad to hear a male do the Sheryl Crow song. “It’s a cool tune.” He commented specifically on originals “Dashboard Lights and “Brand New Day,” and called Dustin a great songwriter.

Coach Joe said that his favorite of The Dustin Perkins Band songs is “Luckiest Man Alive.”
“Dustin, what I like in a band – I like to be entertained with a good voice, good voices, and you have a very good and pleasant voice. I hope you build on that — you can sing.”

Big Gus said he has been watching Dustin Perkikns “since day one, and I like the song transitions. You go from one song to another, a really nice flow.” And, Big Gus commented, Dustin remembered to mention and thank everybody involved. “That was professional.”

Bonnie said the overall presentation was a great job. She too said she was into “The Luckiest Man Alive,” because it has a good hook. Colton’s electric guitar picking was solid, Whitmore said, but then told Nathan that perhaps he should “take down the drums on some stuff and bring it back up on others.” To the band, she said, “Don’t be afraid to get out there and rock balls. Get into the music and love it. You have the best job in the whole entire world up there.”

Dustin Perkins Band pix

Sidekick Mafia is a thee-piece band that blends the influence of all three members into one infectuous, rhythm-making machine, the toe-tapping that gloms onto every foot led by Justin Pickard in his lizard skin boots that never  miss a beat themselves. On drums is Brondon Esco, and on bass is Matt Brannon, and together they constantly grab and add strong danceable rhythms to every tune Pickard belts out as he also maintains  lead on his electric guitar.

The band’s choice of covers echoed their diversity, Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie. 

Whitmore led the critique, saying it’s obvious that the band really enjoys what it does, and that they have been together a while. Collectively, the dynamics between the members make a faboulous sound, she said. “You put your heats and souls into the set, and I can see you as an opening acts for the Indy rock shows.” Her suggestion for change was that they should watch the pickup, because it could blow the speakers.

Big Gus said he wished he knew the names of the songs, but specifically remembered “Natalie” and, he said, maybe it would be an advantage to introduce the songs to the audience. He commented that he didn’t know if the band’s sound was radio-friendly or not, but he did know he was now a Sidekick Mafia fan. “Music is about passion. I am integrity driven, and I hate a sell-out. You guys ae passionate and it shows.”

Going down the table, Coach Joe spoke next at critique-time. “I’ve never seen you guys before, and so when you started out, I thought, ‘What the hell is this?’ But music is totally subjective, what one likes another may not like. As you got going and having fun — and your guitar playing is fantasatic, as entertaining a guitar show as I’ve seen in a long time — and by the time you got through, I was a fan of Sidekick Mafia.”

Dillon talked about the rarity of a lead singer also being the lead guitar player and about the “great syncopated transitions, going slow and them jamming it up.”

Sidekick Mafia pix

This next week (Thusday, Sept. 29) brings Round One winners Twisted Pistols to the same stage against Blackbird Sing. The show will be at City Tavern in Deep Ellum, and music begins at 8 p.m.

By the way, while there, pick up a copy of Vicki Penhall’s book “The Ghost of City Tavern,” a fictional story based on spooky facts documented as having happened at City Tavern. Vicki is the mother of Miles Penhall, a member of the Grant Jones & The Pistol Grip Lassos, who won Shiner Rising Star in 2009.

Check these sponsor and prize-provider Web site out:

KHYI

Shiner Records 

Shiner Beer

RogueTV.net

 Kona Guitars 

GP Percussion 

Alternate Route

Shiner Rising Star, KHYI, 2011 Rd 1 Wk 8, 9/15/11, Love & War in Texas

 

Jake Samuelson and Ric Denker

Shiner Rising Star is a band competition with prizes that include a recording contract through Shiner Records, an opening spot on KHYI’s 2012 Texas Music Revolution festival, full-band equipment outfit from Kona Guitars and GP Percussion, and a feature article in Alternate Route, an Americana music magazine. Dallas American radio station KHYI, Shiner Beer, and Shiner Records are the sponsors.

To view videos from this week, and all weeks, go to www.roguetv.net. The producer also sells DVDs of each night’s performance on scene.

The final week of Round 1 brought together three more amazing bands to the patio stage at Love & War in Texas, Plano. These were Brad Dunn & Ellis County, from Austin, who will be moving on into Round 2, Manny (Trevin) and the Gringoderos from within the Metroplex, and The Scrips, from the Tyler area. Judges this week were KHYI radio personalities Brett Dillon and Chuck Taylor, and regional singer/songwriter Max Stalling.

The Scrips opened the set, entertaining with banjo, guitar, and bull bass, and with voices that allowed the words, melodies, and harmonies to shine, to bring brillance to their bluegrass roots. They chose as their one cover, “Will The Circle Be Unbroken?” Brad Wofford played guitar and banjo, Marci Acheson was on guitar, and Shane Prescott on bass, sometimes using a bow instead of the usual slap or pick style.

Brett Dillon said, at the end of the set, “You ae awesome. You know you aee different and it is cool that you do what you do, because you believe in the sound. I can see you opening for Del McCrory.” He added that he could hear their music being used in sound tracks of turn-of-the-century or western movies. “I love the loud ass music, but I could hear your lyrics and your sound and it was refreshing.”

Stalling was shyer about his contibution during the critique. “My opinion and 50¢ would probably not get you a good cup of coffee.” Stalling commented on the songwriting, saying, “The lyrics grabbed. And I am a sucker for the minor G dirgy-kind of songs.”

Stalling did suggest that, as the band continues to grow and move forward, they invest in some pickups for their instruments, so to “Not have to mess with mics and monitors. Then when you get on the tour bus and get the major label, you can go back to what you have now.”

Taylor commented that there is a resurgence of bluegrass sound. “I loved the cover, and “Front Porch” was a good song, too.”

Lisa Hooks and Cara Thorson

The Scrips pix

Brad Dunn & Ellis County played second. This six-piece band filled the corner stage, but the musicians all managed to keep from stepping all over one another. The band consisted of Dunn on acoustic guitar, Mike Naumann on bass, Michael Lamendola on drums, Ty Hurless and Tim Veillon on electric guitars, and Jim “Haystack” Novak on steel guitar. For their cover, they did a song written by Austin songwriter Shad Blair, who makes frequent trips to North Texas where he performs with Mike O’Neal and others in the Lamar County area.

Dillon opened the critique. He said, “You have got a great little band.When you get that many people up there (on stage), you can have a mess, but you didn’t have a mess. and I could hear distinctly each one of you.” He said to Haystack that he is a ringer and that the harmonies on the bad were outstanding. “All your songs were radio-friendly, and the Shad Blair cover tune was good, he’s one bad mamajama. I couldn’t stop tapping my toes.”

Stalling commented that he could tell the band plays often together.  “You look comfortable together. I was blown away, and it looked like you were all relaxed and having a good time.”

I was blown away, relaxed and having a good time.

Taylor said the Brad Dunn band CD “came across my desk a couple of months ago.” He commented on the energy, and the harmonies, and the Patsy Cline feel to some of the music.

Brad Dunn & Ellis County MOVING ON  pix

This was the second year that Manny Trevin has entered Shiner Rising Star, and this year he brought a new band with him. Stephen played keys, Frank was on guitar, Luis on drums, and Ken on bass, plus Manny’s lead vocals and acoustic guitar. One of his originals he wrote, he said, after his grandmother became gravely ill. But, it wasn’t a dirgy-type song, but was upbeat and celebrated the life of the Trevin matriarch. For his required cover song, Manny and the band performed a Billy Joel/Frank Sinatra tune, “Fly Me To The Moon.”

Dillon said he loves the directions of this new band, The Gringoderos, and the way Trevin is moving on. Stalling was especially fond of the cover song, he said, and the overall “sounding great” sounds from the band. “You have an Old 97 feel,” and Trevin answered that he’d never heard that comment beforre, but he liked it.

Taylor said he loved the set, but wanted to get the negative out of the way first. “You  had a 4-letter word in the first song. I would already have had to edit that out to play it on air. We are looking for radio friendly, and the most radio friendly was “Fly Me To The Moon.”

Manny (Trevin) & The Gringoderos pix

Round Two begins Thursday night with The Dustin Perkins Band taking on Sidekick Mafia. This time, each band has 45 minutes from get on to get off stage, and must perform two cover songs. The music begins at 8 p.m., at Hat Tricks in Lewisville.