Story and pix by Mary Jane Farmer
Photo albums follow each band’s segment — NOTE: There was a change in the band line-up since last week’s posting. The Manny Trevino Band switched with the Byron Dowd Band. Trevino will now be performing in Week 8.
Chuck Taylor and Amber Farris
Two of Thursday night’s (Sept. 1) bands came from greater distances than most to compete in the sixth week of Round One, Shiner Rising Star. From the Tyler area was the Lauren Alexander Band, and from San Antonio came Blackbird Sing. Vying against them was the Byron Dowd Band, an area singer/songwriter group hailing from Frisco and points around there.
Going home with the top spot for the week, although no one knew that until 9 a.m. Friday morning when it was announced on KHYI radio, was Blackbird Sing, who is advancing into Round 2. The contest was held at Last Chance Saloon on Ave. K in the old Plano area, quaint and yet accommodating its visitors with ample free parking away from the street.
Judges were Somebody’s Darling lead singer, Amber Farris, KHYI program director Chuck Taylor, and KHYI general manager Joshua Jones. Important people on the site, seldom mentioned, ae Big Gus Samuelson, also with KHYI, and Ric Denker, fiddler exceptional, and Jacob Samuelson, who help set up equipment each event; and Lisa Hooks, KHYI most-important person who handles the logistics each week.
Joshua Jones
And speaking of Blackbird Sing moving on, they filled the Last Chance stage with keyboards, drums, guitars, and percussions. Robert Salinas, James Magallanez, Daniel Magallanez, Andrew Salazar, and George Ransom make up the band, but other than Andrew, or Andee, it’s unknown who was who on the stage. What was known is that they owned it from the very first note. Andee, or Andrew, started off playing the keyboard, then moved on to lead guitar. Toward the end, he brought out a horn, and finished off the night in splendor. The lead singer, and the band, performed what people around Texoma know as a “Jerrod Medulla” cover, “I’m On Fire,” but which the judges did acknowledge was originally done by Bruce Springsteen. On the singer’s left, audience right, came harmonies and a vaiety of rhythm instruments. There was also a harmonica, the second one of the night.
Jones commented on Andee’s work on the stage, especially his use of his horn. ” You need a raise. Whatever they pay you, they should triple it,” to which Salazar replied with a smile, “I just want two more inches in height.” Jones said he liked the whole crew’s energy and enthusiasm. He commented favorably on the Gin Blossoms’ cover, “Hey Jealousy” which Blackbird sing had chosen to perform.
The Byron Dowd Band brought the third harmonica to the stage at the end of their power-packed set. Tim Harris only played one song, but he brought it with style. For this band’s cover, Byron explained that Jason Eady and Walt Wilkins are two of his favorite song writers, and so had chosen to cover one of Eady’s. Joining Byron on stage were Rob Wechler on fiddle, Cory Correll on drums, Jeff Schulze on lead guitar, Ben Moore on bass, and, of course, Harris on harp.
Correll stayed busy on the drums, sometimes changing his sticks in mid-song to get the sound he was striving for. Wechler sawed on his fiddle with the mixed elan of a country star and a classic violin maestro. Moore and Schulze were less flashy, but kept up a solid, steady pace through every song. One song toward the end brought out two metal slides, one used on Schulze’s lead and the other on Dowd’s acoustic.
Jones led off the critique this time. When the band returned to the stage for that critique, all four who had worn hats through the set tipped them to the judges. Jones complimented the fiddler, saying he brought a lot of the band, and the tone on Schulze’s lead guitar. But it was Dowd’s singing style that he exclaimed the most over.
“There is something about the way you sing. You have such a swagger and confidence when you sing — I don’t know what you are saying, but I agree with you,” Josh said, adding his favor of the Jason Eady cover.
Harris commented fist on Carrell’s drumming, saying, “You were hitting the sh… out of the drums.”
Taylor told the group they did a good job. “You brought it, and the crowd got into it, and the slide guitar and the fiddle and harmonica.” Taylor had noticed, and commented, about all three bands bringing harmonica to their sets. On the negative side, he said he would rather have heard Dowd do a Steve Earle (another of Dowd’s influences) cover, “but…”
Byron Dowd Band pix
The Lauren Alexander Band opened up, and she was the first to add a little harmonica to the band’s sound. Lauren had a bass player, a lead guitarist, and drummer with her, and played acoustic guitar herself, throwing that mouth harp in for depth. The band chose Tom Petty’s “Breakdown” as their cover song, and that met with the approval of the judges and the audience.
Farris, at critique time, explained to Lauren that she needed to develop her ownership of the band. Amber said, “You sounded good,but make sure you are in control. Be louder and prouder. This is something I face on a daily basis.” Of Lauren’s originals, Farris said she liked “Goodbye You” the best.
Chuck Taylor disagreed on that choice, but didn’t elaboarte, instead commenting on how she and the band “overcame some sound problems.” He did comment on the drummer’s choice of caps, marked with a Texas Longhorn logo.
Jones also commented on the cap, saying that it’s best if band membes don’t wear sports apparal “It could be A&M guys or (Texas) Tech (in the audience, you don’t need to give anybody any reason not to like you.” Jones also commented on the escalation of Lauren’s level of comfort. Not so comfortable in the beginning of the set and then becoming more so as it moved on, and “When you did, your voice and pesonality on stage grew.”
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 Route, an American music magazine. Dallas American radio station KHYI, Shiner Beer, and Shiner Records are the sponsors.
Moving into Round Two are Sidekick Mafia, Twisted Pistols, Jeremy Phifer & the Badwater Band, Pearl Street Riot, The Dustin Perkins Band, and now Blackbird Sing. There are three more weeks in Round 1, the final week being Wildcard Week in which three of the bands from this round will be invited to return for a second chance.
This upcoming week, Thursday, Sept. 8, the contest moves to LaGrange, 2704 Elm St (Deep Ellum), Dallas. Competing are The Casey Daniels Band, Rodeo Clown Dropouts, and The Dallahachie Boys. Music starts at 8 p.m. each night.