October monday night jam - louie louie's
greg reichel & Lindsay lawler
Kirk Thurmond at louie louie's
LITTLE JOE Y LA FAMILIA : The Levitt Pavillion , Arlington . Sept 02, 2023
There has never been a question as to my leaning: Rock & Roll. Nonetheless, I appreciate a good performance by ( almost ) anyone. When I saw that “Little Joe” ( The King of Brown Sound ), was to be at the Levitt and for free, I realized Two things : (1) This is a show not to be missed and (2) the crowd would be huge. Both true. Little Joe ( Jose Maria DeLeon Hernandez ) lives in Temple Texas and has been writing , singing and recording for over sixty years. He has won five Grammies, and this year was the recipient of a Fellowship to the National Endowment for the Arts. He has published 70 albums and written songs for others artists. His music is Chicano Soul, Tejano, Country, Blues and Onda Chicana. The show was packed, but I found a place from which to video. The band had about twelve members, not counting Joe. I’m not going to go on about how great the show was. I will tell you that seeing Little Joe y La Familia is a once in a lifetime experience. It was once of best
performances I’ve ever seen. No hype. Simply wonderful.
JB
The ELM STREET BLUES JAM: Louie, Louie’s Dallas, TX
August 4, 2023
Louie Louie’s is a Deep Ellum institution. I’ve never really liked piano bars, but Louie Louie’s has some serious redeeming features. The place thrives on chaos and rowdiness. Usually with two pianos, and a few supporting musicians, they interact with the crowd and virtually everyone joins the riot by midnight Tuesdays
through Saturdays every week. They were boarded up for almost two years during the COVID epidemic and no
one was sure they’d return. Nonetheless, they reopened about a year ago and have been growing ever since.
Though presumably closed on Sundays and Mondays, in the pre-COVID days each Monday night they hosted what has been called the Elm Street Blues Band, a Tower of Power type jam that featured a few regulars and a bunch of talented interlopers. This all came to a halt when COVID hit. However, with the reopening, several months back, the Blues Jam returned, now every first Monday. It supposedly starts at 9 PM, but is invariably late. Admission is free and on Monday nights, parking on Elm street is an option. The band is not so large as in previous days, but the old guys are still there and the those dropping in to play are increasing. This is the first time I’ve been back in
over two years and am very happy to report that it’s good, it’s fun and it’s growing. “Jams” are not unique in Dallas, but those of this quality are hard to find. They don’t advertise, just go on the first Monday in September. The price is right and you won’t be sorry.
JB
PINK SLIP at Six Springs, Richardson, Texas July 28, 2023
It’s unusual that we see groups that are very early on in their development. However, that was exactly the case with PINK SLIP, a six person group of young people under the tutelage of Rockstars of Tomorrow, a music academy in Frisco,Texas.
It was a slow, hot Friday night and I didn’t expect much. I was, however pleasantly surprised. The group was fronted by a talented young woman ( Grace Figueroa ) who had more stage presence and a better voice than many we’ve seen who have probably hit their peak. The vocal harmonies were provided by Luciano Rojas ( guitar and vocals ) and Skylar Bishop-Smith ( keyboards and vocals).
Emilia Figueroa played lead guitar and was better than many who are twice her age. Michael Shirley Jr and Ken Lemke provided bass and drums, respectively. The music could use a little polish, but all the basics are there and time and practice will do the rest. Gabe Porter opened the show with his smooth DJ mixes.
These young folks are good and will likely evolve get even better with time. They are also clearly having fun and they convey this to their audience. They really could be rock stars, maybe not tomorrow, but pretty soon.
Thanks to Six Springs Tavern & Kirk Lunsford of Rockstars of Tomorrow.
SoapGirls & Mondos Bizzarro
THE SOAPGIRLS! Straight from Capetown, South Africa, the two sisters are in the mist of their 2023 “Love Potion” tour. These ladies have been entertaining crowds world wide since 2015. They’re blonde, loud and very animated. They are raw, and risque’. No tracks. Just live indie/punk rock with a strong “R” rating.
The sisters are Camille ( bass, vocal and acrobatics ) and Noemie ( guitar and vocals ) Debray. They have six albums out and are working on a seventh. I’m all for recorded music, but these ladies need to be seen to be truly appreciated. It’ll be a while before we top them.
Manager: Sam Debray
Booking: (USA ) James Cripps www.Blindanxietyent@gmail.com
(Europe ) Gunther Redich www.Gunther@soapgirls.com
As always: Thanks to everyone at the DOUBLE WIDE
Elm and Exposition
Deep Elum , Dallas.
JB
MONDO BIZZAROS, a Dallas-based group have never given up on the Ramones, and revived their ground breaking New York-style punk in admirable fashion.
The Ramones are considered one of the most influential bands of the 70s
and the first real punk band in America. The Bizzaros bring their music alive with great enthusiasm in true groundbreaking fashion. No tracks, all live. The band consists of Joe Fracsimo , Gino LaVecchia, Ralph ( no last name ) and the lovely and talented Blondie Daniels. A perfect group to fire up the crowd for ……wait for it……..
Contact for Mondos Bizzaros: (469) 222 8153
MondosBizzaros on Face Book.
LINDSAY HIGHTOWER at the Twilite Lounge Fort Worth
May 06, 2023
Anything short of the Super Bowl would seem tame on the day after Cinco de Mayo. In my post-Cinco de Mayo dilapidated funk, I find that Lindsay Hightower is performing at the Twilite Lounge in Fort Worth. Despite a rather heavy rain, I decided that a talent such as hers, with free parking and no cover charge, is worth it. Lindsay Hightower and her Hightower Band have been around North Texas for several years. Lindsay is a thirty-something-year-old singer, of various styles and a writer of pretty good songs. Her latest release, “Treading Water” and her four previous albums are available on all the usual streaming services. Their performance is pleasant, with sincere and comforting songs. The musicianship is top-notch. They perform well together. I got to Ft Worth before the group started and spoke to Lindsay and her guys. These are delightful, dedicated musicians. Their performance is smooth and well-rehearsed, with Lindsay leading, fronting the band, and providing most of the vocals. The band members are Hagan Hauschild ( drums ) Dave Ferrel ( bass ), Taylor Dondlinger ( guitar and backing vocals ). This is an under-appreciated group, and they seemed to like the intimacy of the smaller venue ( Twilite ) . Lindsay has an excellent voice and is dedicated to her craft. Read more about her in a feature and pictorial article in (online) Voyage Magazine. Booking: Mathew Jones www.booking@Hightowerband.com
Thanks to the Twilite Lounge in Fort Worth.
212 Lipscombe Street
Fort Worth, Texas
(817) 720 5483
jb