Hmmm... Is That So?

Had a great time last weekend. Niki and Veronica made the trip up from Austin for the show at Bandera’s in Dallas. A little awkward. I don’t know that the Bandera’s built in audience was really expecting what they got. After the show a man who appeared to be a bar stool fixture asked what I would call the music we played? I’m still at a loss as to how to describe it. Musical descriptions for the most part seem very closed. Not open to the possibilities. When we play songs live it’s like pulling them out from all the different directions that they’d like to go. It’s infinite. Sometimes to the songs detriment. So I said what I always say, pop rock. We’re all fans of The Beatles. The latter statement forgives many sins and is tossed out carte blanche by myself and many others. Although it’s a true statement I don’t really know how relevant it is.

Next day at The Grotto was like apples and oranges to the night before. There was a great crowd of people to see Great American Novel and Stoogeaphilia. Presumably they were there to see Fate Lions as well. It was Chris Young’s last night in Texas and a large number of our friends, mutual and otherwise made a special effort to come out and see him off. He’s guested on drums and percussion with the band over the last few years and we were all sorry to see him trucking off to Louisiana.
Well, as stated, there was a terrific crowd even though they’d put off start time for the first act while waiting for the Cowboys Wild-card game to finish. So the musical portion of the night did not get going in earnest until well after 10pm. Great American Novel played a cool set of off kilter love songs that had a dark, garage swamp groove. Maybe I was just imagining things since descriptions are so closed. Their bass player was very dynamic, serving as the perfect foil to the lead singer/guitarist’s low key, graveled bari-croon. Next up was Stoogeaphilia. They were sweaty and sticky and played some very rocking tributes to the classic Stooges oeuvre. My advice to bands invited to follow them is this: Don’t. They’re some of the best players in Fort Worth and they know they’re stuff. Better just to sit back and enjoy the show.
Fate Lions hit the stage right around 1am. We expected the house to clear out at this point but it didn’t. We played right up until close at 2am to a room full of energetic and enthusiastic listeners. I think I even saw people dancing. Great line ups, great staff and the best house crowd you could ask for. The Grotto is one of my favorite places to play in Fart Worth.
I should mention that that show was organized by the Fort Worth Music Co-op. Bands and Venues working together. It’s a community effort to bring the people what they want to hear while they spend their hard earned green. A swell idea in my book. Carry on.
Next up in February we’ve got a show lined up at Lola’s 6th with The Hope Trust from Denton and Phantom Caste on the 13th. Then it’s on to Dallas and the legendary Trees on the 25th. It’s a FREE Thurdsay night show produced by KDGE.

*photos by Jaime Ross