Short Interview with Tyler Grant of Grant Farm

 So, last Friday, a buddy of mine and I went to Sundown at Granada looking for some free music. Not ever having heard of either band (that's right, this particular night was a double performance at Sundown.) we decided to take a chance.

While the act down on the main stage was very talented musically, I couldn't help but feel that JD and the Straight Shot was just an excuse for "lead singer" Jim Dolan (Owner of NY Knicks) to get up and sing karaoke to impress potential business contact. That being said, he did surround himself with many very talented musicians, and never missed a lyric (partially because he had a screen with lyrics on it).

The second group, who performed on the rooftop patio this evening, was Grant Farm, a Bluegrass Jam Band with ties to some major touring acts. These were the guys to see that night, and we knew it.

Former members of Leftover Salmon, The Drew Emmitt Band, Emmitt-Nershi Band, came together to form Grant Farm; a 4-piece group from Boulder Colorado which have featured in their performances members of The String Cheese Incident, Yonder Mountain String Band, The Infamous Stringdusters, The Motet, Head For The Hills, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Tim O’Brien, Dumpstaphunk, Tony Rice, Larry Keel, Keller Williams, Jon Oates, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Disco Biscuits, Abigail Washburn and Peter Rowan. With the help of Thorn and stellar bassist Keith Moseley of The String Cheese Incident, the electric Grant Farm started rehearsing in early 2011. Performing locally lead to a hefty festival run including Yarmonygrass, Four Corners Folk Festival, NedFest, Fort Collins Bark n’ Bluegrass, Riverfront, and Harvestival.

 

At set break, I was able to get a short interview with the man behind the band; Tyler Grant.

Scott Wayne - How long have you all been playing together?
Tyler Grant - "We've been around for about three years, we started off as a Bluegrass group. Andy Thorn from Leftover Salmon and myself, we were in the Emmitt-Nershi Band and we started this as our side project. It then evolved into this sort of Rock 'n Roll/Rootsy group that it is now."

SW - So this is your first time playing in Dallas?
TG - "... in Texas, we're playing SXSW (South By Southwest); we're part of a group called Spokesbuzz that's based in Fort Collins, and they do a band exchange program with several different cities, Lafayette LA, Nashville, Asheville, and Fort Collins. But they also all of their groups from Colorado to SXSW for a showcase. We'll be part of the Spokesbuzz Showcase at SXSW this March. And this weekend we've got Poodie’s tomorrow night (10/12 outside of Austin), we've got the Saxon Pub in Austin on Sunday."

SW - So you are doing a little Texas Run then?
TG - "Yeah, and then we are opening three shows for Greensky Bluegrass in Baton Rouge, Mobile, and Memphis. And this whole tour is routing to Mulberry Mountain for The Yonder Mountain Harvest Fest. (10/17-19) It's a great festival, the same place they do Wakarusa."

SW - What do you enjoy most about playing with Grant Farm?

TG - "It's a fruition of all the efforts I want to put out and into the scene right now. I feel like we are giving it something that the scene needs, getting back to a little bit, kind of Rootsy, and Rock n' Roll, and Country...Of course Bluegrass influence because I am a Bluegrass guy. We're just putting it out there and trying to write the best songs we can, and really it's just happening; it's hard to explain. It's just happening and we're on the bus, love it!"

Seeing as there was a noise complaint, we never did get a second set, so when the official interview ended my buddy and I chilled with the guys in the band. I am now the official authority on Grant Farm's return to DFW, as they said I'll be the first to know! Next time we will blow them away with an excellent turn out, and we'll show 'em just how much we like Jam-Grass down here in Texas!

SW

Tyler Grant - Guitar/Vocal
Adrian Engfer - Bass/Vocal
Sean Macaulay - Drums/Vocal
Stephen Thurston - Keyboards/Vocal

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Featured Shows; Week of 10/13/13

Hello readers, and welcome to another week of Live Music DFW's featured shows. This week there are some real treats, so many in fact that I could not feature them all here. So please, if nothing here appeals to you, please visit our event calendar linked to our Facebook page and the top of this blogspot. I hope ya'll enjoy the great music DFW has to offer this week, and now here is just a small taste of what you can find locally.

Monday 10/14
Ukulele music like you've never heard before. Jake Shimabukuro, alone and acoustic, brings all sorts of music to life with his lively Ukulele playing. He performs at the Granada Monday night, more info here.



Tuesday 10/15
Some Fort Worth Rock with Sally Majestic on Tuesday at Lola's Saloon. Openers include Thicker than Thieves, Lazy Summer, and our friends, The Effinays. More show info here.



Wednesday 10/16
Famed- Jazz Trumpeter and member of the "Fist Family of Jazz", Wynton Marsalis is to play at the Lincoln Center Orchestra in Bruton Theater. He, along with his whole family, are a house hold name in American Jazz. More info on that show is here.



Thursday 10/17
Folk superstars, Elephant Revival bring that Roots/Americana music to the Live Oak in Fort Worth Thursday. Currently on tour, Elephant Revival is a band on the festival circuit, and will be playing Yonder Mountain String Band's Harvest Festival this upcoming weekend. More show info here.



Friday 10/18
Swampy, Soulful Blues from JJ Grey & Mofro comes to the Granada on Friday night. These guys put on a funky, good show. Make sure to catch the afterparty next door with Gravity Feed at Sundown. Show info here.

 

Saturday 10/19
Starting on Friday, The Index Fest begins with Live Music DFW fan-favorites Larry G(ee) and Sister Sparrow (read Live Music DFW interview here). As for Saturday, headliners include Warpaint, Ishi, J. Roddy Walston, Glassjaw, and Marijuana Deathsquads. 2-day tickets will run $59, and a 1-day is $39. More info on the festival that takes over Deep Ellum can be found here.

 

That is it. I hope everyone enjoys their week of music, discovers something new (I know I did, post coming this week), and keep jammin' my friends.

SW

Featured Shows; Week of 9/29/13

Sunday 9/29

Starting out this week in music, we have Austin-Based Soul band, Mingo Fishtrap playing at Levitt Pavilion Arlington on Sunday. These guys met at UNT in Denton back in the 90's and have since gone on to become a nationally touring, festival circuit band. Check 'em out, and did I mention it was Free? Show info here.



Monday 9/30
Impulse of Will plays the Magnolia Motor Lounge on Monday. Self-describing their music as Black Sabbath meets Weather Report, these guys put on a hell of a show. More info can be found here.



Tuesday 10/1
Bryan Joyner is at Adair's Saloon on Tuesday for a little Alt/Country music. Whether playing alone and acoustic, or playing with the band Hard country, there should be something for every country loving cowboy. Adair's is always Free, show info here.



Wednesday 10/2
A night of Ska at the Grotto in Ft. Worth with Rude King, Stop The Presses, The Holophonics. Check it out, and bring those dancing shoes! Show info located here.



Thursday 10/3
Two very talented Drummers/Percussionists, Mike Dillion & Earl Harvin play at the Kessler on Thursday. Dillion, who beats the hell out of a vibraphone and fronts an exquisitely trippy ATX party act, has collaborated with fellow virtuosos Les Claypool and Stanton Moore. Harvin, a top-shelf Dallas percussionist known for both jazz and rock chops, boasts credits with Seal and Jeff Beck. Show info here.



Friday 10/4
MilkDrive is at Dan's Silverleaf in Denton on Friday for a night of Jazz-grass. They bring their Folk/Bluegrass/Jazz music to Denton from their hometown of Austin TX. More info here.



Saturday 10/5
And Saturday is the Canned Fest in Denton with musical acts: Menomena, The Helio Sequence, Joe Pug, Pageantry, Hares on a Mountain, AM Ramblers.

That is all for this week, thank you for reading. Go out and support some live, local music, and report back to us! We would love to hear from you; what you like, what you don't like, if there is a band we should feature. You name it. Have a great week everybody and keep jammin' my friends!
SW

Featured Shows; Week of 9/9/13

Monday 9/9
Paul Slavens and Friends perform Monday night at Dan's Silverleaf in Denton. J. Paul Slavens, a composer, pianist, improv musical comic, voice over actor, and the host on KERA 90.1 FM on Sundays from 7-10pm CST. He was the frontman for former Deep Ellum regular Ten Hands. His sound is hard to classify; everything from classical to comedy to singer/songwriter pop. More info on the show is here.


Tuesday 9/10
Tuesday's featured show has actually been sold out, so if you are lucky enough to get to see Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite at the Granada, more power to you. Info here.



Wednesday 9/11
Radical Something comes to The House of Blues on Wednesday bringing their own flavor of Hip-hop/Rock/Pop. A Trio based out of Cali, they are following the success of their new album Ride it Out. Full show info can be found here.



Thursday 9/12
Luke Wade and No Civillians will play Sundown on Thursday night. The sound is Lively Pop/Rock, and he puts on a very energetic performance. Releasing his first album in 2010, and nationally touring a year later, Luke Wade and No Civillians are trully up-and-comers in the DFW music scene. They play at Sundown; FREE, Never a cover. Show info here.


Friday 9/13
Terrance Simien and The Zydeco Experience to come to The Kessler on Friday night. Terrance Simien is the recipent of a 2008 Grammy award for best Zydeco album. Simien and his band have toured internationally, presenting over 7000 live performances in more than 40 countries, and released dozens of solo recordings and collaborations. He has shared studio and stage with the likes of Paul Simon, Dr. John, The Meters, Marcia Ball, Dave Matthews, Stevie Wonder, Robert Palmer and the roots rockers Los Lobos. More info here.


Saturday 9/14
The Grotto on Saturday will host Bomb Atomic's EP Release Party in Fort Worth. A local funk band, obscure enough to not have videos on youtube (sorry guys), but I have included a sample of their music. Check 'em out here, it's going to be a lot of fun!

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Those are our shows for this week. Please feel free to email or facebook us if you have show suggestions, want you event added to our calendar, or want to inquire about contributing. Our journey is just getting started, and we would love to have people jump on at the ground floor. Thanks everybidy, have a great week, and keep jammin' my friends!

SW

Live Music DFW Blog, Week of 8/18/13

Let's get these featured shows out with a bang! Lots of Rock and Jam happening this week, take a look: 

Sunday 8/18
Jam it up on Sunday with KatsüK at Sundown at Granada. Giving a Free Jam Band performance, Katsuk describes their sound as "an earth-punk-folk-rock group creating deeply impact-full works of art with emotive substance, both timeless and without border." As with many that fit 'Jam Band' status, they fuse many musical styles together. More info on the show can be found here.



Monday 8/19
Down to Deep Ellum on Monday for Kurt Vile, and the Violaters playing a show at Trees. A (bordering on Indie) Rock band from Philly, The Violaters draw influence from Psychedellic, Classic, and Garage Band Rock. More info on their show can be located here.



Tuesday 8/20
After putting out 5 albums since their conception in 2003, The Deadstring Brothers, a Detroit based Country/Rock Band that plays a style reminiscent of the Rolling Stones' Exile On Main Street. Show is at Lola's, more info can be found here.



Wednesday 8/21
For all you Hard rockers out there, Wednesday is the day for you. The Collective (Discard the Weak) plays at O'reilly's following the release of their new album, Discard the Weak. Below is a tune off that album, The Collective...Confused yet? Whatever they name their songs, band, and albums, their show info can be found here.



Thursday 8/22
Eminence Ensemble, Boulder based Jam band will be holding a Free show at Sundown at Granada. I particularly like this video because the sax player has animal ears and a tail. Show info is here.



Friday 8/23
Gorilla Vs Bear, Dallas based music Blog, voted one of the best by Rolling Stone, will be hosting an event at the Granada. The line up includes Danny Brown, Blue Hawaii, HAERTS, Empress Of, & Booty Fade. More show info can be found here.



Saturday 8/24
And on Saturday, we have Austin based Folk Rock star, Bob Schneider playing at the Granada. Putting out 15+ solo albums, Schneider has been playing shows since the early 1990's. His music has appeared on many movie soundtracks, and he has a plethora of Music awards. More info on the show can be found here.



So there you have it, another round of featured shows to go and see in DFW. We strive to make your music experince as knowledgeable, entertaining, and musical as possible. Like I have mentioned, I have tried to not focus on any specific musical genre, however musical prefrences give you a biased as to what to cover. That being said, we are still looking for interested contributers, whether writers, photographers, videographers... Join a team of people who love music, and want to make sure the good folks of DFW have plenty to choose from! Have a great week, and keep jammin' my friends!

SW

Live Music DFW Blog, Week of 8/6/13

Time for this week's featured shows. I am sorry they are so late, I have been stickin' it out by myself for a while, and need to start allocating my time more resourcefully. I also apologize for the lack of reviews, previews, and interviews, we will be adding some new members to our team very soon. Thanks for understanding!

Tuesday Aug 6
This is a night of Rock with Blackwater '64, from St. Louis, and Gypsy Bravado & Diabolic Machines based locally. Watch as the musical backdrop morphs from Indy, to Alternative, even pulling in some Classic and Psychedelic influences as Club Dada tries to keep a cap on what I'm sure will turn out to be a huge blowout! Info on the show can be found here.



Wednesday Aug 7
With a FREE show in Denton at Dan's Silverleaf, A Taste of Herb can trully pay tribute to Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Playing the Mariachi inspired Brass music Herb Alpert once did, A Taste of Herb has created quite a following in the North Texas Area.


Comprised of John Wier and Danny O'Brien on Trumpet & Flugelhorn, Robert Hokamp on Guitar, Paul Slavens on Piano, Ross Schodek on Bass, Joe Cripps on Percussion and Tex Bosley on Drums. Show info can be found here. 

Thursday Aug 8
At the House of Blues on Thursday, Enanitos Verdes performs as part of HOB 20th Anniversary. Enanitos Verdes is a Latin Rock band from Argentina who has been making music since 1979. Literally translating to "Little Green Midgets" or "Little Green Men", these guys plan to take orbit with their Argentinian Rock trio's music. Info here.



Friday Aug 9
Local station KXT 91.7 presents a night of Blues-Rock with Oil Boom, The Roomsounds, and Foxtrot Uniform, Friday at the Kessler Theater. Supporting their new album, Oil Boom, the Rock Trio from Fort Worth is on the road to local music stardom. A new 7" Vinyl, as well as plans for a full length album and an extensive tour, these guys are on the rise. Info can be found here.


Saturday Aug 10
Carolyn Wonderland plays the Kessler Theater, with local Blues act, the Hunter Hendrickson Band opening. Making music since the early '90s, Carolyn Wonderland, reigning from Houston Texas, has released 9 solo albums, (as well as several collaborations) and is winner of many music awards including Best Female Vocalist for the Austin Music Awards 2009 & 2012. Info can be found here.


Late night, we've go the Hilltop Crawlers at City Tavern for some more Blues! Info located here.



Well, that's it for another week! Hope ya'll go out and enjoy some music. Make sure to tell us what you like, so as we can cater to our consumer's needs. Thanks ya'll, and keep jammin' my friends!

Live Music DFW Blog, Week of 7/28/13

Hello All my music going friends! As you may have seen, earlier today we put out a post about bringing on other contributors. If you are interested, please inquire. We will also start hosting events, more info on that to come. So without further ado, your weekly featured shows.

Sunday 7/28
On Sunday, head out to Fort Worth's watering hole, Lola's Saloon for the French Horn Rebellion. Blending Jamtronica with French Horn Music, Robert and David Perlick-Molinari, two brothers born and bred in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, bring a new sound born out of a run with the Chicago Civic Orchestra. They perform with Leopold and his Fiction, and Animal Spirit. More info located here.



 Monday 7/29
Monday is live jazz at The Freeman Cajun Cafe with the Jazz Refugees and the Funky Knuckles.Describing themselves as "The inevitable result of a talent-soaked soul and jazz community, the Funky Knuckles are taking the sound of Dallas to an entirely different level." They are comprised of sidemen from some of the biggest artists in the industry (Beyonce, Erykah Badu,Chrisette Michelle, Talib Kweli, P Diddy, etc.). More info here.



Tuesday 7/30
The Casey Thompson Band plays Tuesday at Adair's Saloon in Deep Ellum. A Blend of Country and Southern Rock, Casey Thompson reigns from Fort Worth Texas. More info can be found here.



Wednesday 7/31
Wednesday you're in for some Indy Pop-Rock with Kites and Boomerangs, a band based here in DFW. They were nominated for Best Pop Act in Fort Worth Weekly's 2013 Annual Music Awards! More info here.



Thursday 8/1
Club Dada puts on a night of Blues-Rock on Thursday featuring acts Goodnight Ned, Johnny Beauford and the Jack Kerowax, Southbound Drive. Show info is located here.


Late night we have members of Spoonfed Tribe playing as 57 Sauce @ Sundown at Granada. Info here.



Friday 8/2
Friday is P.O.D. @ Trees. The band formed in 1992 in San Diego, CA. Over the last two decades, the group has sold over 10 million albums, garnered four No. 1 music videos, three Grammy nominations and over a dozen rock radio hits. More info on that show is located here.



Late night we are back to Sundown with the Bryant Goodall Band. For some Soul, Blues, Rock, and anything else you can use to describe their sound. Info here.

Saturday 8/3
Granada Theater gets a little Dead Saturday, as local Grateful Dead Tribute Forgotten Space, with A Live One, Austin-based Phish Tribute celebrate Jerry Garcia's Life, Music and Birthday (8/1). More info can be found here.



That's it, I hope everybody goes out and sees some music, and maybe wants to write a post about what they see. Have a great week and keep on jammin' my friends!

Live Music DFW Blog, Week of 6/23/13

Tis' time for another weekly installment of my Featured Shows. This week we've got some doozies; and when I say doozies, I mean some crazy-awesome jammage in our own DFW backyard! There is always tons of great live music in Dallas/Fort Worth, and you can find all the info with us, Live Music DFW. We strive to be your one stop music shop for all things Live Music in DFW. I appologize for the lack of content in last week's post, as I scrambled to make the Sunday deadline. This week's addition will have a lot more content! Please subscribe, like our fb page, watch our vids on youtube, follow us on twitter and instagram; we are taking over the interwebs! So, here are my picks for Featured Shows 6/23/13:

Sunday 6/23
Off to Levitt Pavillion in Arlington for another great FREE Live Performance. This time it is Denton-based instrumental-fusion Snarky Puppy to start out the week.This award-winning group has garnished a reputation for putting on a live performance unparalleled in energy, virtuosity, and musicianship. The fusion of a knowledge & respect for musical tradition, and conceptual innovation in a way that is able to reach the most critical, as well as carefree audiences.



With over 25 players in regular rotation, Snarky Puppy puts on quite a show. The core of the group, which remains consistent, features Grammy Award-winners Robert “Sput” Searight on drums (God’s Property, Snoop Dogg) and Shaun Martin on keys (Kirk Franklin, Erykah Badu), as well as young organ prodigy Cory Henry (Kenny Garrett, Kim Burell) and multi-instrumentalist Louis Cato (Marcus Miller, Q-Tip, George Duke). Show info can be found here.

Monday 6/24
Twin Shadow plays at the Granada theater. They have been described as "steeped in 1980s new wave building from streaks of haunting synth textures and having sophisticated melodies, R&B intimacy, and poetic lyrics, mixed with hazily new wave-tinged pop"



Info is here.

Tuesday 6/25
Tuesday we are up to Denton for local act Boombachs playing at Dan's Siverleaf. I'd describe their sound as Jazz-infused Hip-Hop. Self-described as "A band whose foundation is centered around hip-hop a la The Roots, A Tribe called Quest, changes the game by shamelessly cross-pollinating jazz, progressive/post rock, and funk." Their result below.


Members include:Adonias "AD" Wondwessen, P. Manzell Bledsoe, Marcus Wheat, Matt Westmoreland, Connor Veteto, Eric Daino, William Huebner, Stephen Simpson. All eight members of The BoomBachs reside in Denton, TX. Info on the show can be found here.

Wednesday 6/26
We get some local flavor with Mikal Cronin and Shannon & the Clams at Club Dada in Deep Ellum.
Channeling early rock rhythms, 1960s groups, and garage psych bands, with a dose of R&B, surf, and punk all thrown in, too. Shannon and the Clams are described as sounding like "a brawling Etta James backed up by the 13th Floor Elevators singing Shangri-Las tunes...").





Info is here. 

Thursday 6/27
On Thursday we make our way down to Deep Ellum for a killer show at the Prophet Bar. Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, a Soul/Funk/R&B act from New York will be gracing us with their presence. Started as a band among family and friends, The Dirty Birds have been touring since 2008, putting out two albums. 2012 was their breakout year opening and playing with some huge names including Gov't Mule, The Avett Brothers, Counting Crows, Trombone Shorty, the Rebirth Brass Band, and a three week run with Allen Stone that culminated in an Austin City Limits late night set. I will be having an interview with these guys, so all my music-going friends out there can have an inside look...more info to come.



The band consists of Arleigh Kincheloe (Sister Sparrow), Jackson Kincheloe, Bram Kincheloe, Sasha Brown, Ryan Snow, Phil Rodriguez Brian Graham, and Josh Myers. Show info can be found here.

Friday 6/28
Friday, The Freeman in Deep Ellum will have a female night of Jazz/Swing with Stefanie Pepping & Gumbo Ce Soir The Blondelles @ the Freeman Shows at the Freeman are always free, but donations for the musicians is strongly encouraged.



Info on the show can be found here.

Saturday 6/29
Saturday is a Tribute Band Saturday, as there will be three great tributes playing in DFW. Forgotten Space, the resident Grateful Dead Tribute has a much anticipated return to Club Dada. These guys are the real deal! Le Cure, a Cure Tribute will be at Sundown for a late night FREE show. And for our Denton friends, we've got Petty Theft, the local Tom Petty Tribute will be at Dan's Silverleaf.

 





Info below:
Forgotten Space
Petty Theft
Le Cure

If you have read this far, it means I'm doing something right. Please if you have any questions, concerns, compliments, gripes, feel free to follow up with me. I check the media often. If you are interested in contributing content, please follow up with me as well. Thanks and keep jammin' my friends!

 SW

Live Music DFW Blog, Week of 6/9/13

Good evening my friends, and happy Monday! It is time for my weekly featured shows. I would like to remind readers that this is not the end all be all of acts in DFW, it’s just acts I’d like to highlight. More events can be found here. If you are a venue, a booking agent, or a band with a Facebook presence, and would like to have your events added to this calendar, please send an email to livemusicdfw@gmail.com stating so, and an invite to the events you’d like me to add on Facebook. Together we can bring music to the whole Metroplex! Let’s kick this thang off!

Monday 5/10

We start out the week with a free show at Sundown at Granada. Mondays in June feature the David Willingham Project, a Funky Reggae Band, playing a free set for the patrons of Sundown at Granada. As all of the Granada’s events, they post that it “Goes Good With: Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Cas Haley, SOJA, Dennis Brown, Luciano, Ugly Lion, Easy Star All-Stars, Black Seeds, and many more…”.



Info on the show can be found here.

Tuesday 5/11

Going a little Cajun on Tuesday as we head to Deep Ellum for the Free Loaders. They’re a 6 piece Jazz/Blues band fronted by graveled voice singer/drummer John Jay Myers. Their sound is self-described as "Tom Waits doing Jazz Standards". It will be held at the Freeman Cajun and Creole Restaurant, and as the name states, this is a free event (but strongly encouraged to tip the musicians). The Freeman also has some great Cajun food and a full bar…lots of fun for them Jazz fans.

The Free Loaders play the Freeman 7pm-10pm. More info here.

 

Wednesday 5/12

Wednesday, Minor Decline and The Neckties play at Lola’s in Fort Worth. Minor decline is a Punk-Metal band based out of Chicago, while the Neckties are based locally blending Rock with Soul for a very entertaining performance.

Info on this event can be found here.

Thursday 5/13

Levitt Pavilion in Arlington (posted about it recently) will be hosting the American Jazz Composer’s Orchestra, a local professional big band, born in 2010. Started by some jazz professors at the University of Texas at Arlington, the American Jazz Composers Orchestra is dedicated to promoting and documenting new works for large jazz ensembles that are created by American composers.

Unfortunately, I could not find any video for them, but the event information is here.

Friday 5/14

While myself and many others will not get to see Tab Benoit and Jason Elmore & Hoodoo Witch, two killer Blues acts, I’d like to give a shout out to them, and anybody attending their show. Granada sold out of tickets for this show, leaving fans like me to wait for Benoit’s next visit. If you’re lucky enough to go, you are in for a great time! Though it might not help, the info is here – shout out

Starting the night is Ducado VeGa and Zenya Vi at the Doublewide in Deep Ellum. They are a Husband and Wife band like you’ve never seen. Him giving off a very Hendrix vibe, her more of Fergie one, but when they get together they jump from instrument to instrument making FunK/Jamtronica that rocks the house.

More info on Ducado VeGa and Zenya Vi and the show can be found here.

And why not head over to Sundown at Granada for a little free show from the Eric Tessemer Band? A master at guitar, he blends Rock and Blues in to a crisp, clean listening experience.

More info on the show here.

Saturday 5/15

So I’m going to end out the week in shows, with a couple of excellent tribute bands. First is the Jeff Beck tribute, El Becko playing at Dan’s Silverleaf in Denton. I couldn’t find a video of the band, but here is a bunch of Asian kids covering Jeff Beck.

More info on that show here.

Then at the Granada, it’s A Hard Night’s Day, Beatles Tribute extraordinaire. These guys are really good, and know a huge catalog of Beatles tunes. I’d definitely check ‘em out!

More infor here.

So that’s it for this week, next week, I will start on Sunday as to incorporate the whole week of activities. I love feedback and comments, and please, please, please, tell your friends! Keep on jammin’!

Big Sam's Funky Nation @ Levitt Pavilion 6/7/13

Levitt Pavilion, in the heart of Down Town Arlington, is filled with music-goers and their families. Levitt is an outdoor pavilion that offers FREE live music all summer long, and I figured Big Sam’s Funky Nation was the show to check it out.

I’d only ever been to Arlington for Texas Rangers’ games or one of the amusement parks. But after this show, Levitt Pavilion will definitely be one such amusement park on my list! Let me paint the scene for you; Levitt lists capacity on their website at 2,500, which would easily quantify the patronage for Funky Nation. Almost completely full, Levitt Pavilion housed families with lawn chairs and blankets, seemingly arriving way before my friends and I did (30 mins before performance) to snag a great spot.

We start at the back, not wanting to upset these nice families who have waited, but the Upbeat, Funk/Rock seemed to be lost on all but the small children. As expected the music was excellent, but it was a family-type function, which made for significantly less Funk-tion. 

 

“Big Sam” Williams, a New Orleans Trombonist/Singer/Band Leader, got his start with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band at the age of 19.  After one year with the Dirty Dozen, Williams began a broadening his musical goals. Big Sam played with Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint in 2006 on their Grammy-nominated "The River in Reverse" album and ensuing international tour. Big Sam's Funky Nation has become his main band, touring nationally, internationally, and at major festivals such as Bannaroo, Gathering of the Vibes, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Voodoo Music Experience, South by Southwest, & Austin City Limits.

Big Sam’s Funky Nation describes their sound as a “signature Noladelic Powerfunk sound masterfully combin[ing] a rock sensibility with improv-style associated with jazz and the horn-heavy front section that’s the hallmark of big band funk.”

In my opinion the highlight of the show was, after the band had left the stage, our music-going group started to chant the Parliament lyrics “We want the funk, gotta have that funk!”. The band came back out for an encore performance which combined of several songs; “The Treme Song”, “Everybody Needs Somebody”, and a special shout out to yours truly with the camera-phone “You Better Tweet About Me”. They invited people from the audience up on stage, and what had started out as an encore, quickly became a dance party!

All and all, this was a great, did I mention FREE, community event put on by Levitt Pavilion and the city of Arlington. I’d highly recommend catching some more of those shows, I know I will, and will keep ya’ll updated on what will be playing when. 

Thanks Big Sam and Funky Nation for a funky good time, and keep on jammin’ my friends!

SW

Peace, Love, and Understanding brothas and sistas, is what makes the world go round.

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Live Music DFW Blog, Week of 6/2/13

Hello all my musical friends, and welcome! Tis’ another installment of my featured weekly shows. I’m not getting started on this until late (sorry), so it will not include Monday. Needless to say, there are some big acts playing this week. Now, based on where these shows are and how big an act it is, ticket prices will vary. I am just doing my best to let you know what I think are some of the coolest shows out there this week. So, without further ado, here is the Live Music DFW blog week of June 2, 2013.

Tuesday 6/4

This one is kind of a biggie guys, Fleetwood Mac will be playing at the American Airlines Center Tuesday night. The multi Grammy-winning and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees last toured in 2009 with the sold out Unleashed tour. The current 34 city tour also marks the 35th anniversary of the release of their classic Rumours album (1977), one of the most successful albums in recorded history with sales exceeding 40 million copies. Rumours planted itself at the top of the pop charts for over 31 weeks and had four top ten singles.

Fleetwood Mac's success has brought fame to its legendary members Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks who can be seen Tuesday at the American Airlines Center.

Wednesday 6/5

Another legend comes to D town, well actually GP town! Peter Frampton will be playing with Robert Cray on Wednesday at the Verizon Center (formerly Nokia Center) in Grand Prairie. Frampton, while needing little introduction, is up to something new and hot. Shortly after receiving his first Grammy Award, Frampton embarked on his Fingerprints Tour. This tour is the artist's first public performances since winning "Best Pop Instrumental Album" for his first all instrumental recording, Fingerprints.

Frampton will be performing material from Fingerprints - as well as favorites spanning his catalog. Frampton's band includes Rob Arthur (keyboards, guitar and backing vocals) and John Regan (bass), as well as Audley Freed (guitar) and Noah Levy (drums).  More band info here.

Robert Cray may need an introduction, as some of you might not be aware of this guy. He is blues guitarist with heavy soul influence, has been recording since the 70’s and has won 5 Grammy’s in his career. He too is going strong, having an album dropping in August. 

Robert Cray will be playing with the Robert Cray Band as part of  Peter Frampton’s Guitar Circus. This will be an excellent show, I promise. Band info here.

Thursday 6/6

Let’s bring it a little closer to home with Fish Fry Bingo, a Bluegrass-Jug Band based out of Ft. Worth. Self-described as “A pure, raw hillbilly tour of American music, original and otherwise”, Fish Fry started playing together in 2006, with the current lineup playing together since 2011. Their music incorporates a variety of instrumentation;  Banjos, electric washboards, wah pedals, boots & bare feet, pots & pans, kazoos, spoons, beers, upright bass, mandolins, jugs, train whistles, guitars...

The Current Fish Fry Bingo line up consists of Dan Benjamin, Tony Drewry, Adrian "Doc" Cook, Matthew Broyles, and David "Blackie" Graham. More info available here.

Friday 6/7

Friday we are back to the big leagues! There are two shows for Friday I’d like to talk about. First is the Big Sam’s Funky Nation free show at Levitt Pavilion in Arlington. I posted about it last week.

The second show is none other than Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue. Reigning from New Orleans, this young Trombone/Trumpet Player and Band Leader has been gaining momentum since the release of his Grammy-nominated 2010 debut album, Backatown. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue have grown creatively, building a new fan base on five continents. Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews has dubbed the band’s sound as “Supafunkrock.”

Orleans Avenue consists of Mike Ballard on bass, Pete Murano on guitar, Joey Peebles on drums, Dan Oestreicher on baritone sax and Tim McFatter on tenor sax – stirring together old-school jazz, funk and soul, laced with hard-rock power chords and hip-hop beats. More info can be found here.

Saturday 6/8

Saturday is a local day! Got to throw some love to my boys, the Effinays, who play their last DFW show this Saturday before embarking on their first Tour! They will be playing at the CD release party for Spoonfed Tribe, along with other local bands including Yells at Eels and The Venetian Sailors. Should be a rad show, here are some videos of the acts.

More info on that show can be found here.

The second option, the free option is  My Wooden Leg out of Ft. Worth. They play a free show at Sundown at Granada on Saturday night. Their sound blends hard rock, Balkan funk rhythms & Gypsy melodies. Video below:

 

My Wooden Leg consists of Michael Maftean, Joshua Jones, Steward McCarty. More info here.

So that’s it, those are my shows for the week. If you’ve got the money to see ‘em all, I’m very jealous of you! Please like out Facebook page and share this blog! Be sure to subscribe as well. We need to get as many people involved with Live Music in DFW as possible. This is more than a blog, it is a community, and I’d very much like it to be a closed knitted one. So go out and enjoy some music, and keep jammin’ my friends!

SW