August 16, 2012 Island Moon A 11

By Ronnie Narmour

ronnienarmour@gmail.com

Three Chords and the Truth

Well, another week of great music has come and gone and somehow I didn’t melt. We’re smack dab in the middle of the Dog Days of Summer and I feel like I’m walking around in lead flip flops. But honestly, I had a wonderful week with many of my old friends from Austin and San Antonio in town. I’ll tell you all about it, but right now time’s a wasting… let’s roll!

Miss Lavelle White is in a pickle…

First, I want to tell you about a situation with a remedy that has come to my attention. My old friend and member of the Texas Music Hall of Fame, Miss Lavelle White, is someone dear to my heart. She is a blues and soul singer of remarkable distinction and could use some help. Lavelle is 83 years old now and, like so many musicians in the twilight of their careers, has little to show for the life she’s dedicated to entertainment. Lavelle lives in Austin and frankly, is in a pickle and is close to becoming homeless. Several angels, Marcia Ball, Carolyn Wonderland, Sarah Brown, Susan Antone, Nancy Fly, Ruthie Foster and Shelley King (all old friends and admirers of Lavelle) decided to do something about it and formed H.O.M.E or Housing Opportunities for Musicians and Entertainers, a non-profit organization whose mission is to help members of the musical community to find housing aid and assistance. You can send donations to Marcia Ball, 1200 Garner, Austin, TX. Make the check out to H.O.M.E. For more information go to meowonline.org.

Mike Milligan and the Altar Boys…

It was old home week for me lately. I had a bunch of my musician friends from San Antonio and Austin in town to perform last week and the music was glorious. For starters, blues masters, Mike Milligan and the Altar Boys (Austin, TX), played the Back Porch last Thursday. They have enlisted guitar monster Richie Segura and brother, that’s a good thing! I’ve never heard the guys sound better. And of course, my old pal since the 11th grade, Leland Parks was on bass. Leland has played with some of the greatest blues players ever (Stevie Ray Vaughan, Junior Medlow, The Cobras, Alan Haynes, Lavelle White, Tracy Conover, Uncle John Turner, etc, etc.) and is embedded as an Altar Boy. Milligan was absolutely on fire. He has a Louisiana tinged harmonica jump blues thang going that is pure energy. They’ll be back on September 8th and you don’t want to miss them. These guys are super.

Miss Neesie and Earfood…

And on Saturday, August 11th, Miss Neesie and the Earfood Orchestra (San Antonio, TX) played the Back Porch for their yearly sabbatical. I’ve been tight with these guys for more than 25 years. They play rockin’ roots and zydeco and are masters at getting the party roaring. This night in Port A was no exception. Every Earfood show is like a Mardi Gras party. The Little Ax, Miss Neesie always hands out shakers and fans to everyone in the audience and pretty much demands group participation. There’s always long conga lines and mass revelry. Their Louisiana rhythms are infectious. This band has been playing in Port A since the days of Tortuga Flats and has many fans here. They also play the Barefoot Mardi Gras parties on North Padre and are big favorites there as well. Man, when this band gets cranked up there ain’t no stopping them. At one point after playing for nearly three straight hours, the band leader, Jim Beal, announced that they would take a break… “Nah, only kidding. What do we look like, an Austin band?” And the party raged on. Also, during the show, Hector Saldana, of the great San Antonio band the Krayolas, showed up and sat in on guitar. At that point, they had a rotation of people from the audience on stage playing scrub boards and beating on anything that made noise. I’m telling you, these guys are a blast. I’m still catching my breath.

Transistordale…

Also on Saturday, I made it a point to slip away from the Porch long enough to catch Transistordale’s (San Antonio, TX) last set at the Tarpon Ice House. These guys are funky, funky, funky and I love ‘em. They have a totally unique sound and play 99% original music. Their groove is something like Chris Issac meets Stoney LaRue at Muddy Waters house. They describe themselves as a primal country blues hybrid designed to make bodies gyrate uncontrollably to seek romantic gratification. They have a tight three part harmony with undercurrents of reggae, alt rock, blues and funk. At this show, they broke out a few new songs that bassist, Spence Thomas, had recently written, but it was their old stuff (Bustin’ Out, Man in My Dumpster, Reynosa, Fat Girl Swimming in the Water, etc) that I really love. I really think these guys are on to something. It’s easy to see why they are fast becoming island faves.

DO NOT MISS LISTThis weekend…

Tonight, Thursday, August 16th, the gritty, hard hitting country outfit, Charlie Hagar and the Captain Legendary Band will play the Back Porch and Americana favorite, Kevin Fowler will be at Brewster Street. Tomorrow night, Friday the 17th, our old pal Davin James is at the Porch. And on Saturday, the 18th, the honky tonkin’ zombie killing bastard son of George Jones, Jesse Dayton (Austin, TX) will be at the Porch. Jesse’s new zombie movie, Zombex, is soon to be released and if we had a movie theater, we could go see it. Also, Jesse was one of the artists named to play Ziegfest 2012 in October (along with Pat Green, Black Joe Lewis, Shooter Jennings, Bob Schneider and the Ian Moore Band). You definitely DON”T WANT TO MISS THIS SHOW at the Porch!!! Jesse Dayton is great! Also on the 18th, one of the highlights of the annual Tarpon Music Bash, Scott and Smiley (New Braunfels, TX) will play the Tarpon Ice House. These guys are a hoot and put on a great show.

Next weekend…On Thursday, August 23rd, our prodigal son

returns… Cody Angel will play the only show of his summer vacation from music school up in the flat, flat, flat lands of Levelland. Word is that our young Cody is tearing it up at school, doing really, really well and playing with the Matt Wayne Band. I have seen a few pics of him on Facebook and he’s been seen wearing a cowboy hats and boots. When in Rome I suppose, but it’s sure hard to surf with those kind of duds on, Cody. Everyone needs to come out and wish our boy well. I’m guessing that he’ll have Antone Perez and Mike Guerra with him for this show. And on Saturday, August 25th, the fabulous Joe Mack (Tallequah, OK) will play the Tarpon Ice House. I saw Joe Mack when he came down with Pete Desopo last year and he’s phenomenal. He plays a monster guitar and uses loops and his music is all over the map. I was really impressed with this guy.

And that’s the truth!

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Scott and Smiley Saturday Aug. 18

Joe Mack Saturday, Aug. 25

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Live MusicThursday, August 16

Capt. Legendary @ Back Porch

Free Beer Band @ Tarpon Ice House

Girl in a Coma/ ECHO/ Canvas Waiting @ House of Rock

Antone & the All Stars @ Doctor Rockits

Kevin Fowler @ Brewster Street

John Cortez Band @ Scuttlebutt’s

Friday, August 17

Davin James @ Back Porch

Ray T & the City Crew @ The Flats Lounge

The Groove @ Doctor Rockits

Cruise Control @ Executive Surf Club The Klocks @ Brewster Street

Mike Williams @ Hemingways Rockport

The Forefront @ Coffee Waves

Eclipse @ The Sea Wall

Saturday, August 18

Jesse Dayton @ Back Porch

Scott and Smiley @ Tarpon Ice House

Palacios Brothers @ Doctor Rockits

Cathy Harrison @ House of Rock

Phil Pritchett @ Executive Surf Club

Metal Shop @ Brewster Street

Mike Williams @ Hemingways Rockport

C. Roots @ Coffee Waves

Eclipse @ The Sea Wall

Sunday, August 19

Open Electric Jam w/ Rockin’ Ricke @ Tarpon Ice House

Radio la Chusma @ Doctor Rockits

Mike Guerra & John (Chopper) Lopez @ The Sea Wall

Monday, August 20

Open Jam w/ Antone Perez @ Doctor Rockits

Acoustic Night with Colin Roche @ House of Rock

Tuesday, August 21

Tiffany Tuesday @ Tarpon Ice House

Open Mic w/ Rev. Matt Martinez @ House of Rock

Justin Estes Band @ Doctor Rockits

Wednesday, August 22

Mr. Mo’s Blues Jam @ Tarpon Ice House

Air Guitar Contest/ John Cortez Blues Jam @

House of Rock

Open Mic @ Executive Surf Club

Open Mic w/ Wolfjaw @ Flat’s Lounge

Party of Three @ Doctor Rockits

Thursday, August 23

Cody Angel @ Back Porch

Buster Jiggs @ House of Rock

Aaron Watson/ Rankin Twins @ Brewster Street

Free Beer Band @ Tarpon Ice House

John Cortez @ Doctor Rockits

Aaron Watson/ Rankin Twins @ Brewster Street

Shadow Moon @ The Sea Wall

Friday, August 24

Darryl Lee Rush @ Back Porch

Ray T & the City Crew @ The Flats Lounge

John Cortez @ Doctor Rockits

The Groove @ Executive Surf Club

Le Freak @ Brewster Street

Mike Williams @ Hemingways Rockport

David & Barbara Brown @ Coffee Waves

Hilda Lamas Band @ The Sea Wall

Saturday, August 25

Dust Devils @ Back Porch

Joe Mack @ Tarpon Ice House

CC7D Awards Ceremony @ House of Rock

The Damn Quails @ Third Coast Theater

Backbone Child @ Doctor Rockits

Scarecrow People @ Executive Surf Club

Tonight

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Cody Angel will play the Back Porch on August 23rd.

Mike Milligan and the Altar Boys played the Back Porch on August 9th.

Miss Lavelle White is a true Texas treasure.

Miss Neesie and Earfood played the Back Porch on August 11th.

Transistordale played the Tarpon Ice House on August 11th.

Jesse Dayton will play the Back Porch on August 18th.