Well, my B-day is coming up this weekend, and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than to catch a show at The Granada Theater in Dallas. What makes this event even more special than the commemorating of my birth – which seems less special with each passing year, let’s face it – is that none other than The Band of Heathens will be rocking the joint.

Of course, they aren’t the only ones that will be singing “Happy Birthday” to me that evening. Bruce Robison and The Trishas, the female super-group that has been building their own buzz since last year’s Americana Conference, will be joining in the fun as well. You want to come along for the fun (don’t worry, you wont have to hang out with me and act like you give a crap about my age)? Be one of the first 2 people to email me at kelly@thegobblersknob.com with Happy Band of Heathens in the subject line and you and a friend will be all hooked up, courtesy of The Granada Theater. Sorry, all gone, now…

Well, it may not be on New Year’s Eve, but I can’t think of a better, more joyful way of saying goodbye to 2009 than by catching Slobberbone at The Granada Theater on Wednesday, Dec. 30th. While Slobberbone’s reuniting has perhaps been my favorite musical story of the year, one of the opening bands, Telegraph Canyon has likely been the best live band I have seen all year. Given these circumstances, I expect a whale of a show and a heck of a good time.

I have 3 pairs of tickets to give away to this fantastic gig. Be one of the first 3 people to email me at kelly@thegobblersknob.com with Gimme Back My Dog in the subject line, and you will be on the list for the show on the 30th at The Granada Theater!

 

Photo courtesy of Alisha Hurt

Somebody’s Darling (Official / Myspace) has been on a roll as of late. Last year, they won the Shiner Rising Star competition and this year, they saw their excellent self-titled Shiner Records album released after recording it in Nashville with none other than Dan Baird, who has produced many greats including Chris Knight. They have been hitting the road with many top-notch acts recently and their brand of soul-flavored country rock has been winning new fans quickly. I recently chatted with 2 of the members, Amber Farris (lead vocals) and David Ponder (guitar) about what their lives are like at this juncture and where their music is heading…

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GK: What has been the most exciting thing that has happened to you since winning Shiner Rising Star?

David: That’s tough… loading up the van to go to Nashville and record your first album would rank pretty high up there. Also getting a chance to tour with Stoney LaRue was so awesome. We got to really see how a real show with a full crew operates. It gave us something to shoot for definitely.

GK: Now that you have had the experience of recording in a first-class studio with a pro like Dan Baird producing, how has the everyday experience of being in this band changed?

Amber: It hasn’t really changed the day to day stuff, it’s just really prepared us for the next time we go in studio. I feel like we learned a bunch from Dan, he’s awesome!

GK: You guys have been playing with a bunch of great acts from all over. You are even opening for James McMurtry soon at The Granada Theater in Dallas. Who are the artists that you have been excited or even intimidated by over the course of the last year or so?

Amber: Stoney Larue, Lucero, Sam Roberts, and Corb Lund come to mind but really everyone we play with is a new experience and a chance to learn something. It’s always an honor to play with acts we look up to ourselves

GK: Right now who are you listening to other than yourself?

David: Lot’s of Lucinda Williams, Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Justin Townes Earle, and Ryan Bingham. Also I’ve been jamming the new Murry Hammond a ton, it’s SO good.

GK: Are you catching any “non-Somebody’s Darling” shows this season?

David: It’s soo hard to make it out to shows when you’re always playing, but I just saw that the Avett Brothers and Samantha Crain are coming to the Granada soon. We HAVE to go to that one. Amber and I were in a band before SD and we actually opened up for Samantha Crain years ago, we’re so proud to see her doing good.

GK: Describe Somebody’s Darling’s sound in 5 words.

David: Classic Rock with Soul-Country

GK: Being a band that has being playing together for a while – in and around Dallas – and is finally getting some exposure to larger audiences, what bands from the Dallas area do you think deserve some attention pointed in their direction?

Amber: We’ve really grown up with a band called John David Kent and The Dumb Angels. We’ve done a bunch of little mini-tours with them and stuff and they’ve really become family. Keep an eye out for them!

GK: Since its Thanksgiving weekend, what are you thankful for right now?

David: I’m thankful that we’re getting a chance to nationally release the album soon! Also very thankful for the fact that we don’t want to kill each other yet… haha. We’ve had some cold nights in the van that could break the spirit of lesser band.

GK: With the holiday season upon us, where do you think or hope Somebody’s Darling will “be” by the holiday’s in 2010?

Amber: Hopefully on the road! Everyday of 2010!

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LISTEN: Somebody’s Darling – “Horses”

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Slobberbone tearing it up at The Granada Theater's B-day party in Dallas.

What can I say about this past Friday night? Awesome? A total blast? A great night that really celebrated the music and the artists of the Dallas area? Yes, yes and heck yes.

There were fellow bloggers and even members of bands that weren’t on this specific bill on hand to join over a thousand fans that wanted to witness the resurrection of the mighty Slobberbone. Danny Balis kicked things off in an appropriately old-school fashion with tunes from his brand new disc. Next, it was Macon Greyson that came on and proceeded to jam the throttle so hard it pretty much broke off. Tunes from their last full-length, 20th Century Accidents were well represented. The set included  The Wrestler’s favorite song, “Black Light“, a song that out-Stones the Rolling Stones. They too were breaking out a new disc. Their new EP can be had for free at their website.  I was challenged by a friend to pay close attention to MG’s lead guitar player, Harley Husbands, and then tell him later who, if anyone, was a better player. After watching closely, I had to admit that naming a player that was as ferocious would be a hard task to complete.

Danny Balis, who is also a member of The King Bucks, busted out his mellow Honky-Tonk gold.

At last, Slobberbone came on, opening with the title track to my favorite Slobberbone disc, Barrel Chested. I have went on and on about them since they started performing official “reunion” shows, so I’ll keep it simple. Fantastic. Truth be told, I have no problem sitting here and saying that Macon Greyson out-performed the headliners, because they did. That said, Brent Best and the guys tore through a cross section of their entire catalog exuberantly. While not as tight as MG before them, Slobberbone still rocked with reckless abandon and exuded a confidence that is fitting for a band that has been as missed as they are beloved in the North Texas region, not to mention the “Alt-Country” genre as a whole.

I attended this show mainly as an adoring fan and not as a note-taking blogger nerd (which I admit that I am, so there), so forgive me for not having a full set-list. As I stated earlier, Barrel Chested, the group’s 2nd disc, is my favorite of theirs and therefore, the cuts from that album were the highlights for me personally. “Billy Pritchard”, “I’ll Be Damned”, “Engine Joe” and of course, “Your Excuse” were all blasts from the past that seemed anything but dated. “Lumberlung” and “Gimme Back My Dog” were gems from other albums that really made an impression on me as well.

Brent & Jess from Slobberbone - Owning the stage.

Aside from the actual concert, the evening was a celebration of the venue itself, as The Granada Theater marked it’s 5th anniversary as a full-time live music venue. Macon Greyson’s lead singer, Buddy Huffman, said it well when he reminded the crowd that the popular theater could’ve picked some big national names to star in their party, but chose to have local talent be a part of this special night and that is a part of what makes the venue a perennial favorite (Neko Case, The Gourd’s, Dinosaur Jr. and The Avett Brothers are some examples of big-time acts that will be playing there soon.) Overall, it was a fantastic night where I find myself having a hard time truly explaining the reason it was so fantastic. It just was.

I missed it when Slobberbone rocked a couple of reunion shows in the early part of the year. I am not missing them again. This Friday the 21st, Brent Best and the boys will get together to help The Granada Theater celebrate its 5th Bday as the best live music venue in town. If you have heard of the boys from Denton, and are just not sure what the fuss is about, the check out this set that was recorded back in 2003 (courtesy of Southern Shelter). Also, Danny Balis and Macon Greyson will be ushering in another year for the venue.

You wanna wish the Granada a Happy Birthday? Go here to get tix for Friday night’s show!