Shameless Plugs

A Beautiful Mess will be at the Guadalupe River Club in Kerrville on Saturday Night Feb 25.
If you're out that way, come on by for a late dinner and stay for the band.
The food is great--you can't go wrong with their seafood or burgers.





Speaking of food and music, the band will playing at Trader's Village Flea Market this Sunday from 12:30 to around 4:30, and in addition to music and shopping I understand that there'll be a chili cook-off in the same pavilion.
Look for the brown roof.



I hope to meet at least one of my fellow SA area bloggers.

The Future Of Country Music?

My band A Beautiful Mess is playing again, with our long-awaited new singer:
After months of listening to the guys talk her up (I'm going to drive all the way to Converse for practice sessions where I'll have nothing constructive to do??) it turns out to be true: Natalie Rose is the real deal.
Maybe I can get her to name the second album with all the big hits Views Of Texas...and mention me at the CMAs?



We chose a delightful honky-tonk/restaurant in the blink/miss town of Belmont TX for our first shakedown gig. Low pressure, a built-in crowd of locals, and not much money at stake so no hard feelings if things don't go well.



It's a band of seasoned professionals, so the music and sound are guaranteed.
We were just giving young Miss Rose a taste of our loud rock-style guitars and drums, bright lights, and a soundman who will take good care of her.



She took it in stride, and won over the crowd right away.
I can practically smell natural talent, and she's home-baked bread and bacon.



One of maybe 6 buildings in town.
I can recommend the Belmont Social Club if you want a $23 steak dinner or $12 burger plate in the sticks somewhere between Seguin and Gonzalez, right by the intersection of Alt90 and 80. The food looked and smelled amazing. It's a BIG two room place that didn't have a single seat to spare, which is really saying something at those prices. My big city cynicism asks if it may just be the only decent meal within 40 miles, but what the hell do I know about Belmont Texas?



Speaking of prices...
Our next show will be at The Stafford Centre near Houston next Thursday, opening for country legend Ray Price.

It's Ray's birthday, so come out and show some love for someone who's seriously owned every stage including the Grand Old Opry and every roadhouse between Atlanta and Bakersfield.



From what I hear, the production company's liason was a little condescending, explaining in agonizing detail what we need to bring versus what is provided, in specificity, ad nauseum.
Our representative smiled at his phone and maintained a respectful demeanor and even resisted the urge to drop the classic "This ain't our first rodeo" line.
His text to me took 99% less time to deliver: "We bring backline--hotel rooms provided".
("Backline" = Our own guitars, basses, amplifiers/pedalboards, and drums).

Just because our singer is 17 doesn't mean the rest of us are.

But this isn't Natalie's first rodeo, either. She's done some big shows before meeting us.
Deliver the goods, she will.

Tires And Tribulations

This weekend our new country band A Beautiful Mess has crossed the line from a good band to a great one.
Everyone is comfortable and confident now, so instead of worrying about what lyric or chord or sound cue is next, we're all in the zone and can push the music to new heights.

One big recent improvement is this Fender Telecaster clone that John built for himself--it's sound is perfect for the band and he plays the shit out of it:


We played in Kerrville tonight. The club has a patio overlooking the Guadalupe River. It was hot and steamy.



Driving home we saw lots of deer, but luckily they were on the sides of IH10 instead of bouncing off our truck.
The good luck held right to my door--as I got out, I clearly heard air hissing out of one of the trailer's tires. By the time I had unloaded my personal gear into the garage, it was completely flat.
Must have gotten punctured in the very last minute of a 125 mile round trip!
Compared to our last flat this was a dream scenario, as I was able to fire up my air compressor and refill the tire, then back the trailer into our driveway and park it.
Rikk got to go home with minimal delay, and I can deal with the tire whenever the hell I feel like it. And unlike last time, here at the house I have a nice big hydraulic jack and someone to help me.

I'm going to see what the Martinez Bros. can hook me up with for around $40, since this tire was already overdue for replacement.


I guess everyone got it wrong.
Tonight was The Rupture.

A Beautiful Mess

Our New Band debuted last Sunday at PediCab on Cevallos (next to LaTuna near Blue Star)
When BLISS is over early next year, A Beautiful Mess will be ready to keep me busy--on Sunday we had an opening act and only played 1 set.

Steve and I have worked together with The Hollering, Simmons Allison Group, The BeWires, The Hitmen, BLISS, Loud Nine, and a few more acts over the past 20-odd years.
We both consider ourselves lucky to have found a partner in music that is at the top of their respective job in South Texas, and we're also great friends.
Basically, he joins bands and when their soundman proves to be a tool I get the call and stay until the band breaks up years later.

John is from Kerrville, and is perfect for the new band's country/rock sound and look.

Valentino knows a billion songs and is quite a character.
Put a nice shirt on this guy and we have a star.

The opening act was an all-woman band whose name escapes me, but they were alright. The crowd at PediCab loved them.
Our set ignited more dancing, since it was now dark and our music was less serious and the beat was far more infectious.

Rikk is in charge, and it's been a real pleasure to work with him over the last few years. We have that mind-reading thing going, so the work gets done with minimal aggravation and always to our shared professional standards.

I worked with Stephanie for over a year and it was great to hear her sing again.
It's about time she found a band that's going to be able to bring her talents to a wider audience.



I suggested "Gravel Avenue" as a name for the new band, but it didn't make the final cut.
I'm going on record right now as claiming that name for future projects.


Halloween preparations are proceeding nicely.
I have work to do tonight on one of the scenes, and have started buying candy.
So far I have Snickers, Starburst, and Skittles, but the bowl must have a hole in the bottom because it doesn't look as full as it did a few days ago.