By Chip Chandler — Digital Content Producer
Chip.Chandler@actx.edu
A salute to a late musical icon, a pair of Australian sibling rockers, some local favorites and a ton of indie bands passing through to or from Austin: That’s just a taste of the live music on tap for this weekend and in the days ahead.
A Tribute to Natalie Cole: Many fans (and the late singer’s family, too) found the tribute to the late Cole at this year’s Grammy Awards to be rather lacking. Though producers played a 45-second clip of her singing “Unforgettable” with her late father Nat King Cole at the 1992 ceremony, Cole didn’t get a live tribute performance by her peers, as did the likes of Glenn Frey, B.B. King and David Bowie. Some Amarillo musicians are hoping to rectify that locally with a salute to Cole’s genre-defying career at 5 p.m. Sunday at In This Moment, 707 S. Polk St. “She wasn’t really appreciated during the Grammys, so I knew we’ve gotta do something,” singer Devlon D. Jones said. Jones will perform with Chana Smith, Melia Roberts, Boola Patterson and others, and he said audiences should expect a wide-ranging show. “She could do R&B, jazz, blues and all that ’70s funk,” Jones said. Tickets are $10 or $15 for VIP admission; they’re available at Da Spot, 1102 W. Amarillo Blvd., or by calling 580-235-8896.
The Tejas Brothers: They may call Fort Worth home, but The Tejas Brothers are never too far from Amarillo. The band – which, if you read my interview with them Wednesday, you’ll know mixes Texas country, blues and Tex-Mex influences – has a loyal following in Amarillo and has played gigs here regularly throughout its 10-year history. “We love Amarillo,” bass player John Garza told me. “It’s a very special town to us. They’ll play at 10 p.m. today at Hoot’s Pub, 2424 Hobbs Road. Cover charge is $12.
Shotgun Rider: This on-the-rise country band is the latest local band booked for Midnight Rodeo’s Amarillo Live! concert series with a 9 p.m. Saturday show at the club, 4400 S. Georgia St. Fronted by Dimmitt native Anthony Enriquez and Nazareth native Logan Samford, the band released its sophomore album, “Panhandle EP,” in February; it landed in the Top 20 on iTunes’ country chart within hours of its release. Cover charge is $6 for ages 21 and older or $10 for ages 18 to 20.
Adler & Hearne: The Texas duo of Lynn Adler and Lindy Hearne promises an “original folk sound with jazz and blues overtones,” according to their bio. Their latest album, “Second Nature,” was produced by Texas icon Lloyd Maines, and the duo is an official Texas Touring Artist of the Texas Commission on the Arts through 2018. They’ll return to the area for a 7:30 p.m. Saturday show at The Gem Theatre in Claude. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 12 and younger. For information, call 806-226-2187. Adler has Amarillo ties, too; her father, W.J. “Bill” Sutter” was a music minister for the First Baptist Church in the late 1950s.
Satellite Sky: Aussie brother and sister Pete and Kim Kicks draw on influences from 1960s and ’70s British rock plus new-wave acts like David Bowie and Depeche Mode. Their most recent album, “Magnetize,” was released in May, and they’ll hit town after several gigs in Austin for SXSW. Cover charge is $7.
The Cassettes: The ’80s never died for popular Amarillo cover band The Cassettes. The four-man band rocks out with all of your favorite tunes from the greatest era ever in pop music (admittedly, I may be a little biased). Expect to hear tunes from the likes of Duran Duran, Michael Jackson, Journey and more. Cover charge is $12; a portion of proceeds will be donated to a GoFundMe campaign for Amarillo resident and Texas music fan Daniel Vaughn, who was diagnosed in 2014 with chiari malformation, a debilitating disorder which affects the cerebellum, which controls balance.
SXSWhat?: The 806’s annual festival featuring bands on their way to or from Austin for South by Southwest continues with another diverse lineup: Electronica act Crunk Witch, emo band Bobby Meader Music and Amarillo punk band Pink Bastard at 8:30 p.m. Sunday; indie rockers Community Center with Terror Pigeon and Meth Dad at 8:30 p.m. Monday; experimental acts CannabiDroids, Coloring Electric Like and Darlington at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday; electronica band My Gold Mask at 9 p.m. Wednesday; and “One Man Banjo” act Sean Lee at 9 p.m. Thursday. The coffee shop is located at 2812 S.W. Sixth Ave.; most shows have a suggested donation of $5. For a complete SXSWhat? schedule, check out https://www.reverbnation.com/venue/the806coffeelounge.
Lolipop Records Showcase: The SXSWhat? fun expands this year to Golden Light Cantina, 2906 S.W. Sixth Ave., where a group of punk and pop acts signed to indie label Lolipop Records will perform at 9 p.m. Monday. On the bill are acts Glitter Wizard, Tamar Aphek, The Roaring 420s, Thee MVPs, Friendly Males, Janelane, Rudy de Anda, Max Pain & The Groovies, Plastic Pinks, Big White, Go!Zilla and Death Hymn Number 9. Cover charge is $5.
Wood and Wire: Bluegrass band Wood & Wire will return to Amarillo for a 10 p.m. Thursday show at Golden Light Cantina. It’s the act’s second time in town, and banjo player Trevor Smith said it won’t be the last: “Last time went really well; I hope we’re building it into something.” I’ll have more on the band – including Smith’s theory about how old-fashioned instruments offer a deeper connection to music – next week before the show. Cover charge is $8.
Dolly Shine: Texas country band Dolly Shine will celebrate the release of a new single, “Rattlesnake,” and the upcoming release of a new CD, “Walkabout,” with a 10 p.m. Thursday show at Hoot’s Pub. Curious about the band’s name? Lead singer Zack McGinn once explained to me that it was inspired by the name of a rodeo buddy’s horse – an Americanized version of the Mexican word “dale,” loosely translated as “give it the gas.” Cover charge is $10.
