By Chip Chandler — Digital Content Producer
One of the more active bands on Amarillo's original music circuit will be featured at the latest Yellow City Sounds Live concert.
Eddie & The Eat will perform at 7 p.m. Friday in the Panhandle PBS studios, 2408 S. Jackson St.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and though the show is free, tickets are required; they can be picked up at the studio. If you miss seeing the show in person, it'll stream live on FM90 and will be filmed for use at a later date.
Esler formed the Americana band with bassist Austin Bagwell and drummer Taylor Barringer in the spring of 2015 after performing with them as a temporary member of another Amarillo band, Playa Lake. A month later, guitarist Andrew Fox came on board, and the band made its performing debut at Leftwoods in September 2015 after several months of just jamming together.
"We had so much fun working up some of these songs that we moved forward (into performing)," Esler said. "For me, it was a good vehicle to see what songs I was writing might work with a band. It was a big experiment at first, but we started enjoying it and really got tight as a group."
Esler, an Amarillo native, had been living in Colorado and working as a bluegrass musician prior to returning home in 2009. After he returned, he helped found Americana band Turbine Toolshed, then performed solo for a year or so.
"Back then, the music scene was very welcoming, and I'd like to think it still is," Esler said. "I've seen in the past (seven) years that it's definitely grown and more people are getting into it. There are more genres and styles coming out.
"I think Amarillo does a great job of putting out original music and having an appreciation for original music," he continued. "There are some great cover bands here in town, but I think there are just as many great original bands in town doing their own thing and writing their own songs. ... There are some great players here in town, and everyone is willing to hop on and let you work it out and grow with you."
With his new band, he said he enjoys the writing process.
"I kind of put the skeleton together, build the backbone of the songs, then I take them to the rest of the band and that's where they get a hold of it and put their two cents in and really make them come to life," Esler said.
The band released its first EP, Midnight Snack, in August, and Esler said their music is still evolving.
"There's definitely a kind of rock 'n' roll / country aspect to it that's coming out, but we also have songs that have more funk tendencies," he said.
FM90 program director Mike Fuller praised the band's "heartfelt, honest lyrics and outstanding musicianship."
Esler said he expects the YCSL show to be somewhat toned down from its typical shows at Golden Light Cantina, Hoots Pub and elsewhere — but not too much.
"We're going to get to play some songs we don't always get to play at the bars," he said. "When you have a 45-minute opening set for bigger bands coming through, you want to play it big and hot and high-energy, so you only get to play one slower song or one song that focuses on the writing rather than the feel or the energy behind it."
Chip Chandler is a digital content producer for Panhandle PBS. He can be contacted at Chip.Chandler@actx.edu, at @chipchandler1 on Twitter and at www.facebook.com/chipchandlerwriter on Facebook.
