By Chip Chandler — Digital Content Producer
Feelin’ Strange
Amarillo-based Americana band Strangetowne heads home tonight in the middle of a tour with Atlanta’s Radio Birds for a 10 p.m. show at Hoot’s Pub, 2424 Hobbs Road. “When we’re on a bill together, there is an irresistible energy,” Radio Birds’ Justin Keller said. The tour kicked off May 3 in Austin and wraps up May 26 and 27 in New York City and Washington, D.C. Strangetowne has had an active 2016, including tours with Cody Canada, Turnpike Troubadours and Micky & The Motorcars, and a showcase performance at South by Southwest. "Being away from loved ones to me is the hardest part of it all. In the past 40 or 50 days we have been home for four," guitarist Ben Cargo told me this morning. "(But) life on the road is an experience many musicians don't get the opportunity of living. So I feel blessed to be traveling and playing shows with my three best friends." Cover is $12.
European Vacation
West Texas A&M University’s symphony orchestra will give a free preview of its upcoming European tour at 7:30 p.m. today in Mary Moody Northen Recital Hall. The orchestra — which will play in Prague, Vienna and Budapest from Sunday through May 24 — will perform music by John Williams, George Gershwin, Libby Larsen and more. Call 806-651-2840.
Randall King fires a 'Bullet'
Lubbock-based and Amarillo native country singer Randall King will celebrate the release of Another Bullet, his latest EP, with a 10 p.m. party today at Golden Light Cantina, 2906 S.W. Sixth Ave. "Lots of people say country music is dead, but I think people just don't look hard enough," King told me this morning. "If we get this record out and get a buzz, people will start hearing true country music. It's very much a traditional-style country music like George Strait and Alan Jackson." Cover is $8.
Coffee Tunes
Blues/folk singer Jacob Green will play at 9 p.m. Sunday at The 806, 2812 S.W. Sixth Ave., followed by a double bill of Du Vide and Sports Coach at 9 p.m. Thursday. Shows are free, but donations are accepted. Call 806-322-1806.
In Case You Missed It
Amarillo native Aaron Watson comes home for a family-friendly outdoor concert at 6 p.m. Saturday at Midnight Rodeo, 4400 S. Georgia St. Also on the bill are Kimberly Dunn and Mike Ryan Band. Cover is $20 or $35 for VIP passes, plus fees. … Los Angeles-based bluegrass band The Show Ponies will play at 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Leftwood’s, 2511 S.W. Sixth Ave. Cover is $8. … The Randy Rogers Band, The Mavericks and more will perform at the annual Canadian River Music Festival beginning at noon Saturday in Canadian. Tickets are $25 in advance and $35 at the gate. ... Campanas de América, a San Antonio-based maricachi band, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Buchanan St., for Amarillo Opera's Musica Variada concert. Tickets are $20. Call 806-372-7464 or 806-378-3096, or visit www.panhandletickets.com.
Local acts
Americana band Playa Lake will rock out at 9:30 p.m. today at The 806. … Folk-rock-pop-country-eclectic band (seriously, I don’t know how to classify them, but I love ‘em) Shandy Bandits will play at 10 p.m. today at Austin’s Texas Pub, 3121 S.W. Sixth Ave. Then, Lubbock-Amarillo singer-songwriter Dave Martinez will play at 10 p.m. Saturday. Cover is $5 each night. … Danny Dobervich will play an acoustic set at 7 p.m. today at the new Urbana Coffee Works, 5215 S. Coulter St., Suite 100. … Jackie Haney, a former member of Bill Haley’s Original Comets, and his The Geezers Gone Wild Band will play at 7 p.m. Saturday at Bar Z Winery, 19290 Farm-to-Market Road 1541. Cover for the latter is $10. … Country troubadour Dan Lesperance will play at 7 p.m. today at Wild Bill’s Fillin’ Station, 3514 S.W. Sixth Ave. … Hed Change will rock out at 10 p.m. today for a Micro Wrestling Federation celebration (Google it. No, really.) at Skooterz, 4100 Bushland Blvd. Cover is $15 in advance and $20 at the door. … The Bastard Sons of David Hasselhoff will bring their punk behinds to Whiskey River, 4001 S.W. 51st Ave., for a 10 p.m. Saturday show. Cover is $5. ... Amarillo native Jacob McCoy Burton, now a Nashville resident, will come home for a 10 p.m. Thursday show at Golden Light. Cover is $5. (Thanks to the indefatigable Amarillo Music Scene page on Facebook for gathering up many of these gigs and the open mics below weekly!)
Open mics
Maggie Burt hosts an open jam at 9 p.m. Tuesdays at Hoot’s Pub. …Trent Britten hosts at 8 p.m. Tuesdays at Sixth Street Saloon, 609 S. Independence St. … Heath James hosts the Zombie Mic Open Jam at 9 p.m. Wednesdays at Zombiez Bar, 711 S.W. 10th Ave. … Mike Chism and Lee Scheetz host open mic nights at 9 p.m. Wednesdays at Whiskey River, 4001 S.W. 51st Ave. … Clint Culwell hosts open mics at 9 p.m. Thursdays at Austin’s Texas Pub.
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.
