More Fun than a Pledge Drive

Sure, I suppose all the individuals at Deep Ellum Radio could ask for donations on the air in order to help the station with its operating costs. I think you’ll agree, however, that a benefit concert is a lot more fun than any pledge drive. So without further ado, check out the poster below for information on my upcoming LaGrange showcase.



I thank all of the musicians who kindly volunteered their time and talents in order to help the station. And thanks to Cory Bergren of Ironstamp Designs, who created the lovely poster above. I encourage all of my readers to attend this fine event. Not only are you getting the opportunity to see four first-act local acts, but your money will help keep Deep Ellum Radio operating smoothly. Help us continue to promote local bands and the Deep Ellum community.

Tickets are available thru Prekindle, so feel free to buy your tickets in advance. Hope to see all of your beautiful faces on December 10th!

Keepin' It Rude

There are certain genres of music I tend to be partial to. I tend to be more drawn to a lot of singer-songwriter material, as well as indie rock. This is not to say I like everything in those genres. I will say, however, that musicians in those genres have a certain advantage. Since I am admittedly more partial to those styles, the odds of me liking those within those genres is perhaps a little better.

Ska music, on the other hand, has not shared that advantage. As a general rule, I have not been a fan of ska. When I received some mp3s from their previous effort, Rude to the Last Drop, I decided to give it a listen, expecting to be unimpressed. From the first notes of “Love Bomb”, I instantly knew that I had misjudged the band. This high energy song has more than enough hooks to capture the attention of both ska fans and non-ska fans.
And throughout their current album, Ruder, Better, Faster, Stronger, the hooks keep coming with tracks like “On the Ground” and “Gone”.

What’s even more impressive than the album, however, is the live show. Everything from the brass section (courtesy of Houston Bogus on trombone and Mason Neeley on trumpet) to bass and drums (Justin Rush and Rob Tovar, respectively) is spot on in the performance. But the strongest asset to the band is their main vocalist, Jon Bravo. His voice is perfectly suited for ska music. If it were any better suited, I’d be saying that ska was perfectly designed with Mr. Bravo in mind. The energy brought to the stage by all members makes Rude King easily one of the best live shows you’ll see in the metroplex.

Yes, this band is an absolute must-see for ska lovers. But more importantly, this band is even a must see for everyone. Even those who think they may not be ska lovers will likely be won over by Rude King. Take it from the mouth of a (former) non-ska fan. You can see Rude King this Friday at Double-Wide, opening for Swingin’ Utters and Far From Finished. Get there early so that you do not miss even a second of the Rude King set.

Doyle Bramhall

Local blues legend Doyle Bramhall was found dead yesterday of what appears to be heart failure. Some of you may not be familiar with his name, but most of you are familiar with the songs he has written. He co-wrote many tunes with Stevie Ray Vaughan, most notably "Change It", "The House Is Rockin'", and "Life by the Drop".

I had the privilege of seeing Mr. Bramhall perform live approximately fifteen years ago outside the Borders in Plano. While the location may have been unorthodox (to put it kindly), Doyle gave the crowd a first rate, enthusiastic performance.

I leave you with some more recent video footage of Mr. Bramhall, performing two of the songs made famous by Stevie.

Rhett Miller Tickets

First of all, thanks to those who were listening to my show on Deep Ellum Radio last night. Your support means a lot to me. I must admit, however, by being disappointed by one particular event. At the end of the show, I did a giveaway for tickets to Saturday's Cystic Fibrosis Benefit Show at the Granada Theater featuring Rhett Miller, Sarah Jaffe, and The O's. You'd think there would be a long list of people attempting to win the tickets. You know how many email entries I got last night? None. Nada. Zilch.

So, here I am, with two pairs of tickets to give away instead of one. So here's what I'm going to do: the first two people who can email me the name of the Old 97's song I played yesterday in my radio show (by the way, it's my all time favorite song of theirs) win the tickets. I'll even give you one more big hint: the version of the song I played was found on Wreck Your Life, but it was also featured two years later on Too Far to Care. For those in the know about the Old 97's discography, that narrows it down to exactly one song.

So the first two people to email me at ghostofblindlemon@gmail.com with the correct song title in the subject line are the winners. Good luck to all!

Because There’s More to Wednesday Nights Than Watching SUV

After all, the show’s not the same without Detective Elliott Stabler. But you’re not here to discuss network TV dramas, you’re here for the local music.

You may recall me mentioning that I’m booking at Crown and Harp (and if you didn't know, check this out). Well that’s not the only cool new thing at Crown and Harp. For the past few weeks, the lovely and talented Emmeline has been hosting an open mic every Wednesday night, and it appears to now be a regular Wednesday night occurrence. Emmeline is not only one of the most talented singer-songwriters in the metroplex, her stage presence has increased exponentially in the past year. Her comments between songs are among the most interesting of any performer in the metroplex. Such a talent is obviously a useful trait when hosting an open mic.

There is absolutely no cover charge, and parking is free. Plus, you get the opportunity to see fresh talent develop from the early stages. Open mics can be a great place for developing talent. In fact, Emmeline herself got her beginning at the open mic hosted by Steve Jackson every Tuesday night at Opening Bell Coffee. Now that Emmeline has her own open mic night, I guess it’s come full circle.