Archive for May, 2012

I’m down here in Austin and will be blogging during Petrolia’s state semifinal against Sam Rayburn.

I’ll keep updating this every half inning or so, depending on what is going on. It’s good to be back down here for state softball — it’s the area’s first appearance down here since Burkburnett in 2008.

And what a great story Petrolia is. 9-12 during the regular season, then 9-0 in the playoffs. They’ll face a Rayburn team that is probably the Class A favorite in this thing.

* Real quick lineup from Petrolia — same as it has been throughout the playoffs: C Jamie Kowalick; CF Abby Anderson; 1B Alaina Anderson; P Katie Cummings; LF Cheyenne Reese; SS Kirsten Kenyon; DP Allie Ablia; 3B Sidney Mobley; 2B Mallory Ridinger; RF Macy Ridinger.

* And one more thing — Petrolia is the visitor. So they’ll get to try and strike first against a Rayburn team that has allowed only three runs all playoffs.

* Quick weather update — hardly any wind here, nothing like Graham last week. It’s overcast and it looked like it did rain yesterday, but I’m not sure what are rain chances are today.

* Girls had taken the field and we were ready to go…. but because we’re on TV (Time Warner Ch. 888), the girls had to walk off the field at 8:58. Now we do have to have first pitch at 9:03.

* Top 1: Petrolia goes down in order with two grounders and a line out. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors.

* Bottom 1: First two batters reach on walk and single up middle, but Cummings comes through with big strikeout on Rayburn’s best hitter.

And then the Lady Rebels come through with a big blow. Avery Cranford (coach’s daughter) doubles to left, scoring two runs. Cummings retires the next two hitters on groundouts, but Rayburn leads 2-0 after 1. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors.

Top 2: We have our first Petrolia baserunner. After Cummings flies to left, Cheyenne Reese draws a walk on a full count. Brittany Benham comes on to pinch-run.

Kenyon sacrifices Benham over to 2B, but Alaina Kissinger gets Allie Ablia to ground out. Petrolia is putting the bat on the ball, just no hits. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors.

Bottom 2: Cummings looked good this inning as the sophomore retired the Nos. 7-9 hitters on two weak grounders and a strikeout. O runs, 0 hits and 0 errors for Rayburn, which still leads 2-0 after two innings.

Top 3: Mobley reaches on error, but then erased on a fielder’s choice bunt attempt. But Kowalick laces a double down the left-field line. Lady Pirates have runners on second and third with one out.

And a huge two-out hit by Alaina Anderson! She sends a laser over the head of second baseman Torri Pannell, who looked like she was going to make a nice snag. And she hustles to second. A grounder ends the inning, but Petrolia has tied the game at 2-2. 2 runs, 2 hits, 1 error.

Bottom 3: And we’re raining here. Ali Wiechman leads off inning with single to left field, then advances to third base on outfield misplay.

But a great defensive effort by the Lady Pirates. Cummings snags comebacker, goes to first and Alaina Anderson’s throw home nails Wiechman at plate. Great 1-3-2 double play.

Rayburn still in business though after a dropped fly ball in center field and a misplayed grounder at second base. And now the killer — a three-run homer by Kissinger when Petrolia should have already been out of the inning twice.

So Rayburn takes a 5-2 lead into the fourth inning after 3 runs, 3 hits, 3 errors.

Top 4: Petrolia goes down in order on a pop out, a grounder and Kissinger’s first strikeout. Just kind of get the feeling this 3-run deficit might be too much for the Lady Pirates to overcome. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors.

Bottom 4: Cummings strikes out the first two batters, then gets Rayburn No. 1 hitter Wiechman out for first time today on grounder. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors. 5-2 Rayburn lead.

Top 5: Kissinger strikes out first two, then Kowalick hits a liner but Rayburn CF Jaiden Pelton runs it down. Rayburn still up 5-2 after 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors.

Bottom 5: After a pop out, Dow skys double to right-field gap. But Cummings catches liner and doubles Dow off at second. o runs, 1 hit, 0 errors.

Top 6: I know Petrolia has two more innings, but with 2-4 hitters up now, the Lady Pirates have to at least put a dent in Rayburn’s 5-2 lead right now.

And Petrolia is down to its last three outs after groundouts by the Anderson sisters and a deep fly out by Cummings. Kissinger has retired the last 10 Petrolia batters since Anderson’s double. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors.

Bottom 6: And Rayburn’s 5-7 hitters go down in order on two groundouts and a pop out. Cummings has looked pretty good here today. It’s a shame about those errors or we’d be heading into the seventh inning tied at 2-2. Rayburn looking to close out the game now. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors.

Top 7: And it’s all over here in Austin after Petrolia can’t score enough runs. Kenyon and Mobley did have singles and Mallory Ridinger was hit by a pitch, but Lady Pirates get an out on the bases and lose 5-3 final. Going down to the field for quotes, but will be back soon for a couple thoughts wrapping game up.

Final thoughts: What a great season and a great playoff run by Petrolia. Hard to lose this one. When it came down to it, Rayburn was probably the better team. But the Lady Pirates could have won this game if not for the errors in the third inning. Check out the paper tomorrow for the complete recap of the game.

Down Home Texas

Richard Carter

Hayes Carll playing to a crowd Friday night

It was probably around 2005 or 2006 that I first met Graham Wilkinson, an area guy who had done some travelling and was playing music with some people I’d known for years. It was around 2007 or so that I was in the Pub and ran into him, and he introduced me to Hayes Carll. I had heard that Carll was a talented up and coming singer songwriter.

I was able to interview Carll last week, and what I learned was that he was a bright guy who considered what he said before he said it and said some smart thoughtful things. He was the kind of guy who was perfect for playing Late Week Lazy Boy Supper Club for Archer City. His music is witty, had good melodies and he sings with a good voice and can play guitar well enough.

So, last Friday night I had the opportunity to see Carll from a great seat in the Pub, and he was playing with a full band, and he was quite good. For someone with not so many records out, he has a lot of great songs, and the crowd knew those songs as well. People sang along, danced and seemed to have a great time. It was one of the larger crowds I had seen in the Pub for a while, and it struck me that looking through the masses, I saw a lot of musicians and a good variety of ages and musical types listening in.

I think it says something when people can draw crowds who are in their 20’s to 70’s and Carll does that really well. His band was top-notch with a solid rhythm section, two inspired guitarists who could also play banjo and some steel. Even Carll picked up the banjo for a tune. The songs could be quiet and they could be upbeat and they could have that Texas swing to them.

It was a solid evening getting to check out one of Texas’s more revered singer songwriters in a good intimate setting. I wished that some of the people (who might have drank a little more) could have been a little more considerate of people sitting at the front. I was surprised that security didn’t step in a bit. People should be able to do what they want as long as it doesn’t impinge on other fans trying to listen to and enjoy the show.

Carll dedicated a song to Aaron Wilkinson (Graham’s late brother) near the end of the show, and it clearly touched some people in the audience.

I have yet to get to check out the reorganized open mic at the Pub, now that Kory Rogers is running the show. It’s a transition from Paul Shults, and it will be interesting to see how things have changed. I used to play open mic with friends back when Jason Brown was the ringleader, and it was almost always a blast. Jason would always been available to throw out a guitar lead it was usually pretty brilliant.

If you missed the Rocketboys last year on November 18, then you might plan to be available when they play on Saturday June 9. The Austin-based band has a new CD out earlier that week and will be playing with two very good bands of the alternative, indie variety. It will be fun.

Also, this Thursday, Blues to the Bone will be playing at the Museum of Art at Midwestern State University from 6 to 8 p.m. and everyone will be singing. There is some mad talent going to be at the show, so do check it out, and it’s free.

Big weekend

Richard Carter

The Wheeler Brothers at the Iron Horse Pub Friday

Wow, what a big weekend for music this last several days. I got to interview Pat Green a week before who played the Santa Rosa Roundup Saturday night and then Jack Ingram played Shrine Fest in Wichita Falls. At the Pub, the Black and White Band played the Pub opening up for a rare show by the Jason Brown Trio. And at the Office, the metal band The Affliction, who also doesn’t play very often, put a show in.

So, Saturday night was total crowded. Okay, that means Friday night wasn’t nearly as crowded, right? So, where was everyone for The Wheeler Brothers on Friday night at the Pub. I had the opportunity to interview guitarist, lapsteel and fiddle player A.J. a while back and really enjoyed the group’s videos and sound. They recently won the best new band and best roots band awards from the Austin Music Awards. The album is fresh, the group is intensely musical and there was maybe like 50 people in the crowd.

Stuff like that kills me. When we get really good bands it makes no sense that no one shows up. I mean, they have two great lead singers, one plays xylophone, keyboards and guitar and the other plays guitar and banjo. Two of the three Wheeler brothers play bass and drums and are an amazing rhythm section, and by the way the sound was great Friday night. The songs were well written, had lots of texture and the band played their hearts out to a really small crowd. The best way for Wichita Falls to get a bad reputation in the state is to ignore major new bands.

Anywho, I hope that if we can get these guys back to town that people show up.

Right now I am at the Pub (on Saturday night) listening to Black and White and they are playing some good late ‘60s and early ‘70s rock like “Funk 49” and “The Letter,” and the vocals are really good. They seem to have divided the singing chores up a bit and that’s been a good move.

Black & White bassist Austin Monson told me that the original members of Corithea got together the other day and jammed and it sounded good. I cannot say more emphatically how much I would love to see those guys play again. As I recall, a show by them usually played out like a major World War II battle. Chairs would fly, camera flashes would be all over the place, and certainly half of the audience would be terrified for their lives. The other half wouldn’t care—it was like that good.

If you see any of the members of Twicebroken, congratulate them on their recent signing of a national record deal with I believe it to be Capitol Records. Good for them. That should mean a national tour and more national exposure for their CD.

I got to do an interview with Hayes Carll last Friday, while he was on the road, and he and former Wichitan Graham Wilkinson are great buddies. Carll is a major talent (he’s from outside of Houston and currently lives in Austin). He’s quite good and I suspect that there will be a big crowd at the Pub. I will definitely be there. It’s his first show in Wichita Falls in about four or five years, and people are definitely ready.

Chris Roberson at an open mic. The Iron Horse Pub restarts their open mic this week with Kory Rogers overseeing it.

Rolling right along

Richard Carter

The summer of 2012 is rolling right along with the fifth annual Cajun Fest taking place last weekend downtown, and the playing of Gregg Martinez as well as the Black and White Band. I also understand that jazzE also played, so people got to hear a good mix of live music as well as eat some cool seafood ala Louisiana. The other good thing about Cajun Fest is that means that True Blood is about to start, and I think the date in June 10 or so. If you don’t have HBO, I suggest you go for it now.

Broadcasting on All Frequencies was supposed to play with Doppelgangers and also Attebury Blueprint Saturday night at the Office, but they had to cancel when Black and White band got booked to play CajunFest. Bassist Austin Monson could not be in two places at the same time. Certain laws of physics are immutable.

I had the opportunity to interview one Pat Green today, and I had a blast. I had only see Green play once and that was opening up for the Possum at Memorial Auditorium some years back. Jones was a little out of it that night, and it was not a particularly great show. I missed Green perform at the classic Archer City Late Week Lazy Boy Supper Club and would have loved to seen the former Texas Tech guy play with a guitar and microphone and that’s it. Needless to say, Green’s new album is a pretty interesting mix of country covers with some rock stuff that’s been soul-ified. He has a good voice and I wouldn’t mind seeing him play the Santa Rosa Roundup next Saturday. I know the guys from Shrinefest tried to book him for that same Saturday and ended up getting Jack Ingram and Brandon Jenkins instead. Both shows for you red dirt-inclined listeners should be a pretty good time.

For the record, referring back to the good old Archer City days, one of the best shows I ever saw was when Ingram played a solo “Acoustic Motel” show there. Like country or not, some things just transcend genre. I never heard him play as well, and I suspect I never will again. That said, if he can do something that amazing, he’s capable of doing it again.

I was very happy to hear last week that Chauncey Walker—one of the scene’s great lights—is playing in what has been called a very good band called A Threat to the Enemy. Walker, a former booking agent and bassist/singer is singing and a guy named Les Paul is playing bass. They describe themselves as being “Positive Brutality” and I believe it. Chauncey’s bands were always good, and I hope that we have a show soon in town where they can be heard.

I was chatting with Jason Cooper the other day (the bassist for Lycergus and also Doppelgangers) and he told me that one of my favorite area bands, High Windows, is no more. Sadly, I was at their last rehearsal. The group had been around for years, and they were amazing. It was Cooper and the Arnold twins on guitar and drums. Each of the musicians are now involved with numerous side projects, and I almost wished some of them had been deep sixed instead and this band one would have been maintained. The worst thing is the group’s two most recent songs—about 20 minutes each—were never recorded. I guess live music is live music and enjoy it while it’s around, because it can always go away.

Summertime bands

Richard Carter

Austin Monson and Alan Black of Black & White band playing Fuzzy's

So, summertime continues to wind its way around. I went to Fuzzy’s Tacos Thursday night and the Black and White Band, perhaps the hardest working band in Wichita Falls, was playing a Thursday night show from 7 to 10:30 p.m. The guys sounded good, and the vocals are really starting to come together. There was a fun crowd, and keyboardist Alan Black mentioned some upcoming shows the group was going to play including Cajun Fest and also one of the Tuesday night shows in the park. Good for them. Talented band with good people and catchy music.

Following that, I went down the street to one of the oldest open mics in town, the first Thursday of the month at The Spot. They had a good crowd, and I got to hear Chris Roberson of Dr. Philgood and the Let’s Get It On’s play four songs on acoustic plus some other folks (who’s names I did not get) bring it. The crowd is always respectful, the pizza is solid and everyone was digging it. A friend I met there said that she’s been hanging out a lot lately at Bully’s so I also need to recheck out their music scene.

James McMurtry’s name kept coming up a lot last Thursday, so it looks like Larry’s son may be doing a show locally in August or so. That’s kind of awesome, because while he’s often in Denton playing Dan’s Silverleaf, we really don’t get to see him very much here. The last time I saw him play was in Archer City at the Royal Theatre and it turns out that my band was opening up for him. Small world, yes?

I got to interview one of the non-Wheeler Brothers today for the Austin band’s upcoming first show ever in Wichita Falls at the Iron Horse Pub. The group’s music is sort of folk-y indie rock and I liked their sound. I spoke with guitarist A.J. and he’s a native Austin-ite and a great guy. I think the band is still kind of blown away that they hit so well, so quickly. They definitely are in demand and it was sort of a coup that Wichita Falls got them to play.

Last Tuesday, or Monday, I had the opportunity to hang out at a Blue Light Special practice, and it was interesting because Nolan Cannady of X and Miyagi and Jac of Jac Damsel were there working on their vocals for the band. It turns out that singer David Sanchez will be unable to make a future show, and the two singers will guest appear in his place. They sounded good singing the first time through, but what struck me was how much I missed Sanchez’s vocals. For someone who loves Radiohead as much as he does, he also really has the blues thing going in terms of voice, diction and attitude.

The other thing that struck me about that practice (and the number of bands that different people locally play in) was how interchangeable performers can be. That, and the fact that the majority of the people in bands here do so many bands because they enjoy playing. If they were serious about making it (so to speak to the big time) they would focus on their primary band in terms of writing and promoting it. Instead, people form numerous bands and play a lot of cover tunes and enjoy getting to do what they want.

There are downsides to that as well, as we shall see next week when I write about the dissolution of one of my favorite area music groups.