All 24 bands (all local, all nominees) played their butts off, the weather was awesome, and all four venues – 8.0, Flying Saucer Draught Emporium, Rick O’Sheas, and The Pour House – were packed to capacity for 95 percent of the day-long event. Other than “misplacing” my debit card and leaving half of what I’d ingested throughout the day on Houston Street (I haven’t puked from partying since friggin ninth grade!), I can honestly say even I was pleased.
Seriously, Fort Worth probably hasn’t seen this much scene strength since the days of the Aardvark’s Acoustic Mafia. (Yes, almost all of the old Mafiosi were out in force on Sunday. If destroying your body with alcohol were an Olympic sport, I’d bet the house on Team Fort Worth to win the gold.) At one point during the festival, as I was introducing Pablo and the Hempill 7 on the 8.0 stage, I scanned the throng before me and thought: “What in the hell are all these nice people doing spending an otherwise glorious Sunday afternoon seeing local music? Why aren’t they at home watching the Discovery Channel like the rest of normal, complacent America?” Five words: great, local, music, free, show. We also managed to raise more than $500 for our charity sponsor, SafeHaven of Tarrant County, by the sale of compilation c.d.’s we put together that feature select nominees’ songs. The discs cost $5 apiece and can be purchased by either swinging by the Weekly offices (3311 Hamilton Ave. in the Cultural District) or e-mailing the Weekly’s Trish Bermejo (trish.bermejo@fwweekly.com).
Songs include Calhoun’s “These Are the Dead Days,” The Theater Fire’s “These Tears Could Rust a Train,” Black Tie Dynasty’s “Tender,” The Burning Hotels’ “New Romance,” Jason Eady’s “Go Down, Moses,” and more. We’re busy tallying up the more than 2,200 votes we’ve received and will announce the winners in the July 12th issue. Thanks to everyone involved, including the hundreds of music lovers who chose to spend time with us on Sunday rather than on the couch. Next year is gonna be even bigger. Maybe even vomit-free. … From the Department of Things That Make You Go Hmm: Notice the prevalence of crazed despotic leaders on the scene recently? This weekend alone finds two of ’em onstage: On Friday, The Cavern welcomes Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin (w/Sound Team at 1914 Greenville Ave., Dallas; 214-828-1914); and on Saturday, Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios brings in the former wacko dictator of Uganda, Idi Amin (not really; they’re a band). Local blogger Will has also just changed his pen name to Paul Pott (www.myspace.com/paulpott), a play on Pol Pot, the name of the deceased ruler of Cambodia’s deadly Khmer Rouge “revolutionary” regime. “Hmm,” indeed.
… Now from the Department of Corrections, er, the Corrections Department: Contrary to a recent music story on Daniel Katsuk and A-Hummin’ Acoustical Acupuncture’s departure to Colorado (“Blowout,” June 14), local percussionist and Triple-A contributor Jonathan Irwin will not accompany the band to the Rockies and will stay put. We regret the error – but we’re glad we were wrong.
Contact HearSay at hearsay@fwweekly.com.
