You know your party’s going swell when you have to wait 10 minutes (or longer) for a beer. The lines to get to the bar at some of the venues for our 13th Annual Fort Worth Weekly Music Awards Festival last Sunday were sometimes five people deep –– and most of the bartenders were humping it.
The bar owners I talked to during the day seemed pretty pleased with the turnout. As with most of our Music Awards Festivals, this year’s started out slow but picked up considerably by about 6 p.m., after the 4 and 5 o’clock bands had played. Next year we’re going to book some “headliners” (to use the term loosely) earlier to keep things busy throughout the day, and I think we’re pretty much sold on the idea of having the festival in the West 7th Street corridor again. It’s not that Sundance Square, the location of a few previous years’ festivals, wasn’t great –– it was. But West 7th is booming, and by next year the area will be even bigger. We hope to book even more bands, which brings me to another point: On Sunday, some guys in bands that were nominated but not invited to play asked me about the protocol by which bands are selected for the festival. There is no real protocol. We just try to offer a diverse lineup, one that’s representative of the entire music scene, not just indie rock (though indie-rock bands, naturally, make up a majority of the scene, any scene). Within a year or two, I guarantee that we’ll be able to invite every nominated artist to perform, even the metalheads. Will there be space? I think so. In addition to the six clubs that had bands this year –– The Backyard at Capital Bar, Fred’s Texas Café, Lola’s Saloon, Poag Mahone’s, The Pour House, and 7th Haven –– the West 7th corridor has a few other places that might make decent venues, including M Lounge, Pop’s, the Shamrock, and Chimy’s. Plus, by next year, Delaney’s Irish Pub will be open. We also might stretch the festival’s geographic scope a little by including nearby Cultural District establishments such as The Grotto (the location of our pretty drink-y after-party) and the forthcoming Wild Rooster (3204 Camp Bowie Blvd.). Will there be demand for more bands? Based on last Sunday’s turnout, I believe so.
We’ve received a ton of ballots and are counting ’em as we speak. We hope to announce the winners in the July 14 issue. Stay tuned.
Friday is another installment of the Weekly’s and Fort Worth South Inc.’s monthly free outdoor concert series (weather permitting). First Friday on the Green at Magnolia Green Park (Lipscomb Street between Magnolia Avenue and Rosedale Street) features two stellar Fort Worth outfits –– Fate Lions and Chatterton –– plus local singer-songwriter Eric Tipton. Bring the lawn chairs and blankets, but leave the coolers at home –– frosty beverages and hot food will be available for sale. For more information, call us at 817-321-9700.
Contact HearSay at hearsay@fwweekly.com.
