December Shows

In the interest of not burying the lead, I’ll be performing a solo “acoustic” show next Sunday, Dec. 15 at Stompin’ Grounds Coffee & Cocktail Lounge at 3801 S. Congress (below the lofts across the street from Expose’.)  The Studio E Song Class will open at 6 PM with their acoustic renditions of “songs that should not be done acoustically” (I will probably accompany them on a couple of those), then I do an hour set at 7:30, featuring songs from “Seven Cities” and my next album (working title: “Songs What I Done Writ But Ain’t Yet Sung Into a Can”), with some covers thrown in for flava.

Also next weekend (Sat. Dec. 14 at 11:30 PM), I’ll be playing keys and singing backup with Ulrich Ellison & Tribe for Ulrich’s birthday show & single release party at One-2-One Bar at 1509 S. Lamar.  Ulrich is a native of Austria, and his new album is steeped in 70’s and 80’s prog. rock.  It has given me an opportunity to exercise my synth chops, which I don’t often get to do around here.  Some of his original stuff will remind you of Pink Floyd, Sting, Moody Blues, even Manheim Steamroller, but he’s also prone to launch into some blazing Texas blues with little provocation.  FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/666410780046948

The following weekend (Sat. Dec. 21 at 7 PM), I’ll be playing with Robin Wiley at Milt’s Pit BBQ in Kyle.  Robin and I do a Captain & Tenille sort of duo, with her singing and me doing keys and backing vocals (Captain & Tenille currently outrank us, but I’m long overdue for a promotion.)  We had a great show down in Corpus last month at Chat’s Drive-in and did a short concert and interview on KCCT radio with “Daddy D”.  Robin’s original material is both folk and R&B-oriented and includes a lost Guthrie song that apparently no one else has ever recorded.

You can add any of my upcoming shows to your Google or iCal calendars by going to this page and clicking on the + sign next to the show.  I’ve got a lot more stuff coming up in the first part of 2014.

Twang an’ Groove News

For those who weren’t following our tourettes with Peter Rowan this past summer (Telluride in June and North Carolina in July) on Facebook, links to my photos are available here.

Telluride was perhaps the most amazing musical experience I’ve ever had.  First time to attend the festival, much less perform there.  Got to hobnob with a who’s who of the bluegrass/jamgrass scene, not to mention hang out in one of the most beautiful places in the world (with free food and 4-star lodging, no less.)  We did two encores at Fly Me to the Moon Saloon, and the audience still almost wouldn’t let us get off the stage.  Other highlights:  Lake Street Dive; Milk Carton Kids; String Cheese; Jackson Browne (!); Hot Rize/Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers; and the Telluride “house band” that consisted of Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Bryan Sutton, and Edgar Meyer with special guests Jackson Browne, Peter Rowan, half of the Punch Bros., etc. etc.

The First Annual Crystal Coast Music Festival in North Carolina almost got rained out, but the skies cleared in time for our show, and although the rain had driven a lot of people away, it was still a good crowd and a great show.  Keep an eye on this festival, because they apparently have 5 years of funding secured, so they are likely to grow and may end up being the North Carolina version of Old Settlers.  We got the rare opportunity to perform with Yungchen Llamo, a Tibetan mountain singer, at both the Crystal Coast festival and at the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh.

Peter has been off performing with Yungchen and others since then, but at least according to the Old Settlers web site, Twang an’ Groove is on the bill for 2014.  We haven’t yet received confirmation of that, so I’ll keep you posted.

Videos

A lyric video for “Dead to the World” is now available here.  Enjoy!

Some actual music videos are also in the works, including “Hill Country Rain” and “The American Dream.”  My friend Tony is producing the latter, and it should be amazing.  Subscribe to my YouTube channel to be notified the second that these are available.

Social Media & Stuff

I rail against Spotify frequently, but if it’s going to exist, then I might as well take advantage of it.  If you’re on there, then please visit my official Spotify profile (type “spotify:user:drcommander” into the search box) and follow me.  I am curating some playlists that bear some relevance to my music career, both past and present.

Have a José Feliciano Navidad!
DRC

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