Texarkana Entertainment Blog

As we get closer to the winter holidays there’s no slowdown in what’s on tap for local live music in Texarkana. Young RCA recording artist and country crooner Chris Young comes to town for a 9:30 p.m. show Saturday night at Shooters Sports Bar. He recently landed a chart topper from his second studio album, “The Man I Want to Be,” which was just released in September. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door for that show. Also on Saturday night is Mystery Machine; they’ll play acoustic covers from the ’70s to contemporary times at Hopkins Icehouse; the show starts at 8:30 p.m. Then next week brings metal rockers Psylo to the Shooters stage on Wednesday, only to be followed by Cory Branan, a talented singer-songwriter with both a sense of humor and insight into life, on Nov. 20, a Friday night, at Club Next starting at 9:45 p.m. with a $5 cover. Just some of what’s ahead for live tunes.

- Aaron Brand

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Young country star Chris Young plays Shooters on Saturday night.

Cory Branan is ready to bring his live show back to Texarkana.

Up-and-coming cellist Zuill Bailey will bring his passionate playing to the Perot Theatre tomorrow night, Tuesday, for a concert with the Texarkana Symphony Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. Marc-André Bougie conducts, and he’ll present a concert preview for ticket-holders at 6:45 p.m. On tap is Antonin Dvorak’s Cello Concerto, op. 104 in B Minor, along with selections by Mendelssohn and Brahms. Tickets are still available for the concert. Today Bailey, who is considered a rising star in the classical music world and who has frequently appeared on television, is visiting College Hill Middle School. It’s quite a coup for the TSO to bring him here. Link to the original story: TSO kicks off season with cellist Bailey. It should be a fantastic show and a proper kick off to a TSO season titled “Isn’t It Romantic.”

- Aaron Brand

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This Saturday will have the very first of what organizer John Goforth, owner of an independent label named Covered Bridge Records, says will become an annual show, the Stateline Music Festival. From noon to 7 p.m., eight local and regional acts will perform, ranging from some longtime musicians to more youthful players. To be held at Spring Lake Park (the stage will be near the fighter jet and the lake), the free show is open for all ages and indeed welcomes all ages. That’s a big part of the aim for this fledgling festival: provide a venue for all sorts of music lovers to enjoy live music. On tap for the afternoon are Ms. Mac & the Groovetones, Joey & Ashley Moorhead, CDX, The Inside, Giganto, Psylo, Stone Rosevelt, and Catfish Friday. So bring your lawn chair, kick back, and enjoy some local talent.

I just looked at the long-range forecast for the upcoming week and incredibly the day is supposed to be sunny and in the upper 60s. Let’s hope that holds true. Here’s my original article that ran a bit more than a week ago: Stateline Music Festival offers free music for all ages. I hope to have a follow-up article this Friday.

- Aaron Brand

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Music City Texas Theater has truly been reeling in some great singer-songwriters in recent years. On tap in December is Jackson Browne, but before then is a true master of Texas-flavored song and independent spirit in Ray Wylie Hubbard, who graces the MCT stage at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7. A lot of guys pin that “Texas singer-songwriter” label to themselves, but Hubbard is the real deal, an original who has inspired many others. I spoke with Hubbard yesterday morning, and he said he has an acoustic duo or trio show planned for MCT patrons; although he hasn’t played there before, he’s looking forward to holding court musically in Linden. This region isn’t unfamiliar to him; after all, he grew up in Hugo, Okla. Hubbard clearly has monumental respect for the craft of songwriting. “It’s such a joy and an anguish,” he said to me. He’s also set to release a new album in early 2010. Check out the Gazette’s Friday Accent page a week from today for the full story.

Tickets are $20 and the doors open before the show at 6 p.m. More info and tickets: 903-756-9934.

- Aaron Brand

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Even though Halloween hasn’t hit us yet, it’s creeping closer to that time when holiday songs get us singing along to celebrate the winter season. You know … sleighs, snow-critters, snowballs, and eggnog. It’s a natural time to be festive and share the merriness … If you enjoy singing and performing for others, you may want to check out the Twin City Sensations, an a cappella women’s chorus . They’re searching for women (any age) to join as “Santa’s Singers” and perform Christmas songs through the winter holiday season. You don’t have to have a background of musical knowledge to join the group. The Twin City Sensations will start hold ing rehearsals from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at Trinity Presbyterian Church (2623 N. Robison Road). More info: call Robin Curtis at 903-838-6979 or 903-244-0132.

- Aaron Brand

Heads up, Texarkana U2 fans: Sunday should be a sweet day online. U2 announced the Irish lads will be streaming their sold-out Rose Bowl concert live, free, and in-full on the band’s YouTube station. For more information, check out the U2 Website: U2.com. It’s a pretty rare treat to find a big name concert like this placed online for a Webcast. It will kick off at 10:30 p.m. our time. Enjoy!

- Aaron Brand

Apparently, Texarkana loves its Franz Joseph Haydn. People turned out in droves Sunday to see the Texarkana Regional Chorale  & Orchestra, along with the Texarkana College Choir and Shreveport Chorale, perform a selection of choruses from Haydn’s “The Creation.”

Personally, I’m not a massive Haydn fan though I do appreciate the elegance and form in his compositions. I’m more of a Ravel, Mozart, and Chopin fan myself. But these choruses were quite enjoyable and stately. There must be plenty of folks in Texarkana who appreciate Haydn and the outstanding work from the Texarkana Regional Chorale. The Sugar Hill United Methodist Church was absolutely packed and the audience was enthusiastic with its applause.

Kudos to Marc-André Bougie, conductor, and soloists Candace Taylor, Carol McReynolds, Ryan McDonald, and Steven McDonald, along with the rest of the performers for an excellent afternoon of music.

- Aaron Brand

You probably couldn’t get much farther apart on the musical spectrum than Pail and Franz Joseph Haydn, but they’re part of what’s on tap this weekend for live music in Texarkana. Each in their own way represents some of what’s best about the music available here in T-Town. Free classical music and a $5 show from a fun live band are pretty enticing.

Pail, the bluesy/punky rock outfit with a truly downhome independent spirit, comes to town Friday to play a 9 p.m. gig at Fat Jack’s Oyster & Sports Bar. Cover charge is $5. Prescott, Ark.-based Pail have been workhorses on the Arkansas music scene for many years now, and much of their success, says lead singer and guitarist Trey Johnson, is that they grow with each other, not against each other. They’ll certainly share songs Friday from their latest album, “From Where We Stand,” a nine-song CD they put out themselves earlier this year. They’re just getting back in the live music groove after taking a few months off; they recently played MusicFest in El Dorado, Ark. Their single “Raynlee” has a video filmed right here in Texarkana by Over the Edge Studios. Check out their new music at the Pail MySpace page.

Then on Sunday it’s something completely different: Austrian composer Haydn’s choruses from his celebrated oratorio, “The Creation.” The Texarkana Regional Chorale and Orchestra team with the Texarkana College Choir and Shreveport Chorale to present this concert at 4 p.m. at Sugar Hill United Methodist Church, 1621 Sugar Hill Road. Soloists should be familiar to anyone who’s been enjoying classical music in recent years here in Texarkana: soprano Candace Taylor, mezzo-soprano Carol McReynolds, tenor Ryan McDonald, and baritone Steven McDonald. Admission? Absolutely free. And if you attend you’ll get to partake of a free chili dinner as well. Tasty.

Check out Friday’s Accent page in the Gazette for interviews with Johnson and conductor Marc-André Bougie.

- Aaron Brand

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Got my hands on a full lineup for Saturday’s entertainment and music happenings at the Quadrangle Festival in downtown Texarkana. Here’s what’s on tap for the day …

8:00 5K Road Race
9:30 Children’s Pet show
10:00 Colt Baker
11:00  Voodoo Cowboys
12:00   Bluebirds
1:00 – 3:00 Youth Talent show
3:30 Texarkana All Stars
4:00 Michael Rhodes – Jazz Band
5:30 Battle of the Bands
8:30 Jawbone

- Aaron Brand

Jawbone, one of the most popular Texarkana bands, are the main headliners for the 28th Annual Texarkana Museums System Quadrangle Festival this year on Saturday, Oct. 10. They’ll take the stage at 8:30 p.m. after the Battle of the Bands is held between 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. that night. (To sign up for that band competition, contact Andy Darby at 870-772-3771.) Music and entertainment are happening throughout the day, whether it’s other local musical acts, a magician, traveling museum, kid’s talent show, pet show, and activities aplenty. This year’s festival is one day, unlike previous years. The festival opens bright and early that Saturday at 8 a.m. with a 5K road race. Tickets are $10 starting at 5 p.m. to get in to the Street Dance and Jawbone show. Prior to that admission is $5 for adults, $4 for kids 5 and older, and free for youngsters 4 and below. More info: 903-793-4831 or the Texarkana Museums Website.

- Aaron Brand

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