Texarkana Entertainment Blog

I had the good fortune to catch a couple neat local events recently.

First, I decided to give myself a birthday treat and see “Young Frankenstein” at the Perot Theatre. The March 9 show, part of TRAHC’s Perot Theatre series, was a nonstop laugh riot with great comedic timing, fine physical humor and songs that left the audience howling in delight. Compared to other family-friendly fare that often appears at the Perot, this show was edgier in tone, language and ribald content (though not outlandishly so). It was nice to have true adult-friendly comedy up there on the Perot stage, and the musical was one of the best I’ve seen at the historic downtown venue. Judging by the audience reaction, “Young Frankenstein” was a hit here in Texarkana.

I also saw piano pop singer-songwriter Jayme Dawicki perform at Hopkins Icehouse earlier this week. Hopkins has worked hard to bring an eclectic lineup of musicians to the stage, and this Midwestern performer added something different to our local live music lineup when she belted out her engaging, tuneful songs. An excellent musician on the keyboards, Dawicki is a former Miss Wisconsin to boot and crafts thoughtful, positive songs. For those who like singers like Tori Amos, she’s well worth a listen. Hopefully, she’ll come through Texarkana again someday. She was on her way to SXSW this week.

- Aaron Brand

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There’s a bunch of local live music to enjoy this weekend in addition to George Jones this Saturday night at the Perot Theatre.

Tonight at Hopkins Icehouse it’s a Synergistic unplugged show. Tomorrow, catch the acoustic vibes of Brandon Callies and Kaki Mendoza, two musicians out of Austin. I gave Mendoza’s music a listen on Reverb Nation and she has quite the gorgeous voice.

Chalkline 259 comes back to town tonight for another Fat Jack’s performance; it seems like they’re driving on down here from their Oklahoma home base quite often. And on Saturday night Driven, a popular local country band earning raves, will perform at Jack’s.

Recession Proof plays at the Wooden Indian down in Atlanta, Texas, for a Saturday night concert, while here in town that night at Timothy’s Grill it’s Split Decision performing. That same night Trepid will be rocking hard at Hippy’s Nightlife.

The Big Easy has added live music to its Saturday lineup with the house band playing rhythm and blues.

Tonight at 6 p.m., the talented youth of Kosmic Girlz & Koltrane perform at Central Mall for the hordes of shoppers. Also tonight, it’s dance and party band Tragikly White at Shooters Sports Bar.

In other news ….. Want to hear some fun and local original music? Give the band Buffalo Child a listen, particular the revved-up and rockin’ cut “Good Science.” They describe their music as “rock n’ soul,” and that seems apt to my ears.

It’s been too long since we’ve heard new material from Pilotdrift, the excellent indie music brainchild of local musician Kelly Carr. Thankfully, the band is back with new material, a new single on Good Records. Check out the tune and a video here: Pilotdrift Latest Release – All These Things at One Time.

Edited to add: Current earworms here? SomaFm Christmas music channel and the latest Bon Iver album, which is all kinds of awesome.

- Aaron Brand

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We’re marching toward the winter holiday season and there is plenty of live music in the Texarkana area to help you get out, get social and see people. Here’s a look at some of what’s ahead in the coming weeks.

Fat Jack’s welcomes two of the State Line Ave. bar’s regular acts back to the stage this weekend: L.A. Outlaw tonight and Michael DeArmond Band tomorrow night for a Saturday show, to be followed next weekend by 1 Nite Stand on Friday and Crooked Halo on Saturday. DeArmond returns for another show next Thursday, Nov. 10.

Hopkins Icehouse tonight has the popular Jeremy Phifer in for a show, followed by the reggae of Basic 5 for Saturday night. Then next week Thursday night, Friday night and Saturday night it’s Nick Brumley, Eskimo Brothers (country and rockabilly from Nashville, Tenn.) and then Gentle Giants (a band from Clarksville, Texas), respectively each night, providing musical entertainment on the cozy Hopkins stage.

Saturday night at Hippy’s Nightlife it’s a three-pronged hard rockin’ show with local rockers Giganto and Sylo, plus TornApart from the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Tonight it’s Cash Out Crew (performing their single “Cha Ching”).

At The Road Map on Saturday night it’s Tha Mutha Load paired with Up from Under. This Sunday’s live acoustic has “Possum.”

Shooters Sports Bar has a big show on Friday, Nov. 11, with Brantley Gilbert back in town for another show. He’s popular here; that show is already sold out. This Saturday night sees Boom Kinetic come to Shooters. They’re a party/dance band from the Fayetteville area.

Tonight at Lee’s Catfish and Steakhouse it’s the Acoustic Merlins (Tommy Roeck and Bobby Rogers) performing. MoBetta Band plays a show at the Wagon Wheel on Saturday night.

For blues, the big upcoming event is Friday, Nov. 11, when B.B. King’s daughter Shirley King plays a benefit concert for a fledgling veterans support organization. She performs at Northridge Country Club.

As well, Paul Capps Jr. will perform his blues, country and classic rock at The Blues Iguana on Saturday, Nov. 12.

It’s not live music but local music and party venue Club Primetime will host comedian Joe Torry and Co. on Saturday, Nov. 26. Torry is known for his appearances in “Def Comedy Jam” and various TV and film roles.

Edited to add: Oops, almost forgot … check out the White Trash Wannabees and JB and the Moonshine Band this Saturday night at the Wooden Indian down the road in Atlanta, Texas.

And tickets are still available for George Jones, who is coming to the Perot Theatre for a concert on Nov. 26. He comes to Texarkana as part of the country music legend’s 80th birthday tour. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. that night. Tickets available at TRAHC.org.

- Aaron Brand

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Some pretty interesting shows are coming up in Texarkana and its environs soon. Here’s a quick look at some of what’s ahead.

If your taste runs to Red Dirt country, then Stoney LaRue might be your man. He plays at Shooters Sports Bar tomorrow night, Friday, with the hard-working Jason Helms Band of Southwest Arkansas opening up for LaRue, who has a new album due out at the end of next month (“Velvet”).

Hopkins Icehouse has Julian Primeaux on tap for Saturday night. I interviewed him and saw his show when he came through town last year—and it was some enjoyable, swampy blues that had the gritty taste of South Louisiana in there. Honestly, I loved it and may have to get back and see him on the Hopkins stage once again.

Hopkins also has The Anatomy of Frank headed to town for a show a week from tonight, next Thursday. The Anatomy is headed by Kyle Woolard, whom I interviewed for a story coming up in tomorrow’s Gazette, and these fellas hail from Virginia. A young band, they’re still developing their sound but it’s promising indie rock pop goodness. Normally a five-piece outfit, they’ll be a duo here and focus on an electronic show for the Hopkins stage. Woolard was a thoughtful interview. I think Anatomy of Frank is worth checking out if you’re looking for something different.

That’s just a bit of the live music coming up. Check Friday’s Best Bets for a rundown of the bands performing in the following week. And if you have something to let us know about, pop me an e-mail.

Edited to add: Are you a Death Cab for Cutie fan? See Sunday’s Accent page for my review of “Codes and Keys.” Finally got to review it. I dig it.

- Aaron Brand

Kyle Woolard and Virginia-based The Anatomy of Frank will perform at Hopkins Icehouse on Thursday, July 28.

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Live music, the weekend and some nice (and hot) weather. Sounds great to me. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the live tune troubadours touring and rolling through Texarkana during the next few days.

Fat Jack’s Oyster & Sports Bar has 1 Nite Stand performing Friday night with Kinghat playing Saturday night. Also on Saturday night at Shooters Sports Bar is Richard Stuart & The One Night Stand. (Pretty sure that’s a different “one night stand” than our locals.)  Downtown T-Town venue Hopkins Icehouse has Kiley Bland of East Texas pop punk band Junior back in town for another Friday night show. Then on Saturday it’s Synergistic gracing the Hopkins stage.

Eddie Matthews and friends will perform at Lee’s Catfish for Friday evening. Windy & Rich perform at the Cedar Shake for Saturday night. The Oaklawn Opry’s Saturday night lineup includes Steve Shofner, Dwayne Johnson, Terry England and Raymond Welborn, while the Maytag Opry has its house crew The Maytag Opry Band for Friday night.

Various live acts will be at Club Primetime on Friday night for an event billed as the “Out of School Summer Jam.”

The Big Easy is starting up some dubstep DJ music tonight for Thursdays.

Friday night at the Perot Theatre there’s a Shake, Rattle & Roll live concert and block party. It’s a benefit show for Alzheimer’s Alliance.

Oh, and the Oak Ridge Boys are in town Saturday to play a few songs … see tomorrow’s Accent page for that story.

That’s just some of the live music coming up. Check Best Bets each Friday in the Gazette for a rundown of live music, and if you have an event to tell us about send an e-mail to accent@texarkanagazette.com.

- Aaron Brand

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A quickie roundup:

Live music this weekend is plentiful in Texarkana, starting with Chalk Line 259 tonight and Crooked Halo tomorrow night for Fat Jack’s Oyster and Sports Bar. Hopkins Icehouse has the blues of John Calvin Brewer tonight and then Kiley Bland back in town for Saturday. At the Blues Iguana tonight, you can catch Jasper McAdams, Nude Beach and the fun and talented hometown crew of the band Ida Myrtis. Over at Lee’s Catfish this evening it’s the super trio of Candace Taylor, Anthony G. Parrish and Jimmy Roberts – doesn’t it seem like a great spring day to check out their music on the Lee’s Catfish patio? Brantley Gilbert comes to Shooters Sports Bar tonight as well. The Maytag Opry has its house band and Laquita Moore, Jimmy Calicott and Dwayne Johnson tonight. Mystery Machine plays at Cedar Shake for Saturday night, and the Big Easy downtown on Broad has started hosting Sunday night rap battles.

Do you have some live music coming up to recommend? Let us know!

- Aaron Brand

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The Texarkana area heats up with some local, live music in the upcoming weeks. Hopefully it will thaw us out and help us shake off this unusual snow and biting winter chill.

Texarkana’s newest club, the Coliseum, has the band Steel Magnolia in town this Friday night at 9 p.m. Steel Magnolia was nominated for both Academy of Country Music and CMT Music Awards. Couple and music partners Meghan Linsey and Joshua Scott Jones were also winners of CMT’s “Can You Duet?” Their concert follows the Coliseum’s big opening night with Pat Green. Snow last week didn’t deter that Friday night concert.

Over at Hopkins Icehouse it’s Synergistic unplugged on Friday and then Brad Wells on Saturday. Dave Almond and Trey Johnson play there on Feb. 19. At the Wooden Indian in Atlanta, Texas, on Wednesday it’s Rehab (think of the tune “Bartender Song (Sittin’ at a Bar)”). Fat Jack’s Oyster and Sports Bar has Dimlit Daylight this Friday night and Crash Meadows Saturday. Sunday night brings Austin-based indie band The Hi-Tones back to town with the very interesting Megafauna to play at Jack’s.

The Big Easy on East Broad Street now has its “Grown and Sexy” nights of music with a live house band on Thursday nights: R&B, soul, jazz and old school tunes. You may even hear some poetry. The Big Easy has also been hosting a blues night on Sundays.

Just a few doors down, the Blues Iguana coffeeshop has been adding more live music with the soulful, jazzy sounds of Marissa Dodge and George Buckner. They’re scheduled to play a few Thursday dates (no show tonight, however, due to illness). Glenn “SmittyG” Smith played his Narada Weeps tunes there a couple nights ago and should be back the first Tuesday in March. The cozy place also has open mic shows.

Down at Music City Texas Theater in Linden the annual winter bluegrass show features East Texas regional favorites Hickory Hill and special guest Roy Hale. The pickin’ starts at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Bluegrass is also the theme for an upcoming concert hosted by the Hope-Hempstead Chamber of Commerce. Headliners are Eddie and Martha Adcock, who’ve been consummate bluegrass musicians for decades and played internationally. The show starts at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 19, at Fair Park Community Center.

Then at the end of the month on Saturday, Feb. 26 ,the Perot Theatre series continues with some dynamic and youthful tap dancing: the dance troupe Rhythmic Circus and its “Feet Don’t Fail Me Now” show. Joining these four fabulous dancers are seven musicians and it should be a funky good, toe-tapping time.

- Aaron Brand

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Northeast Texas continues its fortunate run of movie-making with the film “Uncertain, Texas,” being shot down around, you guess it, Caddo Lake. The film, directed by Eric Steele and produced by Adam Donaghey, appears to be taking advantage of the unmistakably creepy and sultry atmosphere available down around Caddo, judging by the plot description circulating: two drifters find themselves in a B&B run by an older couple and, apparently, oddness ensues. One of the taglines: “Some reservations are meant to be broken.” Smaller, independent productions are discovering Northeast Texas as an inviting location for filming. With the Northeast Texas Regional Film Commission marketing the area and so many ideal, interesting settings, this development is little surprise and a lot of fun to see.

This past Saturday I stopped in at Hopkins Icehouse to check out the progress on an open casting call for Richard Linklater’s “Bernie,” which will star Jack Black and Shirley MacLaine. It’s scheduled to be filmed somewhere in East Texas and in Austin, and local film fans can hope this area is selected. Hopefuls signed up and waited their turn to be interviewed by a representative from the casting agency. They told unique stories about themselves, judging from a couple people I spoke with after their “auditions,” of sorts, and word is Linklater is looking for real East Texas folks (mostly older-than-40 talent) to portray townspeople (the movie setting is Carthage). When I left Hopkins about 2 p.m., there were about 50 people marked down on the list of casting call participants and the casting call was only half complete.

- Aaron Brand

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For many in Texarkana, eating and drinking is entertainment. And it looks like the Hopkins Icehouse project is nearing completion downtown in the old Hopkins Feed & Seed building at Third and Wood streets. George Dodson, one of the partners in the project, says they’re aiming to be open by April. Below is a video showing the interior of the place. Dodson said since this was filmed more plumbing and electrical work have been done and the pub just needs a bit more sweat put into it for it all to be ready. 

Here’s a link to their Website for more info (including an article I wrote in ’07): hopkinsicehouse.com. 

- Aaron Brand

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