To foster better relationships between musicians, get to know each other and just have fun playing, a local musician is holding a Band Swap Party Saturday at Bobby Ferguson Park.
The Arkansas-side park will host the party from noon to as late as it goes, perhaps to 8 p.m., says organizer Mark Braley. He and his band, Trophy Husband, will set up equipment, including their full PA system, so they can have more than just a normal band on stage.
Braley invites people to show up with instruments, but he'll have some available. The idea is to swap songs, swap bandmates and just play music together. All sorts of music will be played, ranging from bluegrass to experimental keyboards to country and rock, he thinks.
"I would suspect all kinds really," Braley said, suggesting bands and musicians can bring three- and four-chord songs with them so it will be easier for people to jump in and play along. If it goes as well as he hopes, he thinks this band swap party could be held regularly.
Most musicians know each other here in Texarkana, he said, but not everybody does. An event like this can build relationships and make connections between people, he believes. He took a cue from a meetup of about 30 guitarists and musician friends he held at his home last year.
"We had a really good time. The only thing I thought could've made it better was a stage," Braley recalled.
Fast forward to a couple months ago and Braley crowdsourced ideas on Facebook, and then someone suggested holding it at one of the local parks. In the future, he may organize it for other parks but this time they'll try it at Ferguson.
The Barn and Grill food truck will be there and Braley encourages musicians to come down and join them there at the pavilion in the park.
While the event is geared toward musicians, he says anyone can join simply to sit outside the pavilion and listen.
(For more information, check out the Band Swap Party event page on Facebook.)