Island Moon April 08, 2011B 10

DO NOT MISS LISTRuben V

Ruben V (San Antonio, TX) will play the Back Porch on April 15th. After a hard day of SandFesting, I can’t think of a better show to attend. Ruben V is a monster, plain and simple. I’ve been following him for 20 years

and can attest that you will be floored by his perfor-mance. He plays guitar with passion. He sings with passion. Hey…he’s a passionate guy with endless en-ergy and his songs are testimony. Trust me, this is defi-nitely a DO NOT MISS show.

Gigi Love

Gigi Love (Durango, CO) will play the Tarpon Ice House on April 16th. Love is a solo performer from Colorado who has four studio recordings of original material to her credit. She has a high beautiful voice with a delightful warble that pulls you in. Love plays the folk festival circuit and was one of the acts that performed in the closing ceremonies of the 2002 Win-ter Olympics. Love’s influences include Lucinda Wil-liams, Emmylou Harris, Joni Mitchell, Shawn Col-vin, and Neil Young. I listened to ten of Love’s songs on her website and was impressed with both her voice and her material. Her songs are simple using her voice as the hook. This will be one show not to miss. Dave “Bottlehead” Miller will open the show.

SandFest 2011

On April 15, 16 and 17, Port Aransas will host the 15th annual Texas SandFest 2011, the largest master sand sculpting competition in the United States. An estimated 100,000 people will descend on Mustang Island for this three day family event and 24 master sculptors from as far away as the Ukraine, Italy, Canada and all over the U.S. will arm themselves with shovels and spray bottles to create masterpiece sculptures right on the beach. This competition is completely generated by local communi-ty efforts in the form of sponsorships and volunteer la-bor and is endeared as the favorite event of the year by local residents.

Texas SandFest was an idea generated years ago when some Port Aransas locals were watching their kids bury themselves in the sand and form mermaids and fish around their bodies. Little did they know that the festi-val and competition that spawned from their idea would eventually become the premier sand sculpting event in the U.S. The immense scale and intricacy of these sand sculptures are absolutely mind blowing. For a period of 21 hours these artists create visionary themes that range from silly to dramatic.

Along with the breath taking array of sand sculptures, the coup de gras is the 250 ton centerpiece known as the “Demo”. It is the collective work of all the sculptors who carve their sponsors name into this giant sand cas-tle. Also, close to 100 vendors will showcase a wide vari-

By Ronnie Narmour

ronnienarmour@gmail.com

Three Chords and the Truth

The rites of Spring are upon us and it’s time for SandFest 2011. This is time of year when the live music scene starts to really heat up and I’ve got a ton of stuff to tell you about. But right now, time’s a wasting. Let’s roll…

Ponty Bone & the Squeezetones

Ponty Bone and the Squeezetones (Austin, TX) played the Tarpon Ice House on April 2nd. Billy Snipes (Wimberley, TX) opened the show. This show was a par-ty to celebrate the owner of the Ice House, Paul Fain’s 50th birthday and what a party it was! Over 200 of Paul’s friends and family showed up for this momentous occa-

sion. The sheer number of music fans that crammed into the venue to see Ponty Bone perform was impressive. And for good rea-son…Mr. Bone is the real deal and nothing short of a true Texas accordion king.

Originally from San Antonio, Ponty Bone moved to my home town of Lubbock in the early 70’s and replaced Lloyd Maines in the scalding hot Joe Ely Band. Maines played pedal steel and Bone is an accordi-onist but the transition was seamless. I re-member going to many, many Ely shows at the storied Cotton Club in Lubbock where history was made with Bone and the late great Jessie “Guitar” Taylor. Eventual-ly the Ely entourage made the move from Hub City to Austin and eventually Ponty Bone stepped out front to form the Squeezetones with another Lubbockite, R.C. Banks on guitar. (R.C. is still with Ponty today.) The names I’ve just dropped in this paragraph are some of the finest musicians on the plan-et…bar none. And, the abundant number of musicians from Lubbock who migrated to Austin in the early days of the music explosion were keenly significant in making it the “Live Music Capitol of the World”. Among them are Jimmy Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock, D.K. Little, Drew Pennington, Steve Lott, Junior Medlow, Leland Parks, Rodney Craig, Davis McClarty, Angela Streh-li, Terry Allen, Kimmie Rhodes, Jo Carol Pierce, Bob Livingston, Bobby Keys, Tommy X Hancock, Gary P. Nunn…the list goes on and on. Maybe I should write a book.

The point is, Ponty Bone has been a major part of the Texas music scene for more than four decades and his presence at the Ice House was appreciated in a ma-jor way. Bone’s repertoire is a rootsy blend of Cajun, zydeco, polkas, Conjunto and blues and has that jump-ing beat which kept the dance floor packed all night long. Gruene Hall had nothing on us last Saturday and I wasn’t kidding when I said to wear sensible shoes. Port A once again showed that when it comes to good live music, we know our stuff. This was one world class par-ty! Here’s hoping Ponty will play for us again this sum-mer, he certainly made a big impression on his first visit to our little island.

Friday, April 8thGuthrie Kennard Band @ Back Porch Carol Elliott @ Tarpon Ice House (5-7)TBA @ Tarpon Ice House Emily @ Hooks B-B-QBrian Winfrey @ Island ItalianJustin Estes @ Scuttlebutt’sTim McGraw @ American Bank CenterBright Light Social Hour/Witness by Proxy @ House of RockScarecrow People @ Brewster StreetFlashback @ Executive Surf ClubTrans Siberian Orchestra @ Salina AuditoriumSaturday, April 9thThe Models @ Back Porch The Ones @ Tarpon Ice HouseDave Bottlehead Miller @ Hooks B-B-QStonesour/Theory/Skillet @ Concrete StreetRubin Limas @ Island ItalianRick Cates @ Scuttlebutt’sHaochen Zhang @ A&M Performing Arts CenterSing Along Pianos @ Brewster StreetCarlton Pride and Mighty Zion @ Executive Surf ClubSunday, April 10thAcoustic Open Jam @ Tarpon Ice House Colin Roach @ Scuttlebutt’s‘HOPE’ Japan Tsunami Relief Benefit (6 Bands) @ House of RockMonday, April 11th Battle of the Bands @ House of RockTuesday, April 12thScarecrow People @ Executive Surf ClubReno & the Groove Getters @ Dr. RockitsClarissa Serna @ Revolution Bar & GrillFabian @ Scuttlebutt’sVagina Monologues @ House of Rock Wednesday, April 13thOpen Mic @ Executive Surf ClubVagina Monologues @ House of RockThursday, April 14thStuart Burns & 4 Min. Ride @ Tarpon Ice House Shawn Pander @ Executive Surf ClubNathan Strubhart @ Scuttlebutt’sJohn Eric @ Island ItalianCharlie Robison @ Brewster StreetVagina Monologues/ Scarecrow People @ House of Rock Friday, April 15thRuben V @ Back Porch Carol Elliott @ Tarpon Ice House (5-7)

Goodnight Avenue @ Tarpon Ice House Justin Estes @ Scuttlebutt’s

Brian Winfrey @ Island ItalianLe Freak @ Brewster StreetBar Nuts @ Executive Surf

ClubFortune & Glory @ House of

Rock Jared Clark/ Rich Lockhart/

Ray T & City Crew @ SandFest 2011

Saturday, April 16thLarry Joe Taylor @ Back Porch

Gigi Love/ Dave Miller @ Tarpon Ice House

Rubin Limas @ Island ItalianRick Cates @ Scuttlebutt’s

Sabbath Judas Sabbath/ Dark Energy/ Tombstone Union @ House of Rock

Metal Shop @ Brewster StreetLighter Ray @ Executive Surf Club

Dave Miller/ Flat Broke/ Todd Dorn/ Suzie Bravo @ SandFest 2011

Sunday, April 17thAcoustic Open Jam @ Tarpon Ice House

Colin Roach @ Scuttlebutt’sThe Ones/ Faces of Eve/ Jack

Gant open jam @ SandFest 2011

Monday, April 18thNathan Strubhart @

Scuttlebutt’s Sara Hickman @ Burning Bush

Coffee HouseBattle of the Bands @ House

of Rock Tuesday, April 19th

Jason Phillips @ Scuttlebutt’sReno & the Groove Getters @

Dr. RockitsClarissa Serna @ Revolution

Bar & GrillOpen Mic w/ Rev. Fred @ House of Rock

Wednesday, April 20thRise Against/Bad Religion/Four Years Strong @ Concrete Street

Fabian @ Scuttlebutt’sOpen Mic @ Executive Surf Club

Flat Broke/Bad Chords/Subject to Change @ House of Rock Thursday, April 21st

Stuart Burns & 4 Min. Ride @ Tarpon Ice House John Eric @ Island Italian

Nathan Strubhart @ Scuttlebutt’s

HOBO @ Executive Surf Club Ballabajoomba Poetry Slam @

House of Rock Friday, April 22nd

Uncle Lucius @ Back Porch Carol Elliott @ Tarpon Ice

House (5-7)TBA @ Tarpon Ice House

Brian Winfrey @ Island ItalianJustin Estes @ Scuttlebutt’s

Mercury Descends/Perriwinkle Massacre/Labeling Theory @

House of Rock EMT @ Executive Surf Club

321 N

Alist

er Tarpon Ice House Port Aransas(361) 749-BEER (2337)

hooksbar bq & Grill

722 TARPON(361)749.FOOD

The GaffBeer ● Pizza ● Belt Sander Races (361) 749-5970

“You Ring,

I Spring” Bet tyBail Bonds

361-884-616124 Hour Service Credit Cards Accepted

The Ones Apr 9 & Apr 23

ety of arts, crafts, food and wares. Be aware that there is a $2 admission to view the master sculptures. As always, the festival is in need of volunteers to help in every as-pect of the event. Also, it’s not too late to get in on spon-sorships. Get in touch with events director, Elleece Cal-

vert, to find out how you can help (texassandfest@yahoo.com).

The “Music Tent” will fea-ture local and re-gional musicians which represent a variety of genres including clas-sic rock, sing-er-songwri te r, outlaw country, blues and alter-native. There are a couple of stand-out acts that you

need to be sure to catch, Todd Dorn

(San Antonio, TX) and Suzie Bravo and Soul Revue (San Antonio, TX), on Saturday. Dorn is an island fave who used to live in Port A and has an easy going is-land groove revered by the locals. Suzie Bravo is a soul-ful singer with an infectious beat and a powerful set of pipes. Dorn will be playing later on Saturday night at Kody’s and Suzie Bravo will be at Sharkeys. Also, it will be interesting to see Ray T and the City Crew perform in daylight hours on Friday being that they are our resi-dent vampire band. You’ll be able to catch them later that night at the Flats Lounge where they hold court every

Friday night.

Here’s the music schedule for SandFest 2011:Friday, April 15

12:30 – Jared “Wolfjaw” Clark

3:00 - Rich Lockhart sponsored by Hooks BBQ

5:30 - Ray T & the City Crew sponsored by The Flats

Saturday, April 16

10:00 A.M. – Dave “Bottlehead” Miller sponsored by The Tarpon Ice House

12:30 - Flat Broke

3:00 - Todd Dorn sponsored by Kody’s

5:30 – Suzie Bravo & Soul Revue

Sunday, April 17

10:00 A.M. - The Ones

12:30 – Faces of Eve

4:30 –Jack Gant open jam

And that’s the truth!

Gigi Love (8PM) Apr 16

Live Music Tonight

Suzie Bravo will play Sand-fest on April 16th.

Ray T and the City Crew will play Sandfest on April 15th.

Ponty Bone & the Squeezetones played the Tarpon Ice House on April 7th.

Live Music Every Friday

Every Fri. Happy Hour With Carol Elliott

132 W. Cotter, Port AFriday April 16

Larry Joe Taylor

The

Every Thurs. Stuart Burns & 4 Min. Ride

Transistordale Apr 30

Gigi Love will play the Tarpon Ice House on April 16th.

Goodnight Ave. Apr 15

Welcome Sandfest Artists!

Music Bash Apr 16Dave Miller (6PM) &

Pelicans Landing, Port A 345 N. Allister, Ste. D

361-749-8637"They Change Your Life"

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