by Phil Houseal | Mar 15, 2018 | All Articles, Events, Music, Venue
March 14, 2018–Guy Forsyth gave an unexpected response when asked what inspired his on-stage performance style. “Vaudeville,” he replied during our phone conversation. “If you look back, a lot of our favorite musicians were folks hitting their stride in the...
by Phil Houseal | Mar 8, 2018 | All Articles, Events, People of the Hill Country, Venue
Mar 7, 2018–When Bart Simpson told his dad he hated art, Homer commiserated. “Oh, everyone does, son. That’s why they lock it up in museums where no one will ever visit.” Hill Country artist Seth Avant is putting art back out on the streets where everyone can enjoy...
by Phil Houseal | Feb 23, 2018 | All Articles, Events, Music, Venue
Feb 21, 2018–In 2001, Marty Scott was playing with a Beatles tribute band at a Chicago festival. A week later, he was sitting on a couch next to Paul McCartney. How’s that for fantasy? “Pretty scary” was how the ersatz “George Harrison” described it. “Louise...
by Phil Houseal | Jan 11, 2018 | All Articles, Events, Music, Venue
Jan 10, 2018–When I first started a family, I nurtured gauzy visions of sitting on the back porch, strumming guitar with my talented wife singing at my side and my precocious children playing along at my feet. Alas, despite spending thousands on music lessons,...
by Phil Houseal | Dec 27, 2017 | All Articles, Events, Music, People of the Hill Country, Venue
Dec 27, 2017–“How can we go to a Jake Hooker show and not dance!” According to Sheila Hooker, wife of the popular dance band front man, that is a common plaint from fans about the band’s first “sit down” theater show set for Jan 6 at Lantex Theater in Llano. It’s a...
by Phil Houseal | Dec 21, 2017 | All Articles, Events, People of the Hill Country, Philosophy
Dec 20, 2017–How come the Grinch gets all the hot Whos? That was my takeaway after a challenging week performing as Dr. Seuss’s beloved nemesis in Regan Mann’s tap dance production at Fredericksburg Theater Company. First, let me establish that this role challenged my...