MUSIC NEWS
In the limelight - Los Lonely Boys
02/23/2011

from My West Texas on mywesttexas.com

The Horseshoe Arena was largely empty at 7 p.m. last Sunday for the opening act of the West Texas Music Fest, presented by the Catholic Churches of South Odessa and Fast Talk'n Productions. The audience was also sparse when Willie Nelson's daughter, Paula,best replica watches and her band, The Guilty Pleasures, took the stage at about 8:20 p.m. There were a few more people when Los Lonely Boys ripped into an explosive set at just before 10 -- but still most of the Arena's seats were empty.

Perhaps it was the steep ticket prices, or maybe the Sunday night timing, together with a lack of advertising -- but whatever the cause, something had obviously gone distinctly wrong with the publicity for Music Fest.

Those who could have filled the cavernous emptiness of most of the Arena missed three contrasting acts that made for a surreal atmosphere that varied from a bar-like feeling with Jarrett Schaub and Paula Nelson, and an extended sound-check by some mega-band when Los Lonely Boys were on stage.

Jarrett Schaub and his band were good enough as opening acts go, but suffered from a schizophrenic uncertainty as to what type of music they were playing. Thus the famous Elvis song "Suspicious Minds" was delivered with a thunderous bass rather than the subdued, almost taunting little runs of the original. Unless a band can bring something original to the song, I think that "Folsom Prison Blues" should be banned from the cover repertoire. Their "Sister Golden Hair" was better, a passable homage to the America hit. "Natalie" was interesting -- introduced as a "country punk song," it veered aggressively from one genre for to the other. Their cover of the Hendrix classic "Red House" started uncertainly, but ended with a certain amount of fire -- albeit sputtering.

A different, languid type of heat exudes from Paula Nelson and her band. She has a casually seductive, but undeniably powerful voice that moves easily from ballad to country rock. Nelson was wearing a cap that hid the top third of her face in deep shadow -- I was expecting her to take it off about half-way through her set, as her father tends to remove his cowboy hat. But disappointingly, this did not occur. Nelson has such an open and natural demeanor -- friendly with the audience without being cloying -- that she should show her face openly. Perhaps it is something about being one of Willie Nelson's children -- her brother hides under a large hat when playing his blues guitar.

Nelson's songs included a beautiful version of "Have You Ever Seen The Rain" and a spirited "Riddles and Rhymes." Her anthem to past boyfriends managed to be both funny and melancholy. She is backed by a solid band, including consummate lead guitarist Landis Armstrong, and a deceptively reticent bassist, Chris Johnson.

Obviously being the offspring of a replica watches music legend does not hinder a musical career, but Paula Nelson neither relies upon this foundation nor milks it. She has a silky voice and songwriting ability that would have assured her success without that last name.

Before Los Lonely Boys came on stage we enjoyed an unheralded drum solo from Tony Miranda, longtime drummer for Madonna. He started with his own invention -- fingerstix -- which are little drum sticks attached to your fingers. I have never seen or heard anything quite like it. A great treat for the audience -- adding to the jam-like atmosphere of the evening. Indeed, sitting or standing in the seats that were filled immediately in front of the stage, the audience could soon forget that most of the arena was largely empty

(read full story on mywesttexas.com)





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