Another Band You Should Know...

Here's another music review from the Conroe Americana Festival we recently attended . The band was the Cordovas who although the members are kind of from all over they bill themselves as a Nashville band. They were great. Good musicianship and really outstanding vocals with excellent harmonies.

They Played at the Red Brick Tavern in downtown Conroe. This venue had served pretty much as a listening room during the festival hosting the quieter singer songwriter solo performers. The staff did a good job of enforcing listening room rules. If you have to inquire what listening room rules are you need to go somewhere else. I have been in a couple of places the past few years that I think the performers thought they were going to be in a listening room due to the small size of the venue only to be surprised by a wine bar atmosphere. 

Note in the lower left of the above picture songwriter Eric Taylor. He played a quiet set before this band. He's a product of the 70s Houston music scene that produced Townes Van Zant, Guy Clark, Steve Earle and many others that set the pace for the current Americana crop of songwriters. We heard a few songs from Eric's set and I have seen him before. Hopefully I'll get a review of him in one day.   

I guess if I had to describe the Cordovas I would say Americana jam band Grateful Dead bluegrass country rock. They have one cd and I bought it from them at this performance. It's from 2011 and contained many of the songs they performed. Reportedly a new one is in the works and I look forward to hearing it. They are currently opening for the Turnpike Troubadours.

I much admired the drummers hat. Cathy asked me, "Do you see any girls around that hat?" I said, "well no but I bet he's got a wife, girl, something, somewhere." Cathy said "I asked do you see any girls around him while he's wearing that hat?" My belief that you should dress like you are with the band is not shaken. 

This guy, Lucca Soria was a monster on guitar and a great high harmony voice. Very pure singer. 

This guy who kind of seemed to be the main dude is Joe Firstman who gained renown, among other things as band leader form late night TV show Last Call With Carson Daly. A very talented fellow.