Live music is busting out All over our area
Live-music events are taking place all over — both inside and outside. Take your pick.
Last weekend was perfect weather for the music at Chuck’s Classic Cycle at Tuskahoma. Grannie’s Nightmare finished the weekend there Sunday afternoon.
Rearvue Mirror played at my favorite outdoor stage in Fort Smith, Ark., at LaHuerta’s Mexican Restaurant.
Dawn’s in Red Oak is back open, and Oklahoma Moon played a full night of dance music at the Spiro Eagles Lodge. It is great that live-music can be experienced again.
On Thursday, there are two events. The first is happening in the Bakery District (the old Holsum Bakery) features The Fort Smith Jazz Jam on Thursday. Some of the very best musicians share the spotlight with students from the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. Real Book charts are the platform that is used to kick off a direction. Charts are available to all. Dr. Al Grzech will host the Jam. As many as 30 musicians have played in an evening. Downbeat is 7 p.m. Come listen, grab a bite and a beverage and enjoy the tunes. This will happen every third Thursday each month.
The second big Thursday event is The Lawman Band plays every Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Interstate 40 Danceland, and there are line dance lessons, too. There’s a big dance floor with great music.
For the record, on Saturday, The Backroads will be there at 7 p.m. with some classic country.
There will be Historic Downtown Poteau’s Farmers Market in its new location, the new HDP Events Center in the old Stone Furniture building. The Market is open every Friday — rain or shine — from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. You possibly can find some fresh vegetables, canned goods and honey along with some arts and crafts — AND some days Dave Abbott brings one of his guitars and sings out front with drive-by music. Check out the new location.
Oklahoma Moon will be at the Choctaw Casino doing its show in the Atrium (kind of like the front porch) beginning at 8 p.m. Friday. Then on Saturday, the band will set up at J.J.’s Bar and Grill next to Fort Smith Airport on Phoenix Avenue. There will be good food and great music. The music will starts at 8:30 p.m. Catch this band when they host the Showtime Jamboree in Pocola on the last Saturday of every month. This month, the event will feature Chloe Fulton. More information on this event in next week’s column.
Grannie’s Nightmare takes the stage on Saturday in Muldrow at the VFW. It’s a great place to dance, mosh pit, do the jerk baby, walk like an Egyptian, twist, boogaloo, the Locomotion or the hokey pokey. The Muldrow VFW always has good bands and has helped keep music in our area going. The music will start about 8 p.m. … just dance like nobody’s watching.
Here they come — Felisha McKenzie and Live Wire. “Mitch-mas in May” is put on by Mitchy Dee and Mayday Productions. This fourhour music event will present “Live Wire” and features singers Trey Russell and Wyatt Shumate. It will be from 7-11 p.m. Saturday at the amphitheater behind the Donald W. Reynolds Community Center in Poteau. It will have a wet bar so it is a “age 16 and Older” event. There will be a $5 cover charge.
Trey Russell is out front of the wave of solo musicians in our area — one of the trends that has evolved out of the lockdown era. Remember that? There are lots more places, smaller area restaurants and pubs that can support singles and two- to three-member combos, so that means more places to hear live music. It’s a win/win for all. Trey has a very distinct sound leaning towards red dirt roots. He is a singer/songwriter and has a great set of songs. He’s a favorite round these parts.
Wyatt Shumate comes from that tailgate, campfire, flattop, Saturday night kind of country. He plays a solid rhythm guitar that supports his tenor singing that has a Clint Black flavor. I like his music, and I think you will, too.
“Live Wire” is the first band for Felisha. She is just a joy to hear as a solo performer but now she’ll get to feel the freedom of singing with a solid rhythm section and hot-picking lead guitar. The band came together this year and has the drive and experience to produce a bonafide stream of music — from originals to rock covers and individual songs to pop.
Wayne Cambell is on the drums, Robert Staton is on lead guitar, Damon Shores is on bass and Felisha is on the keybord, guitar and mandolin. This band is going to be a great band for events like this one — balloonfest, car shows, Independence Day, etc … This band will be a good fit and bring a mix of songs that will entertain the masses.
Don’t sit home counting flowers on the wall. Come to “Mitchmas in May” on Saturday night!
Get out and support live music in our area.
For further information about live-music events or other such venues, call or text me at (918) 649 5736 or e-mail me at tj. wiles61@outlook.com.