Time to make merry with music from local and visiting artists
With the holidays arriving, thoughts turn to peace, good cheer, family, friends and getting together to make merry moments.
Live music, whether it’s your child’s Christmas concert or revelers tickling the ivories at a festive holiday party, always brings us together at this time of year to inspire our better natures. And these days, we can all use some ways to bring us together in a world that seems so divisive.
Here’s a look at some of the live music on tap this weekend and further ahead.
For one thing, tickets are now on sale for an April 6 concert by Travis Tritt at Hempstead Hall in Hope, Ark. Tritt, who played here in Texarkana just a few years ago, has tallied millions in record sales and 19 Top 10 singles in a quarter-century of creating popular country music. Also coming soon is 38 Special for a February date at the Hope venue. Find out more about these shows and more, including “Skatetacular: Dreams on Ice” on Jan. 21, at HempsteadHall.com.
But looking at this weekend, local venues are sharing in the Christmas spirit, including Twin City Sports Bar downtown hosting its own spin on the ever-popular ugly sweater party tonight backed by tasty margaritas and Sgt. B bringing the music.
Some good old fashioned blues is on tap at Tusks-N-Horns when harmonica player Cedric Watson performs tonight. Watson has been active on the local arts scene, employing his realistic technique for portraits and western-themed art. But he’s also a talented musician who’s begun performing at local venues. Check him out at this new all-ages venue.
The duo Taryn and Jase (that’s Taryn Ashley and Jase Bryant) are plenty busy performing at
Texarkana venues and beyond, and tonight they visit Hopkins Icehouse downtown to regale the crowd with their excellent musicianship and vocals for the Hopkins ugly Christmas sweater contest. They opened for Stephanie Rice’s hometown show this past summer. On Saturday, “The Piano Man” Skylar Smith will play piano at Hopkins.
This Saturday night at Scottie’s Grill marks the first full gig for a new crew in town; that’s Parson B and the Part Time Sinners. The band’s leader, Barry Bobbitt, admits the band was born from his need to keep music in his life. He’s a pastor and wanted to play music for the public again after 24 years out of that loop.
This desire put him in touch with a cast of top local musicians, such as Lee Norris on drums and Glenn Smith on bass. David Palmore on guitar joined, as did Tony Paschal as lead guitarist. Palmore and Bobbitt share vocal duties with Smith and Norris working the rhythm section.
“The name of the band came pretty quickly,” Bobbitt said, noting it was Palmore’s wife who suggested it.
“The band plays anything from Cody Jinks to Merle Haggard to Jimi Hendrix to Blackberry Smoke,” said Parson B himself. Look for the band to hold court for a Christmas Eve Eve show on the Scottie’s patio when they perform selected covers starting at 8 p.m.
Other shows in town tonight include both the ever-popular Dusty Rose Band at Fat Jack’s Oyster and Sports Bar and Heather Linn & Deacon Carl at La Fogata Bar & Grill.