A Fall Semester Concert Roundup: Quick Reviews Since I’m Lazy and Didn’t Do Full Articles For Each Show

This semester was extremely busy.

While I know it could always be worse, I took 16 hours this semester. My reporting, digital journalism production, and senior seminar history classes kicked my ass, and I was studying for the LSAT in the midst of all of this. Safe to say, I didn’t have time to write stand-alone articles for every single show I saw which, even cutting back, was a lot.

So, I figured it would be fun to just go rapid-fire and talk about every show I saw in the fall semester that didn’t already get a recap mainly because I’m already so far behind that this is about the only way I can catch up. Also, there are a few artists here that I’ve seen a handful of times and just don’t think I would’ve been able to write a full article without just repeating things I’ve already said a million times.

So, basic math tells me the last show I wrote an article for was Slade Coulter’s Big Damn Family Jam Festival so let’s kick this off…actually not in September. We’re turning the calendar back to the very end of August with someone I never expected to see in Lubbock.

8/31 – Steve Aoki

Why Steve ever played here I have no idea. I had no intention of even going to this show but last minute, I ended up having a free ticket and said, “Screw it. Why not?” I had a good time, even if I was acting extra dumb out of irony. I think my only issue with this show was that it didn’t feel like it was tailored to a huge amphitheater like Cook’s Garage. If that set was in a club, I think I would’ve had a much better time. But in this setting, while the turnout was really damn good, I don’t know if it really stuck the landing as well as it could’ve. I will say though, the mixes were fun, the energy was good, and maybe the landing not sticking falls back on me for hanging out in the back for the whole show. I’m also just bummed I didn’t get caked.

9/7 – Shane Smith & the Saints w/ Diamond Rio

Shane Smith & the Saints are a top-five best live band on the planet. Point. Blank. Period. I will not be hearing any arguments against it. Few bands consistently knock me on my ass like Shane Smith & the Saints do. I don’t know what exactly it is but they just pack such a mightier punch live. The guitars rip harder live, the drums punch harder live, and their energy on stage is just unparalleled. From the second they start their signature Last of the Mohicans intro to the final notes of All I See Is You, a song I’ve watched go from being a decently popular song that they would play at the very beginning of their set to a giant smash hit that ends the show with a giant sing-along, their shows are a journey. At moments you’ll be banging your head wanting to open up a mosh pit, other moments you’ll be scanning the venue for someone to two-step with, and other moments will have you with your arms around your friends with a tear in your eye. I am so happy the band is finally getting their flowers and playing venues where they were barely an opening act a mere couple of years ago. A new album out in the Spring implies another year of burning up highways and stages across the country so if they head your way, don’t skip out.

Oh, and speaking of opening acts, Diamond Rio opening this show was fantastic. I caught about 30 minutes of their Two Step Inn set from about a mile back and had fun but getting to actually catch a full set finally was greatness. Is Beautiful Mess one of the best 90s country songs ever recorded? I think it might be.

9/20 – Wyatt Flores w/ Dylan Gossett

When Wyatt Flores announced his Times Are Getting Hard Tour and I saw Lubbock, Texas listed on the cities, I assumed he would be doing the indoor stage at Cook’s Garage or maybe going fancy and playing Buddy Holly Hall. Before really listening to any of his music, I knew he was huge and figured he’d be playing pretty good-sized venues. My mind was blown when I looked and found out that he’d be playing Blue Light Live. The energy inside the Blue Light the night he played was something I’d only ever experienced one other time in that room: Kat Hasty’s show in April. It was easily one of the loudest crowds that had ever packed into the venue, it was also one of the most packed shows I’ve seen at the venue. It’s nights like that one that make me so grateful for small venues like Blue Light that can pull in amazing and still-rising talent consistently.

I don’t know where Flores will play next time he comes to Lubbock…well that’s if he comes back. About four or five songs into his set, beer showers had started, something that’s very commonplace at The Blue Light. A lot of artists encourage it and others just sort of tolerate it without saying anything. Flores went a third route, saying that if one more person threw beer on the stage, he was walking out the front door and going home. It didn’t completely ruin the evening, the energy level stayed the same before and after that, but it does make me wonder if he’ll return anytime soon.

Dylan Gossett opened the show and given how much more popular the two have become in the months since the show, again, it’s mind-blowing that it was at Blue Light. This was one of Gossett’s first shows and it wasn’t anything crazy, just him, his acoustic guitar, and his songs. I enjoyed it but it doesn’t feel fair to really judge it given how minimal it was. I do look forward to being able to catch him again somewhere down the road soon though.

9/23 – Josh Abbott Band w/ Dillon Carmichael and Clayton Mullen

Do you guys expect me to live in Lubbock, Texas, and not see Josh Abbott when he comes to town? You’re out of your mind.

This was a big show for me. I’ve said it a handful of times but Josh Abbott Band’s album Small Town Family Dream is one of the albums that really got me hooked into this world of Texas country music. As someone who’s seen Abbott play in Lubbock a few times and also seen him play not in Lubbock, you can tell he puts a little extra into his hometown shows. He almost always seems to be in a better and friendlier mood, he’s always a lot more energetic on stage, and the last two times I’ve seen him, he’s sung so hard that he’s hoarse before the end of the main set and he still pushes through and puts on a great show. It’s also just so nostalgic to see them because their setlists are full of songs that I’ve grown up loving and it’s always such a treat to hear them live.

Because of my late arrival, I was only able to see Clayton Mullen’s last song, which was pretty good, and because of the interview I missed a good chunk of Dillon Carmichael’s set but I did really enjoy the bit I did see. I do really enjoy his music so I hope it’s not too long until I see him again.

9/29 – Kody West w/ Ganon Fremin & CC Rev

After Josh Abbott Band’s show, I told myself I was forcing myself into hibernation and not shooting another show again until November at the very earliest. I stuck with that for five days. On the sixth day, Kyon Barnes, bassist for Kody West, followed me on Instagram and immediately DMed me asking if I’d be able to shoot the band’s show at Blue Light that night. Like anyone who sets strict guidelines for themselves often, I told him I would love to and I’d see him there.

I really loved West’s Cotton Fest set in April and inside Blue Light, it was even rowdier. However, while West plays loud rock shows and puts out loud rock records, far and away my favorite part of the evening was a solo acoustic set he did right in the middle of his show. Especially an audience member’s request for him to play The Prayer which is probably one of my favorite performances of any song I’ve heard all year. Outside of that, there’s not much more I can really add. West’s shows are rowdy rock shows, Ganon Fremin & CC Rev were equally as fun opening for him.

10/26 – Parker McCollum w/ Randy Rogers Band & William Beckmann

This show was a big milestone for me as it was my first time shooting in an arena! Was it any different than shooting anywhere else? Not really but the production was definitely much bigger than I was used to.

This was about as great of a three-band bill as you could ask for. William Beckmann’s voice and his band are absolutely killer and listening to him for the first time can give you the same nostalgia you get out of listening to Charley Crockett or Colter Wall. Randy Rogers Band are one of my favorite live bands and as long as Brady Black is still playing fiddle for them, I’ll keep buying tickets and seeing them. Randy Rogers Band are another band that got me into this Texas country world with their album Trouble and I feel a lot of the same emotions seeing them as I did seeing Josh Abbott.

Finally, I understand why Parker McCollum is an arena-level headliner but I honestly thought his show was just alright. Maybe it’s because I’m a bigger Randy Rogers Band fan or maybe he was feeling some end-of-tour fatigue, he did make mention from the stage that Lubbock was show number 109 of their 2023 tour. If you’ve never seen McCollum before, it’s definitely a good time. His energy and his charisma on stage are always great but I don’t know, I’ve enjoyed his shows slightly less and less each repeated time I’ve seen him and I can’t really figure out a concrete reason why because I do really like his music and I do think he puts on a great show. Maybe it’s the bump up to arenas but something about his October show just didn’t hit the same for me.

11/3 – Jo Dee Messina

A lot of photographer friends and photographers I follow always post and talk about how eager they are to go on tour. Personally, I’ve never really understood the hype around it. That is until I saw Jo Dee Messina. I genuinely could not believe how incredible she was live and I would like to see her perform every night for the rest of my life if that’s an option.

Yes, I know I already said it, but holy moly Jo Dee Messina at 53 years of age put on a better show than so many young artists put on in their prime. I went into this show a casual fan who knew the big hits, Lesson in Leavin, Alright, Bye Bye, and of course, Heads Carolina, Tails California, but I left with a much bigger appreciation for her catalog. Opener My Give A Damn’s Busted absolutely slayed as did her performance of I Know A Heartache early in the set. Her stage presence was fantastic and you can tell she’s savoring every moment of this second wind her career has been having as of recently. I don’t mean that as a knock to her, she’s Jo Dee Messina she’s a legend but the resurgence of popularity for 90s country has only benefitted her and helped this show sell out well in advance to the loudest and happiest crowd that packed into Cook’s Garage all year. I cannot recommend seeing Jo Dee enough as it’s easily one of the best shows I’ve been able to see this year.

11/10 – Parker Ryan w/ Jordan Nix

Parker Ryan rips, Jordan Nix kills. Ryan and the other two members of his band have such insanely good chemistry and he is such a stupid good guitar player. Both him and Nix are fantastic songwriters as well and Nix’s harmonies were a great addition to a few of Ryan’s songs, mainly Shattered. I can’t say much more than that. Both Parker and Jordan are incredible people, incredible musicians, and incredible live performers. Go buy Jordan’s album Dirge and spin the hell out of it. When Parker Ryan puts his next record out, go buy it and spin the hell out of that too.

The brevity for this one isn’t to sell the both of them short, I just can’t beat around the bush with this one and there’s not a duo on this list I recommend that you guys see live more than these two. It’s also hard to say much about a show after it melts your face off.

12/1 – Braxton Keith w/ Chandler Pearson

After a light October and November, I decided for some reason that it would be smart to go balls to the wall for December, I guess to make up for lost time. I started a four-show in three-day run walking into Blue Light as Chandler Pearson finished up an incredibly rowdy and incredibly fun opening set that I wish I could’ve seen much more of but absolutely loved the bit I got to see.

For someone who’s never seen Braxton Keith, it’s easy to think that he’s just doing a bit with a handlebar mustache and the way he sings and dances on stage. And while I do think it’s a shtick that he does play up a little bit, damn it does he play it up well, that man can tonk. The bangers like Honky Tonk City and Make Up Your Mind bang, the same goes for Gonna Come Back as a Country Song. The slower songs like A Little Bit Closer and Let Me Love You More fill the dancefloor, and all around he’s just such a fun and energetic show. Especially with his banter and all of the little shuffled steps and dance moves he has in his arsenal. I can’t wait to cap off my year with him here in Corpus in a few short days.

12/2 – American Aquarium

The only show that I didn’t get a photo pass for in this article is of course, for my favorite band I have and will talk about in this article.

If you know me, it’s no secret how much I love American Aquarium, specifically BJ Barham’s songwriting and the force of nature that is their live shows. In the leadup to their Cactus Theater show, I could not stop bugging my group of friends who were going about how great they are live, how much fun it is to see them, and how rowdy their shows can get. It all blew up in my face pretty quickly once I remembered that this was Lubbock, Texas, and the show was at an all-seated theater. So help me God if I ever have to sit for the entirety of another American Aquarium show. Even BJ Barham sort of griped about it, saying it was rough seeing people still wondering if it was acceptable to stand for their biggest song, I Hope He Breaks Your Heart.

Because of that, it’s one of the strangest American Aquarium shows I’ve been to but I did end up getting a setlist full of some of the slower and sadder stuff I’ve been wanting to hear live for a little while like Six Years Come September, Little Things, and Man I’m Supposed to Be. My only gripe is that a song like Casualties or Wichita Falls, at least to me, didn’t really hit the same as it has at a big rock club or at a huge festival. Regardless, they’re still a fantastic live band and I hope the next time they come around, they can be in a proper setting for the rock and roll shows they play every night.

Also 12/2 – Jacob Stelly

It just so happened that Blue Light decided to also book a force of nature live show on their stage that night too. Once American Aquarium wrapped up and BJ Barham finished shaking hands, taking pictures, and signing autographs, I headed back to my car to grab my camera gear and headed inside as The Red Dirt Rebel crew started giving JR his birthday presents (this was billed as his Birthday Bash) and said hi to a few friends in Stelly’s crew. Minutes later, the band blew the roof clean off with their opening song, Fairy Tale.

I already saw Stelly at The Blue Light once this year back in February and I was positive that it wouldn’t be topped for my favorite show of the year. Isn’t it funny that the only person that was able to top it was Stelly himself? I’ve seen Jacob Stelly on a lot of stages this year but I don’t think he’s ever better than when he’s on The Blue Light’s stage. It’s just absolute magic every time he and his band step foot on it. The energy is unmatched, Stelly never smiles more than he does on that stage, and the band is on fire without an extinguisher in sight. I struggle to find words to describe just how incredible it is each time he plays on that stage but his December show was unlike anything I’d seen across the entire semester and maybe even the whole year. More on that for sure soon.

12/3 – Aaron Watson’s Family Christmas

On Sunday morning, I woke up sick as a dog. I tried getting some water in me. Didn’t work. I tried taking a nap. Didn’t work. I tried getting some food in me. Kinda worked. I went with Zach to see Aaron Watson’s Family Christmas at Cactus Theater. That fixed me.

I’m no stranger to seeing Watson live or to his music but after a decade-plus of being a fan, his family Christmas show is one of the coolest and most unique shows I’ve ever seen him play. For starters, he packed the biggest production into Cactus Theater that I’ve ever seen with an enormous light show. Second, the family aspect of the show was super endearing and extremely heartwarming. Whether he’s singing songs and sharing stories of his experience seeing Taylor Swift with daughter Jolee Kate right next to him, his son Jack reciting the bible verses proclaiming that Christ has been born, or his son Jake ripping on guitar all night. However, my favorite moment of the night without a doubt was his closing number, Silent Night which he brought his whole family together to sing. Watson said he wants to make this a yearly tradition and I really hope it becomes one because this was such an incredible experience.

While I do still love seeing him play his honky tonk country shows, I don’t know if this show will ever be topped.

12/8 – The Droptines w/ Henry Merchant

My first introduction to The Droptines was their show on Friday night of Slade Coulter’s Big Damn Family Jam which was inside The Blue Light. That show was absolute bliss and packed in from wall to wall and made me an instant fan. I was stoked to finally get to see them again actually knowing their music this time around and it once again blew me away.

For starters, the band already had a huge change in personnel with Brady Beal, lead guitarist for Parker McCollum for his entire career, playing in the band. While he didn’t try to blow anybody off stage or make it a huge deal that he was there, his presence definitely was not unknown because he absolutely shredded every time he got a chance to cut loose. While the crowd was a little bit smaller than the Big Damn Family Jam set, most likely due to finals week and people already traveling home, the crowd was just as loud and rowdy as that one and it wasn’t made more obvious than the reaction to performances of Moonbug, Banger, and New Girl. The Droptines are slowly becoming one of my favorite bands and hell, they’re already back at Blue Light next month so you know where to find me on whatever date it is.

While I didn’t get to catch Henry Merchant’s set, he was the sweetest guy hanging out after the show so I do hope I’m able to see him perform soon because his music is killer.

12/13 – Blue October w/ Veers

It seems like an unofficial tradition to cover one bucket list band or artist at Buddy Holly Hall every semester and this semester, it was Blue October.

Hailing from Houston, Blue October has been steadily killing it in the Alternative Rock scene since 1998, breaking through to a mainstream audience in 2006 with Foiled, featuring their first huge hits, Into The Ocean and Hate Me. However, something unique about the band is that as they progress further into their careers, 25 years now, they’ve only gotten better. Frontman Justin Furstenfield is still pushing himself and the band and they’ve been doing a great job adopting new sounds and not just making the same records over and over again.

Seeing them live, it’s obvious that I’m not the only person that thinks this. Sure, Into The Ocean, Hate Me and Home all got huge responses, but so did Oh My My, Where Did You Go I’m Less of a Mess These Days, and Down Here Waiting, all newer songs from their past three albums and from the past three years. Just as many people were dancing around and singing along to Spinning The Truth Around as there were to their closer, I Hope You’re Happy. The setlist was a great reflection of the band’s past 25-year career and it was perfectly paced too. Also, Veers were an absolutely fantastic opener and I hope they make it back near me soon. I’m so happy I got to stay in Lubbock for a few extra days and see the band again, especially since I only knew Into the Ocean and I Hope You’re Happy the last time I saw them. The band is burning up highways again in 2024 so if they’re anywhere near you, I cannot recommend seeing them enough.