Preview: The Quebe Sisters @ The Hamilton Live — 11/21/21

Posted on 10/29/2021 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged Americana, Dallas, Texas, The Hamilton, The Hamilton Live, The Quebe Sisters, Western swing.

The Quebe Sisters (Photo courtesy Michael J. Media)

Trailblazing Trio The Quebe Sisters Serve as Modern-Day Beacons for Country and Western Swing
By Mario Tarradell

Three women – modern, creative, and talented – are stretching the boundaries of old-time country and western swing music. The best part? They are doing it steadfastly, free of frivolous fanfare. We’re talking about neo-traditionalist western swing trio the Quebe Sisters – siblings Grace, Sophia, and Hulda.

The Quebe Sisters are hardly newcomers, though. Their modern musical sensibilities coalesced as seasoned performers. Dallas-based Grace, Sophia, and Hulda Quebe spent the last 15 years merging three-part harmony and triple fiddles to put a youthful, jubilant spin on Bob Wills’ classic genre. They have recorded four studio albums and toured North America, Europe, and Russia.

The Quebe Sisters are ready to perform western swing classics as well as inspired originals in concert Nov. 21 at 8 pm at The Hamilton Live, 600 14th St. NW, DC. Tickets are $25-$50 per person; all ages are welcome. To purchase tickets, click here.

Live Review: Asleep at the Wheel @ The Birchmere — 7/8/21

Posted on 07/12/2021 by Mark Engleson in Live Review and tagged Austin, Casey Vock, country, Texas, The Birchmere, Western swing.

Asleep at the Wheel performs at The Birchmere on July 8, 2021. (Photo by Casey Vock)

For five decades, Austin’s Asleep at the Wheel has carried the torch for Western swing. Winners of 10 Grammys, they’ve collaborated with everyone from Willie Nelson to Jamey Johnson to Huey Lewis. to Old Crow Medicine Show.

Despite playing what is “hard-core country music,” the Wheel has long attracted fans who don’t normally feel drawn to country. Part of this is the great divide between country through the ’50s and the Nashville sound that succeeded it. As Tyler Mahan Coe has said on his podcast Cocaine & Rhinestones, there’s no real distinction between honky-tonk and early rock ‘n’ roll. Asleep at the Wheel may have fiddles, but they also have drums and sax, and they rock hard.

Live Review: Hot Club of Cowtown @ City Winery — 9/5/19

Posted on 09/10/2019 by Ari Strauss in Live Review and tagged Austin, City Winery, Hot Club of Cowtown, jazz, Texas, Western swing.

Hot Club of Cowtown performs in the Wine Garden at City Winery, Sept. 9, 2019. (Photo by Ari Strauss/ aristrauss.com)

Hot Club of Cowtown delighted DC fans recently with a twilight show at City Winery DC in the venue’s roof-top Wine Garden performance space. The Austin, Texas-based hot jazz/Western swing trio is set to release its new album, Wild Kingdom, on Sept. 27, and they used the show as an opportunity to preview its new material.

Preview: Hot Club of Cowtown @ City Winery, 9/5/19

Posted on 08/29/2019 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged City Winery, Hot Club of Cowtown, jazz, Western swing.

Hot Club of Cowtown (Photo by Ryan Saul)

Earlier this year, The Hot Club of Cowtown released Crossing the Great Divide, a tribute to The Band, via Gold Strike. Next the band will release Wild Kingdom, a new studio album on Sept. 27! The hot jazz and Western swing trio have been touring relentlessly, and they visit City Winery for their next DC show on Thursday, Sept. 5.

Live Review: Wayne Hancock @ Hill Country — 6/16/19

Posted on 06/20/2019 by Mark Engleson in Live Review and tagged country, Dallas, Hill Country, Hill Country Live, rockabilly, Texas, Wayne Hancock, Western swing.

Wayne Hancock (Photo by Victor Barajas)

“Happy Father’s Day,” Wayne Hancock said, “unless you didn’t know. Then nice surprise!” With that, Wayne and his band launched into an instrumental during their recent appearance at Hill Country in DC.

Live Review: Dale Watson and Kinky Friedman @ The Birchmere — 3/14/19

Posted on 03/18/2019 by Mark Engleson in Live Review and tagged country, Dale Watson, Kinky Friedman, rockabilly, Texas, The Birchmere, Western swing.

Dale Watson (Photo courtesy Red House Records)

In a show billed as “Lone Star Legends: Long Tales and Short Songs,” Dale Watson and Kinky Friedman brought old-school Texas music to The Birchmere recently.

Preview: The Dustbowl Revival and Hot Club of Cowtown @ Wolf Trap, 2/2/19

Posted on 01/18/2019 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged Americana, Hot Club of Cowtown, jazz, soul, The Band, The Dustbowl Revival, Western swing, Wolf Trap.

The Dustbowl Revival (Photo by Talley Media)

The Dustbowl Revival and Hot Club of Cowtown have joined forces for their Across the Great Divide Tour, underway now, where they will perform songs from the first two albums by The Band, as well as some of their own material. The Across the Great Divide Tour lands locally at The Barns at Wolf Trap for a matinee show and for an evening show on Saturday, Feb. 2.

Music Park: Wayne Hancock @ City Winery — 9/5/18

Posted on 09/07/2018 by Mark Engleson in Live Review and tagged Austin, Bloodshot Records, City Winery, country, rockabilly, Texas, Wayne Hancock, Western swing.

Wayne “The Train” Hancock live (Photo courtesy the artist)

If Hank Williams were alive today, he’d be 94 years old. It’s unlikely he’d still be making music, and, even if he were, he probably wouldn’t sound very much like the young Hank Williams. On Wednesday evening, the closest you could get to a vintage Hank Williams show was seeing Wayne “The Train” Hancock perform his style of traditional country at DC’s City Winery.

Don’t Miss: Wayne Hancock @ City Winery, 9/5/18

Posted on 09/04/2018 by Mickey McCarter in Live Review and tagged Austin, Bloodshot Records, City Winery, country, Texas, Wayne Hancock, Western swing.

Wayne Hancock (Photo courtesy Bloodshot Records)

Wayne “The Train” Hancock released Slingin’ Rhythm, his most recent album, via Bloodshot Records in 2016. He’s coming around to play his catalog at City Winery on Wednesday, Sept. 5, and there’s only a handful of tickets remaining!

Music Park: Lyle Lovett and His Large Band @ Wolf Trap — 8/10/18

Posted on 08/14/2018 by Mark Engleson in Live Review and tagged Americana, Ari Strauss, bluegrass, country, Lyle Lovett, Texas, Western swing, Wolf Trap.

Lyle Lovett performs at Wolf Trap on Aug. 10, 2018. (Photo by Ari Strauss)

“Choke My Chicken.” So goes the refrain of “Farmer Brown/Chicken Reel” from Lyle Lovett’s album Natural Forces (2009/Lost Highway). Lyle and His Large Band played the song early in their set Friday during their annual appearance at Wolf Trap. If anyone in the audience didn’t already know that Lyle is a bit, shall we say, unconventional, this song certainly tipped them off.