Concert Review: The Travis Mitchell Band and The Jamie Richards Band

by Erin Rice

On Thursday night I trekked out to Firewater to check out my first ever country concert. Opening the show was the Dallas/Mesquite based Travis Mitchell Band. Travis and his bandmates are coming out with their new album, Waiting On Tomorrow on September 25 (Travis will also be coming in for an interview and to perform songs soon, so keep an eye out for that article in the upcoming weeks).

Being the country neophyte in the crowd, I was nonetheless impressed and a little surprised by TMB. First of all, and blame me for stereotyping if you will, but they didn't look that country. Travis, in fact, appeared more like a beach bum, in a t-shirt, baggy, khaki shorts, and no shoes. Of course, as soon as he began singing and the slight twang came out, any alternate illusions were quashed - in a good way.

Of the country subgenres, you can't peg Travis with just one. Throughout the set there were a whole slew of song types, from faster southern rock inspired tunes, to slow dance songs, to what I'm told was honky-tonk and even a "hoedown." TMB mixed it up between some songs off the band's current release, Forget What's Wrong, such as "Texas Girls", and songs from the upcoming album, including "Cross That Bridge," "Just You and Me," "Ever Again," and "This Town Ain't Me." Judging from the crowd's positive reaction and my own to the new and old in the set, Waiting On Tomorrow could be a promising release for the group. One special treat in the set included a cover of Matchbox 20's "Unwell" done quite well (insert corny joke trombone sound here).

Following The Travis Mitchell Band came The Jamie Richards Band. Jamie Richards oozes country, in his talking voice, singing voice (obviously), appearance, demeanor, and so on. He plays exactly what his bio states, "traditional, honest, down right real country music." It was refreshing to watch his set. Having grown up in Oklahoma, learning how to play in honky tonks, and retaining the gospel influences from his mother, a Jamie Richards set explodes at the seams with life experiences and songwriting talent.

While quality music is key to a good set, a quality entertainer makes a legendary set, and Jamie Richards and his band members are quality musicians and entertainers. The songs ranged from fun ("one tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor") to more serious tunes about his father, lost loves, and so on performed without missing a step through seasoned musicianship. The crowd, some incredibly dedicated fans, were up on their feet dancing throughout the majority of the one-hour show. After one group of fans gave a choreographed "hell yeah" for Jamie, to which he replied "thanks for the 'hell yeah' but a shot of tequila might be better," the stage was not without shots, tequila, Jager, and otherwise. It further amplified the casual fun tone set for the evening. For fans or curious future fans, The Jamie Richards Band has a new record out, Peace, Love and Hard Liquor.

So, diary, if I must pick a lesson learned tonight while I was outside my musical element, it would be this: people enjoying music is universal. They come in all different forms: some express their passion by pummeling through a mosh pit, others by grabbing some earth a getting lost in indie or folk, and others with an energetic two-step and a holler (or holla, if you mean something else). In any case it's music, and it's impossible not to enjoy people enjoying music, no matter what your tastes.