Concert review: Tejas Brothers at The Granada (May 15)

by Mike Orren

DALLAS — Although they were opening for Todd Snider, The Tejas Brothers put on what must have felt to them like a headliner set, given the packed and enthusiastic house at The Granada. (They're more often playing saloon-type venues around town).

I'd seen their name attached to bills with some of my other local faves like Eleven Hundred Springs, so I was excited to catch their set. The band, clearly centered on lead vocalist and accordionist Dave Perez, hops between originals and Tejan-ified country classics, making comparisons to Texas Tornados inevitable. Guitarist Chris Zalez also contributes the occasional lead vocal, giving Dave a much-needed break.

I don't know if it's a matter of the band's personal resonance with a given song, but I surprisingly enjoyed their originals (which I'd never heard) more than the familiar covers. Their songs are mostly in the Tornados / Freddy Fender vein and have a nice mix of accordion and electric guitar; humor and folksy pathos. They also know how to pop out a novelty tune. See: "Mangina," a song extolling the glories of male camel toe.

Dave is clearly the centerpiece of the show -- his constant mugging and goofy-but-graceful Chris Farley-meets-Will Ferrell dancing creates an infectuous air of fun. It also gets a bit distracting in an environment where everyone is just standing around, eyes on the stage. This is a band that was meant for a dance hall.

That said, this was clearly a big night for the guys, playing on the big stage in a crowded Granada with members of their families in attendance. The band took an unrequested encore, which was forgivable given that it was to come out and play a stylistically divergent version of George Jones classic "He Stopped Loving Her Today," Dave's mom's favorite song. It was beautifully done and added another layer to the performance. The Tejas Brothers have found their Tejano groove, but that number suggested that they might do well to branch out even further.

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