Concert review: RTB2, The Cocky Americans, and PVC Street Gang at Hailey’s in Denton (May 29)

by Josh Hogan of My Denton Music

I am becoming more and more convinced that we will someday be talking about this band on a national level. They are that good. Ryan Thomas Becker and Grady Don Sandlin, the duo that comprises RTB2, put their talents on display for the crowd at Hailey's on Friday night as part of an all around fantastic lineup which also included the Denton trio The PVC Street Gang as well as The Cocky Americans.

And I really really like The PVC Street Gang. They were the openers on Friday night, a position they help well despite the small crowd size. Their live show is definitely different than their recorded tracks. It feels less meticulously conceived, and much more powerful and energetic, with lead singer Chris McGaha leading the charge. He bounced around stage with a load of tenacity, only stopping in between songs to catch his breath and converse with the crowd a bit. I think once the band gets their EP out, which they expect to do sometime this summer, more people will start to pay attention. They are a very good band with a very unique sound and style, which is normally enough to get people in the door.

The Cocky Americans took the stage next. This band seems to have all of the right ingredients already in the pot to make something really great, the problem (at least on Friday) was that nobody has turned on the stove. They need a spark. I got the feeling that this band is tiptoeing around what they are really capable of accomplishing. That is not to say that they are boring or lackluster, in fact just the opposite. Brett Strawn's vocals are deep and poignant, and the rest of the band follows in suit. They have a tremendous amount of talent and I refuse to believe that they have reached the pinnacle of their creative ability. Once they do get closer to that pinnacle, we should start to see exactly what this band is really capable of.

Speaking of pinnacles of creative ability, RTB2 headlined Friday night's show, and by the time they made it on stage the audience had grown to a healthy fifty or so people. I have beaten around this bush for a while now, but after Friday's show I might as well just come out and say that Ryan Thomas Becker is the best guitarist in Denton. Without a doubt, I feel confident in saying that. There is nothing else in town that compares to an RTB2 show. Friday night was just another example of just how innovative and creative this band has become. Grady's drumming has become just as impressive as Becker's guitar playing. He does not seem to be chasing the music, and just trying to keep up with Becker, but rather is in his proper roll as tag team partner to the lead singer/guitarist. The duo is an outstanding example of a pure rock band.