Texas Hippie Coalition brought their “Year Of The Bull” tour rumbling into Atlanta on April 26th at the dark dungeon-esque digs of the new Masquerade music club. After binging this band’s music for the past three months, I was absolutely primed and ready to strap on a neck brace knowing excessive head banging would undoubtedly take place this evening.
THC are a recent discovery for me, just giving them a first listen a mere three months ago. I was immediately hooked, so I reached out to founding member and headmaster of ceremony Big Dad Ritch for his Growin’ Up Rock story and to learn a little more about what this band calls “Red Dirt Metal.” You can find that episode of the podcast right here.
Now it was time for me to witness THC and Big Dad Ritch in all his glory. As the big wooden barrels were rolled into place on the stage, I wondered, was I about to see a concert or was I about to be invited to the Sadie Hawkins dance at my school gymnasium? After glancing around the room and seeing the dark dingy goth-looking decor of this club and the many biker-gear clad patrons with beers and devil horns raised high, I was comfortable that I was among friends who shared at least one thing in common, a love for loud, whiskey-drenched, heavy southern-rooted Red Dirt Metal.
THC hit the stage to “Texas Tags” from 2008’s Pride of Texas, moving right into “Come and Get It.” I thought to myself, “OK, I am completely awake now even though its late on a school night, and I am absolutely entertained.” The band around BDR, guitarist Nevada Romo, Cord Pool, and drummer Timmy Braun, or who Big Dad Ritch referred to as “Fuck Timmy” throughout the night, as well as their hired gun bass player whose name currently escapes me, were completely committed to high energy, high octane, entertaining loud rock n roll until the last note screams out.
Big Dad Ritch owned the stage and was pretty damn funny, while belting out each one of the ten tunes THC rattled off. The man is completely authentic from his stage rap to the hunting knife at his beltside. Are THC for real? Are they really that southern? The answer from someone born and raised in the south, “You bet your ass!”
I had a great view down front of Nevada Romo (if that ain’t a rockstar name!) who through the night was full of kick-ass guitar licks and amusing facial expressions, that to me told a story of a man enjoying what he’s doing. Well done.
The band ripped through some favorites of mine like “Turn It Up,” and “El Diablo Rojo,” before closing the show with fan favorite “Pissed Off and Mad About It” (true literature – LOL).
Big Dad Ritch was Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Elvis, and Billy Gibbons without the guitar, all rolled up in one. In other words the man was cool personified and owned the stage the entire night.
I often preach to my friends, “Don’t be late and miss out on the opening act, you never know what killer rock n roll you’re missing out on.” When I walked into the small venue—which was filled to a third of its capacity—during Brand of Julez set, I thought they were OK but nothing special. They were the second band to play that night before Kobra and The Lotus and Texas Hippie Coalition.
But after Brand of Julez set, I started talking to people and making fast friends with other like-minded rockers. When I saw some dude walking around the club dressed up like an old lady, the topic quickly turned to Granny 4 Barrel, the first band to play that night and that’s when I discovered what I’d missed by being late.
The concept of this theatrical rock band was explained to me and the feedback of how great the opening band was, it became apparent to me, that I had messed up, got lazy and missed out on a cool rock and roll show. Oh well, maybe and hopefully next time.
The good news, is that I was there, as scheduled with plenty of time to see what I was there to see, which was the boys from Texas, THC, and their brand of Red Dirt Metal blasting out the speakers. I was excited to also see Kobra and The Lotus, which I had heard a great deal about in some of the up-and-coming band circles, from podcasters and music bloggers via social media.
Kobra and The Lotus did not disappoint. When the lovely and talented Kobra Paige hit the stage, she proved once again what I already knew which is women rock every bit as hard as dudes. Thank God, because they are much better to stare at while your rocking out.
So in a world where music value is hard to come by and you pay $170 bucks a ticket to sit in nosebleed seats in a stadium, I cannot be mad about a $25 buck small venue ticket to see four genuine rock bands. That’s a whole lotta headbang for the buck.
A Special Thanks To:
ALL PHOTO’s Courtesy of Beyond The Pit / Gary Flinn Photography
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