STXscene #7

Entertainment Resource GuideIssue #7 • Aug. 31 - Sept. 13, 2013 Bi-WeeklyFREE

Bee County • Karnes County • Live Oak County • McMullen County • Nueces County

Carrie Denniston is only 23 years old, but with a

newly released album and a part in a documentary, she is

just now hitting her stride.

P. 2 AUGUST 31-SEPTEMBER 13, 2013

RiverbendRiverRat Reunion

End of Summer BashFriday, September 13th

Serving, Entertaining andConfusing the Public

since 1994Celebrating our 19th year

and kicking off our 20th as Beeville’s premier party spot

with live music by

no cover • 8pmmusic starts at

The RiverbendSports Bar

1603 N. St. Mary’s St • Beeville, TX 78102

John C. Beasley Golf Course

Raul Casarez • Elias [email protected]

P: (361) 362-7618F: (361) 362-7618

327 N. Washington St.Beeville, TX 78102

editor: Paul Gonzales email: [email protected]

phone: (361)358-2550 website: stxscene.com

twitter: @stxscene facebook: facebook.com/stxscene

Published bi-weekly by Beeville Publishing Co.

cover photo by Paul Gonzales

The documentary Lightning in a Jug came about when eight extremely talented South Texas musicians, who also happen to be really good friends, came togeth-er a few times for parties or shows, and everyone there realized how amaz-ing it always turned out to be.

The documentary focus-es on Tyler McCumber, Carrie Denniston,

Daniel Brodhag, Richie Allbright, Tony Saracene, Jason Maddox, Pake Rossi, Ty Dietz as well as some other close musician friends.

The documentary weaves through a series of shows, some public and some private – put togeth-er in about a two-month period – and showcases the talent of the artists and introduces the princi-ple members to audiences

who may not have heard of them before.

Lightning in a Jug also presents the hardships and triumphs of being an independent musician as they record new albums, load and unload equip-ment themselves before and after shows and, ulti-mately, try and get their music in front of as many people as possible.

The public is always

invited to attend the pub-lic shows and participate in the documentary as filming wraps up.

Musicians in and around the 361 area code will gather for a two-night showcase of metal, punk and rock music beginning Aug. 30.

The event will take place at the famed live music venue Zeros Hard Rock Club, 6327 McArdle Rd. in Corpus Christi, and is part of the My 361 Live Local Music Slam.

But the thing that makes this event unique is that a portion of the

proceeds actually goes to South Texas Children’s Home Ministries, which has been meeting the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of hurting children and families in crisis since 1952.

Their services include housing, counseling, job readiness programs and humanitarian aid.

Bands from Victoria, Beeville, Kingsville and Port Aransas will join Robstown and Corpus

Christi bands dur-ing this two-day event. Some of the acts sched-uled to play are Spanish Reds, Mariam, Evacuate Whale, Surrounded by Wolves and Give Me the Creeps.

The musical genres will vary on both nights from metal to rock to punk to industrial.

A raffle will raise money for the ministry as well and include prizes from Joe’s Dallas Cowboys Bus Tours, Guitar Center of Corpus Christi, Concrete Street Amphitheater and many more.

To find out more infor-mation about the event head over to facebook.com/my361live.

Documentary ‘Lightning in a Jug’ focuses on South Texas music

My 361 Live hosts a two-day rock fundraiser

‘Lightning in a Jug’ will be at the following

locations: Friday, Sept. 6House of Rock 511 Starr St.

Corpus Christi

Saturday, Sept. 14Stone Creek Bar & Grill 4402 N. St. Mary’s St.

Beeville

Saturday, Sept. 21Tynan Dance Hall

Tynan

Saturday, Sept. 287 Brothers Saloon 7961 Hwy 181 N.

Tuleta

P. 3

BEFORE going to facebook.com/STXscene

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Carrie Denniston’s nose crinkles when she

laughs. That’s how you know it’s a sin-cere laugh.

And it’s an infectious laugh that causes anyone around her to join in.

She has clear blue eyes and a ruffled main of red-tinged, dirty blond hair. She’ll be the girl sitting off to one side quietly chatting with a friend or just listening to another one’s story intently.

But it’s when her boots hit the stage and the microphone gently presses against her small, light pink lips that she takes everyone’s atten-tion away.

Not to mention some of their breaths.

“I’ve been singing as long as I can remember,” Denniston said, sipping on tequila she had infused with jalapeño the night before. “But I guess it was in sixth grade that I actu-

ally found out I could sing and not just how every-one else sings.”

She can go from a whis-per to a roar in a single syllable. Emotion pours from her voice buried somewhere deep inside and bellows out in a furi-ous flame when need be.

Before you know it, the song’s over, and you’re standing there, singed with utter delight.

“I was on one of those stupid teen websites, and it had a quiz ‘Which Diva are you?’ So I took it and,

it said I was Alicia Keys. I had never heard of her because she was pretty brand new.

“So I listened to one of her songs, and I loved it, and I would sing it around the house and stuff, and my mom heard me in the kitchen one day and said, ‘Carrie, you can sing.’”

Later that year while attending Corpus Christi middle school, she decid-ed to take the stage for the first time at the sixth-grade talent show. Convinced by her mom to perform a more live-ly song, she abandoned the Alicia Keys tune and went with something a little bit different.

“Instead, I sang ‘Waiting for Tonight’ by Jennifer Lopez,” Denniston laughed.

“And I made a total fool of myself, and for the next year everyone called me J.Lo.” She paused to clarify. “Not in a compli-mentary way. I was really

just a littleCarried Away

by Paul Gonzales

‘And I made a total fool of myself, and for the next

year, everyone called me

J.Lo.’


ugly in sixth grade. Braces, frizzy hair, acne and all that.

“No, actually I didn’t have braces yet, just a giant gap in my teeth.”

At the seventh-grade talent show, she redeemed herself with the Alicia Keys song and won over her peers.

But alas, it was too late. Her parents had already planned a move to California, where she was friendless and alone.

Even Alicia Keys couldn’t save her there.

“We moved in eighth grade, which was the peak of my ugliness, and in California they’re real-ly focused on looks and stuff.

“I was generally not accepted at all. I got teased mercilessly. I made a couple of friends, but they were just vapid and annoying, but I stuck with them because I didn’t have anyone else.”

She proceeded to float through her final junior high school year without belting out another note.

It wouldn’t be until she got into high school and joined musical theater that she decided to sing again. But it still wasn’t what she longed for.

“I was pretty lost for a couple of years in California. I didn’t relate to anybody.”

After graduating, she headed east and ended up in Colorado for col-lege.

“I joined my first band my freshman year in col-lege. Well, I had a band in high school once, but we had two practices, and all we did was eat Cup of Noodles the whole time,” Denniston recalled, laughing.

The band she joined,

Dutch Hammer, played songs by Led Zeppelin and Heart as well as other classic rock covers, occasionally at full band open mic nights.

“I discovered how fun it is when you can actually sing Zeppelin because it’s such a huge accomplish-ment.

“Heart was another one. When I first did ‘Crazy on You’ I flipped out that I could actually hit those notes, and it took a couple of weeks of just forcing it. Probably really bad for my vocal chords, but I did it, and I was really proud of myself.”

But something else unexpectedly happened while she was in the band. She wrote her first song.

“I started writing songs because I fell in love with the drummer, and he inspired me to write my first song.

“He was a Buddhist, so my first song was ‘Buddhism Blues’ because he would always claim that he couldn’t have a relationship because Buddhism required you not to want anything. So

that’s

what broke my heart about him.”

When Denniston per-forms, she wears her classic rock, soul and blues influences on her sleeve.

She’s got a power behind her voice that comes through each word and perplexes older, much more seasoned pro-fessionals.

After all, she’s only 23.“Janis Joplin has been

my hero since I was six years old, thanks to my big sister. She used to play all that Woodstock stuff for me when I was a kid.”

Denniston even accom-panied her sister to her high school classes some-times and would draw pictures of Joplin to pass the time.

“Other than her, I love soul. Aretha Franklin and Zeppelin definitely. I guess those are the big ones.

“Tony Saracene

is another big one,” Denniston said with a huge grin.

Tony Saracene is one of eight musicians, along with Denniston, who are the focus of a documen-tary called “Lightning in a Jug.”

But before filming even began, she had a chance encounter with the musi-cian and producer that would change her path in life yet again.

“I started going to Horney’s Bar in Swinney Switch when I first moved out here because my sis-ter and I had been to that bar when we would visit family in Texas. So

I start-

ed going there for fun; then they offered me a bartending job, which I thought sounded like a good time for my week-ends.

“Turns out, I actually hate bartending.”

Someone who worked at Horney’s Bar had mentioned that Saracene occasionally plays there at the bar, and she mentioned to him that Denniston could sing.

“One night, he came in while I was bartend-ing, and he asked me if I wanted to do backups for Tyler McCumber, and I said ‘sure.’

“I went in to McCumber’s Institute for the Musical Illiterate (M.I.M.I.), and I laid down a couple of tracks of backups, and they all thought it sounded good, and I thought Tyler’s music was awesome, so I just kind of kept hanging out there.”

And they struck a deal. Instead of Denniston get-ting paid for her vocal work, how about they record an album for her?

She recorded “Love Ain’t Kind,” a six-song album of original materi-al, something Denniston had always imagined

‘Janis Joplin has been my hero since I

was six years old, thanks to my big sister.’

‘Turns out I actually hate bartending.’

P. 5

since she was a child.“It’s beyond my wildest

dreams. I can’t believe I came and lived in the

middle of nowhere and this opportunity just fell in my lap.”

Within eight months she was holding her first album in her hands. A lifetime of singing and writing all together in one shrink-wrapped package.

“I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.”

Yet, before her move back to Texas, her family and friends had tried to keep her far away from the state and from living in a small town where nothing could possibly happen, and she might end up being sad and all alone.

“So I was scared, even though I knew that I loved Texas. But I did it anyway, and I can’t even begin to express how grateful I am to have met these guys. To be a part of their music and have them be a part of mine.

“And, even just social-ly, they’re some of the best people I’ve ever known. Anyone would be lucky to hang out with these guys.”

Denniston has been growing in popularity as

of late. She’s starting to get some traction on her album through playing live as often as possible and now being featured in a documentary, but she is still young and may have quite a ways to go until she can do it for a living.

She still has a day job as a medical editor that pays pretty well and which she enjoys.

“Right now I’m kind of at a crossroads. My job said there was an office in Austin, and I could move there, so it’s a pos-sibility.”

Her deep blue eyes become cloudy when the subject comes up, and she begins to look around constantly.

“But I have no desire to leave where I am. I love

it here so much. “I don’t know. I’m

exhausted thinking about Austin, but I know that it’s probably a good choice, musically, so we’ll see.”

She paused for a breath.

“We’ll see.”But no matter where

the winds take her, she knows she’ll never leave any of this behind her.

Her friends, her fans, the place she’s grown to love – they will always go with her no matter where she ends up.

This was ever present in her voice as we talked.

“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, just a huge thank you for every-one that made my dream come true. It sounds so cheesy, but they did.

“I really can’t thank everybody enough.”

And with that, she gave a small laugh, her nose crinkling as she did.

‘I feel like the luckiest girl

in the world.’

‘Anyone would be lucky to

hang out with these

guys.’

You can listen to Carrie’s album “Love Ain’t Kind” at carriedenniston.bandcamp.com and find out where to see her next at facebook.com/CarrieDennistonMusic.


EatBEEVILLE

Artie’s Cafe417 N. Washington St.(361) 358-1467Beeville Diner2503 N. St. Mary’s St.(361) 362-9724Burger Depot515 E. Houston St.(361) 362-2400Chili’s Grill & Bar400 E. FM 351(361) 354-5600Church’s Chicken611 N. Washington St.(361) 358-9256Dog & Bee Public House119 N. Washington St.(361) 354-5871Domino’s Pizza414 N. Washington St.(361) 358-6871El Charro Restaurant601 E. Houston St.(361) 542-4572El Jardin Restaurant806 W. Corpus Christi St.(361) 358-2922Gasthaus Berliner Bear2510 N. St. Mary’s St.(361) 354-5444Golden Chick2305 N. St. Mary’s St.(361) 358-5525Hensley’s Cafe307 N. Washington St.(361) 358-8414

Hong Kong Palace301 S. FM 351(361) 358-2861Jalisco Mexico Taqueria1401 W. Corpus Christi St.(361) 362-0841

KFC200 E. Houston St.(361) 358-7222Little Caesars Pizza420 E. FM 351(361) 358-9555The Lodge at Shorty’s Place702 S. Washington St.(361) 358-7302McDonald’s(Walmart) 502 E. FM 351(361) 358-92552301 N. St. Mary’s St.(361) 354-5215Mi Familia Restaurant2017 N. St. Mary’s St.(361) 358-9255New China Super Buffet2003 N. St. Mary’s St.(361) 358-8889O’Daddy’s901 W. Corpus Christi St.(361) 358-5945Pantry Stores3803 N. St. Mary’s St. (361) 358-4965911 S. Washington St. (361) 358-84771720 E. Houston St. (361) 358-8602Pizza Hut1103 N. Washington St.(361) 358-2970Sammy’s Burgers & Brew2144 Ellis Road

(361) 358-1067Scores Sports Bar & Grill1502 N. St. Mary’s St.(361) 358-5055Stars Restaurant2403 N. St. Mary’s St.(361) 358-0020Stone Creek Grill4402 N. St. Mary’s St.(361) 354-5189Subway710 E. Houston St.(361) 358-62001700 N. St. Mary’s St.(361) 358-6000Taqueria Chapala1805 N. St. Mary’s St.(361) 354-5945Taqueria Guadalajara622 W. Corpus Christi St.(361) 358-1971Taqueria Jalisco2020 N. St. Mary’s St.(361) 354-5803Taqueria Vallarta1611 S. Washington St.(361) 358-5948Whataburger1710 N. Washington St.(361) 358-8454

GEORGE WESTAgave Jalisco Restaurant403 Nueces St.(361) 449-8899Burger King4059 W. Hwy 59(361) 449-3014Church’s ChickenHighway 281 at Burleson(361) 449-1864Dairy Queen1350 U.S. 281

(361) 449-1822Nueces Street Grill206 Nueces St.(361) 449-2030Pizzarriffic407 Nueces St.(361) 449-1900Sonic Drive-In805 Nueces St.(361) 449-2614

GOLIADBlue Quail Deli224 S. Commercial St.(361) 645-1600Dairy Queen243 E. Pearl St.(361) 645-3274Empresario Restaurant141 S. Courthouse Sq.(361) 645-2347Hanging Tree Restaurant144 N. Courthouse Sq.(361) 645-8955La Bahia Restaurant1877 US 183(361) 645-3900Subway420 E. Pearl St.(361) 645-3709Whataburger348 E. Pearl(361) 645-8800

KARNES CITYBecky’s Cafe201 W Calvert Ave.(830) 780-4339Big Daddy’s Tarbender’s426 CR 298(830) 780-3202Dairy QueenTexas 80(830) 780-2712El Mariachi Jalisco

Restaurant118 Texas 123(830) 780-3350The MarketSat. & Sun. only208 E. Calvert Ave.(830) 780-3841Partner’s BBQ204 S. Hwy. 123(830) 780-5121Polak’s Sawsage Farm

Restaurant2835 U.S. 181

(830) 583-2113Taqueria Vallarta202 Texas 123(830) 780-2465

KENEDYBarth’s Restaurant445 N. Sunset Strip St.(830) 583-2468Church’s Chicken110 N Sunset Strip St.(830) 583-9030Jerry B’s4531 U.S. 181(830) 583-2500Lucita’s Mexican Restaurant500 W. Main St.(830) 583-9455Pizza Hut106 N Sunset Strip St.(830) 583-9864R J’s Hamburgers420 W Main St.(830) 583-2344Rodriquez’s Tacos205 Texas 72(830) 583-9800

THREE RIVERSAgave Jalisco Mexican

Restaurant400 S Harborth Ave.(361) 786-2020Bar @ 3 Rivers Bar & Grill201 N. Harborth Ave.(361) 786-2020Beckett’s Dugout800 N Harborth Ave.(361) 786-3600Brush Country BBQU.S. 281 (361) 786-4335El Tapatio405 N. Harborth Ave.(361) 786-3949Pepe Boudreaux’s3145 Texas 72(361) 786-4938Ranch House100 S Harborth Ave.(361) 786-2196Sowell’s BBQ114 W Thornton St.(361) 786-3333Staghorn Restaurant1019 N Harborth Ave.(361) 786-3545SubwayS Harborth Ave.

(361) 786-3308Church’s Chicken110 N. Sunset Strip St.(830) 583-9030Jerry B’s4531 U.S. 181(830) 583-2500Lucita’s Mexican Restaurant500 W. Main St.(830) 583-9455Pizza Hut106 N. Sunset Strip St.(830) 583-9864R J’s Hamburgers420 W. Main St.(830) 583-2344Rodriquez’s Tacos205 Texas 72(830) 583-9800

DrinkBEEVILLE

19th Hole Patio Cantina3601 N. St. Mary’s St.(361) 358-2837B.O.B.W.E.1308 S. St. Mary’s St.(361) 542-4551Chili’s Grill & Bar400 E. FM 351(361) 354-5600Club 591610 W. Corpus Christi St.(361) 362-0591Dog & Bee Public House119 N. Washington St.(361) 354-5871The Grand Dancehall2461 U.S. Hwy 59(361) 358-1185Papi’s Place1517 W. Corpus Christi St.(361) 358-7160Roadside Tavern2503 S. Washington St.(361) 362-1720Scores Sports Bar & Grill1502 N. St. Mary’s St.(361) 358-5055Stone Creek Grill4402 N. St. Mary’s St. (361) 354-5189

P. 7

SHADY TINTS

1110 N. Washington • Beeville • (361) 254-0417facebook.com/windowtinting5311

Alix Martinez

automotive tinting specialists

STAND OUT

IN THE CROWD (361)358-2550

ADVERTISE WITHT’s Honky Tonk209 N. Washington St.(361) 358-1411Tejano Highway1205 S. Washington St.

GOLIADSchroeder Dancehall12516 FM 622(361) 573-7002

KARNES CITYBar Tonik102 N. Market St.(830) 780-5255

KENEDYCoyotes Sports Bar116 W. Main St.

(830) 583-9243Desperado Saloon312 S. Sunset Strip St.(830) 583-0371Jerry B’s4531 U.S. 181(830) 583-2500

PAPALOTEChasers Bar & Grill10620 CR 535 Hwy. 181(361) 287-3340

SKIDMOREAl’s Friendly Bar517 County Road 619(361) 287-3326

THREE RIVERSBar @ 3 Rivers Bar & Grill201 N. Harborth Ave(361) 786-2020Beckett’s Dugout800 N. Harborth Ave.(361) 786-3600Pepe Boudreaux’s3145 Texas 72(361) 786-4938

TULETA7 Brothers Saloon7961 Hwy, 181 N.(361) 318-5250

RestauRant and baR guide continued

Fri. Aug. 30• My361 Live Local

Music showcase & Bar-B.Q. Weekend Day 1 at Zeros Hard Rock Club: 20 local bands jamming over 2 days. Music starts at 8 p.m. and there’s an $8 cover for those over 21 and $10 for minors. 6327 McArdle Rd. in Corpus Christi.

Sat. Aug. 31• My361 Live Local

Music showcase & Bar-B.Q. Weekend Day 2 at Zeros Hard Rock Club: 20 local bands jamming over 2 days. Music starts at 8 p.m. and there’s an $8 cover for those over 21 and $10 for minors. 6327 McArdle Rd. in Corpus Christi.

Thurs. Sept. 5• Art Through The

Lens: A Photography Display at City Church: The City Church is hosting its 2nd Art Opening featuring local photographers. The show starts at 5:30 p.m. 4425 South Staples St. in Corpus Christi.

Fri. Sept. 6• “Lightning

in a Jug” Music Documentary Filming at The House of Rock: Filming continues on the

South Texas Music docu-mentary “Lightning in a Jug” as Carrie Denniston takes the stage along with Tyler McCumber and Ty Dietz. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and there’s a $5 cover. 511 Starr St. in Corpus Christi.Sat. Sept. 7

• The Shake Down “Hold On” CD Release Party at Revolution Bar & Grill: The Shake Down are set to release their official debut album to the world and for only a $5 cover you can get in on all the fun! Rundown Legend and The Most will be jamming, too. The show kicks off at 9 p.m. 2306 Airline Rd. in Corpus Christi.Sat. Sept. 7

• Cowboys from

Hellpaso at The House of Rock: Cowboys from Hellpaso (Pantera trib-ute) tear it up with Poetry & Prose (Primus tribute) and RPG. The hellraising starts at 8 p.m. 511 Starr St. in Corpus Christi.Fri. Sept. 13

• RiverBend RiverRat Reunion-End of Summer Bash at The Riverbend Sports Bar: They’ll be celebrating their 19th anniversary and starting off their 20th year with a bang! Live music starts at 8 p.m. with PRYME. Whether you’re a newbie rat or an original... Don’t miss out! 1603 N. St. Mary’s St. in Beeville.Fri. Sept. 13

• 29th Annual Fiesta Bee County at Bee County Expo Center:

Luz Garza y su Conjunto, Mariachi night kicks off Diez y Seis de Septiembre along with Ballet Folklorico performances. The gate opens at 6 p.m., and the music starts at 7:30 p.m., 214 S. FM 351 in Beeville.Sat. Sept. 14

• 29th Annual Fiesta Bee County at Bee County Expo Center: Luz Garza y su Conjunto, Indomable Skidmore, and Lorenzo Ortiz y su Conjunto open up for Ricky Naranjo and Los Chamacos. The festivities start early with the gates opening at 10:30 a.m. and the music starting at 8 p.m. 214 S. FM 351 in Beeville.Sat. Sept. 14

• “Lightning in a Jug” Music

Documentary Filming at Stone Creek Bar & Grill: Filming continues on the South Texas Music documentary “Lightning in a Jug” as Richie Allbright and Pake Rossi show up to help raise money for St. Jude. The show begins at noon, so get there early! 4402 N. St. Mary’s St. in Beeville

Fri. Sept. 20• BOSSY Bad Gal

Pudding Wrestling

Round 2 at Revolution Bar & Grill: Come dance the night away, and around midnight, we will begin BOSSY Bad Gals Pudding Wrestling. 2306 Airline Rd. in Corpus Christi.

Fri. Sept. 27• GREEN JELLO...

Jet Set Tour in CC at The House of Rock: Come out and experience PUNK ROCK PUPPET CHAOS provided by Mr. Bill Manspeaker and company! Beeville punk rockers Obliterates will be opening the show for them, so don’t miss out! The doors open at 7 p.m. 511 Starr St. in Corpus Christi.

Need your awesome event listed? Drop us a line at [email protected] with all the details, and we’ll be glad to gen-tly place it on this page.

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STXscene #7

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