In the course of the music-loving human experience, it’s easy to overlook movement. Things happen slowly. Change can go unnoticed, like a haircut that’s overdue. The phenomenon continues to grow until you can ignore it no longer.
After a recent show at The Iron Horse Pub, it is clear, something is happening in Wichita Falls.
On a night when there were no fewer than four quality live music shows happening at a variety of venues in Wichita Falls, Downtown Royalty and Blank Labels packed the Iron Horse Pub for a rock show that was almost completely original music. We only counted a handful of cover songs all night, and it stood out. In cities all over the country, performers playing original music sometimes struggle to bring in crowds who prefer to hear singalong cover songs.
Not on this night, because something is happening in Wichita Falls. Every table in the main room was reserved, and the side-room was nearly full as well.
The incredibly talented Downtown Royalty Band started the show with high-energy performances of their most popular songs, and it did not escape our notice that people in the crowd (myself included) were singing along. The audience knew the words.
Michael Kately’s songwriting, Derrick Kuehner’s incendiary lead guitar, Files Little’s manic stage presence, Mark Forehand’s incredible backing vocals, and Josiah Botts’ cannonfire drums — everything meshed to create a funk rock tapestry that brought about loud, raucous cheers and whoops. If it was a race to the summit of Mount Music, Downtown Royalty bolted to the top, dropped to one knee, and planted the flag representing their original songs first.
Not to be outdone, headliners Blank Labels attacked their performance from the opening notes, and their energy was off-the-charts. Singer, songwriter and guitarist Bryson Lawrence blew out his volume pedal and took an extra moment to adjust before tearing it up for the capacity crowd.
In a repeat of the performance we’d just seen from DTR, Blank Labels brought explosive energy to their set of mostly original music. As a special treat, DFW musician (and Bryson Lawrence’s cousin) Jake Novak joined the group for half a dozen songs, and he added incredible backing vocals as well as a frenzied stage presence.
Again, the audience knew the words. After Blank Labels played their original song, Open Air, we saw respected local musician Terry Thompson say out loud, to no one in particular, “Man, that is so good!” And he was absolutely right.
In keeping with the energetic vibe, powerhouse drummer Mike Hardison knocked his kick drum over during the performance, and a crew member rushed onstage to set it right. Not even Mike’s drums can withstand his always physical performances.
During Blank Labels set, we heard previews of the new Blank Labels music we’ve been chomping at the bit to hear, including a promising forthcoming track entitled Euphoria. We have already followed Blank Labels’ streaming channels [Spotify | Apple] so we don’t miss their new music releases, and we’d recommend you do the same.
We got to hear a couple of rare cover tune performances when Tawni Hargis of Fake Happy, a Paramore tribute, joined Blank Labels for “Misery Business” and a couple of other selections.
Throughout the night, our attention was drawn time and again to the lead guitar work of Angel Perez. While Bryson Lawrence kept a distorted rhythm guitar baseline on his Gibson Explorer Custom, Angel absolutely wailed on his Stratocaster, soloing with a clean blues tone that cut through the din and impressed everyone in attendance. At one point, as Perez faced drummer Mike Hardison, we saw Mike yell to him “Turn around!” When he did, a large Angel Perez fan club gathered at the front of the stage went nuts, with their hands in the air and voices engaged in full-throated cheers.
We’ve heard a lot about what was… what the scene used to be, in the good old days, when Bowling for Soup was about to put Wichita Falls on the map. And we’ve heard a lot of lamenting what the scene is now by comparison, but we think it’s evolving like the aforementioned haircut. It’s been happening slowly, and for those who haven’t been paying attention, you’ve been overlooking it.
After seeing a capacity crowd come out and pay actual money to see Downtown Royalty and Blank Labels perform mostly original music, we’re here to say things are changing. New venues are coming to Wichita Falls. Bigger acts are coming to our town, some of which we can’t even mention yet.
And on this night, the audience, the performance, and these entertainers, turned it loose at a level we are starting to see more and more.
Consider the game raised. Something is happening in Wichita Falls.
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I moved back here right at the tail end of DTR's reign of the original music scene. They released their first album and it blew up and they packed the house everytime they played. Then life happened and they fizzled away. I'm so glad to see that they're making a comeback!!
Thank you so much Troy! You the man!