Los
Lonely Boys - Texican Style
(Live from Austin)
Performance
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Los
Lonely Boys - Texican Style
Performance
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Los Lonely Boys are comprised of the three Garza brothers: Henry on guitar, Jo Jo on bass, and Ringo on the drums (what else). They had already made a name for themselves in the Texas and Southeast club circuit, thanks to their smoldering live performances, but with the release of their self-titled debut album, around the end of 2003, it became clearly obvious that these lonely boys were about to break out of their local music scene and greet the rest of the world. After reading a rave review of their show at the 9:30 Club, in Washington, DC, this summer, and hearing their single "Heaven" on the radio, I decided to check out their debut album. Honestly, I just wasn't that impressed with it. After hearing about their intense live performances, highlighted by Henry Garza's dynamic guitar playing, I was expecting something a little heavier and guitar dominated, a la Stevie Ray Vaughan and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. The Los Lonely Boys album was a little too tame and ballad dominated for my Texas-blues-rock taste. Fortunately, Texican Style - Live From Austin sets things straight, as the boys turn up their amps and take these song to a whole new level of intensity. On this DVD, The Lonely Boys perform to over 25,000 people at the famed Auditorium Shores outdoor venue in Austin, Texas. This historic concert was the biggest South by Southwest convention show ever. The concert stage was huge and wide open on every side so you could see the beautiful Town Lake in the background, as well as some of the Austin skyline. The three Garza brothers filled the large stage nicely, as they performed with heroic energy and enthusiasm, undoubtedly inspired by the fervent reception of their hometown fans. For a trio, their sound is large and lush, reminding me a little of Rush in the way that they sound like much more than just three guys up on stage. Henry Garza is certainly destined to be a guitar superstar. Along with his phenomenal guitar playing, he is also an excellent, soulful singer, harmonica player, and has loads of charisma and stage presence to augment his great guitar style. Brother Jo Jo favors the six-string bass and uses every inch of it to fill the sonic space during Henry's solos. He is also an excellent singer, with equally dynamic stage presence, and even demonstrated some pretty impressive guitar work during "Supper Time". Youngest brother Ringo is a very solid drummer who also adds some important harmony and backing vocals to the mix. The Garza brothers are all still in their early to mid-twenties but carry themselves like seasoned professionals, which is no surprise since they have been playing together since they were kids, both as their father's backing band, and as Los Lonely Boys playing the Nashville scene all throughout the 90's. Live Form Austin features most of the songs from their debut album, as well as a few additional songs that have been live staples for the band. All of the songs have been written by them, as well. The highlights of the show were the back-to-back performances of "Man To Beat" and "Onda", as well as the encore of "End Of A New Beginning". "Man To Beat" features some impressive harmonica playing by Henry, followed by some terrific guitar soloing. Henry is obviously very influenced by Stevie Ray Vaughan and at times seems to be channeling him, as his mannerisms, technique, riffs, and use of the Fender Strat are all homage's to SRV. I'd bet he probably uses those extra-heavy gauge strings like Stevie too. "Onda" begins with a fantastic five-minute guitar solo before forging into a terrific Latin-flavored, blues-jam that sounds just like a classic Santana jam. Henry shows that his styles and influences are definitely not one-dimensional, as you can hear a little bit of Santana, Clapton, and Hendrix in his playing. Ringo also shines on this number as well. At times you would swear he had the Santana percussion section backing him up. Fantastic drumming! The encore performance of "End Of A New Beginning" was the absolute icing on the cake. Here, Henry and Jo Jo pull out all the stops - playing behind their necks, fretting each others guitars, and effortlessly holding their guitars high in the air with only their fret hands as they continue to pound out riff after monster riff. Jo Jo even lays his bass on the stage floor, props a rolled up towel under the neck, and lays down some serious Jeff Healy-style licks on those six thick strings. These young brothers certainly know how to put on a great show. Thankfully, the DVD production was as good as the performance. Everything was nearly perfect. Clear, sharp, widescreen presentation, with superb camera work, complimented by some outstanding Dolby 5.1 surround, and PCM stereo mixes. Each instrument and vocal was at the perfect level and the rear surrounds provided the perfect amount of crowd noise to make you imagine you were right there in Austin. There were some nice special features included, as well, featuring footage from various personal appearances and promos, an introduction to Garza families, and a tour of their hometown of San Angelo, Texas. It will be interesting to see how Los Lonely Boys follow up their debut album and this fantastic DVD. I recommend adding a little harder edge to their next album, and then hittin' the road for a LONG time, because live is where these guys shine the brightest. Reviewed by Paul M. Roy - November 2004 |
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Running Time: 80 Minutes |
DVD Release Date - September 2004 |