St. Patrick’s Day in Abilene, Texas, got a little dirty thanks to Them Dirty Roses stopping at Heff’s Burger Bar on their current tour. During the pandemic, I started photographing these guys in Austin, Texas. They played the iconic Antone’s Nightclub, and I have been a fan ever since. Hailing from Gadsden, Alabama, these guys are the real deal. The energy and talent they bring to their shows can’t be beaten.
Starting the show, The Stray Sons from Amarillo, Texas, started the party and ramped up the crowd. A newer band to the scene, these guys have a lot of potential. Their stage presence was fantastic, and you can tell they love what they are getting into.
Their set included new tunes they had been working on and covers that the crowd sang along to. They played two covers I really enjoyed. The first one was Ginuwine’s “Pony.” I’ve wanted a rock/country version of this song for years, and they nailed it. Super great rendition. The second was Dylan Wheeler’s “Bad Bitch.” It is one of my absolute favorite songs ever written. The band had a great rapport on stage and even had a Jack Daniel’s break to ensure the band was hydrated to finish the show.
Their original song, “Bigger Bitch” was a hit at Heff’s Burger Bar. Make sure to check it out on Spotify or where you download music. By the time The Stray Sons finished their set, the crowd was super rowdy and liquored up for Them Dirty Roses.
The Stray Sons:
Brad Sanders – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Jared Golden – Lead guitar
Trent Jones- Bass
Josh Grussendorf – Drums
Setlist:
1.) Blackwater Riff
2.) Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy
3.) Dirty Laundry
4.) Pride and Joy
5.) Baby I Ain’t/Pony
6.) Song I Can Drink To
7.) Bad Girl
8.) Hard Working Southern Man
9.) Tennessee Whiskey
10.) Outlaw
11.) Can’t You See
12.) Thunder Struck/Bad Bitch
13.) Bigger Bitch
14.) Falling Apart
15.) Blackwater
Them Dirty Roses have been traveling more and more frequently to Texas, opening for such bands as Whiskey Myers, Giovannie and The Hired Guns, and Cody Canada and The Departed. As a result, they have been steadily gaining a loyal fan base throughout the US, and with the energy they bring to their shows, you can’t help becoming an instant fan.
When Them Dirty Roses hit the stage, you better be ready. They go from 0 mph to 80 mph in about .03 seconds. They have this electric energy and immediately bring you to the South. While Lynyrd Skynyrd is present in their sound, they push it even harder with their guitar-heavy riffs and high-volume stage presence.
They started the show with “Grew Up In The Country,” an anthem for all kids growing up in a small town and being proud of it. Then, the boys continued to play their original songs, “Molly,” “Whiskey in My Cup,” “Good Life,” “You Can’t,” “Black Magic Lady,” and one of my favorite songs, “Sunday Drunk.”
To get the crowd more interactive, they played my absolute favorite song, “Hate Me.” When they say Fuck Me, the audience screams Fuck You. It is my favorite part of their live show; the audience always loves participating. They are so well composed but so raw at the same time. They can play a song as perfectly as it sounds on the record and then go into a full-on jam session the next second.
The boys finished their 19-song set right before Midnight with “Shake it.” The lights dimmed, they walked off stage, and Abilene, Texas, had their first experience with Them Dirty Roses. They will be back in Texas next month with shows in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and even an appearance at Larry Joe Taylor Festival. Get out and support these guys if they are visiting your area!
Them Dirty Roses:
James Ford – Vocals + Guitar
Andrew Davis – Guitar
Ben Crain – Bass
Frank Ford – Drums
Setlist:
1.) Intro
2.) Grew up in the Country
3.) Molly
4.) Whiskey in My Cup
5.) Sunday Drunk
6.) Highway My Home
7.) Good Life
8.) Fix You
9.) Back Home
10.) You Can’t
11.) Black Magic Lady
12.) Whipping Post
13.) Mississippi Queen
14.) Birmingham Steel
15.) Hate Me
16.) Cocaine & Whiskey
17.) Hits & Pills
18.) Holy Roller
19.) Shake It
Follow The Stray Sons Online:
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Hi!
I’m Jalys. Music and concert photographer located in Austin, TX. I graduated from Texas Tech University with a degree in Photocommunications. Pretty cool, right? An Instagram degree before Instagram was cool!
I enjoy traveling around Texas, and taking photos of bands and musicians. Texas has so many awesome venues, and I want to photograph any that I can. Music has always been a major part of my life, and while a student at Texas Tech, I knew that I wanted to specialize in music photography. I have lived in the Austin area for over twelve years and have been able to photograph so many cool bands. Let’s add yours to the list!
When I’m not photographing, I’m probably working at my day job as a University Recruiter for a manufacturing facility. I travel quite often for work and love visiting college campuses! I enjoy hanging out with my husband, our 3 dogs (Ryder, Carter, and Tucker), our adopted cat, Allie, and our families. Follow me on Instagram! You will get to see all the pet photos you can stomach. My handle is @j.bcaro.
