Music Clubs
Old-time conjunto in Premont, a polkaholic’s paradise near Frelsburg: Ten tuneful spots where you’ll want to strike up the band—and hit the dance floor.
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Henry’s, Liberty Hill
IN THE EARLY NINETIES HENRY’S WAS ONE of the coolest clubs in Austin, a North Burnet Road bar where scenesters lined up alongside locals to see up-and-coming country acts like Junior Brown and Mary Cutrufello. But owners James and Gayle Henry, who opened the place in 1981, lost their lease in 1992 and eventually left the city for greener pastures to the north. Two years ago the couple reopened the club, and while the locals don’t exactly line up to see country acts like Jan Tyson and Wild Country, James isn’t worried. “We’re gonna have music whether they like it or not,” he says. The new incarnation of Henry’s has the same ma-and-pa C&W feel as the original. The walls are covered with photos of past performers and fans. Whoever is playing chugs along through one of his own songs or a honky-tonk classic like “Night Life.” And more than likely James or Gayle, who books the bands, is sitting around one of the tables with a handful of friends, singing softly. It ain’t no good life, but it’s their life. 40 U.S. 183 North at the intersection of Texas Highway 29 (512-778-6918). Music: Thursdays and Fridays 8 p.m. to midnight, Saturdays 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. No cover.
Shorty’s, Elgin
DURING ONE SONG, THREE GENERATIONS of women do a somewhat choreographed line dance to a churning soul band. During the next, the guitar player salaciously plays his strings with his tongue for a woman at a table up front, who eventually puts her leg over his shoulder and then, when he leans a little closer, plays the strings with her tongue, eliciting whoops from the crowd. It’s Sunday night at Shorty’s, one stop on the chitlin circuit—the black club circuit of juke joints and rural bars that many thought was long dead. Old blues and soul veterans who had hits two, three, or four decades ago—Little Milton and Big Ike, Barbara Lynn and Lynn White, Vernon Garrett and Latimore—come here on Sunday (and some Friday) nights, though not every week. Shorty, a.k.a. William Russell, opened the club six years ago after running one in Luling for twelve years. His customers are mostly from Elgin and other Central Texas towns, like Bastrop, Smithville, and Taylor, though it’s hard to get them to come out more than twice a month. “I try to book music around people’s paydays,” he says. 111 S. Avenue C (512-281-5127). Music: most Sundays and some Fridays 8 p.m. to midnight. Cover: $10 to $15.
Sparkle Paradise, Bridge City
THE MIRRORED BALL DOESN’T WORK, the back wall is a tarp, and the ceiling is sagging above the makeshift bar, but nobody in the cozy room cares. Cajun Country Connection is playing, and the crowd is drinking, waltzing, and two-stepping. After years of darkness, the Golden Triangle’s legendary Sparkle Paradise is open again, at least on Saturday nights. Originally called B.O. Sparkle, the club burned down in the early fifties. C. G. “Tiny” Richardson rebuilt and renamed the establishment in 1958, giving it a dash of honky-tonk glamour. He booked cajun, country, zydeco, and R&B acts, including legends like Clifton Chenier, Fats Domino, and Freddy Fender, until the Paradise closed in the late eighties; it reopened again last February, managed by Tiny’s son Randy, who grew up around the club and began playing drums professionally in high school, many times at Paradise shows with touring artists like Domino. Today he plays saxophone and keyboards with Cajun Country Connection, while his wife, Linda, runs the bar. They’ve done a lot of work on the old building, and they may do more—“If we win the lottery,” Linda says with a laugh. For the moment they’re concentrating on expanding the music to Friday nights and Sunday afternoons. One of the acts Randy plans on booking is another band that he plays with, the Dowers Brothers, from Sulphur, Louisiana—which means he’ll be seeing even more familiar faces. “A lot of folks coming back to dance now are folks that I was playing for as a kid,” he says. 108 Texas Avenue (409-792-0269). Music: Saturdays 8 p.m. to midnight. Cover: $3 per person, $5 per couple.
Baca’s Saloon and Confectionary, Fayetteville
THE CLUB IS NEW BUT THE NAME IS OLD. The Baca’s Family Band, the first Czech band in Texas, was led by Frank Baca, who immigrated from Czechoslovakia in 1880; the group recorded for the Okeh, Columbia, and Brunswick labels in the early 1930’s. Then came his son’s group, Ray Baca’s Orchestra, and then his grandson’s group, Gil Baca’s Band. Gil toured for years (in 1972 he led the first band from Texas invited to Czechoslovakia under its communist regime) and backed up musicians like Hank Thompson. Then, in 1994, he opened Baca’s on the town square of his Central Texas hometown. Above the mirrored bar are old photos depicting generations of Bacas, and on the opposite wall are old Baca albums and an enlarged proclamation from Richard Nixon thanking Gil for playing his inauguration. Gil, a keyboard player, doesn’t tour much anymore; he plays the occasional picnic and festival and performs at Baca’s twice a month with Gil Baca’s Band. “We do Dixieland, cajun, country,” he says. “We get wild and put on a good show.” On the square (409-378-4911). Music: First and third Saturday of each month March through December, 8 p.m. to midnight (no music March 6). Cover: $2.
Hackemack’s Hofbrauhaus, Near Frelsburg
IT’S CALLED A STOMPFIDDLE. IT’S a kind of homemade tambourine-on-a-crutch, and the Jumping Lady, whose real name is Marilyn Monsavais, is banging it on the stage while Gene Hackemack, standing next to her in lederhosen, plays a button accordion and sings a song in German. When she picks up her own accordion, he pulls out a rake, which he whacks against a bench as he sings a rousing, set-closing version of “Beer Barrel Polka.” Who says German restaurants don’t have a sense of humor? Hackemack’s Hofbrauhaus is weird in an amiable way. The popular, comfortable little family restaurant has been around for twelve years, serving Wienerschnitzel and bratwurst to people in this German-Czech area of Central Texas. The walls are covered with posters of Deutschland and cutouts of happy Germans. The musicians come from as near as Sealy and as far as polka mecca Wisconsin. New owners Ed and Sharon Brown—who bought the place from Hackemack and his wife, Barbara, last year—say they’re trying to bring a five-piece German band to play soon. They also plan on doubling the size of the restaurant, adding a bed-and-breakfast, and building a beer garden with an outdoor pavilion. “But we won’t be changing the name,” Ed says. “People love this place.” One mile south of Frelsburg on FM 109 (409-732-6321). Music: Fridays and Saturdays 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Sundays 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. No cover.
Also Worth a Detour
Poodie’s Hilltop Bar and Grill, Spicewood—A newly renovated roadhouse west of Austin that plays host to the Willie Nation, those redneck mothers and country hippies who left the cities for the Hill Country. Willie’s longtime stage manager, Poodie Locke, is part owner; that’s why Willie has been known to show up unannounced and perform. Regularly scheduled acts include Billy Joe Shaver and locals like The Troubadillos. 22308 Texas Highway 71 West (512-264-0318). Music: Tuesday and Wednesday 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., Thursday through Saturday 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Cover: Rarely more than $5, sometimes none.
La Kiva, Terlingua—An underground restaurant and club in a trailer park. Singer-songwriters, low ceilings, high eccentricity factor. One and a half miles west of the intersection of FM170 and Texas Highway 118 in the Big Bend Travel Park (915-371-2250). Music: Wednesday through Friday 8 p.m. to midnight, Saturdays 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Cover: Usually none.
Yellow Rose Cattle Co., near Leona—Halfway between Dallas and Houston, in an Old West theme park created for anyone who ever wished Hollywood would keep making new versions of Lonesome Dove, is a club where locals scoot their boots to country bands like Blue Sky. Sit on the balcony and watch cowboys and cowgirls lasso steers in the corral next door. Exit 152 off Interstate 45 (903-344-3015). Music: Fridays 8 p.m. to midnight, Saturdays 8:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.. Cover: $3 temporary membership fee (the Rose is in a dry county).
Cypress Creek Cafe, Wimberley—The front room of this Hill Country spot is a comfy little restaurant, and out back is a clean, modern folk bar with a dance floor, a small stage, and music by folk and country acts (Kimberley Mcarver, Erik Moll) and the occasional rock and roller (Jimmy LaFave). 320 RR 12 (512-847-2515). Music: Fridays 8 p.m. to midnight, Saturdays 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Cover: $4 to $10.
Boots and Saddle Lounge, Opdyke—A country bar down by the railroad tracks in this tiny town east of Levelland. In addition to local bands from Lubbock, performers include national acts like Jody Nix and Gary Stewart and Texans like Austin’s Ponty Bone. 111 S. Barton Lane (806-894-9363). Music: some Fridays and Saturdays 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Cover: $5 to $10.
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