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Bass Performance Hall in Ft. Worth, Texas has been recognized as being one of the premier opera houses in the world, and until this night I had never been inside. I had admired the view from the outside, too embarrassed to enter such a work of art. But it is not until you are inside that you can really get an understanding of what architecture can be about. You are in a world of marble and glass that leaves you breathless. Inside the chamber (a fancy word for auditorium I was to learn) there is multi-tiered sitting, private boxes, and a domed ceiling that features one of the most unique paintings I have ever seen. Fluffy clouds on a bed of baby blue appear to float by as you sit in wonder. After taking all of this in I went to the lobby to get something to drink and wait for the concert to start. It was country come to town. From cowboys in tuxedos to roughnecks in T-shirts, boots to sneakers, gowns to halter-tops, I saw it all. This was DEFINITELY a Bruce and Charlie Robison show, and you could tell which brother people were there to see. The lobby started to fill so I went back into the chamber to study the stage some more. One table, two stools, three microphones, four guitars, and five monitors were all that was on stage. The ceiling above the stage was a staggered wall of what looked like a wooden, gently sloping W. Being the uneducated type that I am, I assume it was for better acoustics. At exactly eight o'clock, Justin Frizzell from 99.5 the Wolf in Dallas came out to make the introductions. Justin is the host of The Front Porch, a weekly show featuring the best in Texas music, and was the person responsible for getting Max the opportunity to open the program. Walking onto such an empty stage with one spotlight and 2000 people focused on you can't be an easy thing to do, and it appeared to me that Max was extremely nervous when he began. An exaggerated silence filled the room until the tension was broken by a joke from Max. "I didn't get this job due to my height, did I?" he asked someone in the wings, and the crowd reacted with a polite laugh. Max, Bruce, and Charlie are all tall guys, but to me it was even more uncomfortable afterwards since I don't think most people there were familiar with who Max is. That was about to change. Starting off with "Might Have Been In Austin" from his Comfort In the Curves CD, Max shared with the audience some of his best work, including "I-35", "Blue Eyes", and a new one called "Ain't Falling In Love With You Tonight". I think the highlight of the set was when Max asked us all to picture ourselves around a really big campfire, with a couple of thousand friends, and a really kick ass sound system, and he played the song "Sparks", about a lonely old cowboy reflecting on his situation. The applause grew louder after each song as the crowd reacted to just how good he really is. The storytelling, the imagination, the voice, and the presence...it all comes through when Max Stalling is on stage. When Max concluded his all too short set, there was a 20-minute intermission. I left the chamber to go see how Max's merchandise was selling and to hear some of the crowd's response to what they saw. The reaction was overwhelming. People rushed to the table to see who and what this guy was all about. I kept hearing folks refer to different songs that moved them, but all in all I would say Max's performance was a major sensation. Anticipation was high when Bruce and Charlie walked on stage, and it was to a standing ovation. They both had an "Aw, shucks...is this for me?" kind of grin on their faces, but you could tell they were eating it up. Bruce kicked it off with "Rayne, Louisiana", and for the next two hours the brothers Robison traded song after song. All of their hits, including Bruce's "Travelin' Soldier", "Angry All the Time", "What Would Willie Do", and Charlie's "Sunset Boulevard", "Barlight", " Loving County", and "The Wedding Song". The crowd loved every minute of it, especially the brotherly banter between songs. The teasing, laughing, and trash talking was what you would expect from siblings on stage, and it gave the crowd an intimate look at how these two love and respect each other. Although you might have expected guests like Kelly Willis or Natalie Maines, it was Jack Ingram who joined the guys on stage near the end of the show. The crowd was not expecting this and it set off a chain reaction of applause and cheering. Ingram joined the brothers for two songs, "Funny How Time Slips Away" from Willie Nelson, and "Biloxi", one of Jack's original tunes. At this point all three guys left the stage, but the crowd's cheering persuaded Bruce and Charlie to come out and do an encore. These guys have been playing music with each other since they were kids, and it gives them both a chance to show off their talents with the other knowing exactly how to accompany in just the right way. Charlie is a very good guitar player, and Bruce keeps up with him just fine. I find that I love older brother Charlie's voice with Bruce's lyrics. There is something about that smoky, growling type of expression mixed with the often gentle and sad words from Bruce that blends well. When the show was over Bruce, Charlie, and Max were all on
hand to sign autographs and accept the congratulations from the
enthusiastic crowd. Merchandise, booze, and good times were flowing,
and the crowd was happy. The show was a success by any definition
of the word. Contact David Miller at miller-at-rockzilla.net |
When I first heard
that Bruce and Charlie Robison were going to be playing Bass
Hall for an acoustic concert I thought... wow... that's going
to be one hell of a show. And when I found out Max Stalling was
going to open for them I knew the night was going to be truly
special. For anyone who missed it, please accept my apologies,
you missed an exceptionally memorable evening.
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