{"id":4778,"date":"2018-02-08T20:00:19","date_gmt":"2018-02-08T20:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/houstonmusicreview.com\/wordpress\/?p=4778"},"modified":"2018-02-27T11:47:04","modified_gmt":"2018-02-27T11:47:04","slug":"the-wide-open-firehouse-saloon-houston-tx-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/houstonmusicreview.com\/wordpress\/2018\/02\/08\/the-wide-open-firehouse-saloon-houston-tx-review\/","title":{"rendered":"The Wide Open – Firehouse Saloon – Houston, Tx. – Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by Eddie Ferranti<\/p>\n

\"020\"<\/a>Attending the Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (SWRFA) every September usually spawns new relationships and acts that caught our ear.\u00a0 One such act, The Wide Open, made our “Baker’s Dozen” of CD reviews in 2018.<\/p>\n

Here is a link to that coverage by our James Killen: SWRFA CD Reviews-2017<\/span><\/u><\/a>.<\/div>\n
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We were stoked when they contacted us about a full band gig coming to Houston in February.\u00a0 Come to find out “The Wide Open moniker” more than lived up to the band in more ways than one!<\/div>\n
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The LaGrange, Texas based band showed up with the dynamic married duo of Season Ammons on acoustic\/electric and Allen Rayfield on blues blasting mouth harp\/acoustic leading the way. This couple wears their love for one another on their sleeves and it is an infectious vibe for sure.\u00a0 Season left no stones unturned giving the background of their getting together and that was a part of the Wide Open reference early on.\u00a0 The lady is a people person big time.\u00a0The words honest and personal come to mind very quickly around\u00a0TWO. \u00a0The band they fronted consisted of another married duo of Scott Rockwood on\u00a0scorching electric and Shawn Hartung on keys, Heriberto Moreno thumping bass, and Roberto Padron pounding drums.\u00a0 The band evolved as is thru St.Louis to the Florida tourist\/music scene in 2011 and beyond.\u00a0The story is a winding one and better read on the TWO site. The Wide Open – About<\/span><\/u><\/a>.<\/div>\n
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\u00a0\"115\"<\/a>What happened the rest of the night was a\u00a0wide open\u00a0array of blues, rock, feel good ballads, and just bad ass Americana!\u00a0\u00a0Playing tunes from their\u00a0first album, “We’ll Get By”, plus the new one, “Long Road Home”, they mixed it up and let it rip!\u00a0 Stellar numbers included “Happy Song” which says it all about Season’s demeanor, “Hate the Way I Love You”, “Shut Your Mouth” and rolled into solo touching “I Never Knew” about when the couple first met.\u00a0 Early on it was a kaleidoscope of musical arrangements!\u00a0 “Walton County Jail” unleashed the blues major followed by the killer “No Good Reason Why” which stretched the barriers of Americana to pure foot stompin’ funk. The all over the board feel was refreshing and welcome to this first time reviewer of their full band talents.\u00a0 New Orleans classic, Busker”, with lyrics “we are all art pieces walking around with a suitcase full of dreams.” Cool beans.<\/div>\n
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TWO shifted back to mushy love with smooth “Rainy Day Serenade” and “Raining in Memphis from the new disc.\u00a0 Ammons has some get-your-attention pipes and Rayfield’s in your face fiery gorilla stomp style rocks live believe me. The band bent over backwards thanking the vocal crowd for coming to see a small fish in the big pond of Houston.\u00a0 Song about seriousness of suicide, “Not My Father’s Son” was touching along with closer “We’ll Get By” easing us out the door..\u00a0 Judging by the care free love attitude they exude and confident delivery from a big stage, I am betting this gig will be seen again by Houston Music Review and hopefully a lot more folks around the country.\u00a0 At this writing they had a nice run at Folk Alliance International and their new CD is catching ears nationally!\u00a0 Try them on for size will ya?!<\/div>\n
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Eddie “Edge” Ferranti<\/p>\n

Senior Editor<\/p>\n

Houston Music Review<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Written by Eddie Ferranti Attending the Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (SWRFA) every September usually spawns new relationships and acts that caught our ear.\u00a0 One such act, The Wide Open, made our “Baker’s Dozen” of CD reviews in 2018. Here is a link to that coverage by our James Killen: SWRFA CD Reviews-2017. We were stoked… <\/p>\n

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