Written by Samuel Barker

Apparently not a band to shy away from the scene of tragedy, The Black Lillies wasted almost no time heading back the Houston area after having all of their gear stolen back in February. The road giveth and the road taketh away, I presume they would say. I only presume because, surprisingly, the event was not mentioned once on this night.

My experience with The Black Lillies before this night was simply seeing their name in the ‘upcoming shows’ lists and, recently, in articles about the theft of their instruments. I simply drove to Tomball for the show to spend an evening with a dear friend and see some new music. I had no real expectations from the night. Of course, even the best laid plans can be disturbed…

From note one, The Black Lillies brought the music. Lead vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist, Cruz Contreras, told some stories about songs, introduced the band members a few times and offered some friendly banter on occasion, but The Black Lillies mostly let the music talk. Contreras and lead/harmony vocalist/guitarist/tambourine player, Trisha Gene Brady, melded together perfectly to create vocal moments that reminded me of Little Feat.

The band was tight as can be. Contreras alternated between acoustic guitar and keyboards within many songs. Guitarist, Daniel Donato, and pedal steel player, Matt Smith, weaved their leads in and out perfectly while the rhythm section of bassist, Bill Reynolds, and drummer, Bowman Townsend, kept the foundation solid.

I genuinely wish I had a working knowledge of their discography so I could break down which songs they played, but this was a whole new experience for me. Songs like 40 Days and 40 Nights and That’s The Way It Goes Down were tracks that stuck in my head long after the stage lights dimmed. The country-tinged rock n’ roll (heavy on the roll) made even those seated at the tables shake their butts in their seats.

As a person who took a leap on checking this band out, I can tell you there are worth the trip to the venue for a show. A lot of times an experience can make a show better, but this band just brought it from start to finish with strong lyrics, music that demanded movement and showmanship that comes from many miles on the road. Check out them out, you will not be sorry.