{"id":3172,"date":"2016-09-10T20:00:07","date_gmt":"2016-09-10T20:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/houstonmusicreview.com\/wordpress\/?p=3172"},"modified":"2016-10-25T10:34:31","modified_gmt":"2016-10-25T10:34:31","slug":"brian-whelen-mcgonigels-mucky-duck-houston-tx-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/houstonmusicreview.com\/wordpress\/2016\/09\/10\/brian-whelen-mcgonigels-mucky-duck-houston-tx-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Brian Whelan – McGonigel’s Mucky Duck – Houston, TX – Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by Eddie Ferranti<\/p>\n

\"garbage-and-brian-whelan-2016-090\"<\/a>Covering live music has become such a pleasure for Rose and myself over the last 20+ years. You get to see different personalities every time that can either get your attention or just move on and basically pass for the future.\u00a0 Brian Whelan happens to be in the former category.\u00a0 The Seattle native who calls LA his home has become somewhat of a regular to the underrated Houston music scene and fits just fine.<\/p>\n

Supporting his latest release, Sugarland, he had a stellar trio of mates backing him up from old buddy Mike Stinson\u2019s band. They originally met in LA when Stinson brought him aboard with vets Tony Gilkyson and Randy Weeks where\u00a0 Whelan states :\u00a0 \u201cI kind of became the kid in that whole group Mike ran with.\u201d\u00a0 Well he now is leading the way after having the stones to quit a lucrative gig playing in Dwight Yoakum\u2019s band to go out on his own.\u00a0 Mark Riddell plays in multiple bands and holds down the bass and backing vocals, Lance Smith is a bonafide stud on electric guitar who seems to get better every time we see him and as BW told me Mike Stinson on drums \u201cWho holds it all together for us!\u201d<\/p>\n

From the opening lid lifter of Sam the Sham and the Pharoah\u2019s \u201cWooley Booley\u201d, this gig was destined to be a hard core jam rock thang! \u201cEvery Tear I Cry\u201d emphasized early on the trade off of electrical sparks between BW and LS.\u00a0 Two back-to-back cuts from latest CD rocked, \u201cThe Bottom\u201d and \u201cGo Dancing\u201d, with Whelen portraying rock star with his lips and chin all over the mike delivering major in this killer venue.<\/p>\n

\"garbage-and-brian-whelan-2016-120\"<\/a> The rock roadhouse feel kept rollin\u2019 on the Rolling Stones\u2019 classic \u201cHappy\u201d which made the enthusiastic crowd just that as Smith shredded.\u00a0 Just when you thought the tempo could not get any higher they ripped into Stinson\u2019s own \u201cMay Have To Do It\u201d where BW proclaimed \u201cAll I know is more boogie-oogie!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Epic.\u00a0 Patsy Cline\u2019s \u201cI Fall to Pieces\u201d ruled followed by \u201cHigh and Lonesome\u201d\u00a0 from his unsung debut Decider that he says he never plays, but sure did tonight with Stinson blastin\u2019 the devil out of the skins!<\/p>\n

Yet another cover, Warren Zevon\u2019s \u201cEcho Park\u201d where Whelen once lived, fit very nicely. It is obvious Whelen has honed his chops and learned a lot from his early tuteledge with Stinson and Yoakum to step out as a long haired front man deluxe.\u00a0 The closing foursome of monster solid rock \u201cAmericana\u201d, title cut \u201cSugarland\u201d (where his wife is from),\u00a0 Stinson\u2019s\u00a0 sleazy \u201cTake Out The Trash\u201d and smooth as silk encore of Willie Nelson\u2019s \u201cBlue Eyes Cryin\u2019 in the Rain\u201d exhausted the crowd with appreciation!\u00a0 I\u2019ll leave you with yet another quote by Brian that makes me admire his guts even more: \u201cI\u2019m also getting to that age where I have to go for it or give up the dream.\u00a0 I\u2019ve got to give it a shot before I have kids or get fat or get comfortable.\u201d\u00a0 This dude is a keeper.\u00a0 Come back please and boogie oogie anytime\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Written by Eddie Ferranti Covering live music has become such a pleasure for Rose and myself over the last 20+ years. You get to see different personalities every time that can either get your attention or just move on and basically pass for the future.\u00a0 Brian Whelan happens to be in the former category.\u00a0 The… <\/p>\n

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