Grand Stafford Theater

Craft Beer & Cocktail Tuesday
2016-01-12 16:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago) | TX
Join us for great craft beer and cocktails starting at 4:30.

Craft Beer & Cocktails Tuesday
2016-01-19 16:30 - 21:00
Join us starting at 4:30 for great craft beer and cocktails.

Software Developers Cartel
2016-01-19 18:30 - 20:30
SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS CARTEL – BRIGHT MINDS FROM CENTRAL TEXAS
An on-going series of Mini-conferences and meetups about current trends, methods and frameworks in software development – from new advanced hardware devices to a simple app, using an awesome framework to build a web app in no time or hacking an AR Drone in javascript. Developers having fun practicing their craft, and learning new stuff.
Our purpose is to create a space where developers form can come and share their professional and personal experiences with any technology available. By sharing this experience, we hope to create, maintain and grow a community of curious and passionate developers while fostering and promoting best practices in software development and dev frameworks/tools.
This month we have two very special presentations. Texas Instruments, NASA JSC-Control and Data Handling Branch, T STAR, the Electronic Systems Engineering Technology Program (ESET), and DVDT, the capstone team from Texas A&M’s ESET Program, will present Modular Integrated Stackable Layers (MISL): A fast way to do rapid product development!
Based on a generous gift from Texas Instruments, the ESET Program will be procuring a number of the most popular MISL Architecture Layers in quantities that will significantly reduce the cost associated with a “starter kit” (Power, Intelligence, Communications, Breakout) of these space qualified, rack-and-stack printed circuit boards. By “stacking” the layers, software developers can be developing and testing code on day one. This talk will provide a background on the MISL Architecture, how it is being supported through the NASA/ESET development partnership, the TI support of the propagation of the technology to hi-reliability environments, the use of the architecture in project such as T-SAT and the plan to support the deployment of the kits by ESET.
We are also very fortunate to have doctoral student Ryan N. Bledsoe and her husband, Julian Peterson, traveling from Dallas to present “Making Music with E-Textiles.” Microcontrollers and conductive fiber make embedding sound and light into textile projects possible. Creating e-textile music instruments allows many new ways for people of all ages to interact with sound. Join us as we talk about our projects and the implications for music making, coding, and design.
Presentations start at 6:30pm (doors open at 4:30pm)
Official Website: http://softwaredeveloperscartel.com

Rob Baird w/ Erick Willis
2016-01-21 20:00 - 22:00
Doors open at 7PM
Music begins at 8PM
Rob Baird

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1ii4n3xRTY

Rob Baird is a thinker, a seeker, a man who surveys the scene, decides what he aims to accomplish and sets it in motion. Sure, over the past five years the Memphis-born musician, who broke out with 2012’s critically-acclaimed “I Swear It’s The Truth” and built a dedicated fanbase as a result, steadily earned a reputation as a no-frills, earnest singer, songwriter and performer — one able to tear through the Texas live-music circuit with ease.
But Baird envisioned for himself a fuller artistic landscape. “I love Texas, but I knew there was more out there,” the 28-year-old says. It’s why he temporarily stepped off the stage, decamped to Nashville and began to assemble Wrong Side of The River, the musician’s most eclectic and elegant, crisp and stunning collection of songs yet. “It was time for me to go out there and figure it out on my own; hit the reset button,” he says.

Erick Willis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBv2FBp7edI
In a time when many artists are striving to find their identity, Erick Willis is slowly leaving his mark on the scene, with a personality that is true and not just a stage persona. Taking cues from the music he was raised on Erick is blending soulful melodic lyrics, with the deep groove of roots-rock and as his lyric says, “with some of the harder stuff.” Showcasing a smooth voice with an excellent upper register, uniquely gravely at times, and always pleasant to the ear, Erick is bringing lots of soul to the mix, along with undeniably Texas inspired lyrics.

Slowlikefire w/ Above It All, With Bright Lights & On to Omaha
2016-01-22 18:00 - 22:00
Doors open at 5:30pm
Music begins at 6pm
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

Slowlikefire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3JjKC0DL3U
Slowlikefire was born out of necessity. All the members came from now defunct mainstay bands in the San Antonio music scene. This time, they had a plan on how to do it correctly. The songs had to be heart-felt and passionate, and the recordings had to be immaculate. The band started in February 2013 and, by August of that same year, they released their debut, “Thieves by Nature,” with the riveting “My Name is Billie Jean Davy” quickly gaining airplay on 99.5 KISS and internet radio. Their sound is a mix of everything they love about music. You will hear them compared to The Cure, Incubus, Thursday, Coheed and Cambria, but the sound is all their own.
Slowlikefire has opened up for Glassjaw, Stolas, Hail the Sun, and A Lot Like Birds, and they played at River City Rockfest 2014 along with Deftones, Kid Rock, Five Finger Death Punch, and Nothing More.
In May 2015, Slowlikefire will release their first full length “City of Echoes.”
Jojo Badillo: Vocals
Lalo Rodriguez: Bass
Nicholas Ochoa: Drums
David Monzon: Guitars
Jaime Monzon: Guitars

Above It All

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWPzYRg1rp8
Three chords and the truth? What is it without the truth? There’s a good bet it means nothing to a kid at the front of the stage. ABOVE IT ALL is different. It’s a groove with air to breathe, driven by rich intensity.
Out front for ABOVE IT ALL are the guitars and vocals of Reece Clark and Josh Roa-Martinez. For Reece, with seven solid years of stellar songwriting and performing across the southwest, this 17-year old phenom is primed to explode. Josh has been writing great music and touring across the U.S. for nearly a decade. This duo is a music powerhouse! The foundation for ABOVE IT ALL is behind the kit with the recent addition of JoJo Campbell. He produces the thunder from the back of the stage!
An amazing sight is when fans are drawn in by the honest and emotional lyrics that ABOVE IT ALL weaves into their songs. The power of music is when fans of all ages can’t turn away from a significant memory in the making.
From ZZ Top to Pantera, and dozens of highly successful bands in between, Texas has always been known on the music scene as THE place where hard driving rock music found its groove. With ABOVE IT ALL, heavy pop punk rises up with groove-based, edgy songs that feature pristine tones and powerful lyrics. Music that reaches out to find you, right where you live.
ABOVE IT ALL brings a great music history, as our members hail from other successful acts — touring across the U.S., as wells playing major festivals including, South By So What?!, LifeLight Festival, Wildflower Festival, Real Texas Festival, as well as Six Flags Over Texas.
We have also shared the stage with some of the top bands on the scene including, Sleeping with Sirens, Memphis May Fire, Breathe Carolina, Crown The Empire, Hawthorne Heights, Our Last Night, I See Stars, Issues, Augustana, and Emery, among many others.
With Bright Lights
http://www.withbrightlights.com/
With Bright Lights is a band based on our views of current times, each song is a story told through melodic rhythms, powerful tones, and inspiring vocals. With Bright Lights aspires to encompass Rock in all of its aspects by blending the many sub genres while still keeping a mainstream sound.
On to Omaha
On To Omaha started as a few guys jamming in a bedroom and they haven’t stopped evolving since.
Based out of Orlando, On To Omaha is a three-piece band that consistently pushes the envelope of Hard Rock. With soaring guitar riffs and melodic vocals, their songs and live performances have only one goal:
Push Music Forward.
They released their first EP in September of 2014 and received overwhelming support. That EP, Human, was written with each song telling it’s own story of the human experience. After being filling up local venus and being booked as local support for some large national acts (Saving Abel, Norma Jean, Emery) in their hometown, they decided to work on a new project. This time they wanted to create a full, immersive story that spanned the entire set of songs. In addition, we wanted to involve another style of art that would allow a wider audience to enjoy the story and create a fuller and more comprehensive narrative. The idea turned in to “The Tourist” and is currently in production and is being release as each chapter is finished.
More information about On To Omaha, and “The Tourist” can be found at their website: OnToOmaha.com

The Honey Dewdrops w/ Landon McGee
2016-01-23 20:00 - 22:00
THE HONEY DEWDROPS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th1j-hWoxXI
“…songwriting that strives to honor the simplicity of its forebears.”
– UTNE MONTHLY READER
“Their talent is such that it’s quite possible that a new band recording in the year 2020 might cite the Honey Dewdrops as a prime influence.”
– BLUEGRASS UNLIMITED MAGAZINE
“The Dewdrops have something unique and oftimes mesmerizing recommending them in their plaintive harmonies, easygoing rhythms, evocative arrangements, well-crafted original songs, and a genuine approach…”
— DAVID MCGEE, THE BLUEGRASS SPECIAL

In the summer of 2014, after a long stretch of living on the road, performing, and writing across the U.S., Americana songwriters and Virginia natives Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish, collectively known as The Honey Dewdrops, decided to settle down in Baltimore, MD. “Touring is like collecting images of landscapes, sounds of voices, contents of stories, moods of places and environments,” says Wortman. “All of that can be useful. It tells you something about human nature, about how the world works, little by little.” And so the couple took their experiences on the road, and dug in to write and record their fourth album, Tangled Country, in their new home. It’s a beautiful and engaging take on modern American roots music and the first album of theirs entirely written, arranged, and recorded in one place; a testament to the power of home.
Excellently produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by Nicholas Sjostrom, who also joins The Honey Dewdrops on bass, piano, and Wurlitzer, the songs, all original compositions by Wortman and Parrish, tell stories that engage and resonate in a delicately creative way, blurring the line between narrative and prose. Wortman tells a story about a machine shop across the street from their house when they first moved to Baltimore. “Constant noise from power tools and what sounded like metal hammers banging out the shapes of giant steel swords, and with the regular hum of the city and traffic moving up and down the street, this took some getting used to.” But then they noticed the times, sometimes lasting only seconds, sometimes hours, “where everything came to a stop, slowed down, quieted, like everything was paused.” This became the basis for Tangled Country’s closing tune and only instrumental track, “Remington,” as they tried to capture the feeling of “playing tunes together on the porch in those hushed moments in between” when the world seemed to have come to rest.
The closeness of sound and the musical compatibility that The Honey Dewdrops possess is unmistakeable. On Tangled Country, each share vocals and guitars, augmented by Parrish’s mandolin and Wortman’s work on banjo and harmonica. “I think it comes from spending a lot of time together and knowing the inner workings of each other creatively,” say Wortman. And while comparisons to the music of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings are inevitable here, that’s because there’s something to this marriage of matrimony and music. Wortman and Parrish’s musical chemistry is so vivid here in recorded form that it’s not surprising to learn that their live performances are often described as “mesmerizing,” “evocative,” and “genuine.” The culmination of three years of writing and arranging, Tangled Country captures and communicates this as the duo weave dynamics and harmonies from one track to another, proving that The Honey Dewdrops bear the mark of musical maturity – in performance, arrangement, and songwriting.
Throughout Tangled Country, Wortman and Parrish perform as if the most honorable thing to be is honest in themselves. In the song “Guitars,” Wortman’s voice considers the long lineage of songwriters and stewards of the American roots tradition: “We are born unto our own, sapling seeds from old growth…many hands and many years gone…everyone with a song to teach, some sing pain, some sing peace.” But through this long convergence of tradition and history, the chorus makes clear the binding factor: “Sing we all true songs / We sing them right, we sing them wrong / Tuned up tightly and passed along / Like old guitars, we breathe songs.” Tangled Country bears witness to The Honey Dewdrops’ simply being themselves, stewards of the Americana tradition, having seen the world and grown a little older and now finally come home.

LANDON MCGEE

Landon McGee was Grand Stafford Theater’s first Musician in Residence during the summer of 2015. A singer-songwriter who hails from Central Texas, he spent time in Bryan last summer performing and honing his craft. His first album, “Kite”, is inspired by birds as a metaphor for human life, namely, the life of the soul. While it’s true that much of our time is spent eating and sleeping and trudging, our deepest life, the life of the soul, happens in narrative arcs that are not unlike the flight patterns of birds. Landon creates much of his music in the confine of a dorm room, after numerous quiet hours spent alone. Landon’s shared musical journey has just begun to take flight – don’t miss it.

Beautiful Eulogy w/Seeker and Servant
2016-01-24 19:30 - 22:00
BEAUTIFUL EULOGY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9SNpWFU4_w
Beautiful Eulogy is a Portland, Oregon-based group made up of artists Braille, Odd Thomas, and Courtland Urbano. The group introduces a distinct and directive sound that’s driven by a desire to worship and glorify the God of the Bible, based in the context of its members’ hip-hop roots and shaped by influences like electronic music, folk songs and old hymns.
The natural way Beautiful Eulogy came together parallels its organic creative process. As its members cooperated on various musical and church-related projects, they realized their chemistry and the opportunity before them to form a completely collaborative group that would emphasize a new gestalt — one that would allow them to steer away from a pure hip-hop trajectory while holding onto its origins, and that would free them from the courses of their solo careers while applying their individual talents to a collective. “We’re reinventing ourselves together,” the group says. Its members enjoy their creative freedom within self-imposed boundaries, by predefining their work’s message, sound and purpose.
This type of intentionality is central to the way Beautiful Eulogy creates songs, settling on concepts and driving them through a process and reprocess of musical and lyrical shaping. The resulting tracks are lyric-driven, but contain an equally deliberate musical backdrop. This panorama enhances and clarifies the presentation of weighty spiritual and theological truths, inviting listeners into the artists’ ideas about and experiences of God. Listeners may have first heard Beautiful Eulogy on Rapzilla’s King Kulture compilation, or featured on “Misconceptions,” a track from Lecrae’s Church Clothes mixtape. Beautiful Eulogy’s debut album, Satellite Kite, serves as a foundational prototype of the group’s approach and ambition.
SEEKER AND SERVANT
Seeker & Servant strives to make deep worship music from their hearts for the glorification of Jesus Christ. Their sole purpose is to proclaim the Gospel through their music, a goal well achieved with their newest album “You Alone Forever” released late in 2015.
Seeker & Servant is Cameron, Chandler, and Kody. They hail from Jackson, MS. Cameron and Kody are both married. Cameron has two children. The band spends their time filming, doing graphic design, and producing music. They are active in their local church and lead worship for the congregation from time to time. Their main heartbeat is to bring glory to God in whatever they do and to be obedient to wherever God would have them.

Craft Beer & Cocktails Tuesday
2016-01-26 16:30 - 21:00
Join us beginning at 4:30 for great craft beers and cocktails.

Texas Music Pickers presents Jake Worthington and Shotgun Rider with Brad Gomez
2016-01-28 20:30 - 23:00
Doors at 7:30PM
Music begins at 8:30PM

Our friends at Texas Music Pickers are coming back on January 28, and they’re bringing a fantastic lineup with them!

Jake Worthington

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVqZ9ENa390

At only 19 years old, Jake Worthington has accomplished more than some artists dream to achieve over the course of a career. In 2014, Jake was named runner-up on Season 6 of the hit NBC show, “The Voice.” During his competition, Jake released two songs that reached the Top 20 on Billboard Heatseekers. His cover of Richard Marx’s “Right Here Waiting” hit #14 & his remake of Keith Whitley’s “Don’t Close Your Eyes” went to #17. These songs also reached the Top 15 on Billboard Country Top Digital Downloads. But perhaps the most impressive of the feats was when Jake’s rendition of the Bryan Adam’s hit song “Heaven” reached #3 on Billboard Country Top Digital Songs.

Following his success from the show Jake joined the other finalists on The Voice National Tour, where they played some of the largest venues and arenas in some of the biggest cities in the US.
Success from The Voice has led to a social media presence that reaches nearly 250,000 total people across the world, resulting in numerous YouTube videos with over 1 million views each.
In October 2015, Jake released his debut EP of original songs. The EP reached #6 Billboard South Central, #16 Billboard Heatseekers, and #44 Billboard Country Albums.

Shotgun Rider

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6hCHonc4O4
Shotgun Rider is Logan Samford and Anthony Enriquez.
The two came together a year ago as part of the band Seven Miles South. After the band broke up, Logan and Anthony ventured out on thier own.
With Logan’s amazingly unique vocals and Anthony’s strong songwriting talent, they are destined to make a mark on the Texas music scene.
In a very short time, they gained the attention of music executive Alex Torrez. A Texan himself now living in Nashville, Torrez has assembled a strong team to take Shotgun Rider to the next level.
With the strength of talent agency William Morris Endeavor, Maverick Entertainment, NYC Tech company Section 101, and Sony’s power house distributor The Orchard, the sky’s the limit for Shotgun Rider.
Shotgun Rider and Torrez recently went in the studio in to produce their first EP, scheduled for release in March 2015!

Brad Gomez

Electric Astronaut, Second Runner Up, A Deathbed Promise, and Forever Today
2016-01-30 20:45
Doors open at 8PM
Music starts at 8:45PM
TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE
Second Runner Up

SRU is pop/rock band out of Austin/Houston which features former members of B/CS metal band “Behold The Great Throne.” For fans of: The Story So Far, letlive., Four Year Strong, Knuckle Puck

Electric Astronaut
Electric Astronaut is a four piece band out of College Station Tx. With rock roots and Game of Thrones influences Electric Astronaut shows are something to see. Up coming Album release June of 2015. Stay tuned my friends.

A Deathbed Promise
http://www.reverbnation.com/adeathbedpromise
We are a rock band from Bryan, TX.

Forever Today
Alternative/rock band from Bryan/College Station, Texas.

Craft Beer & Cocktails Tuesday
2016-02-02 16:30 - 23:00
Join us for craft beer and handcrafted cocktails – mixing starts at 4:30!

Startup Aggieland 3rd Birthday Party and First Look
2016-02-03 18:00 - 21:00
It’s been 3 years since Startup Aggieland officially opened on Jan. 24, back when their space was an old server room. Since then, through creative “sourcing” of surplus materials, we’ve managed to upgrade our facility into a trendy business accelerator! (Remember us when: http://today.tamu.edu/2013/01/22/startup-aggieland-texas-ams-first-business-accelerator-is-by-students-for-students/) It’s been a long, strange entrepreneurial journey but our destination is on the horizon and our future is bright!!!
To celebrate, please join us at Grand Stafford Theater on Feb. 3 for our inaugural First Look at Startup Aggieland’s 2016 Cohort. VIP seating is available near stage for sponsors and our official mentors. VIPs get special name badges and other perks! Come meet our current startups and former clients; our awesome mentors and our sponsors; and our dedicated faculty. We hope to see all of our supporters at this celebration and our students from every program affiliated with Startup Aggieland, powered by the Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship at Mays.
We’ve kept our 2016 roster a secret for the past 30 days but be ready to be “Wowed” by these ventures and their founders. Our community can support the best and brightest that Texas A&M educates and the educators who commercialize technologies. Thank-you to our many sponsors and the local business support for Startup Aggieland. We “Make it Happen” for BCS and for our students, as well as students in Blinn College and even other schools like UT-San Antonio, UT, TAMU-SA and TAMU-CC. Good Kharma comes around and it’s coming to this town. We are stoked to be a part of building a better world!
FREE and open to the general public. Food & Beverages served. To sponsor, contact Startup Aggieland Marketing Coordinator Shelly Brenckman: startupaggieland@tamu.edu

Let the Laughter Roll Tour with Cowboy Bill Martin and Chad Prather
2016-02-04 20:00 - 22:00
Join us for a night of comedy at Grand Stafford Theater featuring Cowboy Bill Martin and Chad Prather.
NOTE: 18 and older only. Show contains adult language and content.
VIP Tickets include:
– Backstage pass
– Meet & Greet with Cowboy Bill and Chad
– Pictures taken
– Free Signed Tour Poster
– Choice seats
Doors: 7:00
Show: 8:00

Free First Friday ft. Kimberly Dunn w/Landon Evans Band and Larry Hooper
2016-02-05 20:00 - 23:00
For our Free First Friday show in February we welcome back to Aggieland Miss Kimberly Dunn ’14! The first thing that gets you about this dynamic country singer is her friendly and spunky personality. Then, when she starts strumming her guitar and singing in a country voice both tender and powerful, you’re hooked.
That’s what happened to Scott Willson and Will Harrison of Up and Out Artists in November 2010. The managers met San Antonio native Dunn backstage at a Battle of the Bands contest at Texas A&M, where Dunn was a senior.
“We had a great talk about music,” says Dunn, who had played alto sax in the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, but longed for a career singing her own songs. Harrison remembers thinking that “if her music has as much charisma as she does personally, she’ll really have something.”
The only solo acoustic contestant out of 30 acts in the Battle, Dunn walked onstage with confidence, kicked off her high heels with a laugh and started into a guitar riff, as she stomped out a rhythm on the stage’s hollow floor. It was only her fourth live performance as a singer-songwriter (the first three were the preliminary rounds) and yet Dunn had an instant hold on the audience. She ended up winning the contest.
“We knew from the first downbeat that we wanted to get involved with Kimberly,” says Harrison, who also works as an engineer at Ray Benson’s Bismeaux Recording Studio in Austin. Dunn recorded her debut EP, One Foot Over The Other, at Bismeaux, with Harrison producing.
Everything seems to be happening fast, but it’s going according to a plan Dunn conceived while attending Northside Health Careers High School, a magnet school in San Antonio. Dunn wanted to be a veterinarian at a young age, but after seeing Eric Johnson in concert when she was 13, and buying a guitar the next day, she switched her long-term goal to a music career.
“I decided that I would concentrate on graduating from A&M where her parents and two sisters also attended, and then I would spend the next years pursuing music full time.” Dunn graduated August 14, her 23rd birthday, with a degree in agricultural leadership and a minor in music, and is ready to make her mark on Texas Country.
Her calling card to the male-dominated scene, which some call “red dirt music,” is a bittersweet yet feisty song about the healing powers of music called “Randy Rogers.” In it, Dunn looks back on a romance gone sour and recalls the music of that once-blissful time. Besides Rogers, others mentioned in the catchy chorus include Eli Young Band, Granger Smith and Stoney LaRue.
“I wrote that song about some of the Texas Country artists I had come to love during a certain time in my life and to be able to meet them and play shows with some of them just blows me away,” she says.
Dunn has opened shows for Smith, as well as Kyle Park and Aaron Watson. She also guests with Wichita Falls singer Johnny Cooper on his next single “Movin’ On,” soon to be released to Texas Country charts.
“When you think about how far Kimberly has come in just a year from her first gig, you realize that, yes, musical talent has a lot to do with it,” says Willson. “But it’s also because Kimberly is so much fun, such a force of nature. People want to be around her.”
But Dunn seeks complete seclusion when she writes songs. “I like to have my time with my songs before I give them to everybody else,” she says. Building her material on the melody, she sometimes starts off on harmonica and moves to mandolin. She’ll record her ideas on her iPhone but won’t play them for anyone until she feels that they’re complete. “I’ve always been that way with songwriting,” she says. “I have to develop the songs on my own.”
During her earliest performances, she was billed by the name Kimberly Sue, but she dropped the Sue when her songs and performing style started drawing comparisons to fellow Texas Country singer Sunny Sweeney.
She had thought about calling herself Kimberly Sparrow but saw a possible problem. “I’m a huge fan of Sheryl Crow,” she says with a laugh at what she’s about to say next. “I had a fantasy of one day performing a duet with her, and if Kimberly Sparrow and Sheryl Crow sang together, there’d be some bird jokes for sure.”
Dunn is a family name from her mother’s side. “One day I saw a sign for Dunn Road.” Young, spunky, bold, ready. Kimberly Dunn. Sounds just about right.

Landon Evans Band

The Landon Evans Band was formed in 2014 in College Station, Texas, by students at Texas A&M University. The first live performance experience for most of the group, they soon developed a passion for the music that drove them to hone their craft and gig relentlessly in local biker bars, dance halls, dives, and anywhere their music could be shared. What they lacked in experience they made up for in enthusiasm, and it wasn’t long before crowds were enamored by this young group of musicians with talent beyond their age.
Now in their second year, LEB has found a style that many true country music fans long for: tradition honky-tonk sounds with the energy and excitement of a group of men all under the age of 23. Influenced by the likes of classic cowboy music heroes such as Merle Haggard, Chris LeDoux, and George Strait with a generous helping of the Texas flair present in their contemporaries Jason Boland & The Stragglers, Aaron Watson, and the Cody Johnson Band, this group is taking their music on the road and soon the radio. After completing their debut recording with Tate Music in Oklahoma City early in 2015, the album released in October 2016 to audiences eagerly awaiting the next chapter in the band’s fast rising story.

Larry Hooper

If wit is the ability to intelligently express sly observations of daily life, then Larry Hooper is wit. His songs demonstrate a keen eye, attention to detail, and the charm to draw the listener in with the startlingly fresh insight they bring to his tales of real life. A husband, a father, and a feeder of many pets, this is the fodder for the heartfelt, everyman songwriting of Larry Hooper.
Larry was raised in Palestine, TX and steeped in the sounds surrounding him, his cousin’s bluegrass band, a well-stocked family record collection, and the rich songwriting legacy that all Texans inherit.
While maintaining a balance between his family, work, and music, Larry has recorded 3 albums and plays over 100 shows a year in Texas and neighboring states. A songwriter since college, his audiences and peers have taken notice. “Larry Hooper is a songwriter of great depth, quality and renown. His lyrics radiate with a realness few others can come to reaching.His intelligent wit is matched by his generous spirit and infectious humor,” says Brad Beheler of galleywinter.com.
Drew Kennedy, no slouch at this song writing thing, says that “Larry Hooper is smart, witty and kind, both in person and in song—a combination that is rarely found in music today. I’m a fan.”

Gary P. Nunn with Jonny Gray
2016-02-06 20:00 - 23:00
Gary P. Nunn
Gary P. Nunn has been TAKING TEXAS TO THE COUNTRY and Texas country to the world for some 40 years now, establishing himself as an icon of Lone Star music. A founding father of the progressive country movement out of Austin in the 1970s that changed the face of popular music, Nunn is also an independent music pioneer who continues to oversee his own record label and song publishing companies, manage his own career (with the help of his wife Ruth), and play most every weekend at top music venues throughout Texas and beyond. His composition “London Homesick Blues” — with its internationally known “I wanna go home with the Armadillo” chorus — is a signature Texas country song that was the theme for the PBS concert TV show “Austin City Limits” for nearly three decades. It’s no wonder that All Music Guide hails him as “a Texas music institution.”
And now on TAKING TEXAS TO THE COUNTRY, Nunn continues to musically progress while staying true to his roots. It’s something of a travelogue in song that begins with a cosmic cowboy trip back to a love that once was on “Deja Vu,” and later visits a sorrowful “Denver” and a Cajun fais do do “Down To Louisiana,” plus takes a restful vacation along a “Mexican Boulevard,” and bops to a bit of Jamaican reggae on “It’s Not Love.” Longing for Texas travels the map on “One State of Mind,” while “Lonesome Lone Star Blues” tours the cities and towns of the Republic.
Jonny Gray

One of the most nominated and awarded musicians at the 2014 Austin Music Awards winning “Folk Band of the Year,” “Song of the Year,” & “Male Vocalist of the Year.” Jonny Gray has had an amazing year with appearances on The Today Show, Vh1 and MTV as well as touring Mexico and multiple Festivals after his finalist run on the hit television program ‘The Voice’. CeeLo Green compared his Voice to Eddie Vedder while Rolling Stone Magazine commented that his voice had a “Bob Dylan esque tone”.
Jonny Gray’s highly anticipated second album Promises Broke (June 9, 2015), recorded at Aerie Studio with producer engineer Mark Addison (Fastball, David Garza, Ian Moore). He will continue to break new ground this year with dates planned across North America behind the new album.

Craft Beer & Cocktail Tuesday
2016-02-09 16:30 - 23:00, 2016-02-16 16:30 - 23:00, 2016-02-23 16:30 - 21:00, 2016-03-01 16:30 - 21:00

Vox Vocis with And Then Suddenly, Luca, Electric Astronaut & Rogues Among Us
2016-02-10 20:00 - 23:00
Vox Vocis
Formed in Houston in 2011, Vox Vocis mixes alternative, prog, and post hardcore elements into one cohesive experience.
This show will be coming on the heels of their debut album “In The Arms Of The Sun”.
And Then Suddenly
Mixing post-hardcore and math-rock influences And Then Suddenly are something else. They currently working a new EP to be released later this year.
Luca
Formed in the fall of 2013, Luca began making strides in the local College Station scene. After releasing a three song set of demos in the winter, they began working on their debut EP entitled “Mistakes to Learn From” which was released in September of 2014
Electric Astronaut
Self described as “experimental grunge psych groove”, Electric Astronaut is a 4 piece of hometown heroes.
Rogues Amongst Us
Pop/Rock with a hint of Progressive for some flavor. These Houston natives debut EP , “The Watcher” is out now.

Statesboro Revue w/ The Cover Letter
2016-02-12 20:00 - 23:00
Doors open at 7PM
Music begins at 8PM

Statesboro Revue

If we’re honest, the true weight of any band or artist is chiefly determined by how they translate to us in a live performance setting. Can they breach that intangible border between the stage and the gathered onlookers? Can they slip in like a steady rising state of inebriation, stealing our attention, controlling our emotions and ultimately drawing us into their world? Does their energy continue to vibrate within us well after the last chords have been played and our daily life comes to reclaim us? These are probably some of the questions one writer from Rolling Stone had running through his head before he proclaimed Statesboro Revue as one of the highlights of the 2009 South by Southwest Conference and Festival. Statesboro Revue goes back to 2008, but the evolving vision of front man and primary songwriter Stewart Mann goes back much further. It’s a journey down many roads from Texas to Tennessee to California and back, all in a search for that perfect, unspoiled place for his music to grow roots. Year after year in city after city, it became clear that those roots had taken hold on stage and from there grew into a groove oriented, old school rock and roll band, the likes of which have not been seen in quite some time.
Never being afraid to aim high, Statesboro Revue released their debut album Different Kind of Light produced by Grammy-winning David Z (Prince, Jonny Lang, Buddy Guy, Govt Mule) in 2009. Hitting the Texas Music Chart with two Top 20 singles, the blues rock effort quickly drew a dedicated fan base to their stages, but this was just a prelude to the tour de force that is their album Ramble on Privilege Creek, released in April 2013. Described by Mann as earthier with catchier hooks, this new music is pure living energy that winds through light and lofty atmospheres down through the depths of sweet Celtic miseries and over to angry growls through clenched teeth, all without ever losing that gypsy pulsation that is the very definition of rock and roll. “This album is extremely broad in subject matter and style, in musicality and production, and I couldn’t be happier about it. I’ve always strived to create a sound that doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel; merely merge the little idiosyncrasies of all my influences and shape them in a manner that might someday be looked upon as my own unique sound. I think this record is as close as I have ever been to accomplishing that goal.”
Reminiscent of singers from decades past, Stewart Mann’s soulful voice is both evident and familiar. His seasoned timbre is well-worn but polished enough to have landed him the starring role in Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story at the historic Cameo Theatre in San Antonio, Texas. Joining Stewart is younger brother Garrett Mann, the lead guitar player who holds down the fort, then lets loose when the song calls for it. On bass guitar is Musicians Institute alumnus Ben Bradshaw, providing backbone and foundation, all while mixing in melodic leads and runs that only a player of his experience can muster. Drummer Kris Schoen’s ability to both drive the tunes and lay down a lazy snare for the slow groove furthers the dancing frenzy that ensues at a Statesboro Revue show. The all-star list of shared stages more than hints that this all-inclusive working band is truly worth their weight. The Statesboro Revue has played with the Los Lonely Boys, The Wailers, the Allman Brothers Band, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Whiskey Myers, Dirty River Boys, Willie Nelson, Charlie Robison, Ryan Bingham, Reckless Kelly, Turnpike Troubadours, Randy Rogers Band, Bob Schneider, War, Arrested Development, Eli Young Band, Marshall Tucker Band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Will Hoge.

The Cover Letter

Constant movement, gripping melodies, and energetic performances make this five-piece band captivating. With their rolling beats, tight vocal harmonies, and rustically familiar sound, you can’t help but fall in love with The Cover Letter.
With an ethereal blend of guitar and keys, a propelling bass line and split-stage percussion, The Cover Letter boasts an enthralling and compelling sound.
Formed in 2013, the band draws parallels from early Fleetwood Mac, Arcade Fire, and Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros while melodically gritty lead vocals offer a soothing and rugged edge to their expressive music. These musicians showcase their versatility by playing multiple instruments on stage.
With a live show that’s never static, the band members seamlessly swap their instruments, leaving the audience with a unique and diverse experience.
The Cover Letter released their self-titled EP in early February.

Celebrate Valentine's with the Century Singers of Texas A&M - A Benefit Concert
2016-02-13 20:00 - 22:00
Treat your sweetheart to a special Valentine’s celebration and help Texas A&M’s Century Singers make the trip to New York City where they are scheduled to perform at Carnegie Hall. Saturday evening February 13th, Grand Stafford Theater will feature a selection of performances by members of the Century Singers choir of Texas A&M, including vocal ensemble and solo performances.
Ticket proceeds benefit Texas A&M Century Singers’ trip to Carnegie Hall, New York City
Century Singers is honored to be singing at Carnegie Hall in March. To commemorate this event, a piece was commissioned by Dr. Posada, and Michael John Trotta was selected as the composer. The piece is entitled “Tu Sola Remedio,” and will have its world premiere at the Century Singers concert on March 12, 2016. Furthermore, composer-in-residence for the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Shawn Kirchner will join Century Singers onstage for the finale as the choir sings his piece “I’ll Be On My Way.” Whilst in New York, the choir will also be visiting and enjoying all the city has to offer–from the National September 11th Memorial & Museum, to Central Park, Times Square, and Broadway, to a church performance at Trinity Wall Street.
Special thanks to Copy Corner, David Gardner’s Jewelers and AdventGX for making this an evening to remember!

Second Sunday Foreign Film featuring A Very Long Engagement
2016-02-14 15:30 - 18:30
Join us for this month’s installment of our Second Sunday Foreign Film Series!
Warning: this film is rated R. No one under the age of 17 will be admitted without a parent.
The film is set in France near the end of World War I in the deadly trenches of the Somme, in the gilded Parisian halls of power, and in the modest home of an indomitable provincial girl. It tells the story of this young woman’s relentless, moving and sometimes comic search for her fiancé, who has disappeared. He is one of five French soldiers believed to have been court-martialed under mysterious circumstances and pushed out of an allied trench into an almost-certain death in no-man’s land. What follows is an investigation into the arbitrary nature of secrecy, the absurdity of war, and the enduring passion, intuition and tenacity of the human heart.
The lovely Audrey Tautou and director Jean-Pierre Jeunet return after the success of their previous film, Amelie, in the epic war drama A Very Long Engagement. Based on the novel by Sebastien Japrisot, this film is a visual powerhouse that defies conventional genres by melding together different themes and injecting a generous dose of period authenticity. This French language film is an emotional odyssey that keeps you guessing, never losing sight of its humanity and even humor.

Software Developers Cartel
2016-02-16 18:30 - 21:00
SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS CARTEL – BRIGHT MINDS FROM CENTRAL TEXAS
An on-going series of Mini-conferences and meetups about current trends, methods and frameworks in software development – from new advanced hardware devices to a simple app, using an awesome framework to build a web app in no time or hacking an AR Drone in javascript. Developers having fun practicing their craft, and learning new stuff.
Our purpose is to create a space where developers form can come and share their professional and personal experiences with any technology available. By sharing this experience, we hope to create, maintain and grow a community of curious and passionate developers while fostering and promoting best practices in software development and dev frameworks/tools.
Presentations start at 6:30pm (doors open at 4:30pm.)
Official Website: http://softwaredeveloperscartel.com

Texas Music Pickers Present Josh Grider & Drew Kennedy with Sarah Olivia Buss
2016-02-19 20:00 - 23:00
Josh Grider

The 10 year overnight success model is one Josh Grider is very familiar with. You know, the one where the guy that’s been hanging around for about a decade finally gets his shot at the big time? Having been a respected member of the Texas/Red Dirt Music Scene for years, it wasn’t until spring of 2013 that momentum really started to build for this NM born country singers career. There had been little successes along the way no doubt; a song called Crazy Like You from his Walt Wilkins produced 2007 release “Million Miles To Go” has sold over 30,000 copies, repeated invites to the big festivals and opening slots for big regional and national acts, and even a “Live At Billy Bob’s Texas” recording in 2011 certainly helped keep things moving forward. However, Josh’s career got kicked into a high gear in early 2012 when he signed his first publishing deal with AMP Entertainment, and subsequently recorded “The Gettin’ There”. That year he also partnered with Paradigm Agency to represent his bookings and was featured on the national television show Troubadour TX. “The Gettin’ There” would yield 3 number one songs on the Texas Regional Radio Report, and 2 number one songs on the Texas Music Chart for Josh. In November 2013 he carried that momentum into the studio with producer Trent Willmon to record 2014’s full length album “Luck & Desire”.
Find more about Josh here-http://www.joshgrider.com
Drew Kennedy

Over the past decade, Kennedy has left the waiting to other people. The 35-year-old has devoted his life to writing and performing his songs his way for anyone who cares. With a catalog seven-albums deep, one novel penned, a music festival created, and an ever-growing group of admirers comprising elite peers and everyday listeners, Kennedy has done more than build a strong career in music. He has reimagined what it means to be a contemporary songwriter, both artistically and entrepreneurially.
Find more about Drew here-http://www.drewkennedymusic.com
Sarah Olivia Buss

Still in High School, Sarah Olivia Buss has a voice like you wouldn’t believe and plays a mean guitar. She is no stranger to the stage and has been picking all over Texas. She has even graced the stage here and we were blown away.
Find more about Sarah here-http://saraholiviabuss.com

ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW WITH CEPHEID VARIABLE
2016-02-20 23:00 - 2016-02-21 02:00
This event will sell out. Strongly encouraged to buy tickets in advance. Strongly encouraged to come fully dressed up in costume! Prop bags will be sold at the venue by Cepheid Variable, if you bring your own props, DO NOT BRING: liquids, food or candles (open flames). This film is rated R, not suitable for under 18. NO PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED.
Grand Stafford Theater & Cepheid Variable Present
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a 1975 British musical comedy horror film and an adaptation of The Rocky Horror Show, a musical stage play, book, music, and lyrics by Richard O’Brien. Directed by Jim Sharman from a screenplay by Sharman and O’Brien, the production is a humorous tribute to the science fiction and horror B movies of the late 1940s through early 1970s.
Still in limited release nearly four decades after its premiere, it has the longest-running theatrical release in film history. It gained notoriety as a midnight movie in 1977 when audiences began participating with the film in theaters. The film has a large international cult following and is one of the most well-known and financially successful midnight movies of all time. In 2005, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
THE CAST: CEPHEID VARIABLE
Ce· phe· id var· i· a· ble (1)
Function: noun Date: circa 1903
any of a class of pulsating stars whose very regular light variations are related directly to their intrinsic luminosities and whose apparent luminosities are used to estimate distances in astronomy.
Ce· phe· id var· i· a· ble (2)
Function: programming Date: circa 1969
any of a group of Texas A&M students whose very irregular activities are related directly to their love of science fiction, fantasy, or horror and whose luminous abilities are used to coordinate outlandish programs.
Cepheid Variable stands as a Texas A&M Student Organization devoted to the support and promotion of all things science fiction, fantasy, horror, science, and technology, and the support of the community that grows around them through an atmosphere of acceptance and kinship. Cepheid Variable seeks to promote creativity, enrich imagination, and build active learning opportunities through a variety of educational programs, demonstrations, and presentations.
For more information about the play, film adaptation, audience participation, what to expect and videos to learn the dances visit The Official Fan Club Website for The Rock Horror Picture Show.
For more information on Cepheid Variable and their shadow cast visit Cepheid Variable’s Facebook Page.
This film & performance may not be suitable for all audience and all ages. This film is rated R. Minors to be accompanied by an adult.

Poverty, Inc. - Film Screening and Community Forum on Social Entrepreneurship
2016-02-25 17:30 - 22:00
“A powerful and uncompromising flm that strikes at the core of the traditional understanding of development and international assistance.” – Andres Jimenez, Waging Non-Violence [Costa Rica]
Join in the conversation as Texas A&M University leaders, community members and entrepreneurs come together to discuss the business of international development, assistance and social entrepreneurship. The documentary film “Poverty, Inc” will set the stage for community dialogue as experts from Texas A&M University’s academic and research community offer their reactions to the film and respond to questions from the audience. The event brings together experts from The Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship at Mays Business School, Borlaug Foundation, and Mosbacher Institute for Trade, Economics and Public Policy at the Bush School of Government and Public Service
The evening will begin at 5:30 with a social hour including heavy hors d’oeuvres followed by the film at 6:30. After the film, an expert panel will provide their reaction to the film and take questions from the audience.
This event is generously underwritten by:
Borlaug Foundation
The Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship
Mosbacher Institute for Trade, Economics and Public Policy
with additional sponsorship from these Texas A&M student organizations:

Jamie Lin Wison & Courtney Patton
2016-02-26 20:00 - 23:00
Jamie Lin Wilson
When describing Jamie Wilson’s voice, two aspects come to mind: that honeyed tenor twang that’s become known as one of the sweetest instruments in modern folk music, and that poignant, poetic, down-to-earth point of view she brings to her songwriting. The spotlight shines brighter than ever on both with Holidays & Wedding Rings, her upcoming January 2015 release. Even fans may be surprised to realize it’s the first full-length solo album from one of brightest and busiest stars in her recent years amid the folk/Americana/independent country music scene.
An artist of singular talent and restless creativity, she broke into the Texas country/folk scene as one of the co-lead vocalists of the Gougers before the band gradually gave way to not only Wilson’s solo work (the fine EP “Dirty Blonde Hair” was released in 2010) but also higher-profile musical adventures with The Trishas, an all-female singer-songwriter band that has toured through some of the state and nation’s best venues. Scoring one of the best albums of 2012 with “High Wide & Handsome,” the Trishas lit up the genre for a few years while always leaving Wilson room for solo gigs, guest spots on over a dozen albums by now, and song-swaps with like-minded artists all over Texas and beyond.
Have a listen and check out even more of Jamie Lin Wilson on her website.

Courtney Patton
Courtney Patton has spent the last few years building her lifelong passion into a real career. Touring steadily, writing constantly, and singing her heart out onstage and on record, she’s become a welcome discovery for listeners who’ve found their way to her sweet and soulful take on classic country music. Her first full-length record, Triggering A Flood, was released in May 2013 to regional acclaim and her 2015 follow-up So This Is Life is poised to make an even larger splash as her audience has expanded to corners all around the world. Her expansive voice, laced with deep Texas twang but bearing the influence of favorite songwriters from the ‘70s folk-rock scene all the way through the present day, gives new life to old themes of finding love and freedom where you can and trying to hold yourself together when it slips away. Since the release of Triggering A Flood, her music has taken her on tours through Europe and Canada as well as across the United States; she’s also toured and recorded with Jason Eady, a fellow keeper of the real-country-music flame that Patton wed in 2014. She’s also shared the stage with leading lights of the country-folk genre including Walt Wilkins, Bruce Robison, Jamie Lin Wilson, and Drew Kennedy, the latter of whom served as producer on So This Is Life. Indebted to the subtle depths of her favorite late-‘70s Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard records, it’s a perfect frame for Patton’s lyrical snapshots of heartache, longing, and love.
Check out a little sampling of Courtney’s sound here and visit her website for even more!

Come and Take It Productions presents ODD FOLKS NOMINEE, CORUSCO, HAND ME DOWN ADVENTURE
2016-02-27 19:30 - 23:00
Ticket Link-http://www.comeandtakeitproductions.com/event/1065787
Facebook Event-https://www.facebook.com/events/1856250837934613/
Odd Folks
Keep It Odd

Odd Folks is the love child of modern punk and post hard core ordained by the spirit of DIY and fortified with pop influence. The band stirs catchy hooks, emocore, and the ferocity of 00’s alternative rock into a sound that defies the boundaries of both genres and audiences alike. Odd Folks: Punk Tested, Mother Approved.
oddfolks.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/OddFolks
Nominee

nomineemusic.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/nomineemusic/?fref=ts
Corusco

http://corusco.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/coruscomusic/?fref=ts
Hand Me Down Adventure

https://www.facebook.com/handmedownadventure/?fref=ts

PechaKucha Night
2016-03-01 18:00 - 22:00
Craft Cocktail & Craft Beer Tuesday will have an exciting addition on Tuesday, March 1st!
The Institute for Applied Creativity has partnered once again with AdventGX and Grand Stafford Theater to bring Bryan/College Station and A&M communities together to celebrate creativity.
We’re hosting the next quarterly event officially sponsored by Pecha Kucha, a global movement for informal discussions in casual settings. We’re doing this to learn about people and groups in our local community. Good Pecha Kucha presentations are the ones that uncover the unexpected — unexpected talent, unexpected ideas. The format is simple: 20 slides for 20 seconds each. It’s very informal and quite diverse. Come on out!
Admission is free with a suggested donation of $10.
