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Tara-Leigh Cobble
Friday March 23, 2012

About a year ago, Tara-Leigh Cobble hosted the second-ever HubCityMusic.com house concert to an enamored audience. Well, Tara-Leigh loved us as much as we loved her, and we recently received the following email from her:

“I’m making a pass through Texas in late March, and I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than make a return to your living room. Your house concert was my favorite tour show of 2011. I’m not kidding. It was FANTASTIC in every way!”

Now, that’s a compliment of the highest order! What an amazing compliment to our HubCityMusic.com audience and supporters, because Tara-Leigh plays a lot of concerts in a year, in a lot of great places! So it was with great anticipation on her part as well as our audience when Tara-Leigh returned for a special house concert on Friday, March 23rd.

And there was no disappointment, as Tara-Leigh immediately engaged the audience with a combination of banter, stories, interaction, and of course music.

If you haven’t experienced Tara-Leigh’s personal way of interacting with her audience, you need to find a way to see her. Because the stories Tara-Leigh tells are as engaging as her music. She just completed her second book, “Crowded Skies – Letters to Manhattan”, which is a companion to her newest CD, “Morning’s War”, and Tara-Leigh treated us to both excerpts from the book and songs from the CD as she wove together an evening of songs backed by the stories behind the songs.  You can discover both her CDs and her books at her website, www.taraleighcobble.com.

To see a review and video from Tara-Leigh’s 2011 HubCityMusic.com house concert, go to the bottom of this page and click “Older Posts”

Mountain Stage NewSong contest regional winner Christopher Williams
February 10, 2012

HubCityMusic.com hosts another Mountain Stage NewSong contest regional winner!

Thanks to Christopher Williams for an awesome HubCityMusic.com house concert on February 10, 2012!  CW was in top form, and he has a way of engaging the audience like no one else.  It was truly an evening to be remembered!

Here is the first video we’ve posted from this concert.  At Paul Johnson’s request, Christopher dusted off an old song that he rarely plays anymore – his own original Hope For Morning.  So, you get to share the magic!

Christopher Williams has recently received several awards and national recognition

It seems that many of our HubCityMusic.com house concert hosts are receiving recognition, and Christopher Williams, February’s HubCityMusic.com house concert host, is among them!

Karla Davis, who hosted in August, won 1st place in the national Country Showdown Finals, is now part of Adam Levine’s (of Maroon 5) team as a contestant on NBC’s hit show “The Voice”.  November host Andy Eppler was on this year’s Grammy ballot, and July host Tori Vasquez had just been named the Southwest Regional Round winner for the prestigious 2010 Mountain Stage NewSong contest, earning her a trip to New York City for the finals.

This year on Friday February 10th, Singer/Songwriter/Percussionist Christopher Williams made a return visit to Lubbock for a repeat HubCityMusic.com house concert, with similar honors under his belt. Last fall, Christopher earned accolades as the Southeast Regional Round winner for the 2011 Mountain Stage NewSong contest, earning a trip to the finals in New York City’s famous Winter Garden venue.

The Mountain Stage NewSong award certainly opens the door to broader recognition, and is another among many awards and recognition “CW” has received. In 2010 his song “Anything But Fail” won the Independent Music Award for Best New Contemporary Christian Song, and his live CD “Something As Simple” was nominated for Best Live Recording in the Independent Music Awards.

Christopher has just released his 11th CD, “Stone Water Wood Light”, and this concert is part of his CD Release Tour.  He hosted one of our first HubCityMusic.com house concerts last May, and he is excited to be back with this new CD release.

Christopher has toured all over the U.S., opening for, and playing with, noted performers such as Jars of Clay, Arlo Guthrie, Phil Keaggy, David Wilcox, Bebo Norman, and others. Christopher is a songwriter, storyteller, and entertainer – offering songs that are honest and confessional, yet never overbearing; and performances that engage audiences with an appealing mix of intense passion and humor. With “lush guitar work, and sweet soaring vocals,” (Boston Phoenix) punctuated by the percussive vulnerability of a single African djembe hand drum.

Visit CW’s website and hear samples of his many musical styles at: http://www.christopherw.com/

SOLD OUT!
Second Annual Harvest Moon Concert
September 10, 2011 with The Hat Trick
Mark Wallney, Mike Boyd, and Mike Pritchard

It’s our 2nd annual Harvest Moon Party!

SOLD OUT!

This concert is our annual celebration of life, love, and friends, at the time of each fall’s Harvest moon, the full moon closest to the Autumnal equinox.  Often, the harvest moon seems to be bigger or brighter or more colorful than other full moons, so it’s a great time to enjoy a romantic concert.  And it marks the beginning of the change of seasons, reminding us of the passing of time, and how important it is to share our time with those we love.

 

The inspiration for this extra-special house concert is taken from Neil Young’s song “Harvest Moon”, which The Hat Trick performs better than ‘ol Neil himself.
 No disrespect to Neil Young, but let’s face it, Mike Pritchard’s voice is so much smoother and stronger than Neil’s warbly falsetto, and Mark Wallney’s guitar mastery is similarly superior.   Their performance of this romantic and seasonally appropriate song sets the stage for a relaxing evening of undeniable musical and vocal talent by Mark Wallney, Mike Pritchard and Mike Boyd.

The Hat Trick needs no introduction to Lubbock music fans, as these guys are literally musical legends in Lubbock.  All three have musical chops and talent that anyone can appreciate, a point well-proven recently when none other than the legendary Graham Nash (of Crosby, Stills, and Nash and The Hollies) joined The Hat Trick onstage to perform with them!  As Mike Pritchard would later say, “It was surreal performing “Bus Stop” with they guy who wrote it!”  Mark Wallney added “Wow, we are still excited about the show and honestly fulfilled one of our childhood dreams, playing with one of our greatest music heroes. Most of you know that CSN is one of our biggest influences that even got the Hat Trick started in the first place.”

You can be sure that The Hat Trick will bring their very best to this “Harvest Moon” concert.  Let’s pack the house for them!  The show is Saturday, September 10th, and starts at 7:15pm. Admission is $20, with 100% of all proceeds going to our guest musicians.  Advance RSVP is required for this show, as it is SOLD OUT.
BYOB. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres will be served.

SOLD OUT!  All available seats are SOLD OUT.  Thank you for your interest.

Junior Vasquez Debuts All-new Original Songs
June 17, 2011

What an amazing concert this was!  Junior and Mickey set the most intimate mood,
and the songs were amazing!  Even the most loyal Junior Vasquez fans have never
heard a concert like this one!

Junior VasquezWell-known musician Junior Vasquez has spent the past year or so writing a cache of all-new original music.  Before considering a second CD of all-original music, Junior has been looking for just the right venue to introduce this all-new original music to his fans.

So for Junior Vasquez, HubCityMusic.com’s House Concert format is just the right environment at just the right time.

“It’s a musician’s dream,” Junior says, “an intimate environment without the smoky, noisy distractions of the bar scene.  A place where both the audience and musician can be comfortable.”

Junior will be introducing not only all-new original music in his June 17th house concert in Paul Johnson’s home, he will also be performing original tunes from his first CD, “It’ll Turn Around”.  (available on iTunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/itll-turn-around/id359346482)
He will also be sharing the back-story behind each song.  It’s an opportunity to get to know Junior at a personal level, to hear the life-stories that have brought him to this new musical beginning, after having traveled such a long and winding road to get here.  For Junior Vasquez, these original songs have come from a fresh creativity and enthusiasm, and mark a contrast to the homogenous “standards” that the usual venues in the Lubbock scene seem to demand.

Of course, with two sets to fill, there will still be a place in this concert for some of Junior’s favorite covers to be woven in with his original songs.

“I’m really excited about this opportunity to introduce this new, original music in this environment,” says Junior.  “This will be the first time this music has been played in public, so not only is this a great opportunity for me, it’s a great opportunity for people to hear my new music for the first time.”

BYOB – complimentary Hors D’oeuvres will served between sets.

Go to Junior’s website at www.myspace.com/therealjuniorvasquez

Christopher Williams – May 5, 2011

Christopher wants to thank everyone who attended his HubCityMusic.com house concert on Thursday May 5th.   Many of you have already requested a return visit from Christopher, so we are certainly going to make that happen sometime in the future!

Here’s a video from a previous concert, Christopher Williams singing “Your Love”

I first saw Christopher Williams in Durham’s Coffee House more than a decade ago.  At the time he already had a CD, which includes one of my all-time favorite songs, Hope For Morning.  Since that time he has published 10 CDs and toured all over the U.S., opening for, and playing with, noted perChristopher Williamsformers such as Jars of Clay, Arlo Guthrie, Phil Keaggy, David Wilcox, and others.  Christopher is a songwriter, storyteller, and entertainer – offering songs that are honest and confessional, yet never overbearing; and performances that engage audiences with an appealing mix of intense passion and humor.  With “lush guitar work, and sweet soaring vocals,” (Boston Phoenix) punctuated by the percussive vulnerability of a single African djembe hand drum.

Listen to Hope For Morning by Christopher Williams

Listen to a sample of his many musical styles on his website:  http://www.christopherw.com/

Note – We will start the concert promptly at 7:15 pm.  Even if you stay afterward to buy CDs, get autographs, and visit with Christopher and other guests, you can expect to be out no later than 10 pm.

Tara-Leigh Cobble – April 16, 2011

Thanks to all who attended our April 16th house concert featuring Tara-Leigh Cobble!
It was almost a sell-out!  Everyone who atended had a great time, and Tara-Leigh said afterward that this was one of the best house concert audiences that she had ever had.
Tara-Leigh proved herself to be an amazing songwriter, an engaging story-teller, and an incredibly talented singer.  She engaged her audience more intimately than anyone expected, even learning the names of many of the people there by asking questions of audience members throughout the evening.   We laughed, we cried, and we were drawn in to the back-story behind each song.
Listen to Somehow Stay by Tara-Leigh Cobble
Listen to more of her music here: http://www.reverbnation.com/#!/taraleighcobble
“God did not call me to be a rock star. He called me to express my salvation through music. And there is a vast difference. He made it very clear to me from the start that if I intended to follow Him, I should never expect more than having to drive 8 hours to play for 10 people who don’t know who I am and who don’t care. They might not buy the CD, and I might have to sleep in my car that night, before I get up and do it all over again the next day.
It was very clear that this was not going to be about me. So I’m trying hard to remember that. I fail miserably at it most of the time.  Sometimes, when I start to think I’m really cool, God allows me to trip and fall flat on my face, so that I’m eye-level with those feet that need washing. It’s humbling. I honestly had to look back at that whole day and say, “Thank You, God, for answering my prayer and for reminding me that it’s not about me.”

Here is a link to two songs from Tara-Leigh’s house concert on April 16th: