There are a few things I hold dear to my heart in this world. Things that mean a lot to me. And it is always nice when I can combine those things. That means more excitement and fun for all involved. For me a three of those things are traveling, music and friends. And anytime those are combined you know it is going to be one heck of a time.

On May 30^th I was able to travel to Lexington, KY to catch a Nine Bullets showcase that was put on by my friend Michelle Hanks. She was able to pull together a really great line-up which we will of course talk about later. I was excited for this show for many reasons, it was going to be my first out of state show of 2015, I would get to hang with a few Facebook friends that I had never met and of course the music. I mean how could I not be excited about that?

I want to focus on the friends part for a second. Since I was a little kid I have always been able to make friends easily, this is something that has stayed with me into adulthood. Be it just going up to people at shows and telling them how much I like the band on their shirt to social media groups. It is the latter of those that had me excited about this trip. A few years ago I joined a Lucero fan group on Facebook that was actually ran by Michelle Hanks. From there I started to friend others from the group and as I became friends with them, I then became friends with their friends and so forth. Next thing you know I feel like I’ve known some of these people for years. Over the next few years or so I would get invited to shows and festivals to hang with them, as they of course live all over the United States but there are certain bands, shows and festivals they meet up for. Anyways I would say I would go to a certain show or fest and end up not going for a number of reasons, mainly work. I love the idea that people can find a common interest in a band and then become great friends because of it. By the time this showcase came around I had only met a people from this huge group and they are really awesome people, so I was really stoked to meet more, as some would be at the showcase. I made my way to Louisville to ride with My Buddy Michael Jett, one of the few I had already met and from there we made our way to Lexington. That had to be one of the best short ride trips ever. We had of course talked about music the entire way. Which if you know me, you know I can talk about music all day.

Once we got to the venue, Al’s bar, a nice little bar with a hole in the wall fell to it, I knew I was in for a great night. Upon arriving I discovered there were two stages, an outdoor and an indoor. This was going to be awesome. It wasn’t long after we arrived that others started to arrive. One of them been Michelle. I had met her husband, Cory Hanks a few months back but not her. Weird as I knew her first. But he plays in a band, Those Crosstown Rivals. I saw them a few months before. It was nice to finally meet her. After her I met another friend that I chat with often. We both have a thing for the candy nerds and I had some for her but I forgot to give them to her. Then I ran into the drummer from TCR, whom treated me as lifelong friend the first time I met him and this night was no different. From there it was a night of friends and music.

The first act of the night was Bryan Minks, lead singer of Those Crosstown Rivals. This will not be the last time you see this name in this article. Just letting you know. So now might be a good time to maybe listen to some of their music. Like many or most of the acts playing this showcase this was an acoustic set. I had seen TCR before but never seen Bryan solo and it was just as good as a TCR set. It was of course toned down as TCR sets are full of energy. But the passion was still very present. That is something that would be present throughout the evening. One of the main musicians, Caleb Caudle, I wanted to see started his set while Bryan Minks was playing. I was not aware of this, as the set times were not posted. I also figured Caleb would be one of the last to play the showcase. So this was a total shock. However the two songs I heard from Caleb Caudle were outstanding. This is without a doubt a name I would remember. I think he is going to follow in the steps of Jason Isbell and John Moreland. After his set I did find out that there would be a 15 minute overlap between sets. But at this point it didn’t matter really. I wanted to see Caleb Caudle. However this wasn’t going to ruin my night. At this point I made my way back outside to the beer garden to catch what was my favorite set of the night.

Eric Bolander is a name I had never heard before this night but it’s a name I won’t forget. His set was one of those that leave you wanting more. There is something about a musician with just a guitar and his words. Maybe that’s why I’m a huge fan of John Moreland, Justin Townes Earle, Cory Branan and dare I say it, Ben Nichols solo. Yes I prefer Ben Nichols solo work than Lucero. Anyhow back to Eric Bolander, he has one of those soulful voices that just puts you in another place. For me that is a place of peacefulness. And the fact that the first time I heard him was live made it all the better. I just closed my eyes and got lost in the music. The highlight of his set was when he covered not one but two of my all-time favorite songs back to back. Anyone that can cover “Jolene” and “Purple Rain” are outstanding to me. I made sure to tell him that later in the night. I will say this, I did not intend on watching his entire set when I walked outside. The plan was to watch some and then head inside to watch Tyler Childers. That is another name to remember. Good things are coming for that young man. I spent the next few hours walking around chatting with people and listening to bands here and there. I caught a few songs by Big Shoals. They were another act I had heard good things about, so it was nice to finally see them. I really enjoyed their set as it was what I expected form them. During their set they gave a shout out to their hometown of Gainesville, FL and mentioned that nothing really has come from there but Tom Petty, which meant I had to yell Hot Water Music – they agreed. This is a band I can see touring more often with bands like American Aquarium, Two Cow Garage and even Drive-By Truckers.

The next band I caught was The Rooster’s Crow. It was my understanding this was their first show. For a first show they were pretty dang good. Afterwards I headed back outside into the nice night air for the last performance on that stage. It was Josh Nolan. He just happens to play guitar in a certain band. Yes, you guessed it, TCR. Much like Bryan Minks earlier in the evening seeing Josh Nolan play acoustic was new to me, as I just know of them in TCR. This set was also a favorite. I look forward to seeing him again. He has one of those voices that is unforgettable. As one that is not a local I could tell he has a following there. There were lots of singing by the crowd. There was a part in “Between the Lights” that most of the crowd sung all in unison and it was so beautiful. That was the only time that night I felt left out. I look forward to seeing him again so I can sing that part too. The last act of the night was the beloved Arlo McKinley and the Lonesome Sound from the great state of Ohio. This is another band I knew of but never had seen. Man I have been missing out. This band is so full energy and life. They do the genre of Americana well. It makes me sad that I have passed them over so many times, that will not happen again.

Overall this was a very good night. This is something I would go to again. It was well done and I can see it being an annual event. So with that said, Michelle thank you, you did a very awesome thing, Michael thank you for everything. You rock brother. See you soon. Erica, it was so nice finally meeting you. Sorry I forgot to give you the nerds. Bryan thank you for the floor. Oh and those doughnuts were amazing. Eric thank you for the new friendship. Cory it was nice seeing you again. Can’t wait to see you guys play again. Please come to Columbus soon. J Tyler you my friend need help and I love seeing you. And thank you to anyone else that made this a night I will not soon forget. There is nothing like a night of great music and even greater friends.