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Austin Fans Heed BellRays’ Rock’n’Roll Advice

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Last night (June 2) at Austin, TX’s Mohawk venue, as the BellRays‘ soulful frontwoman Lisa Kekaula stepped foot on the tiny stage sporting tall, red suede boots and a black dress, the crowd’s eyes were intently fixated, waiting for the fiery songstress to lead the Riverside, CA-based rockers into song. And when guitarist Bob Vennum grinded out the head-banging first power-chords of “Fire on the Moon,” the tiny venue, now packed wall to wall, deserted the Monday blues for the feeling of a raucous Saturday night.

Largely performing cuts off their new album, Hard Sweet and Sticky, including the shout-along rocker “Pinball City,” the band breezed through their 16-song set, as punked-out, 12-bar blues riffs collided with Kekaula’s overpowering swagger and jangling tambourine. In a jovial mood, she walked offstage to sing and dance, joke with the crowd, and even play the role of advice giver: “It’s the things that you don’t do in life that you regret,” she advised.

Heeding her advice, the crowd danced the night away, and when curtain call finally came, the denizens were ready for more. Kindly appeasing the fervent shouts for an encore, the band returned to strut through “Startime,” off 2005’s Red White and Black. Following the spot-on performance, Kekaula offered, “Thank you, it was a great night!” Indeed, one the crowd will certainly not regret.

We asked: Considering the BellRays’ new album title, what is your favorite food that’s Hard Sticky and Sweet?

Read the fans’ answers >>
More photos from this show >>

We Asked: Considering the BellRays’ new album title, what is your favorite food that’s Hard Sticky and Sweet?

Back to the story >>
More photos from this show >>

BellRays / Photo by Denise Blaz

BellRays / Photo by Denise Blaz

BellRays / Photo by Denise Blaz

Back to the story >>
Read the fans’ answers >>