LOOSENOTES - Simply said, October went by FAST and was a BLAST!!! Before the month got started, the SCENE's Director of Growth and Development had a discussion with me on some new areas she thought needed coverage. Our Director never needs to say much--the look in her eyes gets the point across to which we pursue Growth & Development. Hang on....

OCTOBER SKY - Kudos to the Clear Lake Chamber's entertainment committee for this year's Ballunar Liftoff Festival. They stepped up Friday night's music at least seven clicks on the Moxie Dial bringing in the super hot Fried Ice Cream. Yup... You don't see these cats around the SCENE as they're regional and often locked up at private parties so folks, we got ourselves a music treat from the Chamber. The Ballunar Liftoff Festival is one of Clear Lake's annual banner events and gets better every year. Our local space program is in hiatus but that didn't stop the festival one iota, ever sharing with our youth of all ages with the coolness of math and sciences through air sport demonstrations. We saw many SCENE readers at this years festival and know you know. Speaking more of growth and development...

DINNER WITH A ROCK STAR - Was the SCENE when Sweden's Robert Marcello - a neoclassical metal, rock, jazz/fusion guitar player with Danger Danger and factory rep for BOSS/Roland, came into town putting on a clinic at Danny's Guitar Hacienda. Musicians young & old got treated to a variety of new tools, tips, and playing tricks. Cheers to Joseph (and Lori) Bozdech for winning dinner with Robert at Twin Peaks. Music development is cool. Speaking of which...

OVER THE TOP - This month goes to the Space Center Intermediate Orchestra under the guidance of Ms. Lisa Black for co-starring on stage with Barrage, a violin-based, world-beat ensemble, created in Calgary, Alberta, Canada for an exciting evening of high-octane fiddle-fest performing an eclectic mix of music, song and dance. That's a mouthful and these young musicians did well. "All heart, warmth and pure joy" and "Too WOW for words" are what notables have said about this show--We attended this show and say confidently that orchestra in Clear Lake and those who partake is amongst the coveted "COOL" which, if you think about it, is pretty cool! (http://barrage.ca/educational.html) Speaking of cool and around the corner....

COOLNESS AROUND THE CORNER - Nothing is finer than enjoying the SCENE either indoors or outdoors so we checked up on a few of our stops you folks have been enjoying: Sherlock's (The Slags), T-Bone Tom's (Grateful Geezers), and Jackie's Brickhouse (The Remedy & Hamilton Loomis), & Scout Bar (Ryan Cabrera & The Hectic). Each were running at perfect capacity which is no surprise. Over at the Scout Bar, the Sunday night 94.5FM Buzz has become a staple for area alternative rock lovers. Band of the year voting is around the corner so come check them out! "Impressed" mention goes to the folks at Jackie's Brickhouse for having Hamilton Loomis on stage, Game 7 of the World Series (I'm a native Texan but still a Lance Berkman fan myself), and a crazy Halloween turnout (our favorite was the 6'4" dancing tree) *all* the same night. Now *that's* an entertainment complex of the first class. Down the street, we checked out T-Bone's expanded palapa and certify it ready for year round fun and this year's annual Kemah Toy's for Tot's Pub Crawl on December 2nd. Mark your calendar, bring a toy, and we'll see you there!

THREE YEARS AGO - Was about when LOOSENOTES first started appearing in The SCENE Magazine, the first stop we made on assignment was at the Cockeyed Seagull's open mic. These days, this popular event is hosted by Wood & Wind and ever the place for musicians to collaborate, exchange ideas, or simply unwind and enjoy impromptu jams. Also this month at the Seagull, we took in Hourglass to check out their new guitar vocalist Danny D. Ever wanted to cruise along the coast in a VW van? If you did, this is your band!

NEW PROJECTS - We caught up with Ezra Charles playing at the wedding for Fab 40 member Jon Senderling. Congrats to Jon and his awesome bride!. We asked Ezra if anything new is in the pipelines as we've noticed his CD stock selling out over the past few months. Ezra says many of the songs have evolved with the players he has on board these days and very likely, will be producing an album of live music. Live music is good -- We can't wait!

WINE, MUSIC & ART FESTIVAL - The SCENE extended outward this month at the first Haak Vineyards Music and Art Festival. The art & wine were class and we enjoyed the headline act, Texas Music Hall of Fame Female Vocalist and Female Vocalist of the Year, Dena Blue for an evening of classy, provocative and delightfully inspiring jazz -- The good stuff!!! There's a musical center of gravity southwest of Clear Lake producing quality material from the Alvin & Sante Fe area. Not sure what it is but we'll be exploring further... Put Dena (www.denablue.com) on your watch list. Speaking of watch list...

COMFORTABLY NUMB - Newly added to our watch list is Infinity's Twin from Spring, Texas. We mentioned earlier the Over-The-Top show with Barrage and the Space Center Intermediate. I finally caught Infinity's Twin for the first time at Union Tavern and on stage spotted a five string fretless bass played as in upright manner, a seven string electric, and an electric fiddle plugged into a Digitech effects box and Marshall to go along with the Bonham-esque drum kit and biggest set of mains we've ever seen on the local SCENE. Get the drift? High energy, new world alternative rock with arena quality sound unleashed for the Union Tavern crowd tis what it be. These cats have played at the Scout Bar and Zone 504 which qualifies their credentials. Highlight of the evening was their rendition of Comfortably Numb grabbing the crowd and Union Tavern staff by the jugular. You get the idea whenever the staff stops, watches, and applauds.... Cheers! On a side note, if you're a Saint's fan, the Union Tavern is your place. We stopped in one Sunday afternoon while the Texans, the Cowboys, and the World Series were going on yet the majority of the house were there for the Saints game in a BIG way plus a KILLER spread. Just sharing, for you Who Dat fans. Back the music... Indisputable is the bluesy element with Comfortably Numb and Pink Floyd which leads us to...

PINK FLOYD REVISITED - The SCENE's stalwart R&B and Blues house, Katie's, hosted Alvin's Mast Blues Channeler, James Reese, together with Terrance Glenn (Guitar), Westside Johnny (bass) J.C. Chamberlain (Drums), and Kenny Mathews (keys) presenting an evening of cuts from The Wall, Animals, Wish You Were Here, and Dark Side of the Moon. I saw Pink Floyd on their Division Bell Tour and not sure even the Floyd tried such a play list. This was the fifth time James and the boys presented this project and given each musician's busy schedule, a couple degrees more difficult than, no dis intended, an evening of other tribute bands. The blues friendly crowd and staff at Katie's relished the local interpretation of the time tested classics rarely heard live on the beat and in some cases, last heard live in the 70's. We're not sure if Jim Shortt enjoyed Pink Floyd but positive his love for blues for which we're certain we heard "BRAVO" several times that night. One album not on the lineup list was Greatest Dance Music but not to worry, the Katie's crowd in full Halloween regalia handled that without a hitch. Pressing forward....

GO FOWARD BOLDLY - We've heard this term before and this month, witnessed it first hand tagging along with the Clear Lake Cross Fit Training club at this years annual Houston Mud Run benefiting the fight against MS. Folks, we enjoy live music where performers immerse into giving it their all. Faces don't lie and these consummate sport enthusiasts wear it just as well--Gotta love them. The course was lined with 31 obstacles of strenuous challenges so we parked zoom lens at the one where contestants leaped from a ten foot perch into a muddy pool of gunk. We witnessed countless looks of initial apprehension, fear, resolve, determination, pure craziness, accomplishment and joy of surviving the plunge. This was not just about the challenges of the course but to life for which gusto prevails and so we add this to our curriculum of Growth and Development. Cheers to all who partook for taking life by the horns....

The Holidays are around the corner. Thanks for reading and see you out on the SCENE!