LOOSENOTES - September sizzled on the SCENE and everywhere we checked, the magazines were flying off the racks. Makes sense, that readers want to know where the action is. This month, we said goodbye to the dog days of summer, the shuttle Endeavour, and replacement refs. We won our last home game in the national league, cheering our Texan's on to a hot NFL start, enjoying the return of snow bird weather and best of all, welcome back patio season with a splash of great live music. Where else? Why on The SCENE of course! Here's a quick spin of what went down...

A DASH AROUND THE LAKE - We stopped by Fatty's Thursday evening Open Mic & Talent Night catching some new acts on the local SCENE including a fun group all the way from San Marcos calling themselves Educated Minds. We'll keep an eye out for some of these new acts as they get book over the next few months. One cool thing when you listen to Hector Serrano's host band is their soloing, the long majestic stuff that takes you places and so we followed them down the road at Roger's Bar & Grill's for a second dose. While there, we caught up with Clinton Ashley (from the infamous Kemah Jam days). After playing music in and around Texas for the last four and a half years, he's finally ready to record his debut album and is he ready. We took in original after original that evening and were consistently impressed with his vivid storytelling of places and experiences-The audience actually stopped talking, took to listening, related, and appreciated. Now *that's* a gold star! If it's been awhile since you've last heard Clinton, keep an eye out for when he's out on the SCENE and catch a set. Also surf over to CLINTONASHLEY.COM and checkout how you can be a part of his first album.

Further around the corner, Jackie's Brickhouse was at it again in the Bigger and New Department hosting Outlaw Dave and the Lonestar Rally Bikini Contest. This was one sweet event and cooked nicely with Beggar's Union on stage. Word is we can expect some more of this in the months ahead. Speaking of months ahead, it was good hearing Outlaw Dave reminding all that the time is around the corner to stand up, be counted and make a difference. We're in and you should be too. Making the turn around the lake...

80's MONSTERS OF ROCK - Scout Bar kicked back this month and had a fun show including Slip of the Snake, Rock Rock Till You Drop, and Tokyo Rose (White Snake, Def Leppard and Bon Jovi) tribute bands. Make no question, everybody knew these songs and the guys running lights & sound had then evening dialed in perfectly, We've got Scout Bar on our radar for the months of October and November-More to come!

SUMMER'S OVER - but it's still a bit warm out there so people are still taking it inside and that's where we went, to the Cockeyed Seagull with one of the best AC's and coldest vodka tonics happening. Readers will recall last year we were keen with Trip To Cascity, an emerging Alternative/Industrial/Rock band about a year ago. Scratch "keen", replace with "impressed". In one set alone, the group of Robbie Lee, Tony Loc, and Channing Sail (drums/lead vocals, guitar & bass) covered genres from five decades & three continents delivered with powerful finesse-> Refreshing. You can catch Trip to Cascity on The SCENE also at Zone 504, Cabo and Maribelle's. The Seagull's Open Mic is looking pretty good these days and sounding better than ever. Scooter Tyra has got to be one of the most relaxed and easy to listen to voices happening these days and the ever changing lineups/pairings always a fun listen. Closing the dash around the lake...

SIGNATURE CLASS - We've been sharing word of the fine food & spirits, super staff and quality music at the Signature Bistro. Tis time to share word that includes their great customers cuz it's true and the benefit for Chef Brent Evans is what it be. Elizabeth & Melissa and their staff simply went over the top on this one with David Schwope running an outstanding auction action, an All Start musical jam, and a great patron turnout. Cheers to all that came out to support!

MY VOTE - Being it's election season, we'll share... We are constantly asked by folks where's the best place for classic R&B, Blues & Rock in the local area and find it easy recommending Katie's down in Bacliff. With a steady solid musical lineup, friendly service, plenty of parking and never a cover charge, it's a pretty easy call anybody can make. This month, we scored a fine quality evening with Snit Fitzpatrick's Dog & Pony Show that included guest appearances by the Mighty Orq and Matt Johnson on the bass & kit making for an intelligently bright and refreshing treat to the ears. Katie's -- Keep them on your lineup card!

SWEET BIJOU - tis a sweet one indeed. This month, we scored a copy of Dave Nevling's new CD, Sweet Bijou, and now gotta figure out which award we'll be nomintating it for. First thing that jumps out at you and then on through the entire album is its ease of listening as the essence is presented to your ears versus many productions these days leaving listeners to sort through and decipher intent -- Score big points for the mixing and mastering effort. Nevling and his band uses amazingly few words on this album and through the use of tones, licks, vocal inflections, grooves, and dynamics, lets listeners fill out those parts better than being told what to think--Score massive points for the artists and to the listeners. Sweet Bijou... Tis sweet!!!

10,000 PEOPLE, MAYBE MORE - was our estimate at the inaugural Boogie Blues & Brews. Not sure how it could have been aligned any better at the ever friendly settings of Walter Hall Park with League City celebrating her 50th Birthday, an eclectic musical lineup of veteran acts, inspiring young acts, and fantastic causes Including Galveston County Food Bank, Bay Area Habitat for Humanity and Clear Creek Environmental Foundation. Good mojo was a plenty with The Blues Hound, James Nagle, of KPFT helping get word out to true music lovers and the legions of fans from the Houston Blues Society legitimized the integrity of the music put forth. Cool too were all of YOU in what had to be perhaps one of the largest gathering of SCENE Magazine readers ever in one place. The main stage acts all deserve full write ups and without exception played the way live festivals should be played with none of the short jingle stuff, rather instead the top shelf exquisitely fine musical trances through and through. Remember how good those felt like? The music filled Walter Hall Park endlessly throughout the weekend between the main stage and the Bayou Stage where the ever tireless David Schwope was at the helm. Originally listed as an acoustic venue, the musical fates had different ideas twirling the energy knobs at least three turns past the stops each day the entire weekend. Wow, that was fun! Bringing it all home on the Bayou Stage was Moondog which is ironically fitting as we understand it was their band of the early day, Cold Feet, who were often called upon to open the Seabrook Music Festival. By the way, the coolest stage the entire weekend, hands down, goes to theTeen Cafe where we got a look ahead at some of our young local talent you'll be listening to in the years ahead. Kudos to All Points Productions, the Festival Goddesses, Event Sponsors, Volunteers, and to League City (whom I'm nominating to run traffic control at Ellington Field) for pulling together this over the top musical event and for doing this when we all needed it most. Let's do it again!