Van Wilks_Mighty Orq_Dec 11

Good time last nite at the Hideaway in West Houston, which was packed for a pair of Texas Guitar Heroes.  Van Wilks started the evening with a 90 minute set of blistering power blues.  Somehow, I had never seen this legend perform in person, even though I’ve enjoyed his Koko’s Hideaway CD for many years.  Wilks and his band were much heavier than I expected, with the kind of searing distorted guitar, thumping bass, and tight drums that I never get tired of.  The vocals were a bit muffled, but the singing was just filler in between massive guitar leads with interesting & unique fretwork.  Highlights included Stone Cold Day, Koko’s Hideaway (instrumental), and Texas ’51, along with a couple of nice covers – Low Spark & Steppin’ Out.  As stated on the Live CD/DVD sampler that I picked up, Van Wilks surely delivered “Low Down, Wound Up, Rockin’ Texas Blues”.
The Mighty Orq picked up right where Van Wilks left off and laid down another 90 minutes of awesome Texas music.  Once again, great bass and drums paved a path for Orq’s soulful vocals and exceptional guitar work.  I really dug Here I Go Again, and Devil at Your Back was heavy as always.
I felt proud to be a Texan and very fortunate to witness these great musicians perform in an intimate setting, from just a few feet away – definitely a great show.