The Musicians Revolt
Feb. 21
at the Grotto
517 University Drive, Fort Worth
"I like having singer-songwriters come out here and do stuff . . . and hopefully they won't suck too bad." -- Scott Vernon, host of the Musicians Revolt
Open mic nights are notoriously painful experiences. It's like karaoke, only louder; and often, since the performer is providing the music as well, there is considerable potential for sonic misery.
The Musicians Revolt isn't that kind of open mic night.
Scott Vernon, of Sally Majestic fame, started this Sunday-night tradition more than two years ago at the Grotto in Fort Worth, and he has hosted the show all but three nights since. Local music heroes, among them Nick Choate, Matt Skates, James Hinkle, Luke Wade, Bryan Batson, D. Anson Brody and Lucas White, have been known to show up on a whim. Songwriters regularly use the open forum to try out new material. Skates has even juggled.
On Feb. 21, Vernon kicked off the Musicians Revolt as a solo act. (Musicians not being known for their punctuality, he was the only performer there.) As pretty, tattooed girls played tug of war and fetch with a blue heeler named Hank (he belongs to the bartender), Vernon opened with the Church classic Under the Milky Way, followed by Pay No Mind by Beck. His set continued with some Beatles tunes, some originals and even a Red Hot Chili Peppers song. He finished his hourlong performance with Melissa by the Allman Brothers. How many bars give you top-shelf Beatles covers and a dog to play with on a Sunday night?
While Vernon took a break, Thomas Flynn took over, doing excellent covers of Dylan's Don't Think Twice, It's All Right and Blowin' in the Wind, as well as some originals.
Keegan McInroe, of Catfish Whiskey, took the stage next and did a cover of On the Road Again. This inspired Vernon to pick up the bass and Riyad Elmasri of Word Up, Skitzo Fuel and the Zen Motor Orchestra to take over on drums. Vernon then moved to drums for the next song, with frontman Kewaithian D Freeman and bassist Justin Baisden (both of Rabbit's Got the Gun), joining McInroe for a rousing cover of Ophelia by The Band.
Hank soon had a harder time finding someone to play fetch with him. The room was fixated on the spectacle onstage.
Christa Russell took over fronting the impromptu band with a forceful version of a-ha's Take on Me and then did possibly the best version of Blue Bayou I've ever heard. Everyone but Russell and Vernon bailed, and she finished her set with the Bill Withers masterpiece Ain't No Sunshine -- with Vernon playing bass and drums.
Next, Elmasri picked up the guitar and did a bizarre cover of the Ting Tings' That's Not My Name. I'm not kidding.
To close the evening out, Vernon called Lee Allen of Rivercrest Yacht Club up on stage. With Katie Grace on vocals, they did an off-the-wall reggae version of Creep by Radiohead. By this point, Hank was lying at my feet under the table, exhausted from almost four hours of fetch in a crowded bar.
The Musicians Revolt takes place around 10 p.m. every Sunday at the Grotto. Vernon can be seen with Sally Magestic at Lola's Sixth on Sunday for a co-op benefit.
The Musicians Revolt
Feb. 21
at the Grotto
517 University Drive, Fort Worth
