For the past couple of years, Tom Urquhart and Tony Diaz of KTCU/88.7's The Good Show have been an integral part of the Mambo's webcast. The show, which features local musical acts, is broadcast live over the Internet from Mambo's Cantina on Houston Street and is hosted by radio legend John Rody.
But there are changes in the works at Mambo's. As of last week Tom and Tony will no longer be a part of the webcast, stating only that Rody wants to take the show in a new direction. However, that doesn't mean that the pair is done at Mambo's -- far from it. Last Saturday saw the birth of The Good Show Web Lounge at Mambo's.
In some ways, the show is similar to Rody's concept. Local music acts are brought on stage and broadcast over Internet. The show will then be available, on demand, at a later date. But this is a very different kind of animal.
Rody's show is a fantastic kind of chaos; mercilessly shoved through by the sheer force of his bigger-than-life presence and humor. Rody is credited in Wikipedia as pioneering the "morning zoo" radio concept, and when Rody is on a roll, there is nobody more entertaining.
The Good Show's Web Lounge concept is anything but chaos. Camera shots, and positions are meticulously planned, and banter between performances is more of an enhancement than the meat of the show.
There is also a distinct difference from most of the other music venues. The idea is a more relaxed, comfortable and adult music venue. There are tables and candlelight, and during the songs, the cameras switch between views of the band, the patrons and the artwork on the walls. You get a sense of being there, even from your laptop at home. But this show is also about the music, and this is where The Good Show excels.
The inaugural night featured Ryan Thomas Becker of RTB2. His performance of his originals and a few covers was excellent, as usual. We got the usual on-stage contortions and facial tics, along with the man's emphatic and expressive vocals. He's always a pleasure to watch perform, and it always leaves me wondering why an artist like him is still local. The world needs to know Ryan Thomas Becker.
The second act did not disappoint either. Kevin Aldridge (of the Appraisers) took the stage and also gave a first-class performance. During the final song of his set, Becker crawled back on stage and while sitting on the floor, improvised a haunting, backing guitar part. It was just what the song needed and shows that although the Web Lounge is considerably more structured than the Rody show, there still is room for the unexpected.
The Good Show Web Lounge will be broadcast on the second Saturday of every month, and you can attend live for a $5 cover. Having watched Rody's show evolve over the last two years, I'm eager to see where it and this new Web show will go.
Online: www.mambosfortworth.com
