The Good Show
Feb. 11, Mambo's Tapas Cantina
1010 Houston St., Fort Worth
After being lulled into a false sense of security this winter, we were finally ambushed by cold weather Saturday night. With Tony Diaz and Tom Urquhart of The Good Show hosting their monthly webcast at Mambo's downtown, I certainly had the option of staying at home -- the whole point of a webcast is that you can listen to it without leaving central heat and your recliner.
But Mambo's has these steak nachos, and I didn't have any Velveeta in the house. To paraphrase John Popper, the nachos win again.
One thing that puts people off about downtown music is the parking. Funkytown has always had a parking problem. So here's an insider tip about Mambo's: Make a pass through the small parking lot; if it's full, circle the block and go into the parking garage on the other side. It's an underground parking garage, and most people either don't know it's there or think it's for the hotel only.
Once inside, we had warm food and hot music to drive away the chill. After some entertaining banter from Diaz and Urquhart, Dobro Danny Hill took the stage and served up some smoking blues. I've been a fan of Danny's for years, and he's always entertaining to watch. When I go to hear blues, this is what I hope for: first-rate finger-picked acoustic resonator blues and top-tier slide work. Just when I thought this couldn't get better, local blues legend Johnny Mack threw on a vest frottoir and climbed up stage to add a bit of rhythm and a touch of zydeco flavor. These two have a long history together, and the crowd was feeling the groove.
Speaking of local blues royalty, up next we got James Hinkle. Sure, he's backed up legends like John Lee Hooker, Buddy Miles, Robert Ealey and Delbert McClinton, but Hinkle is also a first-rate frontman. I've usually seen him perform with a backing band, but seeing him on stage with just his guitar was a real pleasure. We got some blues and just a hint of jazz, and the appropriate measure of funk -- especially in the song Funkytown. The man knows how to work a crowd, and he knows how to play. Oh, and he's quite the fancy dresser as well. Johnny Mack even joined him for a song or two, as well.
There was only one real disappointment Saturday. Why didn't we get a jam with Danny, James and Johnny all at once? Seriously, I kept waiting for it, and it never came -- it seemed like such an obvious ending to a fantastic show.
Diaz and Urquhart put on this webcast show at Mambo's the second Saturday of every month (the event is co-sponsored by DFW.com), and they showcase some of the best in local music. Good food and drink aside, it really is more fun to see this thing live.
But if you can't make it out there, point your web browser to www.mambosfortworth.com and click on webcast button. It's the next best thing. In fact, do it anyway, so you can see what you missed last Saturday.
Online: www.myspace.com/dobrodannyhill
