“Notes From Around the Bend” By Writer and Photographer David M. Kowal
We are on the verge of the 14th year of Viva Big Bend, an exceptional showcase of live music here in Far West Texas. The music festival is the creation of Texas music impresario and publisher Stewart Ramser, who started Texas Music Magazine and ultimately modeled the Viva festival after its format. The festival has been deservedly recognized as one of the best small music festivals in Texas; it has traditionally drawn a large and appreciative audience, offering something for lovers of all genres of music, from country to rock to Latino to blues and so on.
As in the past, the music performances take place in various locations in the tri-county area of the Big Bend (that is, Brewster, Presidio, and Jeff Davis counties). Of course, this requires transportation and movement between venues, but also offers the opportunity to experience unique and individual places within the region. Many of the past venues will again be utilized, including the legendary Starlight Theater in Terlingua, where opening night is held. In Marfa, Planet Marfa will again host events, as will the pool at the St George Hotel. Alpine will have events in a variety of places, from the courtyard of the Holland Hotel (which hosts free events) to the Amigo Sports Bar, Railroad Blues, the Hotel Ritchey, the Granada Theater, Big Bend Saddlery, and the outdoor pavilion at the Alpine Visitors Center. Skelton’s Runway is the newest of the larger venues, although, unfortunately, one of the best stages in Alpine, at the Spicewood Restaurant, will not be utilized this year. But the Tex Pop Gallery, our newest forthcoming Italian Restaurant, Lucia (formerly Guzzi Up), Cow Dog corner, and the new 5th St. Art Gallery, will. In Marathon, the Gage Hotel will again host free events, staged this year not at the hotel itself, but across the tracks at the Ritchey building and at the Desert Ghost Distillery. Fort Davis’ Kelley Pavilion will again be the venue for a full day of free music by various featured bands, while its newest restaurant/pub, The Rendezvous, will host for the first time. The Cibolo Creek Ranch will again serve as a special venue, while Daly Park in Presidio will also host performances. Each is an excellent site for listening to music, although some, like Railroad Blues or Planet Marfa, can get quite crowded with listeners and dancers, and seating can be hard to come by at the Gage, the Holland Hotel, and even the Amigo. It is always best to get to a venue early to secure a place.
For most events, you will need a wristband for entry; it can be purchased online at the Viva Big Bend website (vivabigbend.com). For residents of the tri-county area, discount vouchers are available in advance at your local Lowe’s supermarket; you will need proof of residency when picking up your discounted wristband at Viva’s Holland Hotel box office. With that said, there are many free events in which featured musicians perform (most specifically at the Kelley Pavilion in Fort Davis),….. so even the most frugal among us get to experience top-notch music at Viva; this is one of the many features of a festival designed not only for those who reside beyond West Texas but for grateful locals!
As in the festival’s previous years, many of the primarily Texas-based performers slated to play in 2025 are returnees from past years, having proven themselves consummate and popular performers. Together with a collection of new acts and a large selection of local West Texas talent, they showcase a wide selection of high-quality music in a broad variety of musical genres, although a preponderance of performers might best be considered country, Alt-country, and Americana, assuming we must label!
Among the returnees are Mitch Webb and the Swindles, who play a multi-cultural blend of country, rock, and conjunto. The Getocowboys will again offer their take on Cajun country music, while Sour Bridges (who played the original 2012 Festival and many times thereafter) will bring their “browngrass” blend of country, rock, and bluegrass.
Also returning are the honky-tonk sounds of Jomo and the Possum Posse; the Americana roots music of the West Texas Exiles; and the country rock of Stone Wheels. Also back on the roster is the driving Tex-Mex sound of Josh Baca and the Hot Tamales; the Americana music of Anna Maria Rosales with her band, the Unfit Mothers; Will Dupuy’s La Tampiquena, a Tex-Mex, country-folk band; the Latino cumbia-reggae-rock of Radio La Chusma; and appearing in her solo debut, Stephanie Bergara, lead singer of the Selina tribute band, Bidi Bidi Banda. Tomar and the FC’s will again be bringing their soul sound to Viva, while ukulele virtuoso Kevin Carroll will both perform and offer a workshop. Singer-songwriter Jon Randall will offer up country ballads at Cibolo Ranch, while the legendary Butch Hancock will open the Festival at the Starlight in Terlingua. And back again for the kids, the incomparable Mr. Will (Will Dupuy).
There are many newcomers on tap for this year’s festival, playing in a variety of different musical genres, although as mentioned earlier, country, alt-country, and Americana roots music predominate. This includes the singer-songwriter known as the Mighty Orq (Josh Davidson) playing “Gulf Coast roots music”; The Midnight River Choir who offer up a blend of Americana, rock, and country; Graham Wilkinson and the Flying Raye, who together form the Pecan Street Preachers, who play a mix of roots, folk, rock, jazz, and reggae; bluesy alt-country singer-songwriter Caspar Allen, an upcoming newcomer; Dallas Burrow, a story-teller of classic country and folk; blue-collar country singer, Kat Hasty; Dzaki Sukarno, a rising New Mexico-based performer of classic country; Maximiliano and the Texas Mamas, who play a dynamic blend of rock and country; and Red Shahan, with his unique blend of “Red Dirt” country-rock.
Bob Schneider, former lead singer of the rock band Ugly Americans, will perform an acoustic set of experimental electric rock which mixes folk, rap, bluegrass, reggae, and country. Scott Strickland offers up a blend of rock, pop, and folk with a soulful edge, while the band, Wrongbird, plays alternative rock with a piano-driven sound. Stella and the Very Messed provide a high-energy pop-rock sound while the nine collaborative members of Molecular Steve play indie-psychedelic rock. Los Desechos offers a “mezcla” of Latin sounds, specializing in cumbias.
The exceptional musical talents of local Big Bend musicians again feature predominantly in this year’s festival. These include the foot-stomping country sounds of the Doodlin’ Hogwallops (who have played every Viva festival since the beginning, traditionally closing out the festival on its final night at the Railroad Blues); fiddler extraordinaire, Doug Moreland and his superb band of brothers; the border sounds of David Beebe and Primo Carrasco (and Beebe’s alt lounge band, the Beebe 3); the Americana sounds and beautiful harmonies of The Swifts; the indie rock of Marijuana Sweet Tooth; mariachi from Grupo Alegre; the Latino beat of the Pure Party Allstarz; and the wonderful Beatles tribute band, Rubber Revolver. Among local newcomers are the honky-tonk Latecomers; the vibrant blues band of Rome Antenucci and Roasted Rat; and finally, Peso Supreme, the Terlingua-based classic rock band, led by Tony Drewry,
Many performances by these local bands are free to the public.
As in previous years, the Festival will also sponsor a late Friday afternoon tailgate party on Murphy Street in Alpine, complete with free barbecue and music, as well as a cowboy breakfast Saturday at Big Bend Saddlery in Alpine with music from locals Craig Carter, John Davis, and Gene Reeves.
As in past years, there is more great music available for Viva Big Bend 2025 than any one individual can take in…. but whatever your preferences and choices may be, be assured that you will not go wrong!!!
The full lineup and schedule of shows for Viva Big Bend 2025 are available online at vivabigbend.com