Category Archives: Texas

by Jessica Jakobeit | October 20, 2014 · 8:00 am

Dance Your Heart Out

Have you ever heard a country song and get lost in the lyrics? I feel that every country song puts me in a different mood. I even have different country playlists on my Spotify. One is labeled “Midnight” and contains songs that I have danced multiple times to at Midnight Rodeo. I think it is also interesting the way that country music also connects people. Even though my boyfriend and I met through a social dance class, we kind of started to fall for each other each time we would go country dancing. Even before we were a couple, strangers at Midnight Rodeo and even Dallas Nightclub would tell us we dance so well together. There are a few songs that every time we hear them played at any country venue, we cannot stay off the dance floor.

Shania Twain – Man! I Feel Like a Woman!

This is one of the best one-step songs we love dancing to. They do not play it at a lot of country dance halls, but at Midnight Rodeo they usually play it every Thursday. I think it is even more interesting because before the song comes on she usually tells us it is ladies choice. I think it’s more fun when I get to ask him to dance.

Lee Brice – I Don’t Dance

This song is pretty ironic only because my boyfriend actually knows how to dance and he is pretty good at it too. But we both love the song anyway. Of course as soon as it comes on we try and find each other to dance the song with one another. When it comes on in the car we turn it up and just listen. We stop talking for a moment and just feel the music and imagine ourselves out on the dance floor two- steppin’ the night away.

Deana Carter – Strawberry Wine

This song is much different than the rest because even though it is a country song, there is a different way to dance to the song than just two-step. This can actually be considered a cross-step waltz song. The beat is much different and the steps are a lot smaller with a different frame structure. Sometimes I feel like when we dance it at Midnight Rodeo people look at us like we are crazy. But I’m truly glad he knows cross-step waltz and is really good at it.

Blake Shelton – Footloose

So I know this is not the original “Footloose” track, but it is the one that they play sometimes at Midnight Rodeo. This is not really one-step or two-step either. This is actually one of our favorite line dances that they play at many different country dance halls. There are also many different ways you can do the line dance. I remember we went to rebels and people were doing all kinds of crazy moves. I like the version that we learned at Midnight Rodeo and in our social dance class.

In case anyone was wondering where you could learn two-step, or one-step, or cross-step waltz, there is an AMAZING social dance class offered at UT taught by Campbell Miller. There are even different levels from Beginner to Advanced. That’s where the two of us met and I can honestly say that the class is one of the best parts of my day.

Feel free to leave your comments below!

5 Comments

Filed under Dancing, Song Analysis, Texas

by Elizabeth Stack | October 17, 2014 · 8:00 am

Country Firsts

In honor of my first blog post of the semester, I am going to write about some of my country music firsts. I have loved country music for my entire life, and some of my favorite memories include it.

I knew pretty much every word to every song on this album.

Going back to my early childhood years, immediately I think of Shania Twain, my first idol. In 1998 I was 4 years old in Charleston, South Carolina, and Shania was launching her first world tour for her third studio album, Come on Over. I thought she was just about perfect, and everything I wanted to be when I grew up. My mom had a tape, yes a tape, of her songs that she, my sister and I would sing right along to any time we were in the car for an extended period of time. Even now, whenever I’m starting a road trip I love to play some Shania. For my birthday I got one of her CDs, and for a couple years after it remained my top choice, along with the Back Street Boys, to lip sync my own concert to.

A few years later came my first country concert. By then I was living in New Hampshire, but as Brantley Gilbert says, ”country must be country wide.” One Friday after school my dad surprised me with three tickets to the Martina McBride concert, and Little Big Town, still one of my favorites, was the opener. I got to invite my best friend, and Dad sat a few rows back, so we could feel all grown up sitting by ourselves. I remember that night so clearly, from what I was wearing to the car ride home recapping every moment. My personal favorite was when Little Big Town played “Boondocks,” which I played on repeat for weeks to come.

By high school I was happily back in the south in a small town outside of San Antonio called Helotes. I lived right down the road from Floore Country Store where Willie Nelson can frequently be found, and I could hear the music being played from my back porch. It’s also where I two stepped for the first time. I have to admit, it was pretty awkward. The steps are simple enough, but I had a hard time with being lead and kept trying to go in the wrong direction. When it came time to spin things just got messy. Luckily, my partner was a doll and we both laughed the missteps off. Since then, I am proud to say I have greatly improved. Spinning around a Texas dance floor to good music is one of my favorite ways to spend a Saturday night. If you’re ever in San Antonio, and have never been to Floore’s, I highly recommend stopping by to see artists such as Randy Rogers Band, or Whiskey Meyers.

You can’t miss it.

So there they are. A few of the many good memories I’ve had that country music played a role in. If you have any you’d like to share, I would love to read them!

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Filed under Dancing, Reflection, Texas

Tagged as Floore Country Store, little big town, Shania Twain

by Brittany Fietsam | October 13, 2014 · 8:00 am

Two-Step Your Way To Swiss Alp!

If you ever find yourself lost in Fayette County, Texas, on a Wednesday night during the summer or any weekend throughout the year, and you’re not afraid of a little sweat, there is one place you don’t want to miss out on! Located in between the back roads of two small Texas towns, La Grange and Schulenburg, lies an even smaller community known as Swiss Alp. This little community that is so easily missed holds the best little dancehall in Texas, Swiss Alp Dance Hall.

Swiss Alp Dance Hall

Swiss Alp Dance Hall was built in the early 1900s and has been the place to go for young adults that live in surrounding towns since then. However, the dance hall is not limited to just young adults. During a show, you will find people of all ages two-steppin’ the night away. Swiss Alp Dance Hall mostly hosts Texas country artists, such as Kevin Fowler, Roger Creager and Aaron Watson, as well as more local artists such as the Emotions.

No matter who is playing, you can expect a good time with great people and a little sweat. This cute little tin-roof dancehall has no air conditioning, only large windows that are opened for shows and big portable fans, so it can get a little toasty on a crowded night.

Inside Swiss Alp Dance Hall

Swiss Alp Dance Hall holds a lot of priceless memories of mine, and when I say this, I confidently know that I am not alone. The hall is not just any old dance hall to the people who live nearby, but a place that their parents and grandparents grew up two stepping in as well. I have a couple of friends whose parents actually met at a dance in Swiss Alp! The place is magical, there’s just not a better way to describe it. The rich history along with the good country music creates an atmosphere that cannot be duplicated.

The official website for Swiss Alp Dance Hall is http://www.swissalptexas.com/home.html. Although I am not a fan of their website because I do not feel it captures the true country vibe you get from Swiss Alp, it is the most reliable place to find a schedule for upcoming shows. You can also learn a little more about the venue from it.

To get a better feel for Swiss Alp, here is a good link: https://www.facebook.com/search/199661610075091/photos-in. This link will take you to a Facebook page of photos taken and uploaded by Facebook users who were at Swiss Alp Dance Hall.

Swiss Alp Dance Hall On a Summer Night

I would love to hear about your experience at Swiss Alp Dance Hall or just what you think about it! Comment below!

2 Comments

Filed under Dancing, Live Music, Texas

by Alyssa Hazen | October 10, 2014 · 8:00 am

Southern Hospitality

Texas has a strong stereotype. For some reason people think we all ride horses to school, live on ranches and wear cowboy boots. However, out of all the myths and falsehoods floating around one that I can proudly say rings true is the term southern hospitality. I never really thought much of it until I went to a Keith Urban concert in Boston this summer.

The calm before the storm

In July, I visited one of my roommates here at UT in her hometown of Boston. We thought it would be interesting to experience a country concert outside of the Texas atmosphere. Right away I was pointing out differences. There were hot dog vendors and popcorn stands scattered throughout the parking lot with people eating in lawn chairs and having a good time. Unlike my usual country venue, the Cynthia Woods Pavilion, which is strategically placed near a highly urbanized area of town, this venue was in the woods with beautiful trees filling out out the landscape. We found an area in the lawn, set out our blanket and waited for opening act Brett Edredge to start. Slowly, our area was infested with swarms of young people in fake cowboy boots. The buzz was so loud I couldn’t hear Brett at all. People were standing and yelling throughout his entire set, something I was not familiar with at the Cynthia Woods. My personal bubble was popped within a matter of minutes with people stumbling all around me.

When Keith Urban came on the place exploded with excitement while he sang a few classics like “Days Go By” and “Kiss a Girl.” Before the show they had set up a stage in the lawn, so we sat near the rail knowing Keith would walk out to the stage to sing a few songs. As he walked up to the stage, I was tossed around like a rag doll, pushed and shoved and squeezed up against the railing. I would be lying if I said it wasn’t worth it just so I could see him perform “Cop Car” up close and personal. When he got off stage several people decided it would be fun to jump around the stage, dance around and flash the audience. Fifteen minutes and a few security guards later, the scene was thankfully over. Apparently, I did not get the memo that class and country do not co- exist in Boston.

Even though the atmosphere was unlike any in Texas, Keith Urban was worth the price of admission. His guitar skills and swoon worthy Australian accent make him a must see.

Sometimes we take things for granted. We have no idea how good we actually have it until it’s gone. Texas may have many stereotypes, but no one can deny that sweet southern hospitality. When it comes to country music concerts, I think I’ll stick with my Cavender’s boots and take my chances!

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Filed under Live Music, New Country, Reflection, Texas

by Ramie Payne | October 9, 2014 · 8:00 am

I Have More Fun When They’re Having Fun

There are few things I love more than watching an artist or a band that loves to perform. I have always had a more enjoyable time at concerts when the band gets into the music and looks like they are genuinely having a good time. This typically only occurs at country music concerts and this trend continued this weekend at the Turnpike Troubadours concert at the Austin City Limits Music Festival.

It was a great show, from beginning to end. I camped out at the stage for an hour with six of my friends and it was well worth it because we were about 20 feet from the stage and right smack dab in middle. I swear I made eye contact with Evan, the lead singer, multiple times. He even looked right at my camera at one point. I had so much fun singing along to the songs, but I could tell the band had even more fun.

I loved Turnpike Troubadours before I saw them this weekend and now I love them even more. When they walked on stage, you could see Evan’s face light up when he saw everyone in the crowd cheering and screaming. It was easy to tell that he and his band-mates were beyond honored to be at ACL playing for everyone out there.

Throughout the show, each band member would take turns coming forward during songs to get close to the audience and engage with them. They wanted to see our faces, they wanted to see us sing, and they wanted us to see that they were excited to be there performing for us. They would smile at each other at points in their songs when the crowd shouted the lyrics or when we cheered long after their songs ended. They had smiles on their faces for the majority of the show. I had a feeling they would be excited to be there because they are a smaller band and this may have been the largest stage they’ve played on, but I had no idea how much they would show how excited they were to be there.

That’s the steel guitar on the left!

Another thing I loved about this concert was how genuine of a country band they are. Until taking this class, I had never really thought about what it meant to “be country,” but know that I have I know that Turnpike Troubadours really are country. They have everything that makes up a country band, from the instruments, the lyrics, and the look.

Their setlist from the concert.

They have acoustic guitars, electric guitars, a fiddle, a banjo, drums, and the instrument I was most excited about, the steel guitar. When I saw it sitting up there, I immediately thought about this class and how influential the steel guitar has been throughout country music history. Their songs are filled with stories about love, nostalgia, and being out in the country. They opened the show with my favorite song, “Every Girl” which describes a girl whom a boy is in love with. The lyrics echo nostalgia, love, and everything it means to be country. It states “she was born in the morning late October San Atone” and describes her as “a sober Sunday kitchen conversation with my dad,” “every friend I’ve ever had,” and “a flighty good time buddy in the corner of the bar.”

All in all, this was one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. I was more excited to be there once I saw how excited the band was. I really think it makes a difference when a band shows how honored and happy they are to be performing – it makes it so much more enjoyable for the audience and it definitely made it more enjoyable for me at this concert.

8 Comments

Filed under Austin, Live Music, New Country, Reflection, Texas