A Weekly Column
Riffs, Roams and Raves uncovers the creative, noteworthy and accomplished in the Wimberley Valley and beyond with tips on who to hear, where to go and what to see from managing editor Teresa Kendrick.
Barnabas Connection’s first ever Wimberley Music Fest, held last weekend at the VFW’s rodeo grounds, drew big names and terrific performances for a magical weekend of impressive music and performance.
In the prime Saturday night performance slot was headliner and four-time Grammy Award-winner Sarah Jarosz. Born and raised in Wimberley, Jarosz was accompanied by multi-instrumentalist and bassist Jeff Picker, a longtime musical partner whom she wed in 2023. Their classy and sweet acoustic set featured music from Jarosz’s seven-album catalog and was the icing on the cake of a day filled with exceptional music from central Texas performers.
Warming up for Jarosz was country music performer Bri Bagwell. Named the Texas Female Artist of the Decade, the New Mexico native, who now lives in New Braunfels, has also earned multiple Female Vocalist of the Year awards. To date, she has landed twelve #1 singles on Texas Country Radio. Her latest album, “Corazón y Cabeza,” produced three of them. Backed by a four-person band, Bagwell’s upbeat performance was charming and lighthearted. Fans who were ready to shuck the constraints of the midday sun, danced along with her salsa moves. Towards the end of her set, she introduced her diminutive dog, Whiskey,” to the crowd and asked, “Have you ever rescued someone and realized that they ended up rescuing you?” It was somehow a fitting tribute to the mission of Barnabas Connection.
The band, “Reintarnation,” with songs by Jay Sims, who produced this gem of a music fest, and Erik Flores, gave a solid performance of their energized brand of Americana. Greg Ward played bass, Sean Snyder played drums and Amelia Rose Logan delivered solid vocals.
Reintarnation followed the “happy chaos,” of Soma Jerome. Best buds Loki Hunter, Elliot Richards, Carson Weems, Sammy Shelor and Miles Love of Wimberley tore up the stage with their folk and indie rock sound, leaning into the outrageous with plenty of hair slinging, intense vocals and hot performance moves. They brought out the younger fans who were fascinated by their impressively tight musicianship and flamboyant boogie, proving they could hold a crowd like the pros.
Before Soma Jerome came on stage, Susan Gibson gave the crowd a top-notch solo performance of songs that helped shape the songwriter sound that Wimberley can’t get enough of. She led off with “Paradise,” recalling the 2015 Memorial Day flood, followed by Roger Alan Wade’s, “If you’re gonna be stupid, you’d better be tough,” and then by her song, “Together Strong,” co-written with the late Randy Scruggs. She wound up her beautiful solo set with the song that opened all the doors, “Wide Open Spaces.”
On Sunday, I heard that the Levites gave a terrific performance. On stage together since 2004, the fantastic harmonizers recorded their first album in 2006. You can find YouTube videos to listen to if you missed their performance.
Jay Sims deserves a standing ovation for his adroit booking of performers. According to long-time radio man and Barnabas board member, Mike Crusham, the lineup of performers was a combination of the efforts of Jay with input from Emil Dzuik, president of Barnabas Connection, and Barnabas’ Executive Director, Kate Sowell. David Byboth of Spygoat Productions offered his guidance throughout.
KWVH’s Coach Smith, host of the “Over Easy with Coach” morning show, introduced each performer in pure Coach style with unbridled enthusiasm, gratitude and praise for the scope of services that Barnabas provides.
A bonafide champion for neighbors in need, former Mayor Gina Fulkerson took the stage and told listeners that Barnabas was an “extremely worthwhile” organization. Susan Raybuck, the visionary behind KWVH, also stepped up to talk about the genesis of Barnabas from a United Methodist Church Sunday School class. Not only did Barnabas reveal their leadership after the tragic flood in 2015, KWVH was created to provide a trusted source of emergency information. Under Sowell’s watch, Barnabas has flourished.
Organizations like UMC’s Suzanna’s Kitchen and recently, WimberleyArts. org with its “Stars Over Wimberley” concert series and “Winter Nights Showcase,” along with KWVH and Carl Rabenault’s music calendar have helped coalesce the live music scene in Wimberley. Add Barnabas Connection’s Music Fest and Wimberley can take a rightly-earned bow as a Texas Music Friendly community.
Roams: Hays City Hideout My roam this week took me to the Hays City Hideout Coffee House that opened September 26 next to Mad Roosters Liquor Store at the FM150 and FM3237 roundabout. Across the road from the Hays City Store and Icehouse, the coffeehouse is a tiny coffee bar. You place your order inside at a small counter but seating is outside on umbrella- covered picnic tables that sit neatly on astroturf. Happily they offer coffee, cappuccinos, lattes, frappuccinos, hot chocolate, teas and lemonades. Their breakfast menu is either a sausage kolache, correctly known as a klobasnek, or a breakfast sandwich, as well as muffins or pastries. I hope they expand the menu; my breakfast sandwich was delicious. From the nine cars in the parking lot at 8:30 on a Sunday morning, it’s clear the demand for their java, drinks and food is only going to grow. Just look at the enormous success of Hays City Store, due not only to their hard work and savvy menu, but to their location between Driftwood, Kyle and Wimberley.
On her website, hayscityhideout. coffee, owner Madison Shipp tells the history of the area. “Laid out in 1908, Hays City was a small town where a two-story hotel, a church, a department store, a livery stable, a lumberyard, and a weekly newspaper called “The Hays City Enterprise” once existed.”
The Hideout is open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., on Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Other businesses have opened or are ready to open at the roundabout. The Hideout is next to the Mad Roosters liquor store, and next to Mad Roosters, the bar “Meaneyed Ca” is nearing completion. Behind that, a restaurant called Whiskey Ridge is in the works.
If you want to check out the Hays City Hideout soon, be aware that on Sunday, October 20 there will be bicyclists on FM 150, probably during peak coffee hours.
Raves: Hunters Night Out October 19.
If it isn’t already on your calendar, it’s time for the 21st Annual Hunters Night Out at St. Mary Catholic Church in Wimberley. Not just for ranchers and hunters, the big tent event offers a BBQ dinner, beverages, live music, a 30-gun raffle, substantial bucket raffles and a live auction for the price of a ticket. Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, Council 9151, the service organization gave more than $100,000 back to the community last year. Since HNO began, the event has given an astonishing $1,500,000 to local charities, religious organizations and scholarships. Tickets are available at the door or online at huntersnightout. com. The pre-event ticket price is $45 per ticket or 4 for $160. Tickets at the door are $60. Raffle winners need not be present to win.
