Brave Combo

Grammy Award-Winning Band from Denton, Texas

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You are here: Archives for Featured News 2

World Cafe Interview – Carl Finch & Jeffrey Barnes

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National Public Radio’s long-running, popular music program, WORLD CAFÉ recently visited Denton, to check our groovy music scene for their series, “Sense of Place.”  The show’s host, Raina Douris, and producer, Miguel Perez, spent an afternoon at Brave Combo World Headquarters, picking Jeff’s and my brains about what it’s like being Brave Combo and living in our fine, but rapidly changing, city.  The show’s exploration involves several installments, beginning April 4th.  I understand Friday, April 7th is Brave Combo Day.  I don’t remember exactly what Jeff and I said, but I do know we had a great time.  Raina and Miguel were fine human beings and did their research.  So, you should listen and hear what brilliantly entertaining things Jeff and I said.  WORLD CAFÉ is based out of NPR station, WXPN, in Philadelphia, and, coincidentally, Brave Combo has had the honor of performing at the station’s on-site venue, World Café Live, on a few occasions over the years.  Here’s a link to listen.  Tell your friends and family!

Weird Wednesdays: Carl’s Retrospective

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Despite the intense heat, the rising Covid cases and the growing fear of mass shootings, Brave Combo’s residency at Red’s Yard went pretty well.

My personal goals were achieved, I think, but I’m not exactly sure what those were. My motivation was and is pretty heavy. Whether you feel it or not, the concept of live music is going through a radical metamorphosis. No one knows whether any template from the past will still work on its own anymore because the general public was already confused and unpredictable before the trauma of Covid even emerged. And now everywhere feels a bit like a war zone. Although I’m reluctant to make that comparison considering Ukraine is actually in a war zone and our problems can’t compare right now. On the other hand a lot of people are, indeed, being murdered in the USA, well, every minute. And random attacks by young zombie men are on the rise, so it’s normal to feel threatened and, in fact, wise to be alert. That sucks but I can only try to keep myself from devolving. The world, at large, seems determined to self destruct. I don’t know why. I don’t get it. The desire for power and control is an insidious and, frankly, inexplicable motivation, but the ego knows no bounds and some folks are just drunk with it. I mean, I am a control freak. I understand that, but I herd cats, which requires a lot of control. Cats tend to be a bit self-centered and hard-headed, especially our blind 21-year-old, JJ. Jeez, what a complainer!

Anyway, back to my original point. Weird Wednesday, for me, was more of an experiment, than an opportunity for Brave Combo to get together to play five gigs. I wanted to, mainly, avoid our current song list and either try something new or reinvent something old or just screw around and wander. I also wanted every minute of our “performance” reliably live-streamed. You know, easy to connect and starting on time. But this is not just about Brave Combo. It’s about predicting the future of live music.

And I have lots of questions. Like, why is anyone still doing this; trying to be a musician on a stage? And, although attendance at shows is way down, across the board, why are the die-hards still showing up, as if nothing has changed? No judgment here. Just trying to understand what the collective brain is telling us/communicating. Trends come and go. Brave Combo knows that well and it is, indeed, a challenge to stay relevant as the landscape shifts and, apparently we’ve done well enough, so far. We are strategists as much as musicians. But what’s going on now is different. This is a seismic cultural change. Before BC, I examined the phenomenons of Muzak AND background music (the opposite of Muzak). Background music is passive. Muzak is actually a subscription service designed to maximize worker productivity by utilizing strong musical elements throughout the day, piped throughout the workplace.

But both deal with manipulating the listener. One is subtle. The other, less subtle. I wanted BC, in the early days, to be the least subtle form of Muzak and Weird Wednesday was a return to that idea: Aggressive background music with covert attempts to control the brains of others, without the typical ego trappings which usually accompany people on stages. Yep, that sorta sums it up. And, as with most BC gigs (I hope), it’s important to us that someone watching or listening to our show is somewhat puzzled and challenged to wonder about the value of what we do. I really wish we could have perfect weather every time play outdoors. And I really wish Covid would actually go away and people did not have to think about the virus danger in a club full of fans. And I also really wish guns weren’t, literally, everywhere in our country, especially Texas. And Texas pride without compassion or common sense leaves only guns. I don’t get it, but I know there is a way around the myriad obstacles we’re facing.

So, to sum it all up, Brave Combo may become a more bizarre, yet more beautiful thing. My goals are lofty and they involve more than just notes and chords and exotic rhythms. And I apologize if this only makes sense to me, BUT you should definitely stay tuned!

Brave Combo Live Stream (and In Person) – December 2 in Denton

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Here’s the deal. Brave Combo is not doing its annual holiday jaunt through the Midwest. We won’t be playing Lincoln, Kansas City, St. Louis, or even Chicago…for the second year in a row. Our unwelcome guest, Covid-19, is still hanging around, screwing things up! As well, there are many indoor venues, even in our own North Texas area, to which we won’t be bringing our slightly-demented, but heart-felt, revelry, and seasonal cheer. Yes, this is sad news for us all! But humans are amazingly adaptable, so I say, “let’s do the best we can.” The UNT (University of North Texas) Alumni Association hosted a live-streaming Brave Combo concert in 2020 and invited us to do it again. But this time we are broadcasting the party from one of Denton’s finest and most progressive live-music venues, Rubber Gloves! They were the first performance space in town to require proof of vaccination to attend shows. Yes! Support Rubber Gloves! So, this coming Thursday, December 2, at 7:00pm (CST) we will be playing a whole bunch of holiday music and having fun doing it and YOU’RE INVITED TO HAVE FUN WITH US. If you can make it in person, there are a limited number of tickets, but please come out. Here’s how to reserve a ticket. It’s easy and it’s free! But, if you can’t make it, physically, no big deal. Here is the link to watch the live stream, from the comfort of wherever.
Both In-Person & Online Viewing Registration Links
https://linktr.ee/bravecombo
Come on! Let’s make mountains out of mole…, I mean lemonade out of lemons. And we’ll add a lot of red and green stuff to this lemonade. Maybe spinach and radishes, but no peppermint! That’s one holiday tradition that never needed to happen; adding a bunch of smashed up, stick-in-your-teeth, peppermint bits to stuff that was fine already. Other than that, let it rip!! Okay, we’ll see you, online or in person, this Thursday night. Be there or be depressed!
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Basin Spring Park3 Spring St, Eureka Springs, AR 72632

fri09jun6:00 pmfri8:00 pmMusic in the Park: Eureka SpringsBasin Spring Park, 3 Spring St, Eureka Springs, AR 726326:00 pm - 8:00 pm

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Free Family-Friendly event! Brave Combo from 6-8PM

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Free Family-Friendly event! Brave Combo from 6-8PM

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(Friday) 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

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Basin Spring Park

3 Spring St, Eureka Springs, AR 72632

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William Henry Harrison Park11520 Putnam Street, Sugar Creek, Missouri 64054

sat10junAll DaySugar Creek Slavic FestivalWilliam Henry Harrison Park, 11520 Putnam Street, Sugar Creek, Missouri 64054(All Day: saturday)

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William Henry Harrison Park

11520 Putnam Street, Sugar Creek, Missouri 64054

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San Marcos Plaza Park202 N C M Allen Pkwy San Marcos, TX 78666

thu15jun7:30 pmthu9:30 pmSummer in the ParkSan Marcos Plaza Park, 202 N C M Allen Pkwy San Marcos, TX 786667:30 pm - 9:30 pm

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Concert site: San Marcos Plaza Park 202 N C M Allen Pkwy San Marcos, TX

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Summer in the Parks San Marcos

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San Marcos Plaza Park
202 N C M Allen Pkwy
San Marcos, TX 78666

Rain site:
San Marcos Activity Center
501 E Hopkins St,
San Marcos, TX 78666

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(Thursday) 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

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San Marcos Plaza Park

202 N C M Allen Pkwy San Marcos, TX 78666

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San Marcos Performing Arts Association

info@sanmarcossummer.com

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Westfest Grounds1110 S Main St, West, TX 76691

sat02sepAll DayWestfestWestfest Grounds, 1110 S Main St, West, TX 76691(All Day: saturday)

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Westfest Grounds

1110 S Main St, West, TX 76691

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Westfest Inc.

254-826-5058

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Westfest Grounds1110 S Main St, West, TX 76691

sun03sepAll DayWestfestWestfest Grounds, 1110 S Main St, West, TX 76691(All Day: sunday)

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All Day (Sunday)

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Westfest Grounds

1110 S Main St, West, TX 76691

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Westfest Inc.

254-826-5058

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Historic Downtown McKinney111 N. Tennessee St. McKinney, TX 75069

fri22sepAll DayMcKinney OktoberfestHistoric Downtown SquareHistoric Downtown McKinney, 111 N. Tennessee St. McKinney, TX 75069(All Day: friday)

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Dust off your lederhosen and tune up your yodel for this year’s Oktoberfest. McKinney Oktoberfest is a family favorite, offering authentic German music, food and drink, traditional costumes,

Event Details

Dust off your lederhosen and tune up your yodel for this year’s Oktoberfest. McKinney Oktoberfest is a family favorite, offering authentic German music, food and drink, traditional costumes, dancing, children’s activities and much more

The “beer garden” covers a total of 14 blocks throughout McKinney’s Historic Downtown square so you can enjoy all downtown McKinney has to offer with a German beer in one hand and a bratwurst in the other. McKinney Main Street, supporting sponsors and the shops in Historic Downtown McKinney host non-stop activities in the heart of our great city.
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Historic Downtown McKinney

111 N. Tennessee St. McKinney, TX 75069

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City of McKinney

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Historic Downtown McKinney111 N. Tennessee St. McKinney, TX 75069

sat23sepAll DayMcKinney OktoberfestHistoric Downtown SquareHistoric Downtown McKinney, 111 N. Tennessee St. McKinney, TX 75069(All Day: saturday)

Event Details

Dust off your lederhosen and tune up your yodel for this year’s Oktoberfest. McKinney Oktoberfest is a family favorite, offering authentic German music, food and drink, traditional costumes,

Event Details

Dust off your lederhosen and tune up your yodel for this year’s Oktoberfest. McKinney Oktoberfest is a family favorite, offering authentic German music, food and drink, traditional costumes, dancing, children’s activities and much more

The “beer garden” covers a total of 14 blocks throughout McKinney’s Historic Downtown square so you can enjoy all downtown McKinney has to offer with a German beer in one hand and a bratwurst in the other. McKinney Main Street, supporting sponsors and the shops in Historic Downtown McKinney host non-stop activities in the heart of our great city.
conditions

 

Time

All Day (Saturday)

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Historic Downtown McKinney

111 N. Tennessee St. McKinney, TX 75069

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City of McKinney

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Frisco Square8843 Coleman Blvd., Frisco, TX 75034

sat07octAll DayFrisco OktoberfestFrisco Square, 8843 Coleman Blvd., Frisco, TX 75034(All Day: saturday)

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Frisco Square

8843 Coleman Blvd., Frisco, TX 75034

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Denton's Quakertown Park and Facilities321 East McKinney (Corner of McKinney and Bell) Denton, Texas 76201

sun08oct7:00 pmsun9:00 pmDenton Arts & Jazz FestivalDenton's Quakertown Park and Facilities, 321 East McKinney (Corner of McKinney and Bell) Denton, Texas 762017:00 pm - 9:00 pm

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(Sunday) 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

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Denton's Quakertown Park and Facilities

321 East McKinney (Corner of McKinney and Bell) Denton, Texas 76201

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Denton Festival Foundation

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DowntownKilgore, Texas

sat14octAll DayKilgore OktoberfestDowntown, Kilgore, Texas(All Day: saturday)

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Downtown

Kilgore, Texas

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Southlake Town Square Main St at Southlake Blvd, Southlake, TX

sun15octAll DaySouthlake OktoberfestMain StageSouthlake Town Square, Main St at Southlake Blvd, Southlake, TX(All Day: sunday)

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Southlake Town Square

Main St at Southlake Blvd, Southlake, TX

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Southlake Chamber of Commerce

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Machine’s Pump – Latest Issue

The Machine’s Pump Volume 26 – #5 – May 2023

Jeez, May is almost over, and I am, once again, woefully behind on everything, especially getting the newsletter written and posted for your eager … [Read More...]

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