Bad Copy

There’s nothing quite like coming home. Vandoliers returned to a room full of die hard fans and family on August 16th at the Kessler Theater in Dallas, TX. The Vandos have been on a whirlwind tour since late June. They’ve crossed the country numerous times before but this tour, this stop, was special. This was their first hometown show since the release of their new album Life Behind Bars and more importantly, since lead singer Jenni Rose came out as trans. Vandoliers have been referred to as “cowpunk” – a term that perfectly describes their mix of country and punk rock genres. I probably don’t have to tell you that being a trans artist in the world of country music might present certain challenges. I highly recommend reading this article from Rolling Stone, which served as a kind of public announcement pre-album release, to truly understand how monumental this album and tour was for the band.

Singer/songwriter Nate Bergman opened the show beneath a single spotlight. He said “I’ve only got 20 minutes to make you love me so here goes” or something to that effect. After a couple strums on his acoustic guitar he bellows the first few lines of a song, and during a pause, is met with a “we love you!” from the floor. Bergman prompted even more audience participation for his song “Wish I Was” when he requested the crowd shout out “I wish that I was dead” when cued during the chorus. As mesmerizing as that performance was the highlight of the set was his rendition of My Chemical Romance‘s “Helena.” He prefaced the song by saying it was a cover but never revealed the title. Having done my pre-show research and watching some YouTube videos I knew what was coming. His version is much slower, acoustic, and segmented so it took the audience a few moments to realize what they were hearing. By the first “what’s the worst that I could say” we were all on the same page. He ended the set with a truly acoustic performance without PA or mic from the center of the crowd. Bergman’s powerful voice reverberated through the theater – no amplification necessary.

San Antonio Tex-Mex punks Pinata Protest were up next. Lead singer Alvaro Del Norte brandishes an accordion rather than the more traditional guitar or bass. Del Norte seemingly has no respect for the delicate instrument as he often perches on the monitors and performs flying 360 spins while playing. I’m kidding about the disrespect, of course. I could think of no better death for a squeezebox than to be smashed to bits at a Pinata Protest show. Pinata Protest are akin to Dropkick Murphys or Flogging Molly in their amalgamation of traditional folk music, in this case South Texas/North Mexico, and punk rock. And just like with those bands, you’ll find it hard not to have a good time when they’re in the building. The crowd was feeling it. Just maybe not as much as the band was hoping. Del Norte brought out two signs, one red and one green, and requested the audience declare their allegience to either kind of salsa. To prove their love he called for a wall of death before launching into their ritual “Salsa Roja vs. Salsa Verde” song. In the South we are very passionate about our salsa. I was ready for all hell to break loose. People cheered and pumped their fists but there was no wall, there was no death. I don’t think many knew what he was asking. No slight to the band or their energy but I’ll just come out and say it: this wasn’t a room full of metal show veterans. Nevertheless it provided a good chuckle for the baptised few in the crowd.

At last, Jenni Rose and the rest of the Vandoliers took the stage to a round of whoops and hollers. I tried to keep tabs on the number of Vandoliers’ shirts in the crowd and I’m pretty sure 90% of the audience was repping the brand. Like I said, these are die hard fans. I can understand why. I first heard Vandoliers play almost 10 years ago at a beer brewing festival and it was enough to tear me out of my tasting-card stupor and draw me to the stage. The room was alive. If you weren’t singing along to every song, it was every other song. I think that speaks to the diverse nature of Rose and Co.’s songwriting. They might not all be your cup of tea, but there’s something there for everyone. Personally, I’m a fan of their barn burners. Songs like “Every Saturday Night,” “Troublemaker,” “Bless Your Drunken Heart,” and “Sixteen Years” deserve to be on every dive bar jukebox.

Halfway through the show Rose paused to say “a lot has changed since we last played Dallas… and I’m a girl now” to a roar of applause. Rose was visibly touched. It was more than applause. It was acknowledgement, approval, and… acceptance. Again, I highlight the Rolling Stone article linked above to grasp how important this show was. It’s been a long road here for Jenni Rose and Vandoliers – a long road home. I’m happy to say I was there to help welcome them with open arms. The band took a break before the inevitable encore. Half the band lost their shirts. There was a massive display of strength from keys and horn player Cory Graves as he flexed before the crowd. Nate Bergman joined them on stage for “Cigarettes in The Rain” in a standout moment for the night. All through the show Jenni Rose could be seen with a huge smile gracing her face. I tried to capture and include as many of these as I could. As the final song ended Rose dropped to the stage beneath a rain of roses and clasped her hands together. It was beautiful.