Last weekend was filled with a ton of great opportunities to see live music. And if you’re like me, you wish you had been capable of being in at least two places at once. But where I found myself last Friday night was nothing short of delightful!
After a late shift at work I made my way over to Sundown at Granada to listen to Denton’s well-known duo, RTB2. The band is comprised of Ryan Becker on the guitar and Grady Sandlin on drums.
I’ll abashedly admit that I’ve only seen these guys perform one other time, and that was several years ago. But absence only makes the heart grow fonder, as they say, and I was eager to see them again.
Upon arrival the place was pretty empty, which surprised me, but that’s what I like about Sundown- you’re always able to get a quick drink and grab a seat somewhere. And most of the time people are sitting, which is also surprising for a venue that has free live music every night of the week. But I grabbed a beer and found a seat a little further back from the stage.
After a few sips of my swill and some of my signature “all shoulder” chair dancing, my concert companion, Michael, and I decided to make our way closer to the stage. At this point the seats up front had filled in quite a bit and we found ourselves sitting up against stage right, feet literally resting on the platform. Talk about an intimate show, it was awesome!
Though the angle was unusual, we ended up staying put for most of the night, and I’m glad we did. From that point of view I was able to see spit fly, observe the tiny movement of the cymbals atop Grady’s hi-hat, and hear the hushed jokes Ryan would make in between his louder jokes.
The performance was like I remembered it- entertaining, but not over-the-top, and still surprising as ever. I say surprising because it’s so incredible to me how, with two instruments, these guys can produce sounds that are invitingly robust. Like an old fashioned rock and roll that maintains its steady flow, but delights with peaks of auditory catharsis before floating you back to that enduring wave of rock. It’s a beautiful thing!
Sorry you missed them at Sundown? The music gods have given you a chance at redemption! Catch RTB2 on August 15th at The Double Wide. You can also connect with the band on Facebook and Twitter. Check out more of my pics from the show below!
Julie in Dallas 