Texas Flood finished off a night of rock and blues that started with the Maylee Thomas Band.

18-Aug-2016: It’s always fun when local talents get together and put on a show that captivates the crowd. That happened on a rainy Friday night at the intimate Guitar Sanctuary where the audience enjoyed every minute of the music.

Starting the evening was the Maylee Thomas Band bringing the energy in a set of Texas rock and blues. The band has been together for many years, and the group dynamic was apparent from the opening song, “Blood.” Maylee poured her soul into her singing and dancing, lighting up the crowd.

“Satisfied” started as a slow song, then exploded into rock n’ roll as her expressive movements accompanied George Fuller’s guitar solo. She expressed great sincerity in “Texas Home,” her voice conveying her genuine emotion.

“More Than Enough” from their new album, Don’t Give Up, is a rocker with a Pretenders vibe. Maylee had the chops to make it a hit while George and keyboardist Jay Brown traded solos before a jam ended the song.

Maylee then turned a classic into her song while still paying tribute to the original in “Fooled Around And Fell In Love.” She exuded pure soul in “No More Tears.” It’s a cathartic song, but still shows the love between Maylee and George, and their 25 years together.

A personal song became an anthem to love in “Crazy’s What I Need.” Expressive words, music, and voice all contributed to this beautiful song that ended with a band jam session. Gerry Fisher on bass supplied the backbeat that carried it.

Their final song was a fabulous rendition of Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home.” Joe Mansir on drums laid down a wicked beat as the cohesive band made it a terrific set-ender.

After a quick stage reset, Texas Flood came out to pay tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Dallas’ favorite son. It started immediately with “Scuttle Buttin’,” the great instrumental that showcased Tommy Katona’s guitar mastery. His mannerisms are distinctive and he looks and dresses like the late Texas blues artist; it is hard not to imagine Vaughan on the stage.

Another instrumental featuring bassist Steve Buckner and drummer Travis Montoya followed, as did a tribute to BB King, as the band shined on “Rock Me Baby.” The lightning fast fingering kept the crowd amazed. It continued for “The House Is A Rockin’,” with Tommy in fine voice.

A duel between Tommy and Travis was one of the highlights of “Crossfire.” The wicked drum beat kept going, then Steve got up front and led a jam to end “Cold Shot.”

All three starred in “Couldn’t Stand The Weather.” Tommy walked through the crowd strumming his guitar and interacting with fans. They changed gears in the middle of the song and played “Shaky Ground” and “Voodoo Chile.” The extended version lasted several minutes and mesmerized the audience.

Maylee joined them onstage to sing “Flooding Down In Texas.” Tommy talked about influences and paid tribute to Buddy Guy, followed by Maylee lighting into a T-Bone Walker song. After all this, they segued into “The Sky Is Crying” before ending with another jam.

Katona sang “Pride And Joy” for his wife with an excellent solo by Steve to finish the set. It was too early to quit, though. They quickly came back for “Love Struck Baby” highlighted by Tommy playing a solo behind his head while dancing.

They made unreal sounds as Steve went into the audience to play. Travis exploded on the skins, providing a driving beat and Tommy played the upper fret like Jimi Hendrix. He then put his guitar on the ground, flipped it over and over, stood on it, and then laid it up against an amp and picked at it. He played it upside down and slapped the strings as strobe lights came on to make the ending even more memorable.

Both bands have toured nationally and played with many familiar artists. They’re well known within the industry and considered among the leaders of the local music scene.

Maylee and George host many acts at the Guitar Sanctuary. They book talented artists to play, as well as playing their gigs all over.

Texas Flood is always busy, playing locally and nationally. Tommy was a guitar prodigy in Hungary before relocating to Dallas to learn more about SRV. Catch them wherever and whenever they’re playing.

Photographer Joe Guzman of National Rock Review was on hand to capture the event.

Special thanks to Brian Meader at the Guitar Sanctuary for all his help.

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Texas Flood
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