Free fall shows return for second year to SPI
Weekend evenings this fall on the Laguna Madre waterfront will once again be filled with the sounds of music. Twenty three bands spread out over 12 shows will make up this year’s South Padre Island Concerts on the Bay Series.
“We have booked everything, openers and headliners, and we have some exciting people this year,” said Stormy Wall, one of the concert organizers.
The series of free concerts kick off on Friday, Sept. 19 with headliners DaHeBeGeBees and opening act Nathan Hubble.
Spawned from the Austin musical melting pot of blues, rock, Latin, funk and soul, DaHeBeGeBees will lead the way for a series of performances that will feature the likes of Billy Joe Shaver, Del Castillo, The Brew, Joe Ely, Joe King Carrasco and more will take the stage over six weekends with shows on Friday and Saturday nights.
Wall said one of the shows he’s most looking forward to is the second weekend when Del Castillo will be the only band on stage for the Sept. 20 concert.
“Del Castillo is going to play the whole show, and it could be one of the last times to see them perform together,” he said, referring to changes within the band and the possibility of the musicians going their separate ways.
“Sometimes bands just run their course and they just want to do different things,” he said. “This is a great, great band and we’re lucky to have them.”
Other musical notables Wall mentioned are Texas icons Billy Joe Shaver and Joe Ely, who will perform on Oct. 3 and Oct 18, respectively.
“Billy Joe has got a new record out. When a guy is 75 years old and he’s still playing outlaw country music, I think people ought to come out and see him,” Wall said.
“Joe Ely is another legend and sings about Texas, those sunsets, dusty roads and long lost loves,” he added.
All the shows are free and will be performed on an outdoor stage at the corner of Laguna Boulevard and Ling Street.
George Cox
