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Vegas
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Two Tons of Steel Album Review:
Two Ton Tuesdays! at 2005-08-11
Two Tons is the biggest secret in great music -- their performances at the legendary Gruene Hall are the most well-attended in the history of the venue, where standing-room only is the norm.Two Tons Tuesdays, their weekly summer music series, celebrated its 10th Season this year -- and the release of their new album Vegas was the kick off event. Having been fan for several years, their latest CD take the cake as their best effort yet.Fans of country, rockabilly and roots rock take note: this is a must-own! Soon you will be yelling, Two Tons!
Two Tons of Steel Album Review:
Robust honky-tonk music spells t-e-x-a-s in fine fashion at 2005-06-21
Playing Time - 42:27 -- Chroniclers of countrybilly sounds, San Antonio-based Two Tons of Steel show influences of pioneer rock n rollers who have gone before. Guitarist Kevin Geil is the primary singer/songwriter in the band, and his lyrics are worth listening to and seem to fit the tunes well. Most impressively in classic country fashion and with lyrical talent, Two Tons of Steel concurrently covers contemporary subject matter and popular culture. That built them a devoted following and landed them appearances in concert, film, and ads. The band plays the Grand Ole Opry, as well as Texas famed Gruene Hall, where an annual Two Ton Tuesdays summer series draws 12,000 fans. Upcoming CD and DVD releases will document Two Ton Tuesdays. The group was called the Dead Crickets until 1996 when they became Two Tons of Steel in a tribute to Kevin Geils restored 56 hardtop Cadillac. Vegas is their eighth album, but first on the Palo Duro Records label. Besides Geil, the rest of the weight is Dennis Fallon (electric guitar, harmonica), Ric Ramirez (upright bass), Chris Dodds (drums), and Denny Mathis (steel, dobro). Ramirez and Dodds sing harmonies. Guests include Riley Osbourn (organ, piano) and Fernando Castillo (trumpets on Vegas).Vegas has plenty of fiesty rockin original songs about travelling, rambling, loving and partying like Unglued, Cant Stay With You, and Baby You Got Me. The only ballad is the fanciful Havana Moon, written during the bands 1997 trip to Cuba. The bands rockabilly cover of The Ramones I Wanna Be Sedated is one that their fans always dig. Another cover is Johnny Rivers Secret Agent Man, and it gives Mathis, a member of the Texas Hall of Fame, plenty of leeway to shine. Two Tons of Steel is a superior band that specializes in the live honky-tonk music found at nightclubs and watering holes throughout the lone star state. The serve up some robust music that spells t-e-x-a-s in fine fashion. (Joe Ross, Roseburg, OR.)
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Oh No
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Two Tons of Steel Album Review:
HOT DIGGITY DOG! at 1999-12-14
If theres not TTS in heaven then leave me here cuz these guys ROCK AND RULE wherever they play! Saw them at the one and only Gruene Hall on a lonesome Saturday night in May 1999 and kept going back (every Two Ton Tuesday!) for more. BUY their cd today so we can start making them money so they can start playing more areas! I promise you its worth it! TWO TONS OF WHOOP A_S is right!
Two Tons of Steel Album Review:
awsome! at 1999-11-04
I have always loved Two Tons od Steel. Ever since I heard them at a Fan Fare at Bluebonnet dance hall. I now follow them around every time they come to Cibilo Creek Country Club. Their style is so Buddy Holleyish. Ric Ramirez makes everything worth it with his upright bass and so do the AWESOME vocals and guitar stylings of Kevin Geil. BUY IT TODAY!
Two Tons of Steel Album Review:
Sha-bang! This does justice to the best rockabilly in Texas. at 1999-09-13
1. Get the beer icy cold (like, put it in the freezer); 2. Turn up the heat in your house (92 is good). 3. Tear up your carpet, so you can dance on the bare wooden floor. 4. Call 280 of your friends. 5. Pop in OH NO! and... B-BAM! Youre at Gruene Hall, the oldest and sweatiest dance hall in Texas, and local heroes TWO TONS OF STEEL are burning the place up on a hot summer night. Sure, its crowded, and you really gotta pee, but you fought hard for your little section of dance floor and you arent about to miss ONE NOTE of the show. Just listen to what the locals say:More like TWO TONS OF WHOOP @$$ - My wife... Most countries dont have bands this tight - Len Ellis, famous Austin songwriter.Snappy tunes (most are hoppin; a couple of slow ones, too)...flaming guitar, relentless drums, legendary doghouse bass. Singer Kevin Geil should be on kids lunchboxes already.So get the CD. Its almost like being there.
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Tuesday Live From Gruene Hall
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Two Tons of Steel Album Review:
The best thing when its not Two Ton Tuesday at 2003-04-18
I was very pleased with Two Tons newest album, Live. It is an album for the fans and it lives to be true to its claim. Every track is excellent and all is missing is the atmosphere of Gruene Hall. Many songs return that were on two albums before Live, those albums being Oh No! and King of a One Horse Town. The new songs added to this album keep with the Two Ton style which is unique to them alone. I am a life-long fan of Two Tons of Steel and I know everything in their future will live up to Live. They have begun to play at the Grand Ol Opry on a regular yearly basis and their music lives to that of legend. Kevin, Dennis, Denny, Ric, and Bongo....keep up the excellent work.
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King of a One Horse Town
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Two Tons of Steel Album Review:
See TToS live and youll enjoy this disc more fully at 2000-07-29
King of a One Horse Town is most notable for two obvious points: one, lead singer/songwriter Kevin Geil has found happiness and comfort in his role as husband and new father and two, bassist Ric Ramirez is very talented in the production booth. The sound on this CD is more balanced and lively than Oh No (their previous disc, also mixed by Ramirez), and the band (Geil on acoustic guitar and vocals, Ramirez on upright bass and vocal--a monster talent, Ramirez was nominated for a Grammy in 98 as part of Los Super Seven--, Dennis Fallon with his heavy surf rock influenced electric guitar, and the rock solid Stephen Hartwell who epitomizes less is more drumming) plays mighty tight throughout. The songs are solid if not altogether spectacular and remain true to standard rockabilly ideals: love lost and won, lonesome honky tonk heroes, and the importance of moving in celebration no matter what happens. Ive followed the band since the early 90s (when they were known as The Dead Crickets and were tearing up lousy beer joints in the St. Marys district of San Antonio), and theyre playing better than ever these days. Theyre branching out more and more these days, and if you live in Austin, San Antonio, Houston, or Corpus Christi odds are youll be able to see them some night soon. Theyre wearing grooves in I-35 and I-10. Go out and see them some hot Texas night. And if youre lucky enough to catch them at Gruene Hall near New Braunfels, Cibolo Creek Country Club near Selma, or the legendary Continental Club in Austin you just might find yourself following them all around the state.
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