Vegasby Anonymous

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July 01, 2005: 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 Geil’s restored ’56 hardtop Cadillac. “Vegas” is their eighth album, but first on the Palo Duro Records label. “Vegas” has plenty of fiesty rockin’ original songs about travelling, rambling, loving and partying like “Unglued,” “Can’t Stay With You,” and “Baby You Got Me.” The only ballad is the fanciful “Havana Moon,” written during the band’s 1997 trip to Cuba. The band’s 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.)

This review was written about the CD edition.