Mike and the Moonpies deliver Lone Star drenched honkey-tonk performance

Lauren Reed

Staff Writer

Mike and the Moonpies recently recorded a much anticipated live EP entitled "Catalina" at the Troubadour in Lockhart, to be released Christmas day 2008.

The album features guest artists, Joey Thompson of The Archibalds and Steve Malone of Frank Smith.

With various artists often joining the band for live performances fans can always expect an original and inventive show.

I caught their show at Flipnotics Sept. 27, and it was a damn good time.

The show included some of their original work, a few covers and a lot of Lone Star. The combination of The Reverend Jeff Elliot on the fiddle and Burton Lee on the steel guitar and lyrics like, "I drink whiskey and she drinks wine… ", they stay true to their Texas honkey tonk roots.

Front man Mike Harmier teased the audience as they called out requests for covers, and with another whiskey shot and an audible grin, he played the opening notes of "Folsom Prison Blues". Then they went straight into the fast, rhythmic melody of a song entitled "The Country" that draws you in instantly and almost always gets the crowd up and dancing.

I don't know if it's their wide sphere of influence, the camaraderie of the band, or the rock undertones in combination with the genuine country feel, but they keep their audience coming back for more.