The Vandoliers

Through a rapidly changing environment in the world of music, a pandemic and personal trials and tribulations, The Vandoliers 3rd album was conceived. This album may seem a bit different than the previous two. But change is good right?

Side A.

Travis Curry’s fiddle licks open side A of the album on “The Lighthouse, “ and you know even though the world is at high tide, your on a safe ride.

The Lighthouse, written by Vandoliers front man, Josh Fleming, is a song he originally wrote to his infant daughter.

Track 2 leads us to those ever faithful feel good, hold your beer and watch this party songs that make the Vandoliers who they are. Every Saturday night has become one of my personal favorites. I often spend time in reflection of my own life and how far I have come. The rear view mirror can sometimes be my best tool.

“Howlin’” a song about a dog. Or maybe just any one of us who have lost our way back home. Fleming says he actually wrote the song in 2019 as he watched a somewhat anxious family dog in mourning at the door of his family home. “The dog was just sitting there waiting for mom and dad to come home.” Fleming told one reporter. I mean I can totally relate to missing someone. There are some I miss more than others. There are some folks I miss that I know I’ll never see again.

In my personal life. I am a recovering alcoholic. As I write this today, I have been sober for 4835 days.. you might be thinking it’s a long time , but in my heart, I know I just have today. My literature tells me, I shall not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. My first sponsor taught me to defend your right to drink as much as my own right to stay sober. I know the world struggles right now more than ever with more than just addiction and relapse and I think the last two songs on side A, “Bless Your Drunken Heart,” and “Down and Out,” are both powerful stories about living life on life’s terms.

Rock bottom always has a vacant room for me
Joshua Fleming

Rock bottom always has a vacant room for me is one of my favorite Fleming lyrics thus far. It’s so relatable and I can feel the pains and struggles. I have been in that place more than once. I have also found ways to climb my way back up to the top. Music is a big tool I use daily to stay out of that bottomless pit of doubt and despair.

Side B

When you flip the Record, you are surprised to hear Marty Stuart. His direction to Fleming and the band bring you back to those eighties hair bands you grew up on. In my mind I can see them smashing guitars. I can smell the sulfur burning off the fireworks clapping in the distance.

“Better Run,” could be the hardest hitting song on the album. The song was written by Fleming, along with Arlis Albritton and Jeremy Drinkwine. In head banging fashion.

Mando Saenz gets songwriting credit on the next song, “Steer Me Wrong.” Travis Curry’s range of fiddle once again wins out on this sometimes love song.

“Before The Fall,” was the first single released from this album. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was heading to Austin for some more of that work stuff. I had to leave home about 5 in the morning and then I streamed the song.

It’s all about those horns. Right? Cory Graves and that horn. Dude has some serious talent. I think it’s one of the biggest concepts that keeps pulling me back to the Vandoliers. I love the flow of those damn Mariachi horns. At a show at Kessler Theater in Dallas, Joshua Fleming announced to the world that Cory was his “Secret Weapon.” I wholeheartedly agree.

Speaking of Cory Graves multi- talents, he wrote the next song on the album. “I hope your Heartache‘s a Hit,” turns the tables on your typical break-up song. It’s their loss not ours right??

“Too Drunk to Drink,” beams us back into good spirited fun with our favorite party musicians, the Vandoliers.

The album ends with “Wise County Friday Night,” a song Fleming wrote as he looked back on the early days of his relationship with his now wife.

This Dallas band of Troublemakers did great on this one. They are one of the friendliest and most welcoming band I have ever come across and they make the kinda cow-punk music I love to listen to.

The band

Josh Fleming- Lead Vocal and Acoustic Guitar,

Cory Graves- multi- instrumentalist- (Horns, Keys, Harmonica.) and backing vocals.

Travis Curry- backing vocals and fiddle

Dustin Fleming- Backing Vocals and Electric Guitar

Mark Moncrieff- Backing Vocals and Bass Gutar

Guyton Sanders- Drums

Vandoliers , release date of The Vandoliers , August 12, 2022 Kessler Theatre, Dallas Tx.

Pancho.

Troublemaker All of My Life

The Vandoliers led by front man Joshua Fleming released there 3rd album today. The album simply called The Vandoliers. Tonight the band brought their breed of music back to where it all began. Dallas, Tx. 7 years ago this band was just a gleem in Fleming’s eye. Fleming wanted a group and wanted to make music that represented Texas Culture. This cow-punk, Amerikinda culture was on full display to a packed house of fans. These fans of the Vandoliers, like myself believe in the bands credo, VFFV. “Vandoliers Forever Forever Vandoliers.” There were so many different races, age groups, genders, and styles represented in the audience. Joshua Fleming made it clear more than once, that all were welcome and they as the band were grateful for each and every one.

Josh Fleming Vandoliers Lead Singer/ Songwriter At the Kessler Theatre Dallas

The night began with a set by Mallory Eagle. This up and coming musician from Oklahoma had a great personality and is a great songwriter. She had some songs in her set that jerked tears out of my eyes and others that had me laughing so hard it hurt.

After Mallory’s set, RC & the Ambers picked up the tempo a bit. This four piece band features acoustic and electric guitars, a stand up bass and a pretty girl who could sing and played sort of a washtub strapped across her chest.

Midway through RC’s set the ,Vandoliers own, Corey Graves stepped in with the Ambers and backed up several of their songs on his horn. During The Vandoliers set, Fleming called Graves,”His Secret Weapon.”

Tonight, The Vandoliers played a song that was written by Corey Graves. This showed me more about what this multi-talented artist could do.Of course, Corey was also the first to take his shirt off. Something that has become something of a trademark as the band has grown up over the last year or so the shirts off has become,

The Vandoliers opened the show with Every Saturday Night. They played the new album and some of our timeless favorites. The Energy in the room could be felt by all. The band members movement across the stage and the way they interact with each other as well as the crowd. The music they play is fun and it makes me smile to see a band who still has fun playing their music. Each member genuinely loves what he is doing.

After approximately an hour and a half the band ended their performance. As the cheers and chants of the crowd grew louder, the Vandoliers made their way back up to the stage. This time it was Fleming himself who wasn’t wearing his top. The crowd when crazy. This led to more rowdies and cheering as the excitement of the band grew more intense.

The show ended with a bang and a surprise ending as singer/songwriter Joshua Ray Walker joined the group on stage and soon both opening acts came up onto the stage to sing 500 miles with Fleming.

If you get a chance to see these guys, do yourself a favor and do it. Support them by buying there merchandise and music, Buy albums and Stream songs.

Pancho.

VFFV

“I have played in Lubbock before, but I have always dreamed of playing the Cactus”
Josh Fleming

Last Friday night, along with my little brother and favorite sister in law, I got to witness the Vandoliers Trio play live at the historic Cactus theatre in Lubbock, Texas.

Texas songwriter Summer Dean opened the show for the Vandos at the Cactus and did a perfect performance of her brand of Country music.

The Ft Worth based Vandoliers bring their own sounds to the Texas Music Scene, yet it’s a sound that resonates the heritage of Texas music no matter what genre you like. The band self describes this sound as cow-punk. In a Vandoliers song you can detect hints of Rock, Punk, Red Dirt, Country, blues and even Tejano. The lyrics that Fleming writes tell stories about where the group has been and where the group is going all the while spelling out Texas in heart and soul.

Originally the Vandoliers were formed as a six-piece band in 2015. Yet, the show I got to see was, The Trio, which was composed of the bands lead singer, guitarist and song writer Joshua Fleming, fiddler Travis Curry, and multi-instrumentalist Cory Graves. This threesome was so much fun to watch. The group took control of the stage and their energy kept the audience entertained all night long. Curry’s fiddle and Graves’ horns echoed amazing sounds throughout the acoustics of the old theatre. The music sounded as pure as if right from one of the groups albums with the full band in play.

VFFV – Vandoliers Forever Forever Vandoliers. Each of the band’s members wear this credo proudly as a tattoo.

Friday night the group played a mix of their own songs as well as a few punk covers. The band currently has 3 albums (“Ameri-Kinda,” “The Native,” and “Forever”) the group has also recorded several singles, its most recent, Waiting on a Train, was recorded mid pandemic in Bruce Robison’s Bunker indicates to me the possibility of another album coming soon.

Pancho’s Picks today by the Vandoliers are Cigarettes in the Rain and Every Saturday Night.

Give these guys a listen and follow them any where you stream your music.

Pancho.