I went to church in San Antonio last Thursday night. Except that it wasn't at a church. And there wasn't a preacher. But it was absolutely 100% a bona fide religious experience. Cowboy Mouth came to town--not my town, mind you; I drove 90 minutes south from just north of Austin--and that seemed like plenty enough reason for a road trip on a school night. 

The congregation convened at Sam's Burger Joint, where there was just enough time before the show to grab a drink and have one of Sam's tasty burgers with some tots. But when the volume picked up across the breezeway, it was time to pay the tab and join our brothers and sisters delighting in the sounds of New Orleans' favorite good time party band...who also still espouse a positivity and togetherness missing from most live shows these days.

Drummer/lead vocalist Fred LeBlanc, guitarist John Thomas Griffith, bassist (and tour manager this time around) Brian "Bruiser" Broussard, and rhythm guitarist Frank "Frankie G" Grocholski brought all the energy I'd recalled from the last time a my college friend-group caught Cowboy Mouth, just shy of 3 decades ago in either a packed Hole in the Wall or Liberty Lunch back in Austin.

All the fun moments are still there: the red spoons absolutely go flyin' during "Everybody Loves Jill." And LeBlanc loves to tease the newbies with hints of "Jenny Says" early in the show, but you know it's gonna be the closer.

The best part about a Cowboy Mouth show, though, is the spiritual re-invigoration. The band oozes, nay screams, positivity and togetherness with a constant focus on love and achieving one's happiest self. When the request to go arm-in-arm with your neighbors to the right and to the left, it lacks all the awkwardness I always felt on Sunday mornings at the First Methodist Church in Alpine, Texas. 

Cowboy Mouth puts on a FUN show. All caps. No regrets. In Fred's words toward the end of the night, next time they're through town "Bring a friend. Or better yet, bring 5 or 10 friends." That's what I plan to do, and you should mark their next tour on your calendar and do the same. Just do better than me and don't fail to bring a few red spoons!

Check out a few more photos from the show at
facebook.com/coyotemusic.fb & x.com/coyotemusic 
and a fun moment in the show over at tiktok.com/@coyote_music.