Amazing musicians who have performed at the Roost

During the months I have been at the Roost, there have been some absolutely phenomenal performances that have made Roost history. The shows that have resonated with me the most are the ones I’ve chosen to write about in this feature; Here are some amazing Musicians that have Rocked the Roost.

Lance Lopez

Lance Lopez (Left) Pictured with Malford Milligan (Right)

Lance Lopez is a blues phenomenon. Take Stevie Ray Vaughan and Led Zepplin, then smash them together. One of a kind guitar tone, driving bass lines and powerful drums make for a most desirable three piece that most Quartets wish they could sound like. Lance tirelessly performs flawless solos that cut through the air like butter. With a voice that just screams gritty blues, there’s no substitute for Mr. Lopez. Lance plays at the Roost often, so you have plenty opportunities to catch this amazing act.

Carolyn Wonderland

Carolyn Wonderland is a home-grown hero to the Austin scene. She’s been around for a while, so it’s without question that she knows how to put on a show. She’s got a masterful grasp of the guitar. I can’t say I’ve heard anyone that sounds much like she does. There’s so much to be said about a musician of this caliber, I don’t know where to begin. What I’ll say is this, Carolyn is one of the most ‘Austin’ Musicians I’ve seen in a long time. You’re doing yourself a great disservice if you don’t see her live at least once.

The Wyldz

What can I say about the Wyldz? They Rock. Seems to me a few members of the band got together and said something along the lines of: “Wow, hold on there, this is Rock ‘n Roll. We need to sound like we just crash landed on mars and have to rock our way out of an alien space battle.” Which is exactly what comes to mind when you hear them live. The Wyldz are a legendary force in the making, straight from overseas, ready to rock our nation into space. It doesn’t really have to make sense, it’s just Rock ‘n Roll!

Ruthie Foster

Ruthie Foster is one of the classiest performances I’ve seen at the Roost, by far. All it takes is a guitar, a little bit of percussion, and a soulful voice. I don’t think I’ve felt as much atmosphere in the room as the night she performed at our venue. I was excited to finally see what all the hype was about Ruthie, and was not disappointed at all. There is a depth of understanding that she has with music that most people in the world will never even know exists. The best thing you can do to understand what I’m talking about is to hear her performing live.

Chris Duarte

Chris Duarte brings a whole new meaning to “playing ’till your fingers bleed”. I don’t think I’ve witnessed another act working so hard on stage to make the sounds he does. You can see him playing commanding his guitar to the point of downright insanity. Everyone breaks a string now and then, that’s why some guitarists have a backup guitar to switch out with. But when you go through every single backup guitar and end up at the point where you are changing strings in the middle of a song while a few natural bars of bass and drums taking the front stage, then that’s when you know that you are Chris Duarte. I had honestly not even noticed that he had switched out strings until later on that evening. It was just that natural on stage. If you’re a guitarist, make sure to keep an eye out for the next time Chris Duarte comes back to Austin. He’ll be at the Roost again on April 12th, 2015. If you’re in the area, I highly recommend catching this show!

Chris Duarte’s Guitar Massacre

What is the best live performance you’ve ever seen that you hadn’t already known about before the show?