Texas King is an excellent band, and Burnstown’s Neat Cafe is an equally excellent venue, so I knew that Saturday night’s show was going to be something special. The rock band from London, Ontario is known for their high-energy performances and catchy tunes. They’ve been touring and releasing music since 2014, and have shared the stage with some big names in the industry like Big Wreck, Matthew Good, as well as making a name for themselves on the festival circuit, like Boots and Hearts, as well as a stop at Ottawa Bluesfest last summer.
Neat Cafe is such a great venue for live music. It’s an intimate space with a chill vibe, and well-worth the drive from Ottawa. The staff is friendly and having taken advantage of the dinner and a show combo there before, I can also say that the food is delicious. I’ve seen a few shows there, and I’ve always had a great time.
Texas King is a band that I’ve been following for a while now. They consistently put out solid tunes which have radio friendly hooks and they back it up with energetic live shows. They have a great stage presence, which has led them to develop quite a following, as seen by the packed house at Neat — their first headlining show at the venue. They played a mix of old favourites like “Chandelier,” “Boomerang” and “You” as well as new songs from their upcoming album, Ultraviolet which comes out Feb. 21. Advance singles like “Hook Me Up” and “On Your Street” are proof that they’ve got no shortage of great songs to come.
Lead singer/guitarist Jordan MacDonald is always a joy to watch, as he is a consummate front man. He’s got soul and grit in his voice, a frenetic stage presence that is instantly likeable, and a contagious enthusiasm. Texas King loves what they do, and you can tell. Melvin Murray (drums), Phil Spina (bass) and Josh Try (guitars) kept the energy up the entire night. The Neat Cafe crowd was really into it, with many singing and dancing along. One of the highlights was when Jordan elicited a little crowd participation by cueing the audience to add backing vocals to the heartfelt “Frontlines” from the band’s 2021 EP Changes.
If you’re a fan of well-crafted catchy rock tunes with great lyrics and love a good rock show, I definitely recommend checking out Texas King. They’re a great Canadian band with a bright future, so keep an eye out for more from them. And if you’re looking for a cool venue to see a show, Neat Cafe is the place to be.
Ultraviolet will be available wherever you buy/stream music on Feb. 21.
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