As you’ve seen in the November/December issue, I chatted with Amarillo native and rising country star Travis Roberts.
Roberts will be back in town for a 10 p.m. Friday show at Golden Light Cantina, 2906 S.W. Sixth Ave. (Cover is $15 in advance.) He’s supporting his new album, Rebel Rose, which is garnering him attention across the country. But how many outlets have asked him about the “underground fight club” he brags about in his bio?
Well, Brick & Elm did. This interview has been edited and condensed.
TR: So I’ll give you the scoop because it’s an Amarillo magazine. I loved boxers like George Foreman, Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali. I looked up to them, man, because at the end of the day, they were rock ’n’ roll stars who were able to put gloves on and do the thing, you know? And so basically what my buddies and I would do is that we would have these backyard fights. We would seriously just put on gloves and grab some VapoRub and throw it on our nose and go, all right, we’re gonna do this.
CC: Oh God.
TR: And so we would fight. And, you know, obviously we would end up knocking each other out and, you know, everybody would call their girlfriends, call their wives, you know, making sure everybody’s good. Eventually we just started putting some money on it. And I remember watching guys walk away with a pretty good set of cash because I was the one who lost. And I went, well, I’m gonna get a cut of that. Eventually that money came together, and it was a pretty sizable chunk. It was a couple thousand bucks. So it was able to put us in the studio for two songs.
CC: Mmhmm.
TR: Calling it an ‘underground fight club’ makes it sound like, I don’t know, we’re doing something really shady out here in Amarillo. It’s not like it’s cockfighting or anything. It’s just dudes having fun, you know?
CC: That’s, that’s amazing.
Funseekers can also enjoy some old-fashioned rock ’n’ roll without bloody noses, though perhaps with some blistered feet.
Panhandle AIDS Support Organization’s annual Turnabout is set for 8 p.m. Saturday in the Legacy Room in Arts in the Sunset, 3701 Plains Blvd. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Themed “Ready, Steady, Go,” the show features amateur drag aficionados paying tribute to the swinging sounds of early-’60s London (and elsewhere). Expect such favorites as Little Eva’s “The Loco-Motion,” The Doors’ “Light My Fire,” Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools” and more.
“We’re going for a feeling of unity—a big hug and a fun evening during difficult times,” says PASO Executive Director Rhoda Breeden.
Funds raised at the event help support such initiatives as PASO’s children’s Christmas project, emergency food vouchers, and emergency rental/utility assistance.
Standing-room-only tickets are $25, with tables available for $150 to $1,000. Call 806-372-1050.
This week’s other can’t-miss options:
Books to Broadway: 6 p.m. Tuesday; Amarillo Civic Center Complex Heritage Ballroom, 401 S. Buchanan St.; free, premium seats $25; 806-378-3051
The Protest: 5:30 p.m. Thursday; Rockwell Event Center, 16307 Interstate 27; cover $15, plus fees; 806-683-2156
Ragtime: 7:30 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday; Amarillo Little Theatre Allen Shankles Mainstage, 2019 Civic Circle; ticket prices vary; 806-355-9991
Josh Weathers: 7 p.m. Thursday; The Western Horseman, 2501 E. Interstate 40; 806-379-6555, Ext. 2999
Nicole Marxen with Gardens Grove: 8:30 p.m. Thursday; Golden Light Cantina, 2906 S.W. Sixth Ave.; cover
Christmas Roundup: noon to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday; Amarillo Civic Center Complex, 401 S. Buchanan St.; admission $10; 806-371-5050
First Friday Art Walk: 5 to 9 p.m. Friday; Arts in the Sunset, 3701 Plains Blvd.; free; 806-354-8802
Día de los Muertos with Mariachi Los Camperos: 7 p.m. Friday; Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Buchanan St.; tickets $44 to $109; 806-372-7464
Martin Gilmore: 7 p.m. Friday; Chalice Abbey, 2717 Stanley St., Suite A; $15 suggested donation; 806-576-2480
Harrington String Quartet: 7:30 p.m. Friday; Westminster: The Church in Austin Park, 2525 Wimberly St.; tickets $20; 806-651-2840
A Year with Frog and Toad: 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; Branding Iron Theatre at West Texas A&M University; tickets $20 adults, $15 seniors and students; 806-651-2810
Lights, Boots, and Route 66: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Whistlestop Tour: 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday; Arts in the Sunset, 3701 Plains Blvd.; 800-692-1338
Todd Royce’s “No Holds Barred” Comedy Tour: 7 p.m. Nov, 11; Rockwell Event Center, 16307 Interstate 27; tickets $20, plus fees; 806-683-2156
New releases: Misplaced Hallmark Christmas movie Karen Kingsbury’s The Christmas Ring, sci-fi sequel Predator: Badlands and faith-based biopic Sarah’s Oil (Cinemark Hollywood 16, 9100 Canyon Drive, and Cinergy, 9201 Cinergy Square)
Special engagements: Back to the Future 40th anniversary (through Thursday, Cinemark Hollywood 16); ParaNorman (Tuesday and Wednesday, Cinemark Hollywood 16); the Twilight saga (Tuesday and Wednesday, Cinemark Hollywood 16); Rocky IV: Rocky vs Drago – The Ultimate Director’s Cut (Wednesday and Sunday, Cinemark Hollywood 16); Chicken Run 25th anniversary (Saturday and Sunday, Cinemark Hollywood 16); Secret Movie Series (Monday, Cinemark Hollywood 16); Virgin Punk: Clockwork Girl (Nov. 11, Cinemark Hollywood 16)
