The one thing that is a constant in Texas is that if
it is Friday night, there is music playing somewhere.
It’s not always the Stevie Ray Vaughan or ZZ
Top wannabes that you find. In fact, in many bars,
grills and restaurants, you can hear some really
talented people performing either their own songs, music
written by others but with a personal interpretation, or
even songs that are part of their national heritage.
Texas, being the cultural crossroads of many styles of
music, allows us to experience virtually any type of
domestic or international music.
When I entered the Bavarian Grill (www.bavariangrill.com)
on Friday night last, two things immediately were quite
evident, the friendliness of the staff, and the lively
music filling the cafe (I’ll speak more about the
Bavarian Grill below). Luckily, we were seated
virtually in front of the musicians, Alan Walling
(accordion, vocals) and Wolfgang Lackner (guitar,
vocals) – AlpenMusikanten. Walling and Lackner
punctuated the evening of music with a humor that made
the whole experience wunderbar. An example of
their humor comes from the Walling’s bio on the
AlpenMusikanten website (www.willpolkaforbeer.com)
– you thought I made up the polka reference didn’t you.
He tells us that he is from the Alpine region of
Houston. Now those of you not from Texas may not see
the humor in this, but considering that the highest
point in Houston (not in a building) is probably
standing on one of the overpasses of I-10, you get the
point! What’s even more fun is the musicians made the
evening an audience participation event. They
constantly asked the audience for suggestions of music,
or reasons to celebrate with another beer! When a young
boy asked if they could play any rock, the two musicians
showed their versatility by breaking out in a rock
tune. BTW, you haven’t heard “Proud Mary” until you
have experienced it the AlpenMusikanten way.
Alan Walling began playing the accordion at age 7
when he was six feet tall (he is certainly the tallest
member of the band, or the audience, or probably the
north-side of Plano). He began playing professionally
at age 16 with his his career culminating in
AlpenMusikanten. His bio says that “singing, yodeling
and having a knack for being in the wrong place at the
right time has driven his career to dizzying heights.”
Though Walling’s humor provides a comedic transition
between songs (and during songs) throughout the evening,
his accordion work is exceptional. His seemingly
effortless playing shows that Walling has mastered the
instrument.
Wolfgang Lackner from the Steiermark in Austria is
quite an artist in his own right. Both an excellent
vocalist and guitarist, Lackner plays off of Walling’s
accordion and vocals providing a playful entertaining
performance. Lackner plays both bass and guitar. He
has also entertained as a member of the Stratton
Mountain Boys and the Sauerkrauts. The
combined musicianship of Walling and Lackner was a real
treat.
There are three other members of Alpenmusikanten:
Paul Durapau, Manfred Zehentmayr, and Gordon Strand. As
they provide percussion and horn support to the band, it
would have been fun to listen to the whole group.
Those who would like to see the entire band can do so on
December 19th at 7:30 PM in
the indoor Biergarten of the Bavarian Grill.
Though the Biergarten is spacious, call the Bavarian
Grill (972-881-0705) for reservations
to ensure that you have a seat for the show.
You can hear the whole band on their two albums: Desperate
Times and Live at Helen, GA (a
two disc album). Both albums are enjoyable to listen
to. In addition to the music, you can experience the
humor that the band intersperses into the program. I
purchased both albums and have enjoyed them immensely.
Check out Auf der Jodler Alm, Wolfgang’s
Appenzeller Jodler, Lili Marlene and all
of the other selections. Whether live or on CD, you’ll
find yourself tapping your feet. If you would like to
order the albums, find out where the group is playing,
or book the band, contact Alan Walling at
alan_walling@mindspring.com.
For Alpenmusikanten, “Will Polka for Beer” is more
than a tagline, it’s a musical genre and performance
style that is entertaining for both them and the
audience. Buy the boys a beer and enjoy an entertaining
night of music.
Now the plug for the #1 German restaurant in America
(seriously). Bavarian Grill (www.bavariangrill.com) in
Plano was selected recently as the #1 German eatery in
America. Having eaten there many times, I can
independently validate the voting! In fact, I have
eaten at both the #1 and #2 (Hollerbach’s Willow Tree
Cafe in Sanford, FL) restaurants. Both offer great fare
and music. However, I have to give the nod to the
Bavarian Grill. It has a wider menu selection with
excellent specials (particularly around Oktoberfest).
Bavarian Grill also has a larger selection of German
beers.
One thing that I really enjoyed this evening was the
friendliness of the staff. From the warmth and
cheerfulness of Connie, my waitress for the evening, to
those bringing out the food, everyone on the staff
treats you as family. In combination with some
excellent food, excellent beer and great music, the
staff of the restaurant made for a complete dining
experience.
If you enjoy a fine German beer, Bavarian Grill has a
Stein Club (www.bavariangrill.com/stein_club.html)
for those that complete drinking all of the beers listed
on a card available at each table. They have a diverse
selection of 50-plus light and dark beers that provides
something for everyone’s taste. I am working on my
stein, but I have a way to go yet. Texas Music Journal
reminds you to drink responsibly. Don’t try to complete
the Stein Club card in one evening! Members of the
Stein Club get to experience German beer beyond drinking
it. Representatives of various breweries often meet
with the group to discuss their breweries and their
particular beverages. The club also does many good
things for the community like food drives.
I can summarize the evening – good music, good food,
good beer and great staff ; truly a Texas experience
with a Bavarian flair.
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