SXSW: Texas Tornados, Free and Live!

The Texas Tornados – with Shawn Sahm, Augie Meyer and Flaco Jimenez – will perform in a live, free concert as part of their SXSW experience on Saturday (March 20) at 2 p.m. CDT.

Their show is part of the Global Zone Music Festival happening live in Videoranch3D, a 3D virtual world on the internet, where live musical performances occur in real-time, attended by a virtual audience from all over the world.

To be a part of this concert, you need high speed internet access and a newer computer with Windows on it (Intel Macs work great if Windows is installed).  Go here and click on “Visit Videoranch 3D” in the upper right corner.  Follow the instructions on registering and downloading the software.  Once inside Videoranch3D, you can move around, dance, cheer, see, chat with and meet other members of the audience.  On concert day, the Texas Tornados will be able to see your avatar, talk to you, and read your comments.

If you don’t have Windows or you’re on an old computer you can watch the live feed here.

Read our review of the latest Texas Tornados album, ¡Esta Bueno!

Texas Tornados official website

YouTube: “My Sugar Blue” live at Waterloo Records

Review: “¡Esta Bueno!,” Texas Tornados

Springtime in Texas is tornado season, but you better get ready: we are now in Texas Tornado season.   Yes, the legendary Texas Tornados are back, with a new album and mucho appearances around the Lone Star state (including at SXSW).   ¡Esta Bueno! is the new album, featuring original Texas Tornados Augie Meyer and Flaco Jiménez and Shawn Sahm, son of the late great Doug Sahm.

The original Texas Tornados were, of course, the Tex-Mex supergroup formed in 1989 by legendary musician Doug Sahm, singer Freddy Fender, keyboardist Augie Meyer and the great norteño accordionist Flaco Jiménez.  Sahm died in 1999 and Fender passed in 2006, so when the two great voices of the Tornados left the planet, nobody thought a reunion was possible.

Nobody, except for Sahm’s son Shawn, who looks and sounds an awful lot like his dad.  He always says, “the Sahm family makes music – that is what we do,” and to honor the fallen Tornados Shawn Sahm instigated the reunion of the surviving Tornados for this new record.  And what a great album it is – ¡Esta Bueno! is not only a great party album, it’s a moving tribute to the late Sahm and Fender.

“Who’s To Blame, Señorita,” the joyous rocker that kicks off the album, not only manages to recreate the Texas Tornados sound, but also reminds us that the roots of that great sound were planted in the Sir Douglas Quintet.  Written by Shawn and his dad, the song demonstrates happily that the apple hasn’t fallen too far from the tree.  “If I Could Only” resurrects Freddy Fender – literally – he sings on one of the last songs he ever wrote.  Fender reappears on “They Don’t Make ‘Em Like I Like,” and “Ahora Yo Voy,” as well as the countrified “Another Shot of Ambition.”