Los Lonely Boys Pay Tribute to San Angelo's Steel Penny

By Chelsea Schmidt

Staff Writer who is Special to LIVE!

March 2, 2008

The jig is up. Friday night at the Steel Penny (2412 College Hills, San Angelo), Los Lonely Boys (billed under the name the “Garza Brothers”), played to a crowd of about 200 in celebration of the Pub’s 10 year anniversary. And celebration was in the air, the Penny was so poppin’ I had to wade through a sea of alcohol-induced hormones to make my way to the stage—yes, people were having a good time. They even ran out of Bud Light.

Originally from San Angelo, the Lonely Boys got their start at the Penny all those years back; playing open mic nights and performing in the Pub on the weekends.

“It’s great that a quality band that knows their roots would do this…” said Dewey Weaver after the Boys finished playing their first set. Having won a Grammy for their hit single “Heaven,” the Lonely Boys are indeed a band of a high caliber that are still down-to-earth enough to remember where they came from.

A lot of well-known faces in the community showed up to celebrate the Penny’s 10th year, including Chef Henry and the Mayor J.W. Lown with his sister.

“We love the Lonely Boys,” Mayor J.W. Lown said, admitting that the quote was a bit trite. “Music will save the world,” his sister Alicia Lown cut in. “Music is a universal language: everyone can relate.”

And relate they did Friday night when the Lonely Boys took the stage.

“I really like it—I like the music; I like the mood and everything,” French exchange student Jamila Boutemeur said.

Blending together the virtuoso styles of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Carlos Santana and their own personal flair, the Lonely Boys rocked hometown San Angelo like the stars they are, while simultaneously playing on the same level as their fans and friends at the foot of the stage.