Rhythms of the Bay

BY GH ANDREW PHOTOS BY GH ANDREW

Familiar places & faces returneth. Hello good people! Winter has been declared officially over. The mask wearing/social distancing mandate is mostly lifted.

Spring has sprung all around us and we hope you’ve been able to get out, partake of some fine dining, cheerful libations, and some good live music.

We did, catching up with many of you in April at return of the Galveston

Bay Parrot Head’s Bayou Bubba Chili

Cookoff 2022 and the “soft” reopening of the Kanakas Atomic Tiki Bar.

After a two year hiatus, a great turnout gathered at the San Leon

American Legion Post #291 and partook of the beautiful spring weather at the Chili Cookoff.

The Galveston Bay Parrot Head flock are consummate pros when it comes to partying with a purpose as was once again demonstrated at this event benefitting the Noah’s Ark

Bayou Sanctuary. This is a group that rescues dogs from kill shelters situated on a 300+ acre pasture setting whose purpose is twofold:

•Acting as “interim fosters” for rescue groups as they become adoption ready, and, •a loving permanent home to precious senior “scruffys”.

An event for the dogs! Auctions, raffles, Railean Rum tastings, delicious chili and seducing rum dessert servings were enjoyed. And of course, festive doses of live music provided by Southbound, Greg Tillman, and Jerry Diaz.

The Southbound set was pleasing by reuniting Steve Johnson & Jimmy Johns for this special appearance. Tillman & Diaz both performed strong solo sets for the event. It was good seeing everybody again - Great job people!

Location, location, location…. And

the location is the recently relocated Great Atomic Kanakas Tiki Bar on Egret Bay Blvd - home of the former Cockeyed Seagull. After the last two years, a fresh lumber deck was built overlooking the water, the place refreshed inside and out, and the crew intact.

The live music returned with the band Hourglass (Kevin Fenton - Guitar/Vocals, Mark Fenton - Bass, Claudia Hammon - Guitar/Vocals, Greg Stephens - Guitar/Keys, and Stix - drum), Soloist Bill Evans, and the duet of Angie Emerson & Eric Lambert.

We’ve covered these entertainers from days before the C-19 shutdown and this was a treat catching them again on this beautiful spring afternoon. This location has been a neighborhood gathering spot over the decades and it was great to see all your faces again! The venue has a kitchen that will be coming up to speed. In the meantime, we enjoyed some uber flavorful crawfish - no seasoning on the shells, just the utmost broth recipe.

We’ll be checking back as this place develops but as far as neighborhood bars go, the Great Atomic Kanakas Tiki Bar at their new location, is good to go!