Michael Doherty's Music Log: Rick Shea & The Losing End and David Serby & The Hillbilly Fringe at Maui Sugar Mill Saloon, 4-15-26

It was tax day yesterday, and to take some of the sting out of having to send in a check (which I can't really afford), I went to see two great bands at Maui Sugar Mill Saloon and have a few beers (which I can afford). They had a particularly good hazy IPA on tap, and I stuck with that throughout the night. It was the night of Rick Shea's monthly "Swingin' Doors" show, and joining his band was David Serby & The Hillbilly Fringe. So I knew I was in for an excellent night of music. It's good that there are a few things we can still count on in these troubled times, and these musicians are certainly among that number.

Rick Shea & The Losin' End

At 8:30, Rick Shea & The Losin' End took the stage for their first set, opening with one of my personal favorites, "Shelter Valley Blues." Sometimes you just know a night is going to be special from the very first song. And last night was such a night. "Shelter Valley Blues" is such a great song, and Tony Gilkyson delivered some particularly cool guitar work at the end. Rick mentioned his new album, Smoke Tree Road, and said they'd be doing a few songs off it during the show. The next song, "Guardian Angel," was one of the songs from that album. "One step ahead, just for a moment/With the devil never too far behind." We could all use a guardian angel these days, or some music that feels like it can take care of us. Jeff Turmes delivered a nice bass line. That was followed by "Mexicali Train," which Rick introduced as a song about a train trip he took many years ago. It's a timeless sort of trip, isn't it? The kind you can revisit, Dale Daniel's drum beat bringing the train toward us. And if we time it just right, we can hop on. "I'll try to lose myself somewhere inside this Mexicali train."

And now that we were displaced in time, the train left us at some depot late at night, all alone, for "Blues At Midnight." "The train in the distance with the long, lonesome moan/Reminds me my baby left me here all alone." Rick delivered a cool lead on guitar. Ah, will we have blues at dawn? Jeff's "Don't The Moon Look Real" followed, and we were still deep in the night, but things took a hipper turn, some of the blues disappearing. The song featured excellent guitar leads, first by Rick, then by Tony. Tony then switched guitars for "Hold On Jake," the energy increasing on this one. There was a delicious groove by Dale on drums, and some really nice touches by Tony on guitar. And then just before the end, Tony let loose. That was followed by another song from the new album, "A Week In Winnemucca." In introducing that song, Rick mentioned Chad Watson, who also hosts a monthly music series at the Maui Sugar Mill Saloon. The song featured an especially good vocal performance. Really, everything was working. The first song of the set had offered a promise that it was going to be a special night, and that promise was being fulfilled. Tony Gilkyson then led the band in "Papa Don't Sleep," a fun instrumental tune. Some playful moments during the song ended up making it a particularly special rendition. I love when what could be considered a mistake actually adds something different to a song. The band kept that sense of fun going with "Midnight Shift," which wrapped up the set.

David Serby & The Hillbilly Fringe

Ten minutes later, David Serby & The Hillbilly Fringe were ready to go, opening their set with "Why Leave Los Angeles." Why, indeed? Especially when there is such great music happening here on a nightly basis. This song came on with a fantastic energy. There was no easing into the set. Ed Tree delivered some delicious stuff on guitar. That was followed by "Broken Heart In A Honky Tonk," which featured some wonderful drumming from Kevin Jarvis. The band was clearly having a good time, and everything felt right. There was no pause, not even a breath, between that song and the next, with Ed leading the group straight into "Don't Even Try," and then delivering a great lead on guitar. Dave Carpenter's bass line to "Chase A Buck" set the tone for that one, a sense of excitement. There was a spectacular energy to that song. "Flight Path" followed, the drums keeping everything moving forward, even if memories were nipping at our heels, demanding we pay attention to them. Things relaxed a bit then with "Border Town Romance," which had a more contemplative vibe and a really nice lead from Ed. The band began to rock again with "Don't Stay Fixed," a fun number. "The things I work on, they don't stay fixed." Ah, I think we can relate to that. Several of these songs (including "Don't Stay Fixed") are ones I saw David perform last June at Republic Of Pie, when he mentioned he was working on a new album. Well, as he told the crowd last night, that album is due out next month, which is great news for music fans.

The band then played an older song, "If You're Serious," a ridiculously fun number, its sound seeming designed to make us smile. They followed that with another song that will be on the new album, "No Happy Endings." There were a couple of false starts, Ed indicating that he was starting to do another song. "I was trying to rip off Buck Owens," David said at the end of that one, then specified the song "Act Naturally." "This one sounds like Buck Owens," Ed said, as the band started "We're Breaking Up." This one came on with a force and wonderful energy. The band was rocking at this point, and then slowed things down with "Barroom Blue," a cool tune. "Pharoahs" followed, the energy high again. And then the band delivered a fun rendition of "Fishtail Cadillac," which was the lead track from David Serby's 2024 album Low Hanging Stars. Ed's guitar took us all in some interesting directions. From that album's first track, the band went into that disc's final track, "Is It Lonely In Here," one of my personal favorites. That beat on the floor tom was wonderful, and this song featured perhaps the set's best vocal performance. It was the final song that David had planned to do, but after that song folks understandably wanted more, and so we were treated to the title track from Low Hanging Stars. I think I heard Ed Tree say to David that this was the song he had started to play earlier instead of "No Happy Endings." The set ended at 10:25 p.m.

It was again only a ten-minute break before the music resumed. Rick Shea & The Losin' End opened the night's final set with "(Down At The Bar At) Gyspy Sally's," easing into their second set with a cool number, pulling us into a somewhat darker realm. Rick's guitar called wandering spirits together, and Tony's guitar then got them onto a shadowy dance floor. The band then led a different sort of dance with "Juanita (Why Are You So Mean)," confronting a different sort of spirit. And speaking of mean, that song in turn was followed by "The Starkville Blues," which had a great, mean vibe. Tony sang lead on "Man About Town," a song that lives and thrives in the coolest sections of night, his guitar inviting us along to haunt the city. "Sweet Bernadine" felt just right, and the instrumental section was particularly delicious, Rick delivering some wonderful stuff on guitar. That was followed by one of my favorite tracks from Rick's new album, "El Diablo Manda," Dale playing drums with his hands rather than sticks or brushes at the beginning. If you haven't yet heard this song, I highly recommend checking it out. "All innocence is gone," indeed. Jeff then sang lead on "Things I'm Not Gonna Think About," a perfect choice to follow "El Diablo Manda." It's such a good song, and after it, Jeff mentioned that it will be on his new CD that he's currently mixing.

"Georgia Bride" is another excellent song from Rick Shea's new album, and last night featured a really good groove. That was followed by another Jeff Turmes song, "Early Train," the band delivering a wonderfully mesmerizing rendition, its slow, steady pulse stepping from darkness into the day, while holding us in its dream. Tony then sang lead on "Tear It Down," another cool number with a playful vibe, becoming a delicious jam. They followed that with a beautiful, touching rendition of "An Irishman's A Laborer At Heart," another song from Smoke Tree Road, and then "Big Rain Is Comin' Mama." And, oh yes, we can feel that rain coming, that storm. Jeff delivered some really nice work on bass. Rick then delivered an excellent vocal performance on "One More Night," a song taking us to another time. Rick Shea & The Losin' End only recently began adding this song to the set lists, and I was so happy to hear it last night. If you have a copy of Rick's new album, then you know just how good this song is. The band wrapped up the night with a high-energy cover of Chuck Berry's "Thirty Days." "We'll see you in about thirty days," Rick said afterward. The next "Swingin' Doors" show will feature I See Hawks In L.A. joining Rick Shea & The Losin' End. That is going to another fantastic night. But you don't have to wait a month to see Rick Shea. He and Tony Gilkyson are playing at McCabe's this Sunday.

Set Lists

Rick Shea & The Losin' End Set I