When In Fort Worth
The Texanmost City in Texas. Fort Worth does provide the stereotypical Texan experience, in all its glory. When in Fort Worth — do as the Fort Worthians do.
‘It’s interesting that you do stuff that most Texans have never done’
Texan flag cowboy boots — check
Cowboy hat — check
Honky tonk — check
What even is a honky tonk?
From what I can make out, it’s a crossover between what I would imagine a saloon is like and clubbing.
It’s a fancy dress party every week.
Everyone is dressed in cowboy/ cowgirl attire and knows how to line dance.
Songs included Footloose, a song my Dad once taught me to play on the drums.
Everyone had rhythm which puts me off, it was almost robotic.
There were other things to do there too.
I went with my cousins and we saw some bull riding — a staple of the Texan experience.
It was realistic with scary theatricals.
Along the walls were handprints of the artists that played at the venue.
The venue was Billy Bob’s Texas — the largest Honky Tonk in the world.
I had visited Billy Bob’s in the past to interview their CEO.
She invited my cousins and I to a honky tonk and this was the night we chose.
It was a genuinely unique experience.
I was definitely out-of-place and you could feel the stare.
I could pass as Hispanic to ignorant people who aren’t surrounded by them all the time, but to these Fort Worthians — one of my cousins and I stuck out like a sore thumb.
The music on show was by Josh Weathers (a Fort Worth based musician) and Seth James.
It covered modern rock country music with old-school seventies jams.
Needless to say, I couldn’t understand a word he sang because of the depth of the texture of sound.
It was a thick accent which combined with the music led to be chiming along to the beat rather than the words.
The place wasn’t full to the brim, but you could see how it would be impossible to move if it reached capacity.
My favourite part was watching the bull riding.
There was something almost bucket-list like about it.
It seemed as though a video wouldn’t do it justice.
Actually, I’ll revoke that.
My favourite part was the atmosphere.
It seemed like this was still a part of the changing urban city.
The business made money in different facets — food, gift shop etc.
People turned out to support the artists on stage.
They danced the night away on the main floor and enjoyed the company of others.
There was more to do than just dancing and I think that’s what makes it different to clubbing.
Take away the skin and bones, and it could be seen as just another club.
But it has history, activity and excitement.
If you want to play arcade games and listen to the music in the background, you can do that.
If you want to shop all things Billy Bob’s then you can do that too.
There is something for anyone, and the atmosphere is somewhat created by people’s respect for the place.
I think Billy Bob’s helps to set the reputation for the heritage of the city.
I feel very Texan after last night.
When in Fort Worth.