EBENSBURG —
Bass players do not often get to be the center of attention for a full concert.
They provide the fundamental backbone sound and take an occasional solo, but usually get overshadowed by lyrics and guitar licks. On Thursday night, though, bassist Travis Stock was the main attraction when Don Gallardo & How Far West performed during the eighth annual Wheels & Wings, an event associated with Thunder in the Valley.
Stock grew up in Ebensburg and graduated from Central Cambria High School in 2000.
The concert, held at the intersection of High and Center streets, was his first live local gig in more than five years.
“It’s something I pretty much really wanted to do,” said Stock. “I haven’t been home in a while. I thought it would be something I could give back to the county. It’s always nice to have a hometown guy here. I kind of got asked to do it. I was glad to jump on board.”
Gallardo, a singer/songwriter, described the reception given to the Nashville-based band by saying, “We pulled into town and it was a big welcome from all his family and friends.” He then added, “Travis is a local boy, grew up here, so he’s pretty excited about it. He’s seen this his whole life. It means a lot for him to come and play at it for all his family and friends.”
Playing at Wheels & Wings gave Stock a chance to show his fellow band members, who come from bigger cities in Alabama, Texas, California and New Mexico, his hometown.
“I was trying to explain to them how small this town is and how kind of tight-knit it is,” Stock said. “Just walking down the street, I ended up running into three or four different people I know within a matter of minutes. And just to drive anywhere just to go pick up a rug or a cable, it was, ‘Hey, I’ll be back in two minutes.’ And, literally, in two minutes, you’re back. They’re kind of shocked at the small-town feel, but they’re all very excited to be here.”
Dozens of fans listened to the hometown son and the rest of How Far West play a mix of original tunes and covers from musicians such as Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and the Marshall Tucker Band.
“I’m glad to see that somebody with roots around here is in the band playing,” said Ebensburg resident Crystal Peters.
“That’s why I’m standing here listening.”
Along with the band’s set, the event featured more than a dozen vendors, ranging from businesses to volunteer fire companies, selling wings to hundreds of motorcycle riders and local residents.
“I really like it,” said Richie Wertz, owner of Hubcap’s Pizza in Patton. “It seems very family-friendly, which is nice. The location is great, too.”
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