Sally Majestic reigns supreme at Shipping & Receiving

A couple of years ago, we told you about the rebirth of the legendary Sally Majestic at Shipping & Receiving. Ben Napier took over the second guitar slot, and I’ve been watching the band’s metempsychosis ever since. When I heard that they would be celebrating their 14th birthday on Sunday, I knew I could not miss it.

When I got to Shipping & Receiving, Trai Bo — a Dallas act featuring Adam Sewell, Jordan Bell, Taylor King, Ben Nelson, and Daniel Estrada — was onstage. I didn’t get to see much of their set, but what I heard was creative and entertaining. I need to make it out to one of their full shows sometime soon.

Sally was up next though, consisting of P.J. Fry (bass, vocals), Ben Napier (guitar, vocals), Tim Cowdin (drums), and a seemingly highly intoxicated Scott Vernon.

Sally Majestic has been around for 14 years now, and Scotty has been making music with Fry for 20 or more. Their blend of rock and roll, reggae, and debauchery has made them fixture in the Funkytown sonic landscape. The chemistry these guys have is remarkable, and the affection the people of Fort Worth have for Sally Majestic is moving. People were dancing and singing along the entire set.

We got the Sally Majestic standards, such as Donut Shop on Mars and Boulder, and Ben Napier did an astoundingly good cover of the Dead Kennedys’ classic California Über Alles. Sally is still Sally, the sound and the feel of the thing hasn’t changed a bit, but Napier certainly brings a lot to the table. He’s a talented player, and he spent a good deal of the show jumping off the stage and performing out in the audience. Scotty, despite his condition, was playing as well or better than I’ve ever heard him.

The band finished up with their oldest song – Scottalicious. They started to break down the stage, and the crowd demanded an encore. They came back to perform Monkey with a Halo.

I’ve been to a lot of Sally Majestic shows over the years, and while I’ve never seen them put on a bad show – I’ve never seen them better than they were last Sunday. There was a spark, an energy – and great instrumentals and vocals. After 14 years, you still cannot have a bad time at a Sally Majestic show.

This story was originally published April 20, 2015 at 3:21 PM with the headline "Sally Majestic reigns supreme at Shipping & Receiving."