Holmes' Dream Comes True
By JAN HORGEN, Of The Globe Gazette
Posted: Sunday, February 5, 2006 12:03 AM CST

CLEAR LAKE – His heart is in the 50’s.

Scanning the dark Surf Ballroom, Josh Holmes, took a deep breath.

“This Place is a shrine,” the 27-year-old Indiana musician said on Saturday. “I’ve been waiting to play the Surf since forever.”

Fore six years, Holmes has spent the first weekend in February in Clear Lake, playing for free at Lu’s Lounge and trying to wrangle his way onto the big stage.

This was his year.

Holmes came to the shrine and played the music of his idols – Ritchie Valens and Buddy Holly – in his own, fresh style.

“My roots are in this music, but I would never slick my hair back, put on big glasses and get up there,” Holmes said, pacing the floor after his sound check. “I want people to know that the music lives in the hearts of younger musicians, we just do it our way.”

Raised on vintage rock ‘n’ roll, Holmes brings a fresh, new edge to the music he’s been drawn to since he first tuned a guitar as 9-year-old boy.

“This is unbelievable, my legs were shaking up on that stage,” he said, in a hushed voice. “To be playing on the same stage Ritchie played last, opening for the Crickets…a night I’ll never forget.”

Holmes kicked into an hour-long set of straight music with driving guitar, belting out “La Bamba” and grabbing the crowd with those first licks.

During his high-energy performance, Holmes showed a solid rock ‘n’ roll background iced with vibrant vocals and an original sound.

After polishing off “True Love Ways” and “Stand By Me,” Holmes ramped up the energy with an original tune, “Come Dance With Me.”

And in tribute to the three musicians who graced that stage on their last performance, he punctuated the set with “American Pie.”

Holmes gave a veteran performance in his baptism at the Surf.

“That first song was tough I was shaking and feeling almost sick,” Holmes said after stepping down from stage. “Now I’m just enjoying this kind of surreal feeling. What a night.”