Sometimes a musician’s identity is so intertwined with their home that the two become inseparable. For frontman Robert Kuhn, a local legend in the Galveston, Texas area, that place is unmistakable. Born in Houston, Kuhn has led a colorful life, exploring an impressive variety of jobs, occupations, and art forms from New York to Australia to Costa Rica and beyond. When he returned to the Texas coast in 2010, his critically acclaimed songs began shaping the distinct sound of the Galveston Bay Area.
So why shine a spotlight on this coastal destination that draws millions of visitors each summer? Because just a few miles from the white sands of the Gulf lies a thriving art and music scene that rivals Austin’s, cultivating and celebrating talent from across the state. “It’s a really special place right now,” says Kuhn, and his music is only one part of a larger mission to share that buzzing energy. What began as a single event—a longboard surf competition and music festival—has since blossomed into a non-profit foundation and record label dedicated to amplifying local voices and building community through grassroots efforts. Today, La Izquierda hosts their own music festival, free concert series, and the Galveston Annual Sandcastle Competition, all in the spirit of bringing people together.
Adopting the city’s original Spanish name, GALVEZTON arrives with a genre-blurring sound that layers the collage-like experimentation of old-school Beck with dusty-road Americana. Their forthcoming album, Ocean Cabaret, promises a scorching, uninhibited homage to an ancient strip of sand where creativity runs as wild as the Gulf winds.
Almost by accident, “Roll To G-Town” has become something of a Houston area anthem. Upon first listen, a string of Texas stars were drawn to the project, including country singer Rich O’Toole, hip-hop legend Bun-B, and rapper-DJ Paul Wall. Perhaps that’s because the song so perfectly embodies the mindset of someone determined to leave his troubles in the rearview mirror. Money in hand, he sets out along endless stretches of highway, rolling past marshes, roadside spots lost in time, and the shade of towering palm trees on his way toward salvation on the Gulf Coast. “One taste,” and he’s gone, unable to resist the temptation of this tropical forbidden fruit. Not purely Southern but positively American, the reverb shimmers like heat rising from the asphalt as a blazing harmonica cries out into the bright blue sky, drifting through wisps of cigarette smoke and a tipsy haze. There’s no other place on Earth as magnetizing. As far as he’s concerned, it’s Galveston or nowhere.
Emerging from the neon red door of an elegant white stucco building, a man hops into his matching Crestline Sunliner convertible and heads for the horizon, the haunting, bluesy echoes of a mysterious locale soundtracking the drive. When he arrives in “G-Town,” it becomes clear he has a particular spot in mind: the actually abandoned gentlemen’s club, Ocean Cabaret (sound familiar?). After a couple of quick shots, he cruises through Galveston’s brick-lined historic downtown, stopping at a quaint donut shop before hitting the beach, his hair billowing in the breeze as the sun sinks behind him. He might be planting a few easter eggs for the upcoming album, or simply highlighting the vibrant character of this place, sharing his passion for this treasured haunt by bringing the people together who love it most. That’s what GALVEZTON is all about. Time for listeners to gas up, put on their shades, and get rolling.
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