Can’t Wait to Meet You: The Small Town Pistols at Boots & Hearts 2015!

Since we started making predictions for Boots & Hearts back in the fall of 2012 we’ve been guessing that Small Town Pistols would be on the stage… and now, in 2015, our prediction finally came true. Amanda and Tyler Wilkinson came out on the main stage Friday afternoon to put on a show, introduce some new fans to their music, and take us back in time a little too.

We had a chance to sit down with the brother and sister duo after the set to chat for a bit, and before we even tell you what we talked about – you need to know that these are two of the most laid back, funny, and generous people you could ever hope to meet.

One of the highlights of the Small Town Pistols set was a surprise appearance of Steve Wilkinson, which gave us a little reunion of The Wilkinsons – and a very nice rendition of 26 Cents, which got a great reaction and a ton of singing from the crowd.

We asked how cool it was to bring their dad up with them, and immediately smiles came across their faces and Amanda told us it was awesome because they never get to do that anymore, and it’s good Ju Ju to have him up on stage with them. Tyler added that it’s always great because when he and Amanda first started the Small Town Pistols project rumours circulated in the music community and among fans that there was some sort of issue with the family or the kids had quit the band or something… none of that is true – and it’s easy to see that both Tyler and Amanda are happy to prove that when they sing with their father now.

The band also surprised us all when they broke out a cover of Weezer’s Say It Ain’t So, and nailed it. We asked them about playing it, and Tyler told us how that goes for him… “I feel like, if you play a super traditional country song like I Only Smoke When I Drink, you have the right to play whatever you want after that.” makes sense to us, we hope they keep that up.

Tyler also told us that he looked out into the crowd during the set and saw a lady waving a Mario flag and singing along to every word of Can’t Wait to Meet You and Say It Ain’t So, asking Amanda “Is there anything better than that?” – her answer, “No.”

As a great surprise, the Small Town Pistols told us that they will soon be releasing a vinyl version of their latest record, Pistology – and that it will have 2 bonus tracks that were recorded live off the floor.

Amanda is really excited that they were able to make that happen, she sited Ella Fitzgerald and Patsy Cline as examples of women she listened to when she was young, and that’s how they recorded their music. We can’t wait to hear that bonus stuff – and hear that sweet, sweet vinyl sound.

As the Small Town Pistols took the stage on Friday the crowd was relaxed and spread out over the lawn. Standing near the stage, sitting in the grass, some with chairs, many with beer, and happy to be there. The duo came out to an intro of The Hanging Tree from The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay part 1, and got a great reaction to their energy right from the start.

Tyler and Amanda have been doing this whole music thing for a while now – but seeing them up on stage, and talking to them after made one thing very clear, they still love it. And we’re happy they do.

Check out the Small Town Pistols set list and photos from Boots & Hearts and be ready for more coming soon!

The Small Town Pistols Boots & Hearts Set List

Jester in a Crown
Blame it on the Radio
Anthem of a Runaway
I Only Smoke When I Drink
Colour Blind
26 Cents (The Wilkinsons reunion)
Say It Ain’t So (Weezer cover)
Can’t Wait to Meet You
Living on the Outside
My Family

Work Hard. Play Harder. Be Awesome!