The Arc Angels

Austin's spoiled when it comes to the Arc Angels. Over the past few years, the supergroup – guitarists Doyle Bramhall II and Charlie Sexton with the Double Trouble rhythm section, Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon – has performed regularly, once a year, if not more often. So initially, the band's appearances this week didn't seem like that big of a deal.

Then came the announcement that the Arc Angels are re-forming, although without bassist Shannon. A spring run supporting Eric Clapton in the UK, a live CD/DVD, a summer tour, and a new album are all on the books.

"Since the band broke up and after a certain amount of time went by, Doyle and I have continued to work more and more," Sexton asserts. "The crazy thing is that whenever we get together, we talk about the chemistry between us. You can't choose who you have that with. There's tons more music in Doyle and myself, and we're really excited about things. There are new songs, but most of them are in the development stage. One thing that's gonna help is proximity, so by going to England for three or four weeks, we can sit down and check things out."

Bramhall has been part of Clapton's band for years now, and Sexton claims that when the guitar god found out about the Arc Angels re-formation, he demanded they act as opener for his annual run at Royal Albert Hall.

"He was intrigued by having us and doing something different," reveals Sexton. "We're still developing as far as newer stuff, but I'm happy to be playing onstage for a change rather than spending 9 million hours in a studio, which is what I've been doing for the past five years."