Flanfire

Christmas Eve - at last! Tomorrow morning, God willing, we will be watching our daughter and son-in-law help our grandson Caleb open his first Christmas presents and then sit down to a wonderful meal with our extended family. Then, if I am sufficiently recovered from what appears to be a cold, we will move onto another feast during the evening. Our day of rest is at hand.

Ah - but last weekend was more than full of joyful surprises. Thursday night was Ross' Old Austin to see the Brennen Leigh Band - and watch young Damian Green (age 13) play the fiddle with the band, stretching himself to try to learn new songs on the fly. Brennen had just gotten the news that she won the first round of the Nashville Star competition and will be competing again in Fort Worth in January. The band will also be hosting a Tuesday night series of music (ala the Threadgill Troubadours) at the North Lamar Threadgill's starting at the end of January. If you like Americana music of the older style, do not miss this band.

Last Friday the wonderful one and I were invited to join a friend with her extended family at Artz' Rib House to enjoy the CD Release Party being held by the Studebakers. Natcherally I had to scarf up one of their new discs for my mother - because the CD ends with "It's a Wonderful World." her favorite song. As usual, Artz' was a fun place to be, and I can now recommend the roasted garlic soup. Our unnamed friend is going through some difficult times, and it was good to see her out laughing and celebrating - and to be a part of the scene.

Saturday afternoon we took our goddaughter Candi to the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar - where I spent most of my time listening to Greezy Wheels and the Shelley King Band - both groups were also previewing new CDs. As one not around Austin during the Glory Days of the Sixties and Seventies (though I was in similar situations on the East Coast), I marvel at the freshness of the Greezys and their music, and at the sounds of Sweet Mary's wonderful fiddle. But I am always thrilled to get to see Penny Jo Pullus singing backup with the band - as this Yankee (upstate New York) girl is full of spit and spirit. Cleve Hattersley still reminds me of Frank Zappa (in personality, at least), and Lissa is ever the enchantress on stage. The Greezys are playing at the Saxon in January - not bad for a band that got back together after decades off to play at the Soap Creek Reunion two years ago and have not quit gigging since.

Shelley, Perry, and the gang (Kris and Bonnie this time) are thrilled to be selling their CD recorded live at Gruene Hall last summer. I was thrilled to learn that one (or is it two?) of my own photos graces the CD jacket. My first credit! While they were playing, I ran into Beth Richard who was there with her boys and with our dear friend Steve Ulrich (whom we were already planning to visit the following day). I took 4-year-old Jake to get a hot chocolate and peanut butter sandwich, and his mom ran into the people who had built the house they now own. Candi spent multiple minutes holding young Tommy to her great delight, and we all enjoyed the band and the camaraderie. Also present in the house was the one and only Rob Roy Parnell with his wife and baby. Do catch Rob Roy for happy hour on Mondays at Antone's. It is always a great show put on by one of Austin's great guys (and a pretty fair harmonica player and singer he is, too).

After buying more Christmas stuff (well, that IS the reason for the bazaar!), we toddled off to our Christmas fellowship meeting in far south Austin (I call it North Manchac). And there, to my great surprise, was my old buddy John Wilson, who told us about his new gig at Bistro 88 on William Cannon just off MOPAC on Friday and Saturday nights during dinner. You may have heard John playing at Mozart's on Mondays or up in Round Rock at Saradora's Coffeehouse or at a number of other venues around town. He is a former Christian heavy metal dude who now plays soft guitar to set a peaceful mood for diners or readers or anyone seeking solace and rest.

Ah, Sundays at Maria's - with Maria herself dancing in place to the sounds of the Imperial Golden Crown Harmonizers. This week it was just Scrappy, Bhudda, Papa Mali, and the inimitable Nick Connelly on keyboards. Oh - and Leeann Atherton was scarfing lunch (the new soup which looked fabulous) and got called up to the stage to sing along on a rousing version of Silent Night (that was anything but silent). The guys were raising money for a Brazilian musician and friend of Malcolm's who had nearly died in intensive care from pneumonia and who has a little daughter for whom he is the sole support. There was some good news about his condition, and we all hope that he is steadily improving and being blessed financially. Susanna Sharpe is also raising funds for the guy, whose name escapes me (but Papa knows).

We were there to hang with Steve Ulrich, and after we closed down Maria's we trucked over to Flipnotics to relax and talk. Steve has been living in Guatemala ever since he released his second CD - Someplace Different - which features his anthemic song, Westernman (a followup to Salamanderman from his first CD). Steve is a spiritual-minded guy who is beginning to live his dreams - playing music full-time for a living down there and spending a little time back here in Austin doing odd jobs to raise money to put out a third CD and then perhaps to head to Europe (he plays in Guatemala for a lot of European tourists). Oh - Steve is having to head back to Guatemala early because one of his twin sons (Quin) is getting married (to a local girl). His other twin son and he will be riding the bus back south very soon - but we should see all of the Ulrichs before too long, either in graduate school (both twins over the next two years or so) or in local music venues later this spring.

So have yourselves a merry little Christmas or Hanukah or whatever - and remember that God is Love, and those who love are born of God - and that no one can truly love God who cannot love his neighbor.