Flanfire

A HA! So my bud Greg Adkins calls me up on Tuesday evening and says, "I'm here (at Threadgill's North). Where are you?" And so I drag myself out of my comfort zone and make the short trek to visit and quaff and listen to the Brennen Leigh Band. No special guest - except for North Dakota native Leo Rondeau, whom Seth met while he was taking a few classes at North Dakota State University a while back. Leo has just moved to Austin to try his hand at the music scene. Plays a fair guitar and has a real old-style country singing voice. Did a few numbers with Brennen and Andrew while Seth sat out and listened. Sounded good. Drew me into the inner circle to hear without distractions.

Leo had been crashing with the Weary Boys, but now has his own place. Job, too. Now he's looking for gigs of his own, but will probably be happy to open for - or play in between sets for - more established Austin players for a while. Had some friends with him at the gig, including Mike Cherry of Dark Holler -- which leads me to Chapter Two.

Mike is a dobro player. Brought his brother back from Auburn, Alabama, for the week just to hear him play and hang out. I had not seen anyone from Dark Holler in more than a year, and was glad to find they were playing Wednesday night at one of my favorite watering holes - the Carousel Lounge (conveniently just a short drive from my notrh central Austin home). So I went by -- the band lineup is still Mike (duh!), Marshall Jones on guitar, harmonica, and vocals, and Scott on bass and bass drum - plus Tom Cuddy on mandolin. Learned that Tom is really a guitar player but has gotten more mando gigs (good that he learned as a kid and could pick it back up again). Had not seen the band since the Sundays at the Nutty Brown Cafe.

What is special about Dark Holler is that the band literally takes you back to another era not just musicially but in the way they go about their music business. Whether it's Born To Preach the Gospel or Sittin' on Top of the World - or originals like Come September and Gone, Gone, Gone, the band never sounds like modern guys playing old timey music. You just feel that you have been teleported to another time when life was simpler. So after the first set, I think I am leaving (lots of work to do, you know), but I run into Leo and decide to stay. Good thing. He does a couple of numbers to open up the second set - which is enhanced by the arrival of West Virginia fiddle player L. C. Life is good.

Tomorrow night (Thursday, April 1) is the Floramay Holliday CD release party at Antones - with the Shelley King Band doing the late set. Maybe I will see you there.