Flanfire

All Hallow's Eve -- the leadup to All Saints' Day -- what a weekend!

It all started after I took the better half to the airport for her annual excursion with her sister, this time to Phoenix to see daughters Nos. 1, 2, and new. After a long day of rest (after the early airport trek), it was off to the festive (and feast-ful) gala celebrating the debut of the Aaron Hamre Band -- out in the outer burbs, complete with power outages and uniforms at the doorstep. Three guys from Santa Fe who used to play together in New Mexico run into each other after all of them have moved to Austin and hook up again to play Aaron's Eighties Rock redux (complete with power chords and lots of fast-fingered guitar licks AND the long long hair). Look for them out on the town in the near future. [Austin oldies: Think early Ian Moore]

Then it was off to South Austin (after dropping my DJ friend off - he had to be on air at 6 am today) to my lawyer friend's (WW3) costume party and MORE food and libations. The Supremes showed up to sing, there was a guy with a colostomy (WW's wife works at Seton and lots of her colleagues were there) and a couple just off duty from Homeland security, along with dozens of other well-costumed folk. WW is a music impresario and great collector of vinyl and such (as is his pal Jay who does the Lounge show on KOOP on Saturday mornings) who early on turned me onto Los Lonely Boys (who used to play in his backyard). During the party two high school kids from the neighborhood opted to crash, even though they are NOT friends of my pal's rock-n-roll playing son who goes to the same high school - one of the kids is a player who says his dad is in Cher's band these days - but HE is a bluesman all the way. Got home just in time to turn back the clock.

Today it was early breakfast with Amanda and then church at Hope and off to the Gospel Brunch at Maria's, where I met up with my 16-month-old music-loving grandson. HE of course charmed Shelley King and Carolyn Wonderland (and others as well) and insisted that I get in the picture with my old pals - who are now his. The long-traveling Scrappy Jud was back at the helm, and Gurf the Surf Morlix was playing PEDAL steel. It was a dancing good time.

Caleb the cool continued to impress as we went to a publicist meeting at Flightpath and discussed upcoming CD release parties and such. Then he was rescued by his mom, and I trekked off the KUT-FM to perform professional clapping and hollering during Kerry Polk's LIVESET show. She even did a reprise of one of her old Polk, Barton and Towhead tunes. Had some great players on hand, too -- bud Jenny Reynolds doing harmony vocals, the irrepressible Warren Hood on fiddle and mandolin for starters. Austin fireman Rich Brock was on harmonica, and John Mullins played a variety of guitars (including dobro), while Lenny Ashcraft provided the bottom and a guy named Dana Meiser (who is soon off to Merrie Olde England) pounded the skins. Michael Austin (whose new CD Thick and Thin, with Albert and Gage, is just out) added some sweet notes on clarinet, and Louis Meyers played pedal steel (he has a couple to sell, by the way). Louis and Warren are rehearsing with Bob Schneider for a new vision of The Bob's - Eighties music set to a bluegrass beat. Meanwhile, Warren is also playing with Toni Price at Hippie Hour on Tuesdays at the Continental Club - with Matt Giles and Willie Pipkin from the South Austin Jug Band replacing Casper Rawls. [For those with short memories or who are new in town, Warren and Willie are longtime SAJB playing mates, and Willie has also been playing with Kim DesChamps in El Kabong.] So go - old timers will see Warren's dad Champ in their minds' eyes and younger folk will still marvel at the kid's chops.

Life is good.