Flanfire

Kim DesChamps is proud of his new permanent resident (through 2015) green card. He showed it off last night during his first ever visit to the Carousel Lounge before going onstage with the Sapphires (filling in for vacationing Paul Schroeder). The band - Billy Brent Malkus, Rebecca Lucille Cannon, & Co. - will be headed to the studio on August 29 with the legendary Lloyd Maines (and that IS a good sign) - and is playing this weekend at John T. Floore's Country Store in Helotes (where Robert Earl Keen made 2 Live Dinner). Brent says he has more than enough new songs for the CD, and one of them will surely be the brand-new ditty written for Becca, "Dirty Tattered House Dress." Fans of the band should be sure to drop by the Viva Day Spa open house Sunday from 1 to 5 (it's on 35th Street near MOPAC a little west of the original Kerbey Lane Cafe).

While at the gig I was introduced to Bryce Clifford - half of the brothers Clifford, whose new CD will be unveiled at Ego's on July 16 (well, of course, Kim D. plays on the CD, but he will be off with Charlie Robison for this gig). Bryce (who plays guitar, keyboards, and harmonica on the record and writes most of the songs and also sings them) has opted to hang in Austin for the time being, while brother Brad (the band's regular drummer) had to go back to Ontario (yup - they're Canucks) for the foreseeable future. Being that they're from UP NORTH, I did hear a hint of Blue Rodeo (one of Kim's former gigs) in the songs ... I really like Bryce's piano riffs on some of the ballads, and Thomas van der Brook adds in some fine tenor sax and even plays violin on one or two cuts. The Clifford brothers used to have a band in Canada called Pedestrian Status. More later on the songs (perhaps after the CD release), but for now I will say I liked "Beautiful Is Never Alone" (a ballad) and "Last Call in the Northeast" - these for the most part are songs that read like journal entries set to music. And, yes, ladies, Bryce is a fine looking fellow who could probably use some home cooking. The CD jacket is really interesting, too.

Earlier in the week (Wednesday), the wife and I trekked out to LaGrange (which Charlie Robison - speak of the devil - said was too damn hot! - and it was!, but we were thankfully inside) to the Bugle Boy coffeehouse and music venue to hear Louisiana refugee and former Bostonian (though not a sports fan!) Mary Gauthier. I went because Gurf Morlix produced her last two CD's and Gurf does not waste his time with inferior talent. Mary had picked up a German guitarist (whom she ran into in Nashville) named Tom Jutz, and man was he good - some riffs reminded me of Buddy Miller! More storyteller than singer, Gauthier admitted her perplexity that conservative talk show host Laura Ingraham (who does have breast cancer) has featured Mary's new CD Mercy Now on her own website. Then she sang the song, and shugged her shoulders (I figure anyone with breast cancer needs a little mercy). But then Laura also plugs guys like Slaid Cleaves and Bob Schneider. She LIKES Austin music, and who knows - if she moved here she might have to change her politics.

I presume Mary's scheduled show at Shady Grove the next night may have been canceled due to the huge downpour that finally broke our 35-day drought. So we were very fortunate to get to hear her in what may be one of the finest music venues for acoustic music this side of Anderson Fair. Lane Gosnay and Christie Claxton (a singer-songwriter herself) run the place, serve good lattes, good wines, and even a little beer and other stuff for the folks, and one of their finest customers has just built a nice patio out back for the smoking society. Inside, I am reminded of the Carousel (similar roof lines), but with a huge difference. No one talks during the songs, everyone's eyes are glued on the performers, and you can hear every word and every note because you are in a room that seats 80 (some very comfortably in couches you may have to reserve early) and you are always close to the action. If folks can drive to Gruene Hall or Alice's Restaurant or even Poodies or (god forbid!) Johnny Nicholas' Hilltop Cafe, they can drive to LaGrange and be very very very satisfied. Patrice Pike is one of many who will perform there later this year, but I would recommend Eric Taylor on August 13!

One final note. The forthcoming Genuine Joe Coffees will not be open for another 10 days or so thanks to the wonderful, hard-working city of Austin employees who want a little more done to the place before the public can breathe in the wonderful smells of fresh brewed coffee and stuff.