Flanfire

Blog entry No. 134 found me heading down to the Continental Club to catch the CD release party for Mario Matteoli (otherwise known as the lead singer for the Weary Boys). Backed by a band that included Matt Hubbard (one of my very favorite Austin musicians and super producer) on keyboards, Mark Ambrose on lead guitar and backing vocals, Jeff Johnston (of Li'l Cap'n Travis) on bass, and (fellow Weary Boy) Cary Ozanian on drums, Mario (he's the curly haired guy) crooned ditties from his new CD "Hard Luck Hittin'" (produced by Matt, Mark, and Mario -- and Cary), which he says is much folkier than the fare he belts out with his regular bandmates. This music seems straight out of Humboldt County ... it is rural and timeless ... and thus it is no wonder that he and Ambrose (who has recorded with Gillian Welch and David Rawlings) have been hanging out swapping songs in public for the past year or so.

The Continental was abuzz for Mario and the Rosewood Saddles (the band, of course) ... and a few people even shook a leg on a couple of his songs... which include "Happy Birthday from Wyoming," "Come and Be with Me," "What To Do (Lord)," and the incomparable "United Nations" -- in which Mario sings of his little siter Jumpin' Jolie [also the title of the new Weary Boys CD] climbing trees in the backyard and all of a sudden all grown up. Mario urges the fat cat bureaucrats and diplomats to "leave the world alone, cancel all the invitations, (because) Jesus might be coming home." This song has a little of the feel of a Charlie Robison tall tale ... "I once was a whole human being, with two arms and two legs, I had a heart, one might say it was golden, but all of that gold has just melted away."

I really like "What To Do," which shows how so many young guys feel when they get up close and personal with a real woman ... one who challenges them and makes them aware that "all you know is nothing" -- and yet, just maybe, if you actually do take that step toward the "R" word you will have set forth on a path that requires accommodating another ... and not being quite so "free." Also known as "growing up" -- but only if it really IS the right person to be your lifelong best friend. The title cut, though, is as deep as Mario gets: he warns against the superficial in a dirge that beckons back to early Dylan ... "You might have money, but you've got no future, you've been draggin' through life, you been getting a free ride, and you can't stop thinking about where all it is leading, and you won't find a clue in all those books that you're reading." Mario even lets in a little about himself -- "I'll pretend that I'm free from sorrow, cause things just might look brighter tomorrow."

Mario has several Wednesdays (August 2, 16, 23, and September 6) coming up at the Hole in the Wall in addition to his Weary Boys schedule ... and a solo gig in San Antonio, too. The Hole is the first place I saw Mario performing solo (well, actually, swapping songs with Mark Ambrose and each backing the other on guitar) ... and it is a GREAT place to catch him now. But you can also catch Mario on Tuesday, August 1, at Threadgill's WHQ for the reenactment of the Concert for Bangladesh, which is being put together by Paul Minor and Darin Murphy. Also on tap soon at Threadgill's (on August 12) -- Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen (whom I first saw in 1970!). And by the way, I ran into Josh and Teal from the Mother Truckers, who were excited to tell me that Jason Roberts will be bringing his fiddle to their gig on Thursday (August 3) at Shady Grove -- KGSR and all.....

Though there was lots more good music at the Continental (another CD release, this one by Paul Minor, who was also backed by Hubbard and Johnston, followed by a Li'L Cap'n Travis show), I trekked over to Waterloo Ice House (6th and Lamar) for the last half of a show by Tahni Handal featuring the Hot Chocolates and her longtime bass player Vance Abeyta ... and a new drummer whose name still escapes me. The Chocolates are Tina Harris and her sister Chris, who has been touring with Ray Benson as an actress (and sometime singer) in "A Ride with Bob," Asleep at the Wheel's tribute to Bob Wills. Tahni, who once played lead guitar in an all-girl metal band, is FINALLY playing lead guitar in her own band ... and really bringing it!