Flanfire

Cotton in the Clouds!

Robert Harrison went to Kon Tiki with Cotton Mather, but these daze Austin's own Sgt. Pepper has entered a new space -- Future Clouds and Radar - TX (apparently there is a band in New York City by the same name - go figure!) had a debut of sorts at Ego's on Thursday evening, and the sizable crowd was very enthusiastic in its response to this new phantasmagoria of audial and visual delights. The collage will convene next on September 7 at - ta da! - the illustrious Club de Ville (time uncertain, but who's counting?) for a longer and stronger (we are promised) set from the forthcoming (possibly two-disk?) CD, which (despite what you may read at www.myspace.com/futurecloudsandradartx is now planned for a January release (but then things could change once again!).

From the moment I walked through the subterranean parking lot at Ego's and ran into Darin Murphy [lately of the KTEL Hit Machine with sis Trish] unloading his drum kit to the moment I saw Jon Sanchez [The Summer Wardrobe, for example, which has a CD release set for September 19] sporting an early Seventies rockstar shirt to just noticing the BUZZ in the room, I knew (despite having never had the pleasure of being at a Cotton Mather event) that I was HOME (it was like being back at the very first ever Human Be-In at P Street Beach and listening to Dolphin, a band featuring the still in high school Nils Lofgren plus Paul Dowell, Bob Berberich, and I think Jack Casady's brother). So next Thursday I will try to bring beads and incense -- and wear appropriate clothing.

Overfilling the small stage at Ego's were Harrison (with a roadie/guitar tech assisting), Murphy, Sanchez (playing some very psychedelic guitar), Hollie Thomas on Korg, Josh Gravelin on bass, and Kullen Fuchs [Ian Moore, Zookeeper, Bryce Clifford, etc.] on trombone, trumpet, vibes (played with both mallets and fiddle bows), omnichord, another small keyboard, tambourine, and some little keyboard with a bellows attached that works by breathing into it -- and this was just for an eight-song set. I have no real idea of the song titles (except Robert identified "Drugstore Bust," which includes the lyric, "Every time I get dead I roll onto another bed.")

Maybe the first is "I Let You Go," which features an extended solo by Sanchez at the end. (Maybe) "In Your Garden" speaks of a woman who's "like an 80's vixen with a mouth full of cocaine ... I think she needs me again." Heck, there was one cool interlude with Kullen and Hollie playing the theme from Amelie. Robert ended the all-too-short set playing what looked like a small lute and Murphy bouncing around the stage with finger snaps while some sort of drum machine kept the rhythm going. This band makes Greezy Wheels seem suburban by comparison. Kullen had promised me a party -- and the band delivered!

Earlier on Thursday, I had the pleasure of hanging out with Jody Denburg and the KGSR team eating free Mangia Pizza and catching Whaddya Want for Lunch with Tom Russell (and his new guitarist Michael Martin). Russell was playing (for the very first time) a brand-new black (with inlay) guitar made just for him in Austin by Steve McCreary and Bill Collings at Collings Guitars (and Mandolins). Russell, a one-time Austinite who has lived in El Paso for 15 years, recently played a July 3 gig for Dave Letterman with Gurf Morlix. It is always a joy to hear Russell, who played his new hit, "The Pugilist is 59," and mine and Jody's favorite, "Down the Rio Grande," along with three other songs -- a teaser for his Shady Grove show that evening.

Wednesday night we were at the Hole in the Wall -- checking out Junior's Hamburgers and other goodies and listening to Leo Rondeau and (the newly engaged) Mario Matteoli (with the Rosewood Saddles). Mario (whose new CD we earlier reviewed) was gracious enough (and wise enough) to give guitarist Mark Ambrose the mike for one of Mark's originals - and this may be a hint of bigger things to come. Leo is working on a new CD on which Mario and Cary from the Weary Boys provide harmony vocals along with the lively Brennen Leigh. He had Josha Hoag on standup bass and Joey Borja (who just came back to San Marcos from Nashville) on steel (for the first time with Leo).

Brennen was in the house with a bunch of her shape-note singing buddies, and Leo delivered a dozen songs -- check some of them out at www.myspace.com/leorondeau -- that were forged in eastern North Dakota where he comes from. "Breaking My Back," "Devil on My Shoulder," "Life and Times," and lots more -- delivered with his characteristic "here it is, deal with it" manner ... This is OLD country music ... that reminds us of the dust bowl and hard times.