Flanfire

Late Night on the Town!


Thursday night - had to babysit (lots of fun) - but still got out late to catch a smidgen of a few great shows. First it was down to Threadgill's for a taste of Cyril Neville and Tribe 13 -- Nawlins fonky tonk -- and with an added saxophone! Ran into my good pal Malford Milligan who was hanging out looking kingly. Then it was off to the Cactus Cafe for my first glimpse at the amazing Kullen Fuchs as sole sideman (playing eighty-leben instruments AND singing harmonies) for super showman Ian Moore (who regaled the crowd with tales of rural life outside Lubbock and

Ian Moore and Kullen Fuchs harmonizing!

living on an island in the Puget Sound surrounded by gun-happy rednecks who shoot deer out of season and meth-snorting middle-aged liberal dames while trying to raise normal children in an abnormal world).

Ian and Kullen are in Lubbock tonight on the first leg of a two-week road trip (and what a trip it always is with Mister Moore) ... and if coming shows are anything like the segment of last night's late show that I got to watch (interactively, to be sure), folks are in for some good times. It is ordinary for Kullen to play marimbas with one hand and cymbals or another keyboard with the other -- but playing TRUMPET right-handed while playing keyboards with the left hand - now that is something (to quote Josh Zee). Best of show - Ian's patented unplug the guitar, get away from the mike and just sing to a hushed audience some of his softer tunes. Well, Kullen started playing marimbas, and after a while Ian stopped him and said, "Strap on YOUR guitar and join me among the folks." What ensued (see photo) was poetry (even though Ian almost fell into my lap) ... that brought the crowd to new levels of bliss. Ian's real brother was in the house as were many old old friends ... and the even better news is that Griff has agreed to bring the duo back in October!

Okay, so I only got to hear the last real song of Ricky Stein's set -- but hallelujah! The crowd demanded an encore, so Ricky opted for Nathaniel's Boogie (that's his keyboard player who was really tearing it up for the rowdy crowd at the Hole in the Wall). This is now an every Thursday event -- and next week Ricky's opener (after the fabulous Li'l Alice and Her Monkey Butlers) will be Black Water Gospel. After the music stopped, I headed out to the patio and was urged to get out to Trophy's tonight for Slow Train and Youngmond Grand (and company). But AFTER Maria's (so I gotta hurry!).

In OTHER news, on September 30 Austin legend Maryann Price will grace the Threadgill's stage with Francis McGrath and the Frequency Mode as her backing band. Francis is a student of the original Hickoid who moved on to be lead female singer with Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel after they moved to Austin. My pal Steve Gavigan is on drums with the group, which also includes Brad Mock on bass, Chris La Cava on guitar, and McGrath on keyboards. There will be songs like "I'm an Old Cowhand from the Rio Grande" and a bunch of jazz standards and a lot of other fun and fabulous stuff!

Leeann Atherton has her new CD available at her shows -- reason No. 34 for getting outta here!

Jenny Reynolds will hug anyone who shows up on Monday at 8 for her Momo's show! And did I mention that Ricky Stein (see above) is headed to the studio with the legendary Freddy Steady Krc to record his debut CD? Probably did - but this is great stuff!