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Flanfire (Duggan Flanakin) is bringing LIFE to Austin music -- and telling the world how sweet it is!
Saturday, October 14, 2006
"Gospel" Rocks Fat Caddy Showcase
Big Jon Patillo and his attorney (and wife) Amy were all smiles during their Fat Caddy Records Showcase Friday night at Momo's Club - which was by no means at celebration of Marc Katz's Cadillac. Six hours of music by five bands -- from songwriter Austin Collins to Slowtrain to Macon Greyson to Black Water Gospel to
A very happy Fat Caddy couple!
the Band of Heathens, who are celebrating the release of their fast-selling CD that was recorded (where else?) live at Momo's. Ma Nature cooperated with wonderful weather, the place was packed out, and everyone was having a very good time.
The best performance of the night had to be Colin Brooks' haunting "Water in the Sky," featuring Colin's all-steel dobro and soulful solos by bandmates Ed Jurdi and Gordy Quist on electric guitar and Brian Keane on his little red keyboard (with Seth Whitney on bass and drummer Jeff Botta playing mostly tambourine here). The boys have been on a whirlwind tour - Houston's Mucky Duck last Friday, Gruene Hall opening for Leon Russell last Saturday, and Wednesday's Austin CD release at Momo's - and have nearly sold out their first pressing (to the Patillos' delight!) prior to their Sunday show back at Gruene. And for good reason.
Brooks and Quist are Kerrville New Folk winning songwriters, and Keane and Jurdi are just as good at their craft. Sure, they still sound a little at times like "songwriters in the round," but with each passing week they begin to find their solos more easily, work their harmonies and trade-off vocals more evenly, and get more integrated as a single band unit. Based on rave reviews from the big-timers who are hearing their music for the first time, we propose that readers catch this band before their prices go up dramatically.
Just for the record -- Ed Jurdi, who hails from Boston, is the big tall guy with the hairy chest and bushy eyebrows who could have been the construction worker taking his shirt off in the TV commercial as women gathered to watch. Houston's Gordy Quist (who was wearing a Jon Dee Graham style hat on Friday) could well have just stepped off the set of The Long Riders. Washington State native Seth Whitney has been (so we are told) mistaken for Bob Schneider but to us looks like Jack Black's younger brother - and has the twinkle in his eye as well. Michigan native (so we read) Colin Brooks, with his new short haircut, is kinda like that supposed hound dog who secretly has a pedigree -- just look behind the mask. And then there's Brian Keane -- who ought to be getting royalties from all of the cartoon characters who have stolen his big smile (from unnamed Care Bears to the big moose in Ice Age). Our song for Brian - the Animals' (who else?) "Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood":
Baby, do you understand me now
Sometimes I feel a little mad
But don't you know that no one alive
Can always be an angel
When things go wrong I seem to be bad
But I'm just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood
Baby, sometimes I'm so carefree
With a joy that's hard to hide
And sometimes it seems that all I have do is worry
Then you're bound to see my other side ...
But I'm just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood
[R -- this is for YOU!]
Brian Keane
Black Water Gospel Tells It Like It Is!
But enough of those guys -- the best BAND on Friday night (in my very humble opinion) was Black Water Gospel. Lead singer Juan Gutierrez (aka John Gutz), who hails from El Paso and is still a college student!, has more soulful passion than just about anybody I have seen in a long while -- and a gravelly voice that some say reminds them of Eddie Vedder (but with energy!). Bandmates Jesse Duke (lead guitar), Travis McCann (drums), and Daniel White (bass) were Juan Gutierrez sweats out the soul! Matt Mollica and his B3!
joined this night -- and will be again at next Thursday's can't miss show at The Continental Club -- by Matt Mollica on the Hammond B3 organ (which he and ten friends lugged up the Momo's back staircase in a herculean effort to please the fans). This band has that feel of the Sixties, with the full, rich chords and twin leads and all that PASSION! [Sorta like Jesse Colin Young singing "Get Together," which he will be doing in Kyle next month, BTW.]
Black Water opened with "Six Down," from its 2005 self-titled CD, then moved to three songs that they will be recording very soon - "Gold Mine," "Big Black Cadillac" (a tribute to Fat Caddy?), and "Lucy." Then it was "On the Road" and "Soul Searching" and two more -- and then Juan called up Macon Greyson guitar slinger Harley Husbands for a rousing version of Lucinda Williams' classic, "Change the Locks." [Since the whole evening was being duly recorded by and for ME TV, maybe we will get to see some of this stuff again soon!]Jesse Duke and Harley Husbands changing the locks!
There is just not time nor energy to say much about Austin Collins (a songwriter whom Jon says very much impressed Ray Wylie Hubbard with the depth and quality of his lyrics) or Slowtrain (which has perhaps the city's top pair of band wives! -- but see my prior musings on this boys) or even Dallas rockers Macon Greyson (except that they are cool enough to have brought the fabulous Bonnie Whitmore to the show!). Okay, I will add a few words about these guys, who next return to the Hill Country on November 3 for a show at Poodie's (nuff said!).
For those who have not heard them, they look like a classic Southern Rock band, but as Colin Brooks and I ascertained, they SOUND like Southern Alt-Rock! Good songs, good vibes - but not the guys to politely invite to a party unless you really want them to hang out until the sun comes up). This band is playing all over Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma and is planning a dual CD-DVD release in the not too distant future -- because they want you to FEEL their presence in your music listening room.
