Flanfire

Flanfire has not posted in over a month -- but there is a reason. We have been moving (a) from our old house in Austin to our new house in Austin and (b) from our very old house in Louisiana to our new house in Austin and (c) from my daughter's house in Austin to her new house in New Mexico.

Not to worry. We have hardly missed any significant music events -- just a few photos (which may be just as well, given the state of our camera). So herewith is a rundown of some of the best we have seen during the past 30 days or so. Except that I will save my review of the new SHOTGUN PARTY CD (and CD release party) for later.

But I WILL say that bassist Christopher Crepps was having a blast playing with the wonderful singer-songwriter-danceronstage Jenny Parrott (who hails from Connecticut) and the AMAZING Katie Cox, whose fiddle playing is leaving folks about town breathless! And I will ALSO say that the band was followed that charmed evening at the Continental Club by the Greg Garing Band, and on this occasion Mr. Garing picked up his own fiddle (putting down his guitar) and joined Miss Cox for some sizzling duets. But alas you will have to wait for the whole story......

Way back on the Fourth of July, we stopped into Momo's to catch Warren and the Hoodlums (featuring Lefty Nafziger on guitar), and were doubly blessed when the graduate -- Phoebe Hunt -- showed up to sing a couple of numbers. OK, Nate Rowe and Damien Llanes and Marshall Hood were also in the band -- as usual -- and as usual it was all good.

The REAL reason I was there, tho, was to catch Matt the Electrician and HIS band, which included Sick on fiddle and Seela on backing vocals plus Tom Pearson and John Green (I think). Matt has been doing Wednesdays at Momo's ever since -- but on THIS sacred occasion he broke out Stars and Stripes Forever on the euphonium! And he did a great cover of Dave Alvin's King of California plus songs from his wonderful new CD (which we have reviewed).

I somehow remember a little of a show at Ego's with Bryce Clifford and Honor Farm (with Jay "Boo" Tonne and the lovely Lacey Pipkin along with Yamal Said on drums and Doug Walseth and Zachary Firnhaber who both used to play in Crawling with Kings and may one day again do so even though lead singer Brian Dyer has moved to Chicago for now). Bryce had Zach plus Kullen Fuchs on trumpet and Landis Armstrong on lead guitar and I forget the guest drummer but he was darn good -- that's him in the photo .... and people were talking about that show for weeks. [Have to note here that I saw Lacey's young cousin Lily Pipkin playing drums at the Austin School of Music's Rock Camp USA showcase last weekend and that little piano player may yet make her name known in the Austin woman drummer brigade.] Was it also that night that Bourland had his theramin on display?

Then there was the gig in LaGrange at the Bugle Boy with Brian Keane and Rachel Loy (not moving to Nashville until December, I am told!) plus the lanky (6-10 or more) Eric Hanke (who also got his jazz singer mother up on stage for a number). Eric has just moved down to South Padre Island for a season or two and may be hard to find in and around Austin for a while, but his sincere songs and quiet spirit were a special treat for my 96-year-old mom who did not want to miss such a great night for a drive in the country or the good tunes and vibes at what is certainly the best place to visit in LaGrange since the demise of the Chicken Ranch. Owner Lane Gosnay is the Jessie Williams of great music you can actually hear sung!

Okay -- so I play down the Keane-Loy duet and the songs from Rachel's brand-new CD which is getting rave reviews (Carl Thiel produced it -- no wonder!) Brian and Rachel BOTH took full advantage of the Bugle Boy piano, and Brian DID indeed do Odysseus and his unmentionable number about his jealousy over that Jesus guy. And a couple other numbers that made us laugh -- but he can also write songs that make you cry. One of the very best honest guys.

Which brings me back to Eldridge Goins, who produced Brian's first CD and just got back from Europe in time though to play Monday night (as he will most Mondays from 8 till 10) at my favorite Chinese fast food place in Austin (as well as Houston), Ming's Cafe. Owner Fai Jow has taken over the former HQ of Little City coffees just north of the Hole in the Wall and south of Kerbey Lane on Guadalupe -- NO MSG and great dishes prepared with love and gusto to your own specifications!!!!! But I digress from the point - which is that El is on Mondays doing the jazz trio thing with Brad Houser and Laura Scarborough -- standards like Autumn Leaves and Whatever Lola Wants and How Deep Is the Ocean (How High Is the Sky?). Brad, who doubles up on bass and one of his saxophones, is the longtime member of Edie Brickell's New Bohemians and Critters Buggin -- but you all knew that.

I had MISSED Adam McInnis' great show at Momo's but caught up with him at the Saxon Pub this past Monday (that was before going to Ming's), and folks you MUST catch this wonderful guy before it starts costing too much. He will be back at the Saxon on August 23rd and at Momo's sometime sooner -- all of which brings me to talk about ANOTHER show I recently saw at the Saxon Pub (during the NAAM weekend).

There is this little band calling itself MP2 -- Malford Milligan, Mark Andes, Phil Brown and Pat Mastelotto. Playing a little funk mixed with some Jimi Hendrix and original numbers too..... These guys are playing Thursdays at Cedar Street before growing crowds, and they blew the doors off the Saxon following a rousing set from the Resentments (who were joined for a special Saturday show by the legendary John Sebastian) and the Austin debut of Phoenix-based Blue Smoke which features Hungarian bluesman Meklos on guitar. MP2 started out with Crossroads and moved into Phil's La La Land, followed by a Boneshakers song (one of the many bands Malford has fronted) and lots more. I have only rarely seen David Cotton so pumped as he was that evening!

And no wonder. Mastelotto, whose resume includes King Crimson, Mr. Mister, XTC, and the experimental progressive trio KTU, quietly and very carefully sets up his arsenal, every weapon in its place, ready to fire when called upon. This night there are 12 pieces of metal and lots of bells, shells, and other noisemakers. To his left and right are the gunslingers -- Andes, California cool exemplified (I call him Austin's George Hamilton!), the man who put the Heart in Spirit and the Spirit in Heart and in between rode hard with JoJo Gunne. Brown, whose reinterpretation of the legendary Hendrix (who by the way was a soulmate of Randy California, Mark's Spirit bandmate) is making him known all over Europe, is also a singer and songwriter of excellent quality whose normally smooth voice (which was quite rough one early morning at KGSR and KLBJ) blends well with Malford's rough and tumble growls. And then there is the master himself -- whom I first saw performing with this trio at Nuno's on Sixth a few months back. We shall see if this band holds together long enough to tour on big stages (as it well might). Tommy Stephenson, who has played with the Eagles, Joe Walsh and The Band, has just moved to Austin, may be on stage with MP2 from time to time, we are told.

And, oh boy, I have not even begun to talk about the great kid bands I saw at Rock Camp last Saturday -- including three young tallboys from Minnesota and the cutest seven-year-old (Claudia something) fronting a band with kids much older and running the stage like a very young Cyndi Lauper.

Flanfire -- Bringing LIFE to Austin music.