Matt Martindale

I love this pic. Jonni is a helluva a photographer!!!

Jarrod Birmingham 12-29-05 Armadillo Palace

Headed out to the Armadillo Palace last night. Sister K met Barbie and I at the house and Barb drove...woohoo...I got to drink and NOT drive. My friend Carrie joined us there. Sister K and I had seen Jarrod a couple of times before and I liked him and hoped he'd be in our area more often. When I checked his tour dates (like I do for him and so many others) I saw a Houston date and marked my calendar. I knew that my friend Barbie would be in town (from Denver) and hoped that she'd go along with us if I could find a sitter for the boys...I told daughter Hayley that she would be required to take on that responsibility and she did with no back talk involved. Grandson Anthony loved having someone in his age group to play with...anyway, we got there around 9:15 or so and the place was packed!!! No cover charge on Thursday nights makes it a happenin' place and was it ever happenin'...we almost didn't find a parking place but after maneuvering the parking lot several times, we found one. When we got inside, we found a table but it had a partially blocked view of the stage...partially blocked by morons watching TV. Oh well...maybe they didn't have a TV at home. As people left (and the football game ended) we took over their tables and by the end of the first set, we had good seats. After the first set, Barbie went to purchase a t-shirt (I bought one too) and I headed over to talk to Dan Johnson, the steel guitar player in the band. I invited him to sit with us since we had extra chairs and he followed me over to the table and everyone made their introductions. ha He's a cool person and Jarrod was as nice as could be...hell, everyone in the band was cool. Check them out when you can and make sure to buy a t-shirt. Who know, it could be their gas money for the trip home. He's also got a new CD coming out after the 1st of the year...a wise choice would be to purchase it also.
SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC!!!
ps...the best line I heard all night was "I don't make a very good boyfriend but I make a good sugar daddy." That could have been provoked by what I always tell people who's autograph I request "To Lisa With Love_________PS...the check's in the mail"
HE DID IT!!! ;-)

High Speed Hayride in Lake Jackson 12-25-05

http://myspace.com/highspeedhayride

My friend Kim and I went to Shooters in Lake Jackson (that's right, she lives there) to see High Speed Hayride on Christmas Day and had a very good time. (I even bought a t-shirt and so did Kim) Her boyfriend, Gary, dropped us off and we were told that we could get as drunk as we wanted because he would be there at midnight to pick us up when the bar closed. woohoo!! I danced a few times with some guy but had to say no when he asked me to dance to "Stranglehold"....my brain was bleeding from the flashbacks and didn't think dancing would be the thing to do. Believe it or not, people in Lake Jackson were actually dancing to it... The place was huge and when we pulled up, we thought it was packed but obviously everyone there had driven their own car because we found a table close to the stage with no problem. Seems they had a drink special that night ($5 pitchers of beer), free pool and only a $5 cover charge so everyone in town that supports live music was there...ok, so it's a small town. If they come to your town or if you're in need of some "new" music, be sure to check them out.

SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC!!!

Davin James Christmas Show 12-21-05

Tonight at Puffabellys join Davin, Johnny Wolfe, Cletus, Brian Thomas, and Jason Crisp for a Christmas Show. http://www.puffabellys.com/ and we did...

Jason Boland & The Stragglers 12-16-05

Got a late start headed out that night...was planning on stopping by the Continental Club early to meet up with some friends but they were having a private party so we wound up next door at the Big Top. Dale Watson www.dalewatson.com was playing @ the Cont'l...hated to miss the show but after all Boland was in town. We did catch a glimpse of him while we were at the Big Top though and ran into some of our friends there...had a beer then headed over to the Firehouse Saloon. www.firehousesaloon.com No Justice www.nojustice.com was playing when we got there and the place was packed. I've never had to park as far from the bar as we did that night... No Justice sounded better than I remembered them ever sounding before (make note that it's been a long time since I've seen them) and they actually played a long set for an opening band. Did you know that the Firehouse Saloon has a fireplace? I don't know how many times that I've been there before and have never seen it before and believe you me, that's where I stayed most of the night, by the fireplace since I was freezing my ass off...and I drank plenty but couldn't get warm!!! There were plenty of "drunktards" in front of the stage so I stayed my distance. I ran into a couple that I know from over at Galleywinter www.galleywinter.com also and talked to them briefly...they asked us to join them at their table but lucky for me, I found another table close to the fireplace!!! woohoo Also ran into Jim & Linda selling merch for No Justice...
Anyway, when Jason hit the stage, the crowd was more than ready for him. It was a good set and Dub Miller showed up and joined Jason for "Merry Christmas from the Family" and did a good job of it...he knew the words!!! The crowd (me & Sister K included) loved Jason and the Stragglers that night and will see him again the next time he's in town.

SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC!!!

Kelly B. Test

Cooder Graw @ the Firehouse 12-10-05

I went out ALONE Saturday night to see Cooder Graw at the Firehouse Saloon. Sister K chose to go out of town to Nacogdoches to see family eventhough we're going this weekend to see them. Don't ask me...I don't understand the logic either. Anyway, I got there around 9:30 or so and went to the bus since I had cookies that I had made and wanted to give to the band. The bus was decorated inside with some kind of tree looking thing beautifully decorated with Christmas ornaments....very festive and the tree was quite unusual!!! Kinda resembled a tumbleweed...is that what it was? There was a meeting of the minds going on in back when I got there so I hung around for a few minutes and then headed into the bar to see who I could find. I immediately found Jim and Linda and Linda had bad news for me but I got over it quickly. Josh Owen was playing when I walked in...seems I missed the first band entirely, the U-Joints. http://www.joshowen.net/ http://www.myspace.com/theujoints
Dammit!!! I hate it when that happens...especially since I had promised that I'd be there to see them. I spoke to Warren later on and explained that I had no idea there were three bands playing instead of the usual two and he was very understanding. Maybe next time they play, I'll be able to see them.
They had a good crowd that night and put on a good show for us. I've got the set list somewhere...I'll find it, scan it and post it later on. They even played one of my favorites "Motel Lights". woohoo After the show, I joined them on the bus for a "bus party" I guess you'd call it. I stayed and partied a little too long (what time did I get home you ask? 4:45 AM) since I lost my gloves...we looked for them but I couldn't find them anywhere. Maybe someone "needed" my grandmother's gloves...who knows?

SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC!!!

Jesse Dayton & Two Hoots & a Hollar 12-3-05

Went to the Continental Club to see Two Hoots & a Hollar and Jesse Dayton. We had a good time except for the asshole that monitors the parking lot, Rich. What a dick!!! I'm considering never going back there again if they've got assholes like him working for them...I already hate the place anyway...

SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC...

EVEN IF IT'S @ THE CONTINENTAL CLUB IN HOUSTON!!!

For All of the Musicians Out There

You Might Be Too Old to Gig If.....................
Before each gig, you find yourself warming up more parts of your body than playing scales.
It becomes more important to find a place onstage for your fan and chair,than your amp.
During the second set, you yell at the drummer to stop hitting those annoying cymbals.
Your wife is drunk and dancing by herself before the second set starts.
You always refuse to play out of tune.
Your gig clothes make you look like Bill Murray out for a round of golf.
Your audience left at 10:30 p.m. and you don't notice.
All you want from groupies is a foot massage and an Ensure....Chocolate.
You hire band members for their equipment instead of their talent.
Instead of adding a fifth piece, your band pays for a roadie.
You've lost the directions to the gig.
You've forgotten the name of the club that you're playing.
Prepping for the gig involves plucking hair from your nose.
Most of the hair you've plucked from your nose is gray.
You need your glasses to see your amp settings.
You can't remember your amp settings.
You've thrown your back out, just getting on the stage.
You're thrilled to have Christmas and New Year's Eve off.
The waitress is your unmarried, pregnant daughter.
You stop the set because your bottle of Ibuprofen fell behind the speakers.
Most of the crowd doesn't even realize that there is a band playing.
You find the directions to last week's gig in your guitar case.
You no longer use a tip jar.
You refuse to play without earplugs.
You ask the club owner if you can start at 7:00 pm instead of 9:00 pm, in hopes of getting home in time to catch Sports Center.
You want an opening act.
You check the TV schedule before booking a gig.
High notes make you cough. Hell, most notes make you cough.
Your gig stool has a back.
You're related to at least one other member of the band.
You need a nap before and after the gig.
You don't let anyone "sit in" and "jam."
After the third set, you take a 30 minute break and bug the club owner to let you quit early. During the breaks, you go to your SUV to lay down.
Your music stand has to have a light.
You don't recover until Tuesday afternoon from a Friday night gig.
You can't play a gig without a set list.
You tell other musicians that you double on bass.
You refuse to play longer than contracted.
You actually have a contract.
You know all the words to "Aqualung" and "Stairway To Heaven."