5 September 2018: The Weirdest Thing I’ve Seen On Stage

“I want chicken
I want liver
Meow Mix Meow Mix
Please Deliver”

Just when I thought I was done  writing blog entries about concerts and shows that I have recently attended, I became eyewitness to the weirdest thing I have seen on stage.

I know that there are some bands out there that have done stranger things, but this was something I personally saw.

September Mourning was the touring headliner. But local band, Resisting Vegas, was the winner of the night.

Costumes and props are the standard, but this will take it to the next level.

Rico Kallirgos of Resisting Vegas

Resisting Vegas was in the middle of a lengthy guitar solo, and lead singer Rico Kallirgos stepped off stage briefly and when he emerged again, he was struggling to lift a very large bag of what looked like to be pet food of some sort.

It was dry cat food.

He knelt down and began to tear into the bag to open it. When he got it open, his fist plunged down deep inside of the bag. The audience was intrigued and some where terrified as they did not know what was going to happen next.

Fistfuls of cat food were then placed into a plastic container.

Then he stood up with the container in hand and he reached for a large wooden spoon, and proceeded to eat it until the end of the guitar solo.

He ate so much of it that when it was that final moment to say thank you to crowd, he still had cat food in his mouth.

One band stole the entire show.

After it was over, many people said that they were scared that he was going to throw the cat food. But none of them had expected him to actually eat it.

He admitted that he never told the rest of the band of what he was going to do. Some of them not really knowing what was going on when it was happening.

“Keep Austin Weird” they say.

Well done, Resisting Vegas. Mission accomplished in keeping that city tradition proud. The bar has been raised.

To the other local bands out there: It’s your move!

Explosions

Due to current events, I am feeling compelled to write about what’s going on.

In a time less than an hour and a half from the time this post is being written, another explosion has been reported in the city of Austin, Texas.

Since the second of March, there has been several incidents in which an explosive device either has detonated or had been detected.

Of course the most recent explosions are… for lack of a better term… still “fresh” and investigations are underway.

A number of people have been injured, and one teenager has died in these attacks in which law enforcement seem to believe have more links than what the public realizes.

Personally I am shocked that none of these explosions had happened anywhere near or even during the SXSW Festival, which just officially ended on the 18th.

I am thankful however that at least ONE explosive device was found before it was able to hurt or kill anyone.

Explosion #2 that happened on the 12th of March was close enough to where I live that I actually HEARD the blast roar through the air when it happened. Sadly, that was the same explosion in which one was killed and one injured.

Now the citizens of Austin, Texas have gone from frustration and shock and surprise, to absolute terror and fear.

I am personally angry. But I felt it very necessary to write this post to let you all know that I am uninjured and that a majority of these explosions are not anywhere near where I am. Explosion #2 was still a few miles away. But I AM OKAY!!!!

And in my anger, I am offering to donate an old wheelchair that I have to give to the person or persons responsible because they are going to need it if the law abiding and scared citizens catch them in the act before the police do. There are reasons why they say that you “Don’t Mess With Texas.”

 

21 March 2015: One-Eyed Doll Headlines Finale @ Heart of Texas Rockfest/SXSW 2015 – Austin, TX

“Kiss me, it’s over. Red River, Red Rover.”~ One-Eyed Doll- ‘Plumes of Death’

SXSW is officially over for 2015. More than a week and a half of celebrities, films, actors/actresses, and some darn good music.

Heart of Texas Rockfest ended with an appearance of One-Eyed Doll.

They currently are on tour, supporting “Witches” their brand new CD. A concept album that released on the 24th of March.

Luckily for us fans attending SXSW, a copy of the album was available for purchase.

One-Eyed Doll’s show was (in my own opinion) the best way to wrap things up for the entire Festival.

Sufficed to say, that things were looking up for me as I was able to obtain a better seating position than I had before back at the Dirty Dog Bar last September at the end of their 2014 Summer Tour. I was not right up against the stage, but I didn’t really have to be. It was quite the improvement on all levels. And it would end up having some perks.

The stage performance from Dharma Kings right before featured the HELL KATZ dancers. Some now I can call friends. But I soon realized that if I didn’t move to the other stage, that my spot in the crowd was going to be less than desire. So I felt bad for abandoning my friends, and yet I moved back over to the empty and waiting stage.

As the show began, I took one final look behind me and realized just how many people were there behind us all. I had never seen that before at Heart of Texas Rockfest.

The crowd let out a roar when Kimberly Freeman began to play the intro music. And sure enough after the introductions, the band played their standby tune “Committed.”

It appeared as if the party had started and the One-Eyed Doll train was blazing away from the station on no particular course of direction. Wherever it would go, it would go.

At the end of the song, Freeman usually jumps off the stage and mingles in with the crowd and resumes to move around and head bang. Since the stage was at least four feet up, I didn’t know if she was going to and if she did, how was she going to get back up?

But she did it. And landed right in front of me.

When she looked up, she saw me. A big smile drew across her face. She raised up her hand in between playing her guitar and caressed the left side of my face and cuddled it for a moment. Then she hit the next guitar chord and then moved beside me and did a back bend to the point where she was practically laying in my lap. Those back bends and how she does it, I’ll never know.

She then would go into the middle of the crowd and come closer to finishing the song. Then she had to get back ON stage. How was she going to manage?

It didn’t matter. She got up there just fine on her own. But before she did, she came back my way and once again acknowledge me. I reached out for her as she half way embraced me. Then she grabbed my One-Eyed Doll VIP pass that was hanging from around my neck, then let it go with an even bigger smile. I blew her a kiss and then she jumped up on stage and finished playing. The kiss was captured by a photojournalist from axs.com!! It is posted there. (Go ahead, I’ll wait so you can look it up. All done? Good… let’s keep going.)

The show went on with some classic tunes for those fans who were familiar with the band. Needless to say that it has not been very long for me to have joined this party. I would say about nine months. But the more fabulous thought is that it was my SECOND SHOW in SIX months, and my SECOND VIP.

I just don’t know how many more VIP passes I am going to be able to afford in the future. I may have to let some go, if not all because of financial reasons, not because I don’t want to.

I digress.

Freeman did ask the crowd if there was any one there who was experiencing their first show. I was surprised to see so many hands and fists and horns go up into the air. And that was just in my general location… who knows exactly how many people behind us raised their arms into the air.

Freeman began to address the crowd about their newest album, “Witches.” 

The entire album is based on the Hysteria and Witchcraft Trials of 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. One-Eyed Doll performed “Black In The Rye” from the new album. They also introduced super very special guest bassist John Moyer from the band Disturbed.

Yes…. THAT band! (Down With The Sickness, Remember, etc. etc. etc. etc. They are currently on hiatus.)

The entire album and its history has a very interesting and intriguing story behind it. Some that explore one particular theory in how the witchcraft mania even began.

Nonetheless, “Black In The Rye” is extremely catchy. It gets into your head like the so-called demons and spirits of the children of 17th Century Salem.

Even more so, that John Moyer was more than happy, happy, happy to join in on the vocals during the chorus.

Moyer and Freeman are perfect together on stage. The energy climbed as Moyer and One-Eyed Doll told their tale. 

Thankfully, John Moyer did stick around for the rest of the show. I grabbed a photograph with him, thinking that it would be my one and only opportunity to do so. He didn’t say much but smiled and I thanked him for the opportunity and complimented him on his performance afterwards.

The rest of the show magically erased away time and space, it seemed. The show ended around midnight and it felt okay, it felt right to end SXSW in this way.

But all truth be told, I was very nervous about the whole VIP situation. I attempted to extract information from as many people as possible to figure out what was the plan for it all.

The first time, involved a bunch of going from one place to another, and I wasn’t able to do that since I was on my own this time without any help. My fears would subside when “Junior” gave me the quick and general idea of what was going to happen.

So I marched on over towards the merchandise table, since that is where Kimberly Freeman led the crowd over to, in similar fashion of the Pied Piper. Smart. I think that’s how all shows are ended. But the crowd does get some actually face time with Freeman to talk, share, laugh, buy merchandise, grab an autograph and even some photographs with Freeman. And Junior if he stood still long enough and you were able to grab his attention.

I had done all of my “One-Eyed Doll” shopping before the show started. I was there as the merch table was being set up.

I bought one t-shirt and then I wanted to get a CD, but couldn’t decide on which. I was asked how many I had already…. and the answer was NONE.

Melinda, the merch girl, was more than happy to help me in that decision process. Melinda worked a great deal for three albums. This is what I ended up with:

DIRTY
HOLE
WITCHES

Ummm… do you see it??

Yeah. So after all the laughing stopped, I requested Melinda for an autograph. But I had no paper, no book, nothing for her to really sign. She looked at me, puzzled and confused. She gasped nervously when I told her that I wanted her to sign my forehead. There was this collective sound from all of the surrounding fans who heard me voice my request. It was the sound of a collection of mandibles hitting the ground.

When Melinda realized I was serious, she began to shy away. But then she was able to have enough courage to sign along my temple. But in small letters. Complete with smiley face. Suddenly photographs of my head were being taken. It was then discussed about whether or not Freeman would do it. There was mixed opinions. Some said she would, some said they weren’t sure.

So I went in line to wait to get a meet and greet with Kimberly Freeman… just to find out.

I spoke with Kimberly and she called me by name. I didn’t think she’d remember it. She sees so many people while out on tour, why would she remember me of all people? But she does and she said she could never forget me. Naturally, I would be lying if I didn’t say that brought on a good feeling.

Kimberly noticed Melinda’s autograph on my head and then I presented to Kimberly the challenge.

The response I got was “We’ll see about that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” and Kimberly grabbed my head, tilted it back a little, rubbed my forehead, and began to do her tattoo work on my skin. Having no clue what she was writing. She could have written anything from “I’m retarded.” to “One-Eyed Doll rules!” 

I got extremely lucky. But again, the supporting fans who were around were laughing nervously while standing there in shock to what Freeman was doing.

I heard so many people commenting about how it was never going to come off, and that I would have to stay this way for the rest of my life.

But it was ink. Albeit, permanent marker. I knew that I would live with it for a while. But not the rest of my life. Ink on skin doesn’t work that way.

After that, “Junior” grabbed an even larger permanent marker as I requested for him to “pile on” to whatever I had going on. I saw him grab that really thick marker and I thought that I was going to be in a world of shit.

More photographs were taken. And you know what, it doesn’t matter what was on my face. It is the fact that I was standing right there next to Kimberly Freeman of One-Eyed Doll…. on purpose. And she was standing next to me.

Although I wanted to make a public apology to Kimberly Freeman for almost having her cry. I took too long in setting up a punch line to something funny.

I was talking about all the different activities that I will never be able to do in life: run a marathon, jogging, and even stage dive.

But I realized that if I go down a very, very, very steep hill… by the time I reach the bottom, I would have gained enough speed that when I crash at the bottom of the hill… my body will eject from the wheelchair and I will go flying ………. just like a stage dive.

So Kimberly, I’m sorry I nearly had you in tears. X’s and O’s..

I got out of the way of some other people who were waiting, even though I had more to express to her. I figured that I would have time to speak to her more during the VIP party.

Hoping that the VIP would worth the price that I actually paid for… being that the first VIP access was given to me by someone who had an extra pass.

But I do have my very own autographed, kissed, and bitten (all by personal request) copy of the new album. I’ve been listening to it as I have been writing this blog post. And there’s been plenty of times it has given me a serious case of goosebumps and the urge to cry my eyes out.. knowing the history from which the concept is coming from. I may do a review for it in a future post. So stick around.

15 November 2014: Bucket List #9- Red Vamp; Iris CD Release Party @ Elysium- Austin, TX

“I always want to learn but I am sure on my dying day I will feel like I left something in the bucket.”~ Tim McGraw

This blog post I am more than happy to write about. So many wonderful things happened and I didn’t bother to screw any of it up.

I have recently talked about the invitation that I received from Red Vamp she was planning on visiting the area and she wanted to meet up. I was shocked at first because it was she that was asking ME about it. But I accepted and had a few weeks to prepare for it.

I’ll spare you the long drawn out details of the weeks that happened and skip right to the point of the blog post today. A band named “Iris” was having a CD Release Party at Elysium.  Red Vamp and her husband were planning on attending. They live out of town a few hours, so I could tell that this would be a big deal for them. So I agreed and pushed all other plans aside to make this happen.

This was probably more exciting for me than for anybody else. I mean, I knew Red Vamp back in her modeling career when that was pretty hot. I tried to keep myself on the level with her, treating her like another human being because from the comments of other people, they were just concerned about hitting on her or flirting with her… hoping that it was catch her attention.

I can only guess that the attention it brought up was the wrong kind.

Then I started my Bucket List. Meeting Red Vamp in person was #9 on the Bucket List. So you can tell this was pretty much a long time ago for being at the beginning of the Bucket List.

Well now as of last night, the 15th of November 2014, I can scratch that totally off the list.

Before Iris was Mr. Kitty & NITE. Not sure what to think about Mr. Kitty, other than it is just not my style of music that I listen to. That’s more computers than human beings. But then again, I guess you have to be pretty smart to know how to use a computer to make what they call music.

NITE’s performance wasn’t bad at all. But their music sounded more 80’s than techno or electronic. Still, they had some good vocals. It is explained to me that there’s a set of twins in that band. Two brothers. So I thought that was cool.

Then when Iris got on stage, the entire club just erupted. It was very clear that these people were here for Iris. Red Vamp apparently felt bad for leaving me behind as she and her husband approached the stage. But as I have complained before that Elysium just isn’t wheelchair accessible for anyone. I mean, if you have to go to the club next door just to use the restroom… there’s something wrong! SERIOUSLY WRONG!!

When Iris was done, I had taken about 70 or more photographs. I was sure to take photographs WITH Red Vamp because honestly… I had been bragging this meeting was going to happen. And only a hand full of people believed me. The rest just thought I was messing around and joking.

I was actually a little flattered that Red Vamp’s husband did talk with me. I honored our conversations that we had, no matter how small they were.

When Red Vamp walked by the wall of local legends, I took a photo of her. I doubt she was prepared. In my mind, it was fitting. Considering all these years I’ve wanted to meet her in person and now I have had that opportunity.

It was a glorious visit, and the music didn’t suck across the board so that was plenty of bonus.

My obvious purpose was Red Vamp and the Bucket List.  Now I have that. My star struck attitude probably only lasted 10 minutes.

But I do hope that we all can do it again. Her living a few hours away makes it difficult. It would mean so much to me to have a second visit.

Check out Iris, see if whether or not its something you fancy. If so, you’re welcome. If not, then at least I tried.

Until then, I’ll forever hold these memories so close to my heart, knowing that nobody can take that away from me.

17 September 2014: The Final Act With Casket Of Cassandra @ Dirty Dog Bar

“The last act is bloody, however pleasant all the rest of the play is: a little earth is thrown at last upon our head, and that is the end forever.”~Blaise Pascal

When I heard that CASKET OF CASSANDRA was doing a show, I knew that I wanted to go.

When I heard further that this would be the final show for CASKET OF CASSANDRA for 2014, I knew that I HAD to go.

There was no debate to it. Get there or get gone. Granted that I totally suck and left after they played, but sometimes you just cannot stay out all night and you do what you can. I’m just glad that I went out and SKIPPED band practice.

Again under the threat of rain, I very happily ran outside early in the evening and arrived far too soon. Without any notice, the first band dropped out and so everything was pushed ahead one hour. And that included what time the doors opened.

I went to a place called Casino el Camino to get a bite to eat. I promise you this much for sure. Not even under the threat of death would you EVER get me to go back in there and order food from them again. NEVER.

But I wasn’t out of my dwelling because of food, I was out because of music.

Music that I had not seen in a while. Probably since Independence Day.

If doors were pushed aside one hour to open at 7:00, the people at the Dirty Dog Bar have been doing a piss poor job at time management.

This is the second time that I have gone to the Dirty Dog Bar and the second time to find their doors locked and closed when it posted notices were stating otherwise. They need to wake the hell up. And yes, if you cannot tell already: I am getting pissed off about it.

With the first band dropping out and everything pushed ahead one hour, CASKET OF CASSANDRA would start the early evening off.

I jumped right up front dead center. Its like my second home at the venue. And I never get bothered by anyone. I could speculate why but there’s no time for that right now.

Riles Olacsi (left) and Amanda Maddera (front and right)

I kept hearing from my talks with all of the band members individually that the set was going to be a heavier set list and what not. I kind of assumed that they would not play my favorite song. And to be honest, I would not be surprised if they just stopped playing it because they have this new album out “Day Four” and they’re going to focus on the newer material. (I had learned my lessons about expectation with “Zero Hour” from SIX MINUTE CENTURY.) However, there was to be other tunes performed that I enjoy just as much. So with that information, I was PUMPED UP to see this show!!

I will admit that I spoke to their guitarist, Riley, and told him that “Day Four” was the scariest album I had ever heard.

I don’t know if he read the blog post about it when I first got it, but now he was getting feedback in verbal form. And it was exactly the feedback that he was craving deep down inside. All of that put aside, I was ready to hang on for the wild ride. But I simply would have no clue as to what was truly lying before me.

There simply was no telling at all. The band knew the set list, but nobody knew what the results were going to be. The band wasn’t even sure if the crowds were going to enjoy it.

Sure enough, this set was insane and Amanda Maddera looked as if she had gone insane faster than a tear drop falling off the cheek of the lonely. The contorted facial expressions that Maddera let off were totally intrusive and I sat back thinking “Wow!”

I really began to think (or at least ponder) whether or not Maddera snapped into insanity or if she is just that good of a performer. Riley too, was quite the shocker when he was all over the stage. Stomping, marching, kicking everywhere he went. And it just didn’t seem to stop.

There were times where I, myself was so into the music that I could have cared what the scores of people behind me thought. And I think that is kind something important for me to remember when I go out to venues and clubs and bars. I don’t drink, so I’m not there to do that… but I will go there to listen to music by people that I know and bands that I love. Besides if you spend too much time at a show worried about what people behind you are thinking, you’ll destroy your self confidence to pieces. 

I’m getting off subject. Hang on here.

The more and more the set went on, the actual scarier it became. Amanda would often come front and center on stage and be directly standing in front of me while on stage. And of course, I panicked again… not knowing what she would want me to do as far as audience participation. Put a fist in the air? Raise the horns? Scream and shout? I just don’t know. To each their own, they say. And its so true. I just have not figured out what Maddera insists on during their shows.

Suddenly the swarm of chaos came over the entire band. Everyone was doing their own thing, but it was completely in disharmonious harmony. They didn’t all do the same things on stage but it all fit.

And they ALL began to look like they had lost their minds. It was a sight to behold. I couldn’t make my camera’s flash go off quick enough because as I am trying to capture one person’s facial expression, I lost another one by the time I finished with the first one and would have to wait to see something else come up.

Quinton Rivera bass (left) Isaac Holliday guitar(right)

However, CASKET OF CASSANDRA did not disappoint. By the middle of the set, all members looked possessed by the spirits of heavy metal music.

Ladies and gentlemen: This………… is what I enjoy when it comes to metal bands. This “appearance” of fear, domination, and total and complete insanity just puts all kinds of charges through me. And it works that way every damned time.

Patiently I had been waiting for those songs that I had heard prior to them starting the show.

“Day Four” which is also the name of their new album has some nasty-creepy elements to it. Honestly it scares me to pieces. I NEVER listen to that album after dark. NEVER. And they played it LIVE!!!

Finally towards the end, the best had been saved for the last! Well, at least in my opinion.

“The Kraken’s Reign” and “Nail To The Head” rounded up the set.

THE KRAKEN ARISES
IT FEEDS ON YOUR SEASICK SORROW
AND WITH ITS AWESOME MIGHT
YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE 20,000 LEAGUES BELOW

Yeah, you gotta love that. Even if you don’t like heavy metal and it sounds like a lot of syllables that don’t belong. That imagery of fear and looming death is just a killer thought to have go on in your head. Especially once you had been believing that the entire band had gone insane. Including drummer, Chris Campagna who was sweatier than the whole band combined times twenty. He works so damned hard at his job. Its admirable.

Someone remind him (or me) he owes me a broke drum stick from the show. I called dibs.

Then “Nail To The Eye” which I’ve not heard since July. It never gets played live the same way twice. NEVER.

GLASS BONES
PAPER SKIN
FRAGILE AS FUCK
FACED WITH STICKS AND STONES
YOU’RE SHIT OUT OF LUCK 

Again. Classic lyrics. Would love to know who wrote the words to these last two songs. Just for giggles and common knowledge.

CASKET OF CASSANDRA has never honestly been a band to disappoint. As much as I stay positive when reviewing or discussing other shows that I have been to, I usually stay away from the negatives because who wants to read a bunch of negative crap?

With CASKET OF CASSANDRA, I’ve not once found any negative experiences.

Bands will often talk to me after their set and talk about their errors and mistakes that they made when they were playing. I don’t get that from COC. Honestly, I wished that other bands would stop doing that because hardly anyone notices those mistakes. Unless they are all assholes.

COC though just takes you by the face, scratches it off, and feeds it back to you with every spoonful that is a musical note that they play. Every chord, every note is another spoonful of your own face.

Amanda Maddera however did catch me way off guard to the point where I just sat there helpless. She had crawled down onto the floor of stage and slithered over the monitor with microphone in hand. Her hair was over her face and her brutal monster vocals were screeching everywhere. It was to the point that I honestly could hear the screams even without the microphone dead set in her face.

But her slowly moving over the top of the monitor freaked me right out to the point of literal terror. She looked like the thing from “The Ring” that crawled out of the television set. Only this time there was no television set and she was heading straight for me.

I had no idea what to do. Should I attempt to catch her? Should I grab a hold of her so that she didn’t just fall face first onto the floor? And for the love of all things good and happy — why the hell was she giving off the appearance of horror?

If I had taken a photograph of it, you ALL would know what I am talking about. But I was too much in this state of fear and uncertainty to think straight and clear to know to take a photo.

Again, it has to be great performances by Amanda Maddera. And by the entire band actually. When they finished and said good night… they came off the stage and were all smiles. A bit winded and exhausted, but smiling pretty big. One has to wonder how they could go from excitement to pure evil and back to contentment again.

It is sad to hear that this will be all that they will do on stage for sometime. They will have some other dates that will be out of town. But nothing locally. And yes that stinks but this time of year apparently is difficult to gather everyone together.

I still am looking forward to the next time they will play here locally. One never knows and something might come up where they could believe that they could play. They aren’t going anywhere. And if they never make it locally as they have been thinking, they will come back stronger than ever in 2015.

This my second show in four days. It seemed pretty hollow and empty after being at a One-Eyed Doll show which crammed the entire venue last Saturday. But again I don’t need to be worried about who is there and who is not there. And I will be back again for #3 this coming Saturday for FEAR CONTROL.

This means three shows in seven days. All various bands. And I’m rocking out to each and every one of them!!!! So if you need me, you know where I will be.

13 September 2014: Infamy Remembered By OED With Nancy Silva Project

“Some people never go crazy, What truly horrible lives they must live.”~ Charles Bukowski

Let me just start off with a couple of things.

#1- The idea of giving myself a break before posting this blog post was probably not a good idea as I am beginning to forget a number of things that happened during the event and I don’t want to feel bad or let others down. So I am going to do the best that I can with what I can remember as I compose. And if that means I have to come back and edit even days later, then so be it.

#2- With scattered memories come scattered story telling so I am going to break up the evening’s activities in parts and pieces so this will take up a small number of posts. Stay tuned and keep reading!

After a week of drama of breaking my eye glasses and having to pay so much for it, and then saving my sister’s posterior and having given her money, I was on the edge because I knew that I had a choice for the evening. I could either LEAVE the venue after watching NANCY SILVA PROJECT perform and miss out on my first experience at a One-Eyed Doll show. And if I left, just how late would I stay because I would want to be able to spend time talking with Nancy Silva and hang out a bit.

The other option was to stay and watch One-Eyed Doll and then take a taxi home which would take $20 that I was not sure that I would have.

On the 12th, I was able to accomplish two things: Get a haircut and buy roses for Nancy Silva. A tradition that seems to have been lost along the years but long lost traditions will be a post for another time, if the readers want it.  I wasn’t quite sure if I should buy roses for Kimberly Freeman of One-Eyed Doll since I did not know her and she did not know me. I didn’t want to send the wrong message.

Nonetheless, I would pull an audible and buy roses for Kimberly Freeman as well… keeping in mind the old time traditions of presenting performers with flowers after their show.

Then as I returned home, I had a personal message waiting for me from Nancy Silva herself. She wanted to know if it was okay if her group would come to my home to get ready for the show and relax and hang out.

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT??????????????????????????

I do not usually say this but OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG!!!

The one brilliant, musically talented, and beautiful woman that I adore coming from San Antonio to do a show. Someone I have not seen face to face in six months plus one day was asking me if she could come to my home.

I thought to myself, “Dear Lord, these are the things that only dreams are made of. And its slowly showing signs of becoming true!”

After a few hours of bantering back and forth I agreed to the arrangement. And as I was doing so… I was scrambling to get everything in my home straightened up and clean and everything at least in the condition to be acceptable for having company over.

My apartment manager defines a clean apartment (for me at least) as “If you would be embarrassed to bring a girl back to your home… then you need to clean it.” And at this point, there was this great possibility of a girl coming over. So I made sure that the apartment was up to those standards. Then I sat back and waited. Noticing that the request to obtain my address had not been given. The longer it went on, the more I thought that this would not happen or that something was going to defeat me.

So on the 13th the day of the show as I was watching my favorite college football team beat the crap out of their opponent, I received word that it was not going to happen. And this was the official decision. It had been raining too and that was  getting annoying. Would I be going out in the rain again?

As deflated as I became I knew that in a few hours I would be there at the Dirty Dog Bar and that I would see NANCY SILVA PROJECT play.

There was just a few details that life hadn’t given to me in the memo.

Doors were supposed to open at 7:00 PM. They were not.
There was a LINE to get indoors. What the hell is up with that?
Staff who normally are warm and friendly were nothing but hulking statues of not giving a rat’s ass.

Everyone in line ahead of me and everyone in line behind me had some kind of memorabilia for One-Eyed Doll. I was the only person there with a NANCY SILVA PROJECT. Damnit, I am gonna wave this flag!!!

And some how when I got inside, there was already so many people inside. Why are THEY inside and I am not? I figured it was a lost cause and dropped it.

One-Eyed Doll Nation was everywhere. This place was totally packed and there were scores of people already lined up along the edges of the stage from the front and wrapped around to the one side.

But I would find Rai de la Cruz, the guitarist for NANCY SILVA PROJECT. I had never in my life conversed with him before and now it was like we had been friends forever and had connected again.

His continuous plaguing me of John Malkovich stood throughout the entire night. But I never fought it and that probably threw him off.

He’s now threatening to make an unannounced visit to my home… now that the band has my address. And again, I responded with “BRING IT ON.” If it was a fear tactic to pick on me, it wasn’t working. I would LOVE to have NANCY SILVA PROJECT in my home. Of course I’d have to take a photograph or two to have proof of it actually happened. But I got along with Rai pretty well. And Raj Arenas, the drummer. These two guys clearly remember me from SXSW Festival six months prior.

And then at long last, I saw Nancy Silva but she moved into the restroom and I lost her there.

And as I was digging out the roses to give to her she sprung out of the restroom and spotted me there. She hugged me, I gave her a kiss on the cheek and then gave her the roses.

There was this really bizarre color on one of the bouquets of roses that I couldn’t pass up, so I gave Nancy Silva BOTH.

Then a well known local photographer took our photograph together. Then I let her go, knowing that she was busy with preparations of her set on stage coming soon. Six months plus one day I had waited and the patience was paying off in spades.

So then I learned something about these events:

Rule #1 & 2 in attending a One-Eyed Doll show: If you are there for them or even some other band that is playing the same venue, get there early and grab your spot and DO NOT MOVE THE REST OF THE NIGHT.

Geez. I had to fight to get a place near the stage where I would be able to see. And still to that point I had not made up my mind as to how long I was staying.

Some gentleman saw me and then sacrificed his standing position that was right up against the edge of the stage and said that even if I was in front of him, that he could still see because I was so low.

I had thanked him and found myself next to a cute redhead who was even shorter than I was sitting down in a wheelchair with X’s on her hands.  Wow. Just when you think that they cannot make women any smaller you get proven wrong.

But I sat there and waited for NANCY SILVA PROJECT to set up.

I saw someone who I had just made friends with that was there who also is in a wheelchair. He and I together were calling ourselves “ROLLING THUNDER.”

So this conversation happened in the crowd between my newest colleague, the guy who gave me his spot, and myself about whether or not I was going to the VIP after show party.

Umm no. I could not afford that.

Then the guy who sacrificed his spot became my personal hero for the day. He had bought two and he just gave me the other one and didn’t ask me for anything for it. I couldn’t believe it.

Then my newest colleague promised to give me a ride to the party and then drop me off at home.

Honestly, could this have become any better???

Nancy Silva Project- Photo by Maurice Eagle

The VIP passes were $100 a piece. $150 for two. Before I could turn into a thankful blubbering mess the set started and NANCY SILVA PROJECT was rocking it from right out of the gate!!

The One-Eyed Doll crowd was blown away.

I started keeping track of the set by writing down the song titles on my hand with a permanent marker, knowing that this blog post was going to happen but because I waited, its nothing but a blurry mess that looks like a tattoo on my hand from far away.

They had nine songs on the set list but had to cut it short. Two songs were clipped. And when I heard the sound guy say “one more” I began to panic because my favorite NANCY SILVA PROJECT had not been performed.

What if they didn’t perform it? Would I feel cheated? Would I be angry? What the hell?

But all of that would not be necessary as they finished their set with “Lift Me Up” … my favorite song that has taken me through quite the huge emotional roller coaster ride over the past half year from tears to goosebumps to feelings of love and pride to support. And everything in between. No other musical performer has been able to do that to me or has had that much or that kind of impact on me. And so I love Nancy Silva and NANCY SILVA PROJECT so much because of it.

And then I made the costliest mistake of the night. When NSP was off of the stage, I moved away from my spot by the stage. It was time for me to hang out. Although it didn’t really work out as well as I had wanted.

There was two bands in between NSP and One-Eyed Doll and honestly, I could have cared less. I mean, the opening band “Force Of Rage” sounded okay but of course in my singleness my mind was focused more on the two female led bands ahead. I cannot even tell you the two names of the bands without looking it up.

Those wrist bands that bars give up, I finally found a way to not hate and loathe them as much any more. I presented Nancy Silva with a number of odd items and handed her my permanent marker, asking for her to sign it.

First was my bus pass. And since I had a return ride home, and I was not going anywhere the following day, it was useless for travel. So I had her sign it as a piece of memorabilia to remember that I had to take the bus and ride it for nearly an hour before I got to the venue.

Then I stuck my hand out wanting her to sign the wrist band. I turned my head and she started writing on my hand. I had to clear up the confusion. She signed the wrist band and then I told her that since she already started writing her name on my hand to finish it. Otherwise it would look odd with “NA” on my hand the rest of the night. Comical errors are very comical.

After a while, Nancy Silva discovered that the band’s equipment was going on unprotected. Nobody was around to kind of keep an eye on it and this look of frustration crawled across her face. I volunteered to watch it with no argument and then just kinda sat around near the stage area where bands stash their stuff. I wondered if that was a mistake because I felt tethered to it all. But in the end, it was fine.

I was so happy. The world could have blown up that night and I would have gone out happy and feeling like the king of kings.

I take Rai’s words seriously. I think that if he could get away with driving up from San Antonio to crash my place, that he would do it. Nancy Silva seems to be supportive of the idea. The band suffered 20/20 hindsight wishing that they all would have come by. And all I could do was shrug.

I told Rai that I did NOT want to wait six months to see them again. Six months from now will bring us back around to SXSW 2015. Rai claims that they will stop at my place for SXSW, and they’ll do it over and over and over again as long as they are in town and in the area.  BRING IT ON, RAI!!!! LET’S DO IT!!!!!!

Now I wait and pray to see them all sooner than six months.

The next blog post: One-Eyed Doll’s performance at the Dirty Dog Bar. And then the VIP party. 

Return To Shiner Saloon Part I

“I always knew looking back on my tears would bring me laughter, but I never knew looking back on my laughter would make me cry.”~ Cat Stevens

I thought that last night I would kill two birds with one stone. Actually in this case, it would have been three total stones in one throw.

My plans for the evening last night included two bars, two separate venues, and keeping two separate promises to two different people.

First stop: Shiner Saloon.

I had been there before during the 2014 SXSW Festival to see BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE play. And it was there that I would meet a particularly interesting bar maid.

Long story short, BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE killed it. Gained some new fans from the scene.  I ended up taking a couple of fun photographs with the bar maid. And to top that all off, I gave the bar maid, MY number and walked away.

Only to find that that any and all photographs that I took at the Shiner Saloon would be lost. Forever. And that included Miss Interesting. I did however tell her that I would return to say hello to her again in the future.

I was irritated and pumped up both at the same time. I hated that I lost the photographs of her and I in the same frame, as well as the kick ass photographs I took of BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE, and all I could think about was to return to the Shiner Saloon to get the bar maid to pose again to replace what I had lost.

Not an easy task. Especially since when I gave her MY number and contact information, I wrote a note stating that I was looking for friends. And I wrote that thinking that it would increase my chances of her corresponding with me.

I still have a lot to learn!!

So then I was in correspondence with the bar via social networking websites. I was going back and forth with them mainly on Twitter, but some times on Facebook. I had found myself telling whoever it was that was running the sites that I promised to return to the venue for a good drink and a good time. Lightly prefacing the fact that the bar maid (whom I will call “Lil R” throughout the rest of the post) had made my first visit very welcoming.

Because I was going to go out any way yesterday I decided that I would hit two venues in one night, hold both of my promises to the people of Shiner’s Saloon and let be what would be.

During the daytime is a little tricky. All windows are open and its freaking bright. Does not make for good or decent photography. There’s always a glare with the digital camera that I have when a window in the daytime is involved.

But Lil R wasn’t there. Where was she? I was promised she would be working. I showed up relatively early but not so early that I was waiting for them to unlock their doors.

The only other thing that I seriously have every right in the world to bitch about is the fact that this bar is upstairs and there’s the need for use of an elevator to get there. But I couldn’t get it to work. I could not get it to function. How the hell was I going to get to the Shiner Saloon if the elevator wasn’t working??

Come to find out that through a beer distribution employee the floor on which Shiner Saloon is located, it is locked from that floor by the good folks of the bar. I either have to wait for someone to use that elevator from that floor OR tell someone to go up the flight of stairs to the bar to tell them to send the elevator up to them and HOPE that I am inside of it. 

It seems a little unnecessary in my own opinion.

I have heard of “bucket seats” but I cannot decide on whether or not making bar stools out of wooden buckets is a genius idea or a lame one.

For sure its nothing like I have ever seen before.

When I finally got into the venue, it was bright as freak in there.

Very low key as it had only been open for just under the first hour of operation.

I got my first Thirsty Goat and wouldn’t you know it — $3.75! Usually I am paying $5 for this beer. A couple of times I’ve paid $6. So I don’t know… Happy Hour perhaps? Or the guy just thought I was cool enough or whatever. So yeah at $3.75 hit me up!! 

Lil R was nowhere to be found. And I finally just had to ask. She wasn’t scheduled to come in to work until 9:00 PM.

Ughh…!! I’ve got plans starting at 6:30 PM. Now what was I going to do? Shiner Saloon was expected me and I was there, and I am sure that they told Lil R over and over again that I was coming to see her.

Devastating news? Bartender, hit me again please!

Well not really, just expectations were not met and it caused grief.

half devoured. But still there’s plenty left! $9.00 !!!

I ended up meeting the person behind the social networking sites. He’s a really cool guy!! I’m glad that he was so accommodating as it led up to what would be my second visit.

I ate what was probably the most expensive hot dog that I had ever actually had the weird pleasure of paying for.

$9.00 chili dog. But it comes with potato chips. Its slammed with secret spices and garnish and everything else one would hope for an epic chili dog. Plus the size of the damned thing was enormous.

I don’t think that I will be able to duplicate it at home.

So I ate, I drank, I stewed in weirdness and frustration. And so then I struck up conversation with the rest of the employees there without having to mention female counterparts. It was straight up guy talk.

I think that the coolest thing inside now is that there’s a cuckoo clock that comes from the Shiner company and its attached to a certain beer on tap. Whenever someone pulls the tap to fill the glass, the cuckoo bird comes out and the clock lights up!!!!

That was cool. I hope that they are able to keep it for a long time.

However, time was not on my side and I had to go to the “main event” of the night. The employees of course were more than inviting for me to return, especially once Lil R had got to work.

I foolishly made the decision and then told them that I would return to see Lil R and their entertainment that was lined up for 10:30 on the basis that they would assist in helping me find a taxi to go home. They agreed.

I took off for the reason that I was out to begin with but would come back and fully regret the decision in its entirety, filled with the grief of late night expectations left unfulfilled. But not before some good times were had elsewhere.

22 April 2014: Dambreaker Versus The Hell Katz at Headhunter’s

“One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.”~ Friedrich Nietzsche  

What did I get myself into? What rabbit hole have I fallen into?

Its the 2014 version of the go-go dance troupe here locally at one rather small venue.

I introduce to you The Hell Katz.

Every Tuesday they have their rendition of Ta Ta Tuesdays. I just happened to come in during the Easter Edition. I was promised sexy bunnies.

What I ended up with, was a mild orgy of flesh and tattoos and wild hair…. with the periodic plastic bunny ears.

It was something I had no experience with and so calling it a learning experience is beneath the definition by a long rimmed shot.

But it was also something that had been to my attention for at least a month now, ever since meeting the one they call “Vyper Lily” at the 2014 SXSW Festival at a different venue, doing a different job.

Vyper Lily

Ironically, she and I found one another on social networking sites and we have become somewhat of strange friends.

It is what it is though.

And so I’ve known about this dance troupe for a while, I just couldn’t get out for one reason or another to decide for myself what it was all about.

Last night, those discoveries would be unearthed.

I didn’t know what to really expect, other than these girls were going to be dancing throughout the night and most of them dancing while on top of the bar.

This ain’t your Coyote Ugly!

I thought that it was going to be a very bad night as I couldn’t find the place to begin with. Apparently Headhunter’s don’t have the smarts to put a sign out front to show their location. They are running under the disguise of “Metal and Lace” still, and I don’t know why.

I went by that place at least five times before I realized that I was needing to go inside of it.

I finally established where the venue was and found it to be pretty empty. The first band was still kind of hanging out and warming up, not quite set up on stage to go for it. Just laid back and relaxed.

I had a few conversations with the barmaid who seemed to be pretty nice. But her evil side came out when it came to leftover Easter eggs. More on that later.

I realize that I was really early, and I needed to just calm myself and relax a little before any of these Ta Ta Tuesday dancers showed up. Especially Vyper Lily.

I think that I definitely should have known something was up when I looked and saw that this film was being played called “Watership Down.”

Why are the rabbits being bloody and violent??

I don’t think that I’ve ever heard of it. I know that I’ve not seen the animated film. But geez, whoa, whiskey tango foxtrot, over?????

When you have scenes like these, you realize that you are not in your safe little bubble of animated features that you grew up to know.

I heard someone there excuse it because it was British. But that didn’t cut the fat with me.

I complimented the barmaid about her hair, and she turned such a deep shade of red that you thought she was going to turn into a tomato. Needless to say, she avoided me much of the rest of the night. And it was  still way too early. Bands hadn’t even started yet.

As the first band played, I wasn’t sure what I got myself into. It definitely was not the kind of music that I would choose to listen to. And now I was to understand that Vyper Lily wasn’t coming until later in the evening.

So much for in and out and back.

As more of The Hell Katz began to come in and then I saw Vyper Lily, I knew that I was in for the long haul. It wasn’t all that bad.

Let me tell you what it was NOT: There was no nudity. No stripping. No topless activity… no matter how hard one of the bands on the stage tried to see some titties.

That isn’t what The Hell Katz are about.

Although they shake what their mama gave them….. that’s all part of the job. Bring in more customers, earn more tips. Rinse, wash, repeat.

After awhile of watching these girls do their thing, and realizing that people were getting drunk and were not watching what they were doing… I stepped outside to get some air.

Vyper Lily was out there, and I took advantage to take some photographs with her. There was another dancer that I took photographs with. She had been talking to me like we were the bestest of buddies in the whole wide world.

And that’s cool. Suddenly, she makes the request that I find her on Facebook. And that was a first.

I asked for a photograph and she agreed. We found someone to operate the camera and then she slithered onto my lap like she freaking owned it and gave a pose like she couldn’t give a damn. Gotta love it!!! Thank you, Vyrus McDisco. (Where do these stage names come from?)

After the flash went off, I barely had time to thank her as she jumped off and went back inside. 

Then shortly after that, I took even more photographs with Vyper Lily. And then I was assaulted by some random woman walking by. If I have the time, I’ll write about that in my blog separately. All I have to say is, she could not resist to put her hands on me. Even while she was being dragged away by her significant other by the hand.

The music never got better but the dancing by The Hell Katz was in rare top form I think.

It’s hard to shove cash in someone’s stocking when there’s the ever present danger of being kicked by a dancer’s boot who is doing her job on top of the bar.

Sometimes I hate being at this altitude.

I wonder what these girls can make in one night? The crowd seemed to be pretty small so maybe not a whole lot. But just enough?? I don’t know. I’m not going to ask either. That’s their personal business. But I am curious.

Probably the one thing that I will remember most about the night is how Vyrus McDisco manhandled some drunk trying to get in for free, claiming he was late for work at the bar.

Surprise is on YOU, jackass!! The Hell Katz have been dancing there every Tuesday night for a long, long time. They are going to know who does and who does not work. But she grabbed him by the shirt and kicked his ass out into the street.

Awesome, awesome display of female power!! I for one, will not be messing with Vyrus McDisco…….. ever.

So at the end of the night, Vyper Lily gave me probably one of the sweetest hugs I’ve received since the invention of fire. And I had no idea how I was going to get home. But I said my farewells, I introduced myself to the barmaid finally and she was talking to me at last. 

She walked behind me with her confetti eggs and I moved away. She said that she was using me for cover. And I think now that was probably just some trick to get me to sit still. She then attacked someone with a confetti egg and I began to move away. But she came up from behind me and smacked me like Little Bunny Foo-Foo over the head with one of those confetti eggs. I had been hit three individual times by those stupid things throughout the entire night.

Anyone have any ideas on how to get her back unexpectedly in the near future?

So I made some new friends. Took a lot of photographs. And then found that my luck was still running on GOOD when a taxi cab turned down the block and just parked- waiting for a customer.

I was trying to get the driver to understand that he was too far away from the curb and a drunk couple tried to intervene. The guy said that he was going to through my ass into the cab so hard that I would stick. And I was NOT okay with that.

I watched his every move.

When we finally got the vehicle close enough, I climbed into the taxi cab and the drunk guy was attempting to hail a taxi for him and his +1 AND help with my situation at the same time. It wasn’t working well. Why he didn’t let his woman go get the taxi is beyond me?

But he threw NOTHING. I made sure of that.

I came home knowing that I made some new friends. I finally figured out my camera that I got as a gift. And I posted photos on Facebook.

Geez, when I woke up this morning…. my Facebook had gone down the toilet with people looking at my photographs of me hanging on to the dancers and the dancers all over me. That was the POINT!! I’ve received mixed reviews about my night out based on those photographs.

Dear readers, understand this: I was NOT there to try and take one of them home with me last night. Most (if not ALL) of the dancers have boyfriends or significant others. So it would be fruitless. I was just out to let my hair down and be happy for once.

But I got out for a night, it did some good too. I am thankful to Vyper Lily and her constant badgering of Ta Ta Tuesdays.

I might not make it out for a while though.

The cab fare was $19.00 and I gave the driver a $20 bill. The look on his face was if he wanted to kill me. He drove all that way, for a dollar tip. Sadly, I didn’t have anything else to give him. So I paid him, bid him farewell, and got the hell inside of my home before he decided to pull a stunt.

It was fun though. Now that I have some kind of learning experience as to what to think or expect. I hope I get the chance to return.

15 March 2014: SXSW Heart of Texas Fest- Surrender To Resisting Vegas

Resisting Vegas – SXSW 2014

“The resistance that you fight physically in the gym and the resistance that you fight in life can only build a strong character.”~ Arnold Schwarzenegger

I fought through impatience.
I fought through adversity.
I fought through counting the days and hours.
I fought through a high temperature of 101.7°.
I fought through a bladder infection.
I fought through bad weather of rain and drizzle.

Why?

Two words: RESISTING VEGAS.

The 15th of March, yes the actual Ides of March or  Idus Martii or Idus Martiae whichever you prefer.

The ending times of SXSW 2014 and it was bad news/good news.

The bad news was that the band that I keep following was out of my reach that I couldn’t travel to where they were to hear them play one final time. The good news was that RESISTING VEGAS was playing at the same HoT Fest stage that I have been to the last few consecutive days.

But I’ve been wanting to see them again live since I saw them for the first time on the 3rd of March with Tantric and BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE.

I was a man on a mission:

#1- Merchandise. Get some.
#2- Get photographs/autographs with the band.
#3- Ask for/receive a hug from lead singer, Maranda.
#4- Get to another RESISTING VEGAS show to enjoy.

When I left my home the weather just plain sucked. The night before my fever was still a bit high. I told myself that when I woke up that if I had a temperature that I would just stay home.. write a note to the band explaining my absences and wish them all well for a good show.

Thankfully the worst thing that I had to deal with was a few drops of rain that quickly passed on.

Well, that and the other thing was that things were so delayed that RESISTING VEGAS almost played a full hour later than what they were scheduled for.

But it was all good. And I’m starting to get into this vibe of getting to these shows super early so I can listen to some other bands and see what I can see. Had I not done that, I wouldn’t have been able to get score me about a half a dozen FREE t-shirts and a handful of free CD’s.

One of which was thrown at me from the stage that was blocked off, leaving about three feet to separate the stage from the crowd and the stage was maybe six feet tall? The guy just threw it at me like a frisbee and miraculously it came right at me and I caught it. Now that’s how you score free stuff!

I also had some more opportunities to take photographs with some lovely ladies as well. As I have been doing throughout the week because everyone’s having a good time and what not and … sure, what the hell?

I saw lead singer Maranda walking by a few times but I didn’t bug her. Then I saw lead guitarist Cameron Stewart and then he saw me, so he came up to me and greeted me and confirmed that things were lagging a little behind but they were soon to be on stage.

I found out which stage they were going to be on… rolled on over there. PUT THE BRAKES ON… and stood ground at the top of the mountain daring anyone to move me.

Maranda Vegas

Finally got Maranda’s attention as she was getting ready. And that smile of hers just lit up like a Christmas tree. I love it.

Up close and personal? Maranda is very very pretty. She’s going to make some rock and roll fan very happy one day!!

They got it started and their faithful followers were all standing behind me.

I could hear them screaming and whistling and making noise.

Maranda’s voice just took me back to the 3rd where I found her the first time.

I honestly at this point in time could not describe it other than one of the best female vocals that I have heard in a very very very long time. It just makes me melt like butter. Goosebumps and all!!!

Then one of their songs, “Monsters” and it was just full of bad ass. I didn’t think there was much room left in the tank. How wrong I was!! 

Then they blended it with a little “Eye Of The Tiger” by Survivor, before going back to talk about Monsters again. I thought that was really cool. And it shows to musicians worldwide that you can do anything you want. Music has no rules.

Towards the end of their set they did play the one song of theirs that I am totally addicted to called “Limbo.”

Maranda looked down at me from the stage, saw me singing, and smiled yet again at me. Who knows what she was thinking?

So after that, I scrambled and ran over everybody and anybody to get to that merchandise table. I signed up on a mailing list. And also had some photographs taken with Cameron. But where the heck was Maranda? Finally after getting her to stop in one place to get a photograph with her. The photography side of my mission was over. Getting anything and everything from their merchandise table was also accomplished. Out of the four details of my mission the only thing that eluded was the availability to ask Maranda for a hug. But she might not be the hugging type.

But as long as this band exists, I will do my best to check them out wherever they are in town.

I love how their bass player has a HELLO KITTY sticker on his guitar strap. He knows its there and he just don’t care.

That’s definite testicular fortitude.

Fighting through all that I did, the sacrifice had some rewarding pay-offs.

This would be my last and final show to watch for SXSW 2014. Tomorrow will be CASKET OF CASSANDRA back at the Dirty Dog Bar. As well as another band that I was introduced to this week FEAR CONTROL…. both bands on the same date. Ohhhhh yesssss!!!

 

Tragedy At SXSW

The scene last night as it unfolded at SXSW.

Tragedy

Let’s get this out of the way. I know that it is still on the minds of everyone and I know that it caused a lot of people to contact me asking if I was okay or not when I woke up this morning.

SXSW Festival still plays on even though last night an alleged drunk driver was trying to evade police, smashed through a barricade that was separating traffic from hundreds of music lovers and other festival goers and ultimately this driver killed two people, injured more than twenty others before blasting into a taxi and then being tasered by officers as he tried to flee the scene.

Details are still all over the place as now I have heard three different versions in the past 12 hours of what exactly happened. I’ll leave that up for police to decide.

I am personally safe and sound. And I didn’t even know that this had happened until I woke up this morning. I had no clue that this tragic event took place.

Yes I have been visiting downtown Austin to see live music. Mainly to watch BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE, Poc Nation, Nancy Silva Project… and the rest of this week into the weekend I still plan on seeing BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE one final time Friday evening, Resisting Vegas on Saturday and CASKET OF CASSANDRA Sunday afternoon. I’ve been busy since Tuesday.

And the party don’t stop!!

Last night was when I went to the Heart of Texas Rock Fest to see Nancy Silva Project at the “big stage” off of 7th Street and Neches. I was going to write more about my battle with the evil and wicked 8th Street and I had more to talk about with other performances by BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE. But that’s going to have to wait until I am able to get this one posted. 

And what is really pulling at my heart this day is the fact that this took place at a venue called Mohawk located on Red River. And it is not that far from where hundreds of people are standing at Heart of Texas Rock Fest. 

Let me give you an idea of how close this is and how this high speed chase could have been a lot more dangerous had it reached Heart of Texas Rock Fest areas.

Point A is the parking lot that right now holds the big stage.

Point B is the location of Mohawk.

It started at Mohawk and actually ended around 9th Street.

I was there before it got dark. And left promptly after Nancy Silva Project got off stage and I had photos taken with Nancy Silva.

I was actually off this map to the south and to the west on 4th Street and I boarded a city bus to return home sometime around 10:30 PM. This accident happened two hours later. Interstate 35 that runs through can be seen by the large orange line on the right side of the map.

So I am in fact safe. And I went out to Shiner’s Saloon this afternoon to watch BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE again. I am damned glad that I did too.

My prayers go to everyone hurt and/or involved in this tragedy that should have NEVER happened. A lot of emotions are still running high.

A band even sang a song today about a car crash and then deeply regretted it at Shiner’s Saloon.

But to think about all of this and put it into perspective, its scary to know that I was that close to tragedy and pain. And even death.

I did however needed to take the time to write this blog post and let those people who don’t know what is going on that I am okay and safe.

Thank you to everyone. And on a personal and different note, I am about to reach 120,000 total views on this blog. Thank you again to all!!!!

The show must go on.

Now on to my reviews and my crazy life.