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The Wednesday came with the promise of a new event: a showcase of six bands from my home town, The Hague in The Netherlands, powered by the ‘Crossing Border Festival’, a festival with poetry and songs held every year in November in The Hague. So after a short visit to the amazing backyard of Amelia’s Retrovogue and Relics to see BettySoo perform my next steps on Wednesday were along Sixth Street towards Maggie Mae’s to see my countrymen and women perform. I had some time left so I decided to have a look at the trade show in the Convention Center first.
Maggie May’s two upper stages were occupied by Dutch artists and some guests, like UK electric folkie Pete Molinari (he did a wonderful version of Joe South’s ‘Walk a mile in my shoes’). Funny thing is I met a couple of former students of mine (I was a vice-principal in a large The Hague secondary school for 30 years), one as the main organizer of the showcase and another one being a member of one of the performing groups, ‘So What’. A third former student was covering the event for a local radio station, so I was interviewed as well. Home away from home!
Apart from the mentioned groups I saw parts of the shows by Rebelle and John Dear Mowing Club. Walking back to my rental car in the warm Austin sun I pass by a nice bluegrass band playing on the street. It is great to be back! I had planned to go to Artz for dinner, I had to enjoy their lovely baby back ribs again! The other reason was to see Danny Santos perform. Still enjoying my ribs I hear Jon Emery and David Francey (from Canada) as well. Great acoustical music, wonderful songwriters. My evening is reserved for the shows in a new venue, The Beauty Bar Palm Door Entrance, next door to the Convention Center on 4th Street.
Wonderful new hall, nice atmosphere. My aim is to hear Wanda Jackson, the legendary Queen of Rock ‘n Roll of the fifties and early sixties, who was famous before Elvis! Wanda is accompanied by a seven piece rock ‘n roll band from Oklahoma, Green Corn Revival, and they did a great job. Wanda, with opulant black hair (whig) and a red smock with lovers, is in fine shape. Of course her voice shows her age (she must be in her early seventies now), but man, can she rock...Of course she performs her big hits, Mean Mean Man and (closing up the set) Let’s have a party, but listen to her sing her new single, an Amy Winehouse song called ‘You know I’m no good’. Wanda, a naughty girl of 72, is doing great!
Next up is my favourite Texas swing band, Hot Club of Cowtown. I met them last year, so we share a couple of good memories before the show. Guitarist Whit Smith, fiddler Elana James and bassist Jake Erwin, Whit and Elana alternate on the lead vocals and Jake has a supporting role vocally. The Hot’s do a nice overview of their fine repertoire including Ida Red, Sweet Sue and A long way home. I stroll back to my car (only 10 minutes walk from the venue, I was lucky there), drive home and sleep like a log. Thanks to the music!!!
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