-- Jonnye Weber
The distant skyline was impressive. Glistening towers and dazzling lights beckoned a warm welcome to all that entered the famed city of music, Austin, Texas. Our mission: Explore the Blues scene of Austin, Texas.
Armed only with a notepad, pen and a copy of the Chronicle, (Austin’s equivalent to the City Paper), we were charged with excitement and ready to tackle our mission.
Antone’s was our first stop. As the doorman took my hand and ran me across the street, I looked up at Antone’s marquee in disbelief. The sign said, “JONNYE AND JIM APPEARING WITH…” It lit up the dark skies for all to see… Earlier in the evening we had first enjoyed the scenic view of Austin and its busy streets. We then approached the large, square building that houses Antone’s. Its many windows were covered with just as many posters. We soon learned that Greg, the doorman, had spent a year and a half in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. We bonded instantly. He told us that there was two alternative bands, The Greyhounds and Moving Matter, scheduled that evening. Even though it was not our taste in music, we were game and hung around. Inside, I scanned the large, rectangular room with the raised stage, the dark green walls, concrete floors, and the long bars that covered the length of one wall. Blazing lights riveted my attention to the two walls near the entrance that were heavily covered with merchandise that consisted of the usual display of t-shirts, CDs, posters, and other assorted memorabilia. It was quite impressive. (To my chagrin, I later learned that the shirts were cheaper at the airport.) Greg generously gave us VIP passes that gave us Carte Blanc access to all facets of the famous landmark. Without waiting, I sprang into action and began poking around the inner workings of Antone’s. A small room off the main room got my attention. The worn sectional sofas and metal chairs told the story that many had been there and many more bands would hope to be there. The room was also dotted with 50’s lamps and strings of lights. It was reminiscent of Elvis’s 50’s décor. Again, the walls were painted black. I then made my way slowly up the narrow staircase to the VIP section. There I was given a sideways view of the performance below. There were remains of an earlier party with leftover paper plates and cups. As I poked around the small room, I felt that the walls held many secrets that made my imagination run rampant. …. Girls, the ladies room was covered with galvanized steel.
Deciding that the alternative music genre was really not what we wanted, we took to the streets. We set out on foot to explore. The Austin adventure was ready to unfold. The Sixth Street area was reminiscent of Bourbon Street in New Orleans. There were many old buildings with small clubs tucked here and there. In the late evening, the streets were blocked off and made into pedestrian areas to accommodate the throngs of party people that roamed everywhere. Young and old alike were there. The Fifth Street area, (Warehouse District) was a combination of the Southside and the Strip District in Pittsburgh. Many trendy clubs were tucked in among the older, traditional clubs. Again, the streets were packed. There were many rooftop lounges with various types of music drifting down to the pedestrians below.
The next evening our travels included a stop at the Continental Club on South Congress Avenue (the SoCo district). The area was a mini-Shadyside. The old club was sandwiched into an older, tired part of Austin that included a mix of eclectic and quirky shops. The Continental Club, named after the Lincoln Continental, sported an ancient cigarette machine, old glass show cases, posters, pictures of Lincolns, paddle fans, red walls and black linoleum floors. The Blues Specialists took the stage of a packed house at 6:30 P.M. on a Friday. The crowd again was older but very “into” the music.
The Saxon Club on South Lamar Avenue was the main club of choice that evening. The neon guitar sign outside of The Saxon beckoned to us as we pulled into the parking lot. The wood paneled club had the feel of the Matterhorn Lounge at the Seven Springs Resort in Champion, Pa. I was soon introduced to the owner, Joe Ables. The Saxon Club has been under his watch for eighteen years. Joe, a member of the Texas Song Writers Association, was friendly and interested in talking about the blues scene. Being a Blues lover, himself, he stated that it was hard to make a living with “just having blues.” Joe said that he regularly booked three different types of music on the weekends. He felt that with a small club that he had more opportunity with an “overlap” crowd or one that was constantly changing with the changing bands. He explained that the first band was country/rockabilly. The second was Omar and the Howlers. The third would be my companion’s favorite, Bugs Henderson. (I never thought that I would be going to see a gray haired guy named Bugs.) Again, I was allowed to poke around and ask questions. Joe then invited me into a side room where a local radio station, Radio Austin…107.1, was getting ready to broadcast the night’s entertainment. The crewmembers, all independent contractors, stated that each club submits their entertainment schedule a month in advance. The station then would choose one club from those submissions to broadcast on a specific Friday on a monthly basis. And yes, this was THE night! The show began when Bill Maddex, the Radio Austin announcer, revved the crowd with, “You are now entering Austin City Limits and Austin rocks!” There was an undercurrent in the crowd as Omar took the stage. He played mostly covers. He delighted the dancing and clapping crowd with his amazing guitar work and his flare for entertainment. As promised, the crowd changed but grew in size and in anticipation. Maddex, the radio host, kept encouraging the audience by talking about the “Lone Star state of mind.” The audience needed little prompting. The music was good and Omar was not fazed by the live broadcast. He was absorbed into his music.
Bugs Henderson soon took to the stage. His guitar handiwork was unbelievable. The audience could smell the “smoke” coming from his soulful renditions and were totally engaged. The music flowed while the musician tuned out the “added” activity. I was totally amused when Bugs ignored the tech’s commands to move closer. He did move closer…not towards the radio mike but towards the audience. The crowd roared its approval. Bugs mugged for the announcer as he staged, “This is your life…” It was Bugs’ birthday. They talked about his vying for a ticket from the defunct Armadillo. He had scrambled in the ruins for a ticket from a Cream concert. He brought the house down with his song, “You’re nothing but a Jelly Roll.” It was an amiable place with great atmosphere. Guess what…galvanized bathrooms again and not a cigarette in the place.
The next day, we were wheeling out into the Texas high country in search of a Texas roadhouse. Our adventure led us to Poodie’s Hilltop Bar and Grill. (Poodie’s was the 2006 restaurant award winner of the “Best dressed burger in a cosmic cowboy Honky-Tonk.” The Austin Chronicle had advertised an all day event, “The Best of the ‘Wurst.” Silly me, I thought that this was a group of losing bands from a competition. I soon learned that it was their version of Octoberfest featuring knockwurst in this German-based community. Inside, it looked like any of our roadside bars in Pennsylvania but a lot larger. Wall sized chalk boards with outlandish sayings surrounded the worn pool table. The walls behind the stage were plastered with many Willie Nelson pictures. The remaining walls in the eating areas were covered with oak planks and large maps of the world. The first four bands were outside on a deck that was equipped with large grills that offered sizzling treats. The day started with a Toby Keith sounding band, followed by several county bands. The panoramic view from the deck of the Texas countryside was breath taking. We moved inside to hear Slim and The Jitterbug Vipers. The vitality and the zest of this “jump, jazz” band knocked the wind out of the captivated audience. Bugs Henderson stopped in to on his way to another gig to watch Slim Richey. Slim had produced an album for Bugs twenty years earlier. Late in the afternoon I inquired about when the blues would be happening. (I had called the day before and was assured that there would be an ample sampling of Blues). After learning that the Texas Boogie Blues Band would not be on until after 9:00 P.M., I quickly shifted to Plan B or as Jim calls it, “Jonnye’s endless quest.”
We were soon tooling back towards Austin. We took a short side trip to Artz on South Lamar for an authentic award-winning BBQ. Our next stop was at Central Park on North Lamar. “An Evening in the Park” was an outdoor event featuring the Texas Eastside Kings. As the sun started setting, children were romping and the adults were sipping their coffee and enjoying dessert. It was an enjoyable family-like atmosphere and the old-timers in the band were personable with their mix of old style blues, jazz, and country style blues.
The night was only beginning. We stopped once more at the 311 club at 311 Sixth Street.. The staff was friendly but the band was stumbling along.
Nuno’s at 422 Fifth Street was next on our list. “Mojo working” was being played at we entered. It was a clean, nuevo blues bar. It was austere and sparsely furnished. Palm trees warmed the inner depths of the club. A large, American flag was draped on the walls behind the stage. Old benches from what seemed like a shoeshine stand lined the walls. The bathroom, again, were galvanized. The large crowd was older but totally focused on the music of Hosea Hargrove and Jabo and the Old Dogs. Kevin, the doorman, stated that Nuno’s was listed as the “only” all-blues bar in Austin.
My plan was to take the hour drive back to Poodie’s to satisfy my curiosity about the award winning Texas Boogie Blues Band. However, my driver and partner, was tuckered out from the long day of “Blues hopping.” Common sense took over (and I really hate when that happens) when he reminded me that we had to be at the airport at 6:00 AM. My reply was to sleep on the plane or wait until he got home. The driver, alas, won out. The curtain had finally come down on the Austin adventure.
What did I learn: Austin was an upscale replica of Pittsburgh, friendly and accommodating. The new influences were smoothly blended with the older, more established ones. There are plenty of Blues in the Austin area for those who do their homework. Tourists should leave their cowboy hats at home. For those with a sense of humor, the bathrooms of the older clubs are galvanized for some unknown reason.
After note: Thanks to the young man who brought me back down to earth. He pulled his friend out of my way on a pedestrian street and quickly said, “Get out of that old lady’s way.”
Seven nights a week, blues can be heard at the corner of South and Meridian streets. Wednesday nights are the open blues jam with other weeknights featuring regional and national traveling bands. Weekends usually feature two bands (one on the front stage and one in the back) and have some of the areas finest blues bands playing until 2 am. Sunday nights usually feature acoustic blues on the front stage. The Noodle also features a full menu until 11 pm each night.
