We got the beat
Archives For Music
Today I was going through one of my hard drives, and I came across some pretty cool photos, of a pretty cool town. Back in 2009, I traveled to Austin for the Texas Rockabilly Revival. There were some fantastic bands, and some even more fantastic folks.
Dancing at the Continental Club
Miss Lauren Marie
Jesse Dayton at the Broken Spoke
Texas Two-Stepping at the Broken Spoke
Ginny’s Little Longhorn Saloon
Chickenshit Bingo
Dancing to Redd Volkaert
Couple from Sweden
At the Revival
Al and Rosie Flores
San Antonio Rockabillies
Hot Rod Walt and the Psycho DeVilles
Walt and Tyler
Young Love (Wayne Hancock on stage)
Nic Roulette of Hillbilly Casino
Hillbilly Casino
“County Jail”
Wanda Jackson
Secrets
Getting Crazy
Reverend Horton Heat
Rockabilly Gals
Guitar Winner
Music Lovers
Demented
Al on the street
There have been many nights at Atlanta’s Star Community Bar, and this was one of them. Johnny and Cletis‘ new CD was being released: “Four Tracks and Several Miles Ago”. Also appearing were Atlanta rockabilly veterans “The Blacktop Rockets” and country/honky tonk sensation “Julea and her Dear Johns”.
Here are some un-edited photos from the evening
If it’s Labor Day weekend, you know it’s time for that annual parking lot party, DRIVE INVASION. It was either the 15th or 14th year for the event, depending on who you ask, at Atlanta’s Starlight Drive-In. It’s all about bands, booze, and b-movies.
Starting off the show was Ghost Riders Car Club… and a final appearance by the nearly-famous Ernie Dale.
Ghost Riders Car Club
GRCC
GRCC
dancing to GRCC
A big part of the fun is just people-watching.
Hair boy(?)
Tat Twins
We were blessed by an appearance by “The Pits”
The Pits
Click to Watch !
The Pits – Hypnotic Trance
Two stages were in operation…. The Surf Stage featured fine folks like The Mystery Men … whoever they are.
and the always well-dressed “Intoxicators”
Intoxicators
Girls dancing to the Intoxicators
Girls dancing to the Intoxicators
Intoxicators
Karla and her Cory
Tat Mom
Tat Mom and kid
HamDog with jalapeno coleslaw
Julea with Spike (and his daughter)
Chad
Chad’s Carryall
crowd
Miss Floppy
crowd
Moonshine Bikers
The Oblivians made an historic appearance.
and what’s a Drive Invasion without GARGANTUA?
Shane Morton of Gargantua
Gargantua
Gargantua crowd builds
Lots of friendly people
Gargantua
Gargantua
Front row lunacy at Gargantua
Front row lunacy at Gargantua
Front row lunacy at Gargantua
Ted Weldon at Gargantua
Front row lunacy at Gargantua
Front row lunacy at Gargantua
Front row lunacy at Gargantua
Front row lunacy at Gargantua
Front row lunacy at Gargantua
Gargantua
Gargantua
I missed the fabulous and freaky “Man… or Astro-Man” Oh well. And I couldn’t stay for the all night movies and mayhem. Dang it.
For a band that hadn’t appeared together in at least five years, it seemed like little had changed. The Cigar Store Indians thrilled a SOLDOUT show at Smith’s Olde Bar Saturday (Aug. 18, 2012) night. Ben Friedman was back in front … Jimmy “Low Note” Lavender was back on lead guitar. On drums, the always precise, Matt Spaugh from Sonoramic Commando. On bass, was Atlanta music scene veteran, (“Blue Jays”) Jay Murphree. Friedman called Murphree “the glue” that brought the band back on stage after a half-decade absence. The beer-soaked crowd literally packed the upstairs room. Groups of fan stood arm-in-arm and sang (and shouted) along with their favorites from years past. As Friedman told “No Depression” magazine in 1998, “When you get onstage, everything else needs to be left behind,” he says. “The playing part is the best part of being in a band for me, the only thing that makes it worthwhile.”
Flyer for the big event
Cigar Store Indians
the Crowd went Crazy!
Ben Friedman
Smith’s Olde Bar
It was another incredible night at Atlanta’s Star Bar for the music I like to hear. Rockbridge Heights, Whiskey Belt, Caroline & the Ramblers… and the Billygoats
Here’s the cool flyer for the big night
Unfortunately I couldn’t get to Little Five Points soon enough to see Rockbridge Heights. As I walked in, the boys and girls of Whiskey Belt were going on stage. They’re a classic country, honky-tonk band with a killer line-up of musicians and out front, Rich DeSantis and Lindsay Rakers on vocals.
Lindsay Rakers and Rich DeSantis
For Saturday night, they were joined by New Yorker Rex Hussman on accordion. They rocked through their repertoire of originals and tunes by Faron Young, Buck Owens, and the like. Then, they did a rootsy version of an old Bobby Bare song.
“Streets of Baltimore”
“Hello Walls” and “Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young”
They knocked the crowd for a loop with the Dusty Springfield tune “Son of a Preacher Man”. Lindsay really stood out on this one.
One of big reasons we were all there was to support the release of Caroline and the Rambler’s new CD “Red Hot” Mama. It’s loaded-up with 15 hot tracks…
Available for Download on Amazon.com and iTunes
Caroline arrived to the beat of a brand-new band featuring Danny Arana on guitar. Here’s just a taste of what they served up to a wildly appreciate audience:
“Since You Been Gone”
“Mr. Teardrop”
Caroline and the Ramblers – Wasn’t Ready for the Heartache from Al Schrack on Vimeo.
“Wasn’t Ready for the Heartache”
It was an amazing performance by Caroline and the boys … but the night was just getting started.
At about 12:30am, The Billygoats jumped on stage, and the already-excited crowd went into a frenzy. The songs with a heavy walking boogie bass line made it hard to stop moving.
The Billygoats (from Nashville)
“All Messed Up & It Don’t Phase Me”
“Boo Hoo”
“Smack Me”
At 2am, the band and the crowd was still going strong… I however had to leave due to aging knees, and an exciting day at work beckoning at 3am.
See ya next time,
Al
The 1964 film distributed by Howco International is packed with stars. There’s no plot, but who cares. It was financed and produced by Hank Williams’ widow, Audrey. Unfortunately she sings a couple songs in the film. Despite the title, it was filmed in Nashville. It does feature a “Home Movie” of Hank Williams … shown by singer Hank Snow backstage to Hank Williams, Jr. In reality, it’s a clip from Williams appearance on the Kate Smith Evening Hour in 1951.
George Jones in “Country Music on Broadway”
The Stars:
COUNTRY MUSIC ON BROADWAY
STARRING:
RALPH EMERY
GEORGE JONES
BUCK OWENS
BILL ANDERSON
PORTER WAGONER
FLATT & SCRUGGS
STONEWALL JACKSON
FERLIN HUSKY
HANK SNOW
WILMA LEE & STONEY COOPER
SKEETER DAVIS
ROY DRUSKY
MERLE KILGORE
HANK WILLIAMS JR.
HANK WILLIAMS SR.
AUDREY WILLIAMS
You can watch the whole movie RIGHT HERE!
He was the biggest hit of the entire festival.
An amazing talent… channeling Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson in a single, mind-shattering performance.
The cutest couple in classic country: Rich Santis and Lindsay Rakers … and Whiskey Belt
Hello Walls
Truck Drivin’ Man
Seven Lonely Days
What do you get when you take a good-timing front man, an effervescent front woman, classic country tunes, an allstar lineup of local music legends, and a nice shot of bourbon? The answer, friends, is Whiskey Belt. Putting a nice sparkly coating of modern grit on some boot-stompin’ honky-tonk songs, Whiskey Belt channels the Grand Ole Opry circa 1957. Just a little more dangerous.
At the helm are Rich DeSantis and Lindsay Jo Rakers, two firecrackers with a combined energy that is downright infectious. See them live and you won’t wonder why they are winning hearts and moving feet. You’ll be too busy doing the Texas two-step.
GatorRock 