ALEJANDRO ROCKS! (and going, going...)

One of the best things about being at UT in the early 70's was the local music scene: going to concerts at Armadillo World Headquarters, where everyone sat on the floor (or stood up and danced, depending on how good the music was) and the security guards walked around with loaded water pistols to discourage people from lighting up doobies; going to the Split Rail and the Broken Spoke to hear people like Willie, Jerry Jeff, and Ray Wylie, up close and personal; sitting an arm's length away from Jimmy Buffet and his imaginary back up band, The Coral Reefers, as they unveiled his brand new song "Why Don't We Get Drunk And (bleep)."

We're just beginning to rediscover live music, since moving back to the Hill Country. I never could get into the massive arena stampede type concerts, but the ones we've been to here, in intimate settings, have been amazing! If you have spent any time at all here, and even if you haven't, one name you have probably heard over and over lately is Alejandro Escavedo (Sister Lost Soul?). He played here in Wimberley at Susanna's Kitchen about a year ago, and when I heard they had to move out of the fellowship hall, where we usually enjoy the music at tables, drinking coffee and eating Wimberley Pie Co.'s wares, and into the main sanctuary, to handle the crowds, I knew we had missed something special. Later in the year, he did a fundraising concert for our local Montessori school, and we missed that too, but we heard the buzz for weeks afterwards.

A couple of weeks ago, when we were at that great party at Fischer Hall, we sat down with a new friend I had just met through TBS, Joy Standefer. She introduced us to her husband Brian, who looked like a rock star, and their two daughters. Sure enough, it turns out Brian has his own recording studio. Then he added, very meekly, "I don't know if you've heard of him, but I also play with a guy named Alejandro Escavedo." What really caught me by surprise was later hearing him tell someone that he spent many years playing in a large metropolitan orchestra. Huh? Rock Star? In an orchestra?

So, last night I'm flipping channels, and who is being featured on Austin City Limits? You guessed it, Alejandro! And there on stage is Brian Standefer, totally rocking out on...the cello! In fact, there were two cellos, and a violin (fiddle?), and the music was so awesome! I tell you what, when they play Susanna's Kitchen again, later this month, you can bet your sweet bippy I won't be missing it this time!

Don't forget, time is running out! You have until sleepy time tonight to leave a comment, and be entered in the drawing for a MAJOR AWARD!)

P.S. Many thanks to twangville.com for the above image.