Muy Caliente Weekend!

And how!
I warned folks somewhere along the line in this blog to watch out for Texas heat. It can get nasty out there in the sun, even when it feels cool at first. I got my own fair share this weekend, but managed to still avoid sunburn.
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And nearly a week and half later, I haven't finished the story!

As it is very late, a quick start and then I will work on it as time permits. South Austin Celebration- a local block party to raise money for several good causes, including the Texas School For the Blind (hi Frank!) Yow, it was a blistering day. Drank no alcohol, and not nearly enough water, sweated myself silly, and then went down to Victoria the next day to do it again!
The guys played a festival for a church group in V., and I was really surprised when it was held on a tarmac, not in a grassy field. Hothothot. We (Casey Phil Angie Myself Terry and a bunch of other crazies) managed to find enough shade to not pass out, but I haven't seen my buddy Casey act so much like a lizard in a long time. He wasn't alone, but one could tell who was local,'cos it didn't phase them quite as much.

At both gigs DC did an amazing job, especially the Rev, who had to be in the sun the whole set down in V. Yikes. Outdoor gigs in Texas should be outlawed during the depths of summer. They can actually get dangerous! I was quite surprised I didn't have trouble with sun poisoning.

More details later!
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A couple of stories to add....
In Austin, it appears Mr Ruiz has a bit of a fanatical following. Next to me there was a group of about a half dozen young females, some of whom were at least 21, who were squealing about Alex through much of the set. Had it not been for the extremely shrill voices, I would have found them even more amusing than I did. It felt like the Beatles had come back! I was a little more than five when they played on Ed Sullivan and could not for the life of me figure out what my sister, cousin, and all the girls in the audience were screaming about. This group of girls in Austin sounded exactly the same! When he tossed out a scarf in our direction, I instinctively grabbed at it and immediately gave up. I guarantee I would've lost a limb had I actually laid hands on the thing! And, shades of Elvis or Frank Sinatra, I watched the one who got it rub that sweaty piece of cloth all over her own face. (He had been wearing it.) Ya know, I have been a fan of many bands, fanatic of a few, hugged many a sweaty, just-off-stage musician, and in better than 30, 35 years of concert going, have NEVER been tempted to get quite that personal with a piece of clothing....... Oh well. It was the first time I have seen quite such behaviour out of a DC audience, but I suspect it won't be the last. Every member has his fans, though a couple seem to get more direct attention. And I am sorry for and proud of all the boyfriends and husbands who put up with it, because it must be deflating sometimes. Luckily, I think a lot of the guys go because they too really do appreciate what goes on on that stage. It is not meant for one age group or one sex, but for all of humanity.

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And then there was Victoria.
I have made some friends among the DC fanbase, and a couple of them made it down to V., as did my best friend Casey and myself. It was hard as hell to feel like doing much of anything, but the cogs were apparently turning in my friend Angie's brain! She and her husband Phil, who was wisely hanging out in the car, I am supposing in the AC, took off for a little while. When they returned to the tarmac, they were loaded for bear: squirt guns.

At first glance, one might assume from their demeanor that Phil and Angie are nice, quiet people. They are very soft-spoken, courteous, a pleasant young married couple....

Do not be fooled.

There is a streak of mayhem in there that comes out in unusual ways. The toys were only part of it. There was much plotting on who and when would be attacked! Sadly, the water in the guns ended up getting to about the same temperature as the outside air, so it was soon "Okay, I'm wet, but not a whole lot cooler..." Casey put up well with being attacked repeatedly, though it may just have been he was to hot to be concerned with fighting back.
Alex and Karol's boy, Phoenix, found a more novel way of having fun with a squirt gun: he sucked on it. Hey, water was at a premium that day!
We, of course, did not shoot at any of the guys while they were playing. Water, electricity, band member...not a good mix, really. We did go after a few of them after they got off stage, but everybody was so sweaty by then, I am not sure if they felt anything. When we went for hugs, they were apologetic about being sweaty and we all just looked at them and scoffed. We'd been that way most of the afternoon. Despite the heat, everyone, all us nutty fans included, were in really good spirits. It was a little tough to walk away and go find food and iced tea, but a little. I am sorry I didn't stick around for Duarte, but I know my limits.

It was, inspite of the heat, a wonderful Labor Day weekend -best I have had in a long time!