Whoo-Hoo!

Okay, I'll calm down.

This weekend's gig was just so tremendous! Three of the best bands I have heard in I cannot say how long, one right after the other. My heart of course belongs to Del Castillo, but I am really impressed by both Acustyka and Vallejo. What blistering sets! And a great crowd to just spur them all on to better heights.
I did get one lesson in preparation that I will be kicking myself about for sometime- my camera died at a most in-opportune moment.....
Rick Holeman and Mike Zeoli from DC sat in with Vallejo to do joint percussion. Those two were having SUCH a blast and the guys in Vallejo were getting a kick out of them too. I had saved some pictures to catch this jam, and two photos into my run....no battery.

I will say it simply--------AAARGGHHHH!

Well, I got some pretty good ones of Vallejo from another gig and a few from this one- I will have to post a new book for them on my Webshots site. They really are amazing folks- do not miss it if you can land any or all of these bands in your hometown!


and now that I am done ranting....

Nice couple of weekends lately. The guys in DC have just been inspired lately. It is hard to believe that I have been on this craziness of following them around for almost a year.
It started at a benefit for diabetes at Antone's last year, and I have had few weeks where there wasn't something DC on my agenda. I haven't made it to an out of state gig yet- money, timing, warning, all have not worked to my favour yet. I will have to make 2005 the year I change that!

I have watched and heard so many changes in their music in the last 12 months. They were amazing when I first saw them, but they are tighter now than they were then, by far. It is a fun thing to watch bands grow, and I am closer to these guys than all those before, save the ones I worked with. It is astounding how well they work together and still manage to have fun together. As I have said before, even the worst night I have ever seen any of them have has far outdone most people's best.

The guys played one of the galas in Washington DC recently, and I have heard many stories which give me hope for the exposure they got. (I will leave my political feelings to a different blog, and let the reader know that DC is my only claimed "hometown"- as a military brat, I really don't have roots. I'm more like a wandering jew- stick my feet in new soil and soon enough I will make it mine.) The boys' managers had nothing but good things to say about the actual gig, though security was ridiculous and the guys couldn't go out of the hotel. Probably just as well- the precursor to one of the heaviest winter storms ever seen on the east coast was there at the same time. Right now, the city they were in is socked in and partially without power. I loved snow to play in now and then, but some things about it I do not miss at all!

As I understand it, the guys played switch off sets with Patricia Vonne, and actually had all those stuffed shirts up and hoofin' it! Yeeha! Now, this particular event is a hundred year old party called Black Tie and Boots, put on for those Texans who are feeling homesick when stuck in DC for political reasons. It is also one of the hottest tickets, and definitely hard to come by. $$$$ and then some. Connections to the Texas Society would help. I am just really glad the guys got the exposure- it comes down to who might have been in that audience. I am sorry they didn't get to do anything in the Capitol- there is much to be absorbed there, but as I understand it, though they were more or less captive, they were fairly well pampered ones. As long as they took care of my guys....sorry- OUR guys....Possessive, aren't I? :))