Ants on the Melon
• • • • •

Friday night I drove up to Gruene Hall to see The Gourds. I was excited about this show because it was my favorite band at my favorite venue, and they only play there a few times a year.

The past couples times I have seen the Gourds I have noticed that they were playing more electric/rock style music than before. I know that bands need to play what they like in order to be creative and come up with new material, but I think the Gourds sound much better playing acoustic instruments than they do electric guitars. With the exception of 2 or 3 songs during the encore, Kev played electric guitar for the entire show. It seems to me that the crowd does not get as energized as they do when the guys are rocking out with the fiddle, mandolin and accordian. Anyway, it was still a decent show. I managed to record the entire encore (310MB zipped file), which was 17 minutes long. I have not identified the first song in the video, but after it are “I Like Drinking,” “Bottle and a Dime” and a cover of Merle Haggard’s “The Bottle Let Me Down.” (notice a theme?)

After the show ended I was able to get everyone in the band to sign a picture that Ethan gave me earlier this year. Everyone in the band was extremely cool and had great things to say about the picture, except Jimmy Smith, the bassist, who was drunk and acting the fool. He managed to write some filth on my precious picture, and for that I have placed a curse on him.

On my way home I stopped by the Broadway Bar where Mingo Fishtrap was playing. Mingo just may be the loudest band around, and combined with the fact that they always pack the house, their shows are crazy. I caught a couple songs, bought a cool sticker, then headed home to crash.

I was excited to learn that The Gourds will be playing at the Hot Sauce Festival on August 28th, along with another band I have been waiting to see, the South Austin Jug Band. Anyone else interested in going to this?