Yard Dog/Jon Langford and Crew
Here’s what I love about this town: I have been checking the internet for months trying to start lining up shows for myself. I had quite a list put together, and you would think it was comprehensive. Not even close. There is SO much stuff that goes on here that you can never find all the information in one place. So when the Austin Chronicle came out on Thursday, I found a great event that had flown below the radar. (For anyone reading at home in Charlottesville, The Chronicle is like the Hook or the Cville Weekly, but with thousands more listings of things to do I’m not even exaggerating. Thousands).
There were lots of fun things listed in the Chronicle, but the one that struck my eye (thank goodness they had an advertisement for it or I might have missed it), was taking place at an art gallery called Yard Dog Folk Art. Now, art is okay, but music is more my thing. This one caught my eye though, because it was art that I actually recognized. It was Jon Langford’s, and the ad was for the opening of his new exhibit, and the 10 year anniversary of Yard Dog, and Jon Langford was going to be there. Jon Langford of the Mekons, and the Waco Brothers, and the Pine Valley Cosmonauts. I like his music. I don't know lots of it, but everything I've heard, I like, and he's a pretty seminal figure in the Chicago scene. I like his art. Mary likes art. This seemed like the perfect even to mix our 2 interests. We got there early. Yard Dog is a really cool gallery (www.yarddog.com). We looked at art. We at a free moonpie. We ate some cookies. Then we were done. We didn’t want to appear to not know what we were doing, so we just kinda stood around. We noticed people heading out the back door. After I saw 4 people go out there, I decided we should go out there too. Ah-ha! That’s where the party was! Free beer and wine, and workers assembling a PA system and speakers. Good signs for fun to come.
Now, I’ve been a fan of Langford’s solo music and side projects for a year or two but it never cracked my top 20, which means I only have a couple cds. While there at Yard Dog I realized I had no idea what Jon Langford, or Rico Bell, or any of his sidekicks looked like. It was a very bizarre feeling for me. I saw a postcard in the store w/ Langford’s photo, so I recognized him. I didn’t recognize anyone else. In Austin everyone looks like a musician. (Probably because everyone is a musician!). We were fortunate enough to snag seats. There were a couple outdoor furniture pieces set up in the parking lot in front of the mics and PA system, and we sat on glider type thing. opening band was billed as Michael Hall and the Woodpeckers, but also featured the owner of Yard Dog, and they said it was the first time they’d ever played together. They played 5 or so songs. Pretty good.
Rico Bell was up next. I have one of his CDs. I bought it on chance one time, out of the deep discount used cd bin. It was only 25 cents I think. What a bargain. I love that cd. He only played 3 songs. He forgot words and chords to 2 of the 3, and was kind of embarrassed by it. He said he hadn’t played in a long time, and was only doing it for Sally. It was then that I figured Sally Timms was there, but of course I had no idea what she looked like. I had a sinking feeling though that she had been the lady sitting next to me on the glider earlier (by this time I was standing up).
Langford and band were up next and put on an incredibly fun set. It was a blast seeing him live. There was violin, and mandolin, and of course guitars. Rico came up and played on a couple numbers, and Sally Timms did as well. Of course, it was the same woman that was sitting next to me on the glider earlier. I’m such an idiot. They did some great covers: “Tiger by the Tale”, “Big River”, and “Wild and Blue”, and Langford was hilarious with his in between song banter.
I wish I could have spoken to some of the performers afterwards, but Mary was ready to go. She swears that I tricked her and told it was just an art opening. I’m pretty sure I told her there might be music. Oops. I did get to talk to Chuck Prophet on the way out. He was in attendance, and so I told him that I had just seen him in Charlottesville. I think that was my last Charlottesville concert before I moved, seeing him w/ Bill T at the Gravity Lounge. I talked to Chuck a little about that, and he immediately apologized and said he’d been cranky that night. Very cool. (I could definitely tell he was flustered with the sound, but still enjoyed his set immensely by the way).
As I sat on the glider earlier in the evening, and as I reflected on the evening later, it makes me happy that I’m here. I was so glad to be a part of that event. It was such a fun time, and to me, that was THE place to be on Saturday night. I can’t think of anything more perfect than that. A free art opening and “reception” with free drinks and apps, and tremendous music in the parking lot behind the building. The entire evening was totally laid back, and everyone just hanging out and having fun. The performers would ask the crowd how the sound was, and the crowd would respond, and let them know if there were problems. It was really cool. It almost felt like we were crashing someone’s private party. But we weren’t. Things like that just happen in Austin. We were just lucky to be a part of it.
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