Like Accordions? Ponty Bone at Gruene Hall
Gruene Hall is one of the oldest dancehalls in TX. I think it actually bills itself as the oldest dancehall in TX, but i was surfing around the internet the other day and believe i saw several that were older. Regardless, it's still a cool place, and we still hadn't been there yet, even though it's cooler and closer than Austin.
They have free shows almost every weekend, and this weekend we (or really, I) decided we should go to the small town of Gruene, and check out Ponty Bone and the Squeezetones. Ponty Bone used to play with Joe Ely and a bunch of other people. He's supposedly one of the great accordion players. Mary had never seen Gruene Hall, so some fun, free, cajun music seemed like a fun adventure.
It wasn't necessarily. The town was way packed, the vibe in Gruene Hall was strange, and Mary seemed thoroughly unimpressed. We only got to hear a couple songs before we left. But we heard enough to remember a partial rule i made up one time: if someone is known as being a great instrumentalist, they will probably not be that good if they decide to start their own band.
I made that rule up about some banjo player or famous guitar player who started their own band and wasn't particularly good, and would have been better off (to my ears) by staying in their original band and not being a lead singer.
I think it's also particulary bad when you start a band and name the band after the instrument that you have become proficient at.
This band was called Ponty Bone and the Squeezetones. Not a good song. They proved the rule.
They were fine, and fun, but nothing extraordinary. A typical bar band w/ cajun spicing.
They did play a favorite old song of mine-- Big Mamou. I remember listening to Hank Jr's version of that in Oakwood dorm at EMU w/ G and Bird... good times.
Anyway, our trip to Gruene Hall was short, and once again Mary was unenthused about music that i made her go see.
In her defense though, it wasn't that great.
I just thought it'd be a fun trip.
I guess it kind of was.
Musically, nothing too relevant though.
I should have gone to see Joe Ely the week before.
But that cost $.
And Ponty Bone was free.
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