February 2, 2006

It was Don's birthday, so obviously we went to the Lucky. Pat drove and we left as early as possible. The traffic wasn't as bad as sometimes, and we arrived about 6:10, in time to get one of our favorite spots on the high side of the bar. The place filled up before it was over, most of the regulars plus many, many more.
Mark was back, which made it ever so much more interesting. Have I ever mentioned that he sometimes wears cowboy boots? Or that Ian wears one earring, in his right ear, as men used to?
Ian was goofy last night. He's had several giddy nights of late. A week or two ago he was beside himself at the news that Google refused to turn over their records to the gov't. Fine, but I wouldn't make a hero of a company that does whatever the Chinese gov't wants in order to do business there.
Last night he kept saying he wouldn't talk about politics. I would prefer that he not even talk about talking about politics. The Lucky Lounge is one place I can go to forget politics.
Last night he forgot the words in the middle of "In Recent Times". I think it starts with So, Mark offered. After Ian riffed a bit, he came back with the second verse. At one point he asked Don to adjust the lights, and when he initially turned them low, he exclaimed, I can take my trousers off!
They have a new song about rain which is quite lovely, more thoughtful than rocking.
Last night Frances joined us there, and Bryan, and Melanie got there just in time for the last song.
Apparently traffic was very bad on 35.

December 30, 2005

As we listened to the newly-bought Bump CD, I remembered I had not written about the last show we went to. Except for that, I am caught up, though, since I hadn't been since the October show when the Gullys and all were there.
Don went to one show after that, the 40th anniversary for Small Faces show. That is such a trippy thought. Forty years since some young English guys, Ian himself only 20, like Emily, started a band. Don said they did a set of Small Faces songs. I would have liked to have seen that. However, I was at a Pampered Chef shower for Katie, whose wedding is tomorrow, to John's best friend Jim. Too many ties there, even more than the Bump band.
So we went on December 22, and the Gullys were there again, also Jack and Karen. It was Karen's first time. I believe her older son and his wife came, and Ben. A fine time was had by all. I was delirious with pleasure, having gone a full 2 months without. (The band took a break in there, it wasn't all Pampered Chef showers. Then we were totally ready for another show that Thursday that Austin shut down for ice.)
The Lucky was decorated for Christmas, with a string of icicle lights ringing the room, amongst their normal if eccentric lighting. They had a lighted snowman and some other things I don't remember up there by the balcony, where they had the jack'o'lanterns at Halloween.
When the show was over, I told Ian Merry Christmas. And I told Mark Merry Christmas. I had bought Bump Live and Don knew it, so he suggested I get Ian to sign it, which I did. He didn't know I also bought Rise and Shine, and Bump in the Night. So now we have the pleasure of hearing our favorites even when it isn't Thursday night at the Lucky Lounge.

October 20

It was a very special night at the Lucky Lounge. John and Rajean Gully were coming to town, so we easily persuaded them to meet us at the Lucky. We hurried down there, and found them already there. Rajean had tried to reserve a table, not knowing the casual sort of place it is, and they told her we could pull some of the little bar tables together. We did that.
Jack was the next to arrive, as I recall, then Jimmy and April came. They were not around in the old days, of course, but it was a nice blending of old friends and not-so-old ones. Finally Geraldine and Everett arrived.
The Bump Band was doing a benefit for Women's Advocacy, to which Jimmy was good enough to contribute. A couple of times a woman stood up front and spoke about it, but we were conversing happily enough that it was no bother at all. Otherwise it was a very normal, very wonderful show, except that our friends were there so we could tell them every song was our favorite and drag them up front at intervals.
They did one song that I don't know that I've mentioned. I don't know the name of it, but it is sweet and wistful, with the words '...build a home for you and me...'
Jimmy remarked how upbeat they were, like the old days, everyone said. There was one song in particular, the guitar was so very British, like Dave Clark 5 almost.
Yes, that's our band. Young Ben Gully came, so he got to see it as well. He lives here now, going to grad school.
Said he grabbed the first opportunity he got to come back to Austin.

October 13, 2005

The Lucky Lounge was decorated for Halloween last night. Maybe because my attention was all for Ian and Mark and Don and Scrappy, I didn't even notice for a while. On the east wall, each light fixture had a plastic skeleton sitting on it. From the overhead lights, spooky hooded heads hung, alternately black and white. At the back, up in front of the balcony, were orange lights and numerous lit jack o'lanterns. I really liked the jack o'lanterns; I have a serious weakness for the carved pumpkin faces.
Ian started a joke which he kept up about gonorrhea. I'm not sure why. I hadn't thought about GC in ages, but I could picture those big burly gram positive cocci, faintly triangular, in their distinctive pairs. Why do we hear so little about it these days? Because it's relatively easily cured?
Andrea Hopkins was there, that we used to see at the Hansons' parties. She said it was her first time, and her first time to be in a club with "older people." Seems she's been taking her 14 year old daughter to hear her favorite young bands. Seems she just got divorced. But she's happy.
The band hadn't played in several weeks. I ended up walking toward the front with Mark at the break, and I asked if they'd been out of town. He said he had been working with Alejandro (presumably our local hero musician by that name), and he thought Scrappy had been doing something else. He summed up rather grimly, "You gotta make a living."
Which all gives me a sad feeling that our Thursday nights at the Lucky Lounge are numbered. In fact, Ian said, toward the end, we'll be here for the next four weeks.
The next four weeks.
It made me realize I need to buy all the CDs. Nothing lasts forever. You have to make a living.

September 8

They had been out of town for a couple of weeks, and we had skipped the week before that, so I was very ready to hear the Bump Band.
We got there fairly early and took a place on the high side of the bar. One of the first songs was "Date with an Angel," of which Ian actually forgot one of the verses. Very unusual. Before beginning "Lately I've been leaning in the wrong direction...", a song he once said was for people who like circuses, drinking, and religion, he mentioned that it was inspired by George Jones, who once said of himself and Johnny Cash, "We were leanin' in the wrong direction..."
At the break, some of the chairs came up empty, so we hurried down and took two of them in the second row. Joaquin joined us briefly to chat about Tommy.
Since the summer, they've been doing a song called "Big Love," a tune with very simple words, so simple that I sometimes sing it while walking Brownie. The other song I found myself singing after the show was "I wish you the best of British..."
From the CD of the same name.

August 11, 2005

Last night was quintessential Bump Band at Lucky Lounge. Don Harvey was back, they were all there, and we weren't treated to any surprise blues harp legends.
I don't think I've mentioned that Ian has a book for sale. Apparently it is a fairly old book, as far as when it was written, but he is taking the opportunity of the shows to sell it.
They did Lucky, the song I missed last time. There's a line in there I hadn't noticed, "...looking for a subtle touch..." One thing I love about the song is Scrappy's totally plaintive solo. So full of longing, like the whole song.
The place was pretty full last night. The upper deck of the bar was all taken, so we stood at the very front part of the part, a bit of real estate that's usually taken. It was a good spot except for the rather drunk guy beside us. It even came with one barstool. Interestingly, we got little attention from the waitstaff there, probably because we stood with our backs to them. Up on top, you're facing into the bar, and they're always checking on you. The one waitress roaming the room has plenty to do, so she didn't bother with us. That was kind of nice, as we got out with only two beers.
And lots of great Bump music.

No Don

Don Harvey, the drummer, was out. Fortunately, Mark was back. In the audience was a certain James Cotton, who eventually found his way to the stage to blow some harmonica. I just researched the man, he has real, sincere credentials. He actually played with Janis. Can't beat that. So I guess I can't blame Ian for letting him come up, though I suspect it cost me Lucky. It's highly unusual for Ian to relinquish control of his show, and he had to, because Cotton is an old blues harp player who plays what he plays. Everyone else had to follow.
We stood behind the bar for most of the show. Toward the end, Don went to the restroom, so I went down to stand in front of the stage for the last 2 songs, which included, of course, Whatcha Gonna Do.