East Texas Summer Fest...

Music scene has picked up a little bit in good old Lufkin with a day long Summer Fest music headed up  Robert Earl Keen and band (pictured in the top two photos) a number of other up and coming East Texas bands and a BBQ cook off. 

Turn out was fair to good. A little hard to tell with every one scattered all around the big Expo Center. I would say from the sing alongs expected at his performances all the folks that were local REK fans were there. Those that weren't need to take advantage of the cheap ticket price to see quality music done by gracious performers who are glad you came to see them play. I think prices of the big touring acts may be on the decline but it's still possible to pay $100 for the worst seat in the house at some big rattle rattle here come the cattle place. This show was a good bargain.  

Bottom photo was former Lufkin native the Dave Fenley Band. A little different take on the Texas music thing with the square cajon drum a even a little beat boxing thrown in. I have noticed some of the young local groups playing roots type music using the cajon. Seeing a band a few notches up the success ladder using one must mean it's the thing now. Maybe when Mary graduates, gets married, moves away and quits me as a drummer next year I'll get one of these. In the mean time I can work on lumbar stabilization exercises so it won't hurt my back to squat for long periods on one of those things. 

On another note it seems from seeing these bands yesterday and also some fellows on the national level that have come to my attention that the day of the heavy set sensitive bearded guy has arrived in country music. I would guess that even though I might be a little long in the tooth for singing songs about drinking Mexican beer on the Guadalupe River I would be willing to apply a little hair dye to my beard if Rolling Stone or even People Magazine required a cover photo. 

At any rate this makes it seem success is right around the corner for me. I bought a couple of CDs by the up and coming bands to help them out. I have made that my policy lately when I see a small time guy selling his stuff I buy some.  REK had quite the Merchandise booth with all kinds of things to buy. I think boxer shorts with "Mudbelly" across the buttocks would sell just fine at my shows. I can just hear the Asian women I contract in a far East sweat shop factory roll the double "L" as they churn out product to meet my ever increasing demand.  

Anyway the ship appears to have sailed off course. The message is:

Support Local Music and Local goods and services. Just kidding about the sweat shop contract. And thanks to all the people I saw yesterday that asked if I had played. I didn't.