Keep Austin Wierd... ACL Festival Collateral Damage!

Awesome! I got to the airport this morning at 6am and was amazed... As you may or may not know, The Austin City Limits Festival was this past weekend and ended yesterday. I didn't play the festival this year but I got home yesterday from the road just in time to play private show at The Salt Lick BBQ and then turn around and head out this morning. The festival was a bit off of my radar until I got to the airport! I didn't think that I would see any festival leavers this early... I was wrong! I guess I did not take into account that a lot of the festival attendees would need to get home early on Monday to get back to work (while still a fair price, it is fairly expensive to travel and buy tickets and everything else that goes into it). I am on Southwest Airlines today and my first flight was to Phoenix. I think they might be the airline of choice for the festival!! For every everyday business, straight job traveler this morning there was a flip flop wearing, mail delivery bag toting, 3 days of no sleep hangover having, still high on the foo fighters festival leaver! It was a nice combination of folks to see hanging out in the gate area!!!!

I got on the very full flight with my carry on but had to check my guitar at the gate because there was no room in the overhead bins stuffed with back packs smelling of stale beer and what was left of whatever was there before it was smoked at the festival. I sat in the window seat of the exit row... that's why I love group A! I knew that someone would need to sit in the middle seat because the flight was completely full so I spent my time playing the game in my head called "please sit next to me/please don't sit next to me". It's a fun game. I practice it a lot but don't ever seem to get better. The reason for me to choose "please sit next to me" is really just practical... the smaller the person is- the more I want them to be in the middle seat... it just makes sense, right? Opposite sex and small body comp beats same sex and large body comp... you get it right?

Well I lost the game in that a dude sat down next to me. He had sunglasses on which is a sign for either being very tired and needing some sleep, blind or a jerk! This guy was definitely the first one. I noticed very early on that this guy was in serious need of a lot more than sleep... namely about 30 beers less than what he consumed in the past 12 hours!!!! His legs were twitching, his arms were around his head, his face was so white he looked like a ghost. He was desperately trying to pass out but he couldn't. He kept making sounds like a dying puppy would make. At one point he tried to take a sip of water... that was the end. He jumped out of his seat and scurried off to the lavatory like a ... well, like a hungover dude about to puke runs to a toilet! I felt bad for the guy but had to laugh. He repeated this process no less than 4 times during the flight. He even defied the flight attendant and got up to go puke as the plane was landing! Seriously, I felt bad for the guy but had to laugh! It reminded me of a time I was flying back to Dallas from Oklahoma City on a Sunday morning and... but that's another story.

It was quite a flight! Made me proud to be from Austin where Bob Weird is still the King!

I hear that ACL fest was one of the best yet! It sure as hell looked that way traveling out of the city.

Jack

Road, Road, Rough and Ready!

Sitting in the back parking lot of the Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, VA. listening to the new Rodney Crowell project called "Sex and Gasoline"! It's a winner. That dude is good. This particular song is called "I Want You #35". Funny that it is a title with a number on the end just like that old Bob Dylan song "Rainy Day Woman #12 & #35... but not really like it... but a lot like it... It's damn good. I'll leave it at that. Check it out. You'll like it I promise.

A band from San Marcos, Texas is up here this weekend too. They played a gig at a bar called The IOTA Club last night and have the night off tonight. They are great friends with Kyle, our stage manager, so they came over to spend the aftenoon with us. Do you know who The Dedringers are? They are fantastic! Find out about them. Really, really good. They open up for James McMurtry a lot. Hayes Carll too. They opened a show or two for us as well. We like them. You will as well.

Lance Armstrong's gonna ride again! I know the outdoor channel is stoked! I am too.

Drove past the Lincoln Memorial this morning on the way to go the Walter Reed Memorial Hospital in Washington D.C.. We (me and the band and crew) went to the hospital to visit with wounded Military men and women. We brought some guitars and had a wonderful visit with some extremely courageous people! You wouldn't believe the spirit in that place. I don't care what your political view points are... and I hope you have some... it is awe inspiring to see the people that have been wounded fighting for our country and are layed up in a hospital bed without the things they left with when they went to fight except their spirit... which is bigger than ever. God Bless those men and women and may they learn to live with their wounds and have positive lives. It was a good visit. You should try it. You don't have to have a guitar or a reason...

That's it for now. Gonna play a show in a few minutes.

K-O-K-O

Jack

Who You Votin' 4?

Well,
Do you know? Do you know?
Yeah, me neither...

I was thinking about voting 4 Sanjaya but that was soooooo 2 seasons ago.
Then I was thinking that John Rich would be a good choice but I realized that he was just a judge.
Carrie Underwood already won something.
Taylor Swift wasn't in a competition.
You can't vote on Football! Can you believe that? That sucks!
I was on a television show the other night where I got to pass judgment but I didn't get to vote... anti-climactic to say the least!
I buy music on itunes but that's not really a vote... that's just a purchase.
Can I vote 4 (texting has definitely become an issue) The Jonas Brothers? Don't know what 4 but somehow they have become not only a fan favorite but I really do like those boys! I don't think I can vote for them but I definitely want that out there. If there is going to be a boy band that is adored by millions including my daughter I really do appreciate that the boys are writing the songs, singing and playing instruments all at the same time while doing a damn good job of it!
So I guess I'm not really ready to vote yet but I am warming up to the idea. I am mulling the issues over and am getting ready to make a decision here... just looking for the right place and time! I am registered. Are you? Go do that.

KOKO,

Jack

Decision Time

Flying to a show this morning and wanting to start using language that the airlines use when people ask me a question. My flight is delayed and the lady came over the pa and said that the flight is delayed until 11am (about an hour) but that 11am is not the new departure time... it is the new "Decision Time". I love that... I'll get back to you in an hour and at that time I will decide if we will have any further communication. I'm going to start answering questions that way. Here's how it will work:

Knock, Knock.
Who's there?
Hold on a minute.
Hold on a minute who?
I'll get back to you in a few minutes.
I'll get back to you in a few minutes who?
Wait, there's been a change in plans. I'll get back with you about when I'll get back to you in 30 minutes.
Wait, there's been a change in plans. I'll get back with you about when I'll get back to you in 30 minutes WHO?
I'm sorry there's been another delay. There will be a decision time about when I'll get back with you in 1 hour.
I'm sorry there's been another delay. There will be a decision time about when I'll get back with you in 1 hour WHO?




Time elapse of 1 hour...




I'm sorry this joke has been canceled due to a unspecified maintenance issue that I am not authorized to discuss. Please accept my apology for your inconvenience. We will be happy to book you on another joke that will get you a punch line about 18 hours after you needed to laugh.



You get my point?

I play music for free. I get paid to travel.

K-O-K-O...

Jack