JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Backslapping time. Well done us. We are fantastic.
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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby Velvis » 27 May 2009, 03:25

Rita's telephonic cussing out of T. Berry was a highlight.
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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby The Fish » 27 May 2009, 04:12

Just back from burger and beers with our illustrious host. I am officially the last man standing (although I know this will be a cue for jokes in some quarters). All weekend I've been telling Baron he is a "diamond geezer" I'm sure he suspects that's some kind of secret insult, but any fellow Brits can no doubt put him straight that this is indeed a compliment.

Thanks Michael, you've been a star.

Anyway off to the airport tomorrow. The jolly up is now officially over. This is Fish checking out. Thank you and goodnight.
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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby BARON CORNY DOG » 27 May 2009, 04:48

You beat me home!

The fat lady may not have sung, but the two fat men have had the last beer.

I ate entirely too much at Casino El Camino (and drank too much warm Shiner) which rendered me unable to do much more drinking or talking at the Ginger Man. Alas. I just missed the bus, but figured the walk would do me good. It was a long, nostalgic walk down S. 1st, on the bridge over the river, past the School for the Deaf, the Torchy's Trailer Park on the left, then the Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse on the left, and -- of course -- Jovitas and Freddies and La Mexicana and POLVOS and the little coffee places and the taco truck and onward to Oltorf and past the G&S Bar and the Buenos Aires Restaurant and the dead animal smell that's been there for a week and past the neighborhood Torchy's and up to my apartment, accompanied by the crescent moon and good memories. I'm glad a few of them went down on my street! The walk itself was yet another highlight -- if the shambolic, 3 am walks home from South Austin were all I had, the whole trip would've been worth it.

So I'm glad y'all had a good time. I sure as hell did. I had a hell of a lot more to say and if I had a dictating machine on the way home, this would be longer and cheesier.

You've got a friend in Texas.

Party on!
Last edited by BARON CORNY DOG on 27 May 2009, 04:58, edited 1 time in total.
take5_d_shorterer wrote:If John Bonham simply didn't listen to enough Tommy Johnson or Blind Willie Mctell, that's his doing.

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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby BARON CORNY DOG » 27 May 2009, 04:51

Now if we could get some accounts of this thing and pictures, that would be cool (thanks, Sam!). I'll forget what doesn't get written.

And for the rest of y'all, start saving your sheckles for next year, because it ain't the place and it ain't the host, it's the people.
take5_d_shorterer wrote:If John Bonham simply didn't listen to enough Tommy Johnson or Blind Willie Mctell, that's his doing.

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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby Corporate whore » 27 May 2009, 07:58

The Fish wrote:All weekend I've been telling Baron he is a "diamond geezer" I'm sure he suspects that's some kind of secret insult, but any fellow Brits can no doubt put him straight that this is indeed a compliment.


'Diamond Geezer' - a cockernee redneck who will steal your watch if your not looking.


Are you sure its a complement?
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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby The Fish » 27 May 2009, 15:34

It seems Austin is trying to reacclimatise me to life back home. The Sundays are playing on the lobby muzak and outside it is pissing down.
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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby toomanyhatz » 27 May 2009, 18:57

The Fish: as always, the last man standing.

Have a good flight. I'm back at work. :(
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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby Six String » 27 May 2009, 23:28

toomanyhatz wrote: I'm back at work. :(


Not I. I just finished watching Barcelona kick ManU's ass!
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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby Sambient » 28 May 2009, 00:21

I know I cannot be the only one who took pictures. I remember being on the other end of the camera too.
I also refuse to write more of my version of the adventures until some other guests start contributing.

I realized today I have one more thing for which I'd like to thank Baron. Thanks for noticing my reconstructed t-shirt creations. Nice quality in a guy.

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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby toomanyhatz » 28 May 2009, 00:33

Sambient wrote:I know I cannot be the only one who took pictures.


There's lots of toomanydocumentationz as well. We'll post as soon as we can (in our copious "spare time").
Footy wrote:
The Who / Jimi Hendrix Experience Saville Theatre, London Jan '67
. Got Jimi's autograph after the show and went on to see him several times that year


1959 1963 1965 1966 1974 1977 1978 1981 1988 2017* 2018 2020!! 2023?

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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby toomanypillowz » 28 May 2009, 00:39

Working. Will try to post this weekend.
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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby Leg of lamb » 28 May 2009, 01:06

Let's see...

Well, I had an incredible time. That seems like a good place to start. That, and the fact that it was a helluva pleasure to meet every last one of the attendees. A more in depth narrative account seems almost beside the point in light of that, but I'll give it a bash all the same.

Thursday threw me a bit of a curveball at the earliest opportunity. Being woken by an automated message telling me my flights were reorganized and that I had to shimmy to the airport post haste was not how I wanted to kick things off. But that was, more or less, the final hitch. From the moment Baron caught me looking gormlessly out of Austin airport's glass doors and introduced himself, a toboggan ride of excess, sleep deprivation and Texan hospitality began that I'm still trying to make sense of.

In hindsight, there couldn't have been a more apropos place to kick off festivities than the yard of Torchy's Tacos. I can still taste the salty, gamey, greasy goodness of The Democrat. Another treasure was discovered under the Torchy's tarp: Six String, who I was meeting for the first time. Over the next few days, we'd share numerous conversations about gardening, home cooking, the inconsiderate disposal of prophylactics, the happiest division of domestic labour between husband and wife - actually, we went on like a pair of old dears from the Mother's Union, but I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Colonel Hurd may not have represented all that is great or true about country music, but I still endorse the hell out of him. The jokes could have been ground down into nachos they were so corny, and it's still not clear to me what the washboard player was doing except providing some pretty heavy vibe. But that's not to say that the music didn't have numerous charms. My one regret comes in the form of a certain white-bloused lady who will probably always be the One That Got Away. I must resign myself to this.

The after party took myself, the Baron, Livet, Six String and the inimitable Devon (+ Swiss entourage) to Doc's. More a reconnaissance mission than a pre-jolly, it still managed to morph into a very pleasant session. Surrounded by the pink-shirted UT masses, we succeeded in bringing up the average age by about half a century. Also, this was the scene of a now semi-legendary conversation that I was fortunate enough to happen upon in the restroom. A transcription should surely be committed to posterity - apologies if you're hearing this for the fifth or sixth time:

[All players speak in outrageous, entirely stereotypical frat-boy brogues]

GUY 1: Dude! Are you working tomorrow?
GUY 2: Not until, like, 4:30!
GUY 3: We should do some crazy shit!
GUY 2: I know! Let's get some fat chicks!

[Pause]

GUY 1: How about we get some SKINNY chicks?

[Exeunt all amid much hoopla]

On the way home, Baron and I tried without success to track down a slice. No matter: it made us all the hungrier for conversation and the lampooning of dodgy 'Good Living' establishments. Another important first - we'd have two other walks in similar circumstances and never were they anything less than enlightening events.

I've gotta go! Hopefully I'll add to this!
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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby Livet » 28 May 2009, 03:11

Leg of lamb wrote:Hopefully I'll add to this!


I hope so!

I'm missing Austin as much as New Orleans. It's funny how some places get under your skin.

I'll get my pictures up this weekend.
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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby Sambient » 28 May 2009, 12:19

Livet wrote:I'm missing Austin as much as New Orleans. It's funny how some places get under your skin.


I'm glad I'm not the only one. Austin is definitely a site that could host another JUotA in the future if we're ever willing to repeat.

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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby Walk In My Shadow » 29 May 2009, 00:03

Hello brothers and sisters!

I've been running around NO like crazy trying to show the missus all the things I already did 25 year ago.
The streetcars, the Natchez, the quarter, Fats' home and many more.

And the food of course. Jambalaya, gumbo, crawfish, beignets, muffeletas. Burps, excuse me.

Hot weather too and high humidity. Getting drenched in sweat as soon as we step out in the street.


None of the record stores have the new Dave Alvin cd :evil: :evil:

Now before we drive back to Houston on Saturday, Zoomboogity and myself are trying to meet up here.
I sure hope we can do it.

Later.
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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby Six String » 29 May 2009, 00:16

Glad you had a good time Yves. We really hit the weather pattern right in Austin. That was almost perfect weather in my book. Reality is what you got in N.O.L.A. but at least you had excellent food to make it worth your while. You've really hit the food and culture tour of the south. Bobby Whitlock was in fine voice that night, eh? Opening the first set with Anyday was a great choice and one of the best songs of the night.
The one song I wish you could have heard was his version of Bell Bottom Blues. He did this falsetto thing with his voice that showed how strong and dynamic his voice still is. It was over too quickly yet it was a perfect amount at the end of a very full weekend.
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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby The Fish » 29 May 2009, 00:17

Walk In My Shadow wrote:None of the record stores have the new Dave Alvin cd :evil: :evil:


I picked that up in Austin before I left.

Did you try the big store at the Canal end of Decatur ? Can't believe they wouldn't have it.
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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby Walk In My Shadow » 29 May 2009, 14:40

The Fish wrote:
Walk In My Shadow wrote:None of the record stores have the new Dave Alvin cd :evil: :evil:


I picked that up in Austin before I left.

Did you try the big store at the Canal end of Decatur ? Can't believe they wouldn't have it.



That would be the Louisiana Music Factory. They didn't have it yet. I also tried Peaches and even Borders.
No luck.


News on the food front: I had a Cajun surf 'n turf yesterday evening. Tenderest steak ever with shrimp and oysters.
Lots of oysters ;)
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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby Livet » 29 May 2009, 15:12

Walk In My Shadow wrote:And the food of course. Jambalaya, gumbo, crawfish, beignets, muffeletas. Burps, excuse me.


Don't forget the po'boys!
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Re: JUOTA 2009 - Austin, Texas - Weekend of May 23rd

Postby Leg of lamb » 29 May 2009, 20:19

I’m grateful that Friday began with a blessing. At the airport rental lot, where we’d gone to pick up the Fun Wagon, our cark park attendant was in unusually beatific mood, imparting the Lord’s grace to our vehicle, our families and the coming day with papal panache. We set off to pick up our comrades, A Love Supreme blaring into the blazing Austin morning – a more appropriate soundtrack to a sanctified daytrip I couldn’t think of.

Once Baron had scooped everyone from their hotels, our course was set for San Antonio and the Alamo. But before we could get too excited about the Cradle of Texan Liberty, an important matter had to be resolved. Would Baron subject himself to the ultimate test? That is, would he allow his iPod, and hence our entire in-transit listening, to be surrendered to shuffle? It should be pointed out that, quite other than the unimpeachable Gent of Taste you may have assumed him to be, Baron is a man who has not one, but TWO Lenny Kravitz albums on his iPod. The shuffle function was, therefore, not without its risks. I, for one, was totally in favour of it, reasoning that the indiscretions would be as delicious as the bull’s-eyes. But Baron was having none of it and wrested control of DJ duties. Unsurprisingly, he knew best – the motherfucker put on Exile on Main Street.

Driving towards a sultry, rapidly blackening sky, with ‘Torn and Frayed’ pumping hard on the stereo, will be one of my more enduring memories – not just from this trip, but forever. About this time, I began to notice the impressive number of religious hoardings and roadside churches. No matter what size or how kempt they were – and some were very impressive, make no mistake – these buildings couldn’t help but feel forlorn to me. Considered alongside some of the uglier commercial edifices (a faux-Venetian strip mall being the most egregious by far), they lent this leg of the journey an eerie, surreal edge. Until then I’d never seen anything that you might call, patronizingly, ‘the Southern heartland’, so (patronizingly) my tourist antennae were aroused. A Religion Safari was underway.

As with many other attractions over the course of the JU, our host had been careful to play down San Antonio so as not to get our hopes up. I think I speak for everyone when I say that he needn’t have bothered. I loved it. The riverside walk was a particular pleasure; rain had turned everything a little greener, and the stalls, while mostly not my cup of tea, commanded respect for the simple fact that they included the granite candle stand. ‘You ever seen a stone on fire, boy?’ Well, no. No I hadn’t. But now I had! And I could choose between a cross with the Lord’s Prayer engraved on it, or a football with the entire Dallas Cowboys team. My cup ranneth over.

The Alamo itself was far from anticlimactic, but I don’t know if that was because I had no particular preconceptions or hopes for it beforehand. A nice example of Mission architecture with perfectly serviceable exhibits that actually taught me a lot about Texan history, it does the trick. Also, obviously, its gift shop provided the opportunity for faux-mullet hijinx with a coonskin cap. The Fish enjoyed his moment to (erroneously) assert that the Welsh were the only British nation not to provide assistance to the besieged Texans, conveniently ignoring the fact that there was a fuck-off Dragon Flag flying proudly in the vestibule. I should’ve forced him to eat a pickle snow cone!

After a very tasty lunch at one of Baron’s old Mexican haunts, and a valuable detour past that other great San Antonian monument, the hospital where our host was born, we headed back Austin-wards. We went via Gruene, a town that boasts a fantastic traditional dancehall where our party stopped for a quick Corona and a poke around while Dirty Kelly set up for the night’s entertainment. (Was his name Dirty Kelly?? I have a feeling it was even better than that, but I can’t for the life of me remember.)

I think it’s safe to say that the evening was a tale of escalation. Graced by Brother Baron for the first and only time, our group descended upon Polvo’s and proceeded to get Polvo-rized on their heroic frozen Margaritas. I’ll leave it to others with more of a stake in Margarita folklore to explain why these were particularly great Margaritas, but all I know is that they got most of us bollocksed.

After that, it was Doc’s for the second night in a row, which (mercifully or disappointingly, depending on your politics) had a far lesser frat quotient than the previous evening. We met up with the Toomanyz and I ate most of Pillowz’s fries, despite the fact that my heaving gut was already straining to escape from my shirt like a Rottweiler from a muzzle. Obviously, the solution was more beer, then a few tequila shots, then, upon realizing that it was only the Baron Towers contingent left standing, the swift decision to join Six String at the Continental Club for Denny Freedman, where there were more beers, more tequilas, a gloriously happy Six String, an ill advised attempt at grooving in our little corner at the top of our stairs, and generally a fuckload of good vibes. I’m sure the band would be very good witnessed in a state of utmost sobriety but, in our advanced inebriation, they were nothing short of a revelation. That organ was nasty!

A most blessed day indeed. Although, with another 5am bedtime in the can, it was touch and go whether Baron and I would be in optimum condition for Saturday’s proposed BBQ orgy. Tune in next time to find out!
Brother Spoon wrote:I would probably enjoy this record more if it came to me in a brown paper bag filled with manure, instead of this richly illustrated disgrace to my eyes.


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