I don't know if Antone's sold out last night but I sure felt the awesome full-capacity power of a crowd of normally jaded Austinites sweating and rocking behind me for the entire show.
Man, it was hot!
Atmospherically, sonically and topically-
Todd mopped his brow all night and never let up, delivering the tight set list we've been seeing all tour with only a few shuffles evident here and there-
Courage and Mercenary were real standouts for me and sadly, I must also confess to responding to Weakness like a typical girl ( picture a dog getting its tummy scratched and being unable to stop its leg from twitching rhythmically...)
The audience was right with Todd and Co. and the new material--I saw some local celebs-like super talent Tony Scalzo from Fastball and a also few snarky music "connoisseurs" Bobbing Their Heads (!) which, in-this-too-hip-for-itself town is akin to wearing a star-spangled tube top and pumping your fist above your boyfriend's head as you bounce atop his shirtless shoulders.
whew!
No Chevy Chase pratfalls from OH last night and only a couple of broken strings-A guitarist near me called Jesse a "magical" player -using the whammy on his guitar like a slide--did we catch a riff reference to "And your Bird Can Sing" at one point?
Say what you want but any guitarist with an outsized ego would not dare to share a stage with Jesse Gress. Todd is a musician and an artist above all, giving us TWO! TWO!! TWO!!! awesome axes in one incredible deal of a show.
( side bar: I love how Jesse dresses like he stole Fleegle's wardrobe from the Banana Splits OFFSTAGE, yet wore normal duds to perform in--and if no one took a picture of Prairie's legs in his Viking regalia and killer kilt, then there is no justice).
VERY IMPORTANT TECHNICAL NOTE:
The faithful will be glad to know that there was a full kick line going for Couldn't I Just Tell You.
This band is obviously gelling and really opening it up.
I could go on all day about what a total hoss Prairie is, how much fun Matt seemed to be having- (love your smile and you looked great in the new Prairie designed tour shirt) and how Rachel is a whole show unto herself-
-I'm still a bit embarrassed at how I stammered this excitable Girl Power rant at her in Todd's kitchen after the show in Hawaii but it means a great deal to some of us to have her up there.
OK, Kiddies, time to pack up the mule and head with Mindy to Dallas for Another Live night...
