Man it's been awhile between blog posts, I've been busy, sick, partied, etc etc. Last Thursday the band loaded up (minus Martina) and headed to Nashville for a long weekend of partying. And boy did we do it. I paid for the night before every single morning, but it was worth it. :-)
We stayed offa the tourist trap stuff, and with a couple of exceptions, just went downtown to the old part of Nashville on Broadway. 20-25 foot wide bars, stacked in tightly down both sides of the street, every single one having a live band churning out everything from Country, Bluegrass, Newgrass, Rock, Classic Rock, Blues... you name it and it was being played there. If you hate country music, you've got no reason to stay away from here. There are no bad musicians. Pretty incredible talent. The bars don't pay the musicians, they give 'em regular gigs there but they play for tips only... and you'll gladly pay up. They play their hearts out.
We hit all the regular spots like Tootsies and such. I spent most of my time in Robert's, Layla's, The Wheel, and The Blue Moon.... and on the sidewalk. The sidewalk is just as great entertainment. Lotsa hookers and panhandlers and just... characters. I LOVED the sidewalk.
We did go to Gibson Guitar and Ronnie and I fondled and played a buncha $4000-$5000 guitars and mandolins.... because we could. Beautiful showroom.
We ate real good while we were traveling. We had a couple of meals at Demos', excellent food, right downtown in N'ville. Met up with Ronnie's cousin Brent and his wife Kathy and son Jake, there. Brent's been in the music business for many years and has done real well for himself... a few Grammys under his belt, etc. Really sweet folks, had us in their home and studio the next afternoon.
From the left side on around the table... Brent, Jake, Kathy, Johnna, David, Jeanne, Louis, Yours Truly, Mary Beth, Ronnie.
Then we hit Broadway once again, Jypsi was playing in at Layla's... whole lotta talent there. 3 sisters and a brother, one sis was missing that evening and I think their drummer was playing guitar in the back.
Yes it was a horrific thing watchin' Amber Dawn fight that little gold dress all night. I toughed it out. Check out a couple of their vids
HERE and
HERE. Good stuff.
At some point we wandered over to Robert's, this was the night before Halloween so a few drunken patrons passed thru in costume. Hell I dunno, maybe they dress this way down there all the time. If they do... well party freakin on dude!
Some gal dressed as an indian chick hopped the stage during Kawliga being played by Brazilbilly. (lol) Helluva band with a goofy damned name. The guy singing and playing the mini martin is the owner of the bar... and is from Brazil.
My new friend the lil' goth chick at the door...
And my camera being left at the table at times and in the care of others, often got some usuable and deletable pics on it. Someone got a nice tight shot of GC's cleavage. Oh and yes, the underpants matched the bra... such a showoff. Thanks for the pic Mary. LOL
Mary Beth twirled the dance floor with a guy impersonating me... a fake cowdude. The nerve. Awesome set of horns though!
I saw the guy that surely must be the Crown Royal King... 3 piece CR bag suit, complete with crown. And so young to have already achieved such stature in life.
So at one point during that evening I was on the sidewalk watchin the antics of the more drunk than me crowd, havin' a cigar, and an old chick... like 50-60 range, kinda hard to tell... slides in beside me wearing her zebra skin coat and heels. In a voice that was delivered with the raspy deepness that comes from 3 packs a day for 40 years she says "Got a cigarette on you mister?" and because I could have handed out a half truckload of smokes every evening from the panhandlers, I said "nope". She slides in a little closer to me and whisky whispers in my ear, like you'd imagine a 50 year old Army drill Sargent whisper.... "You wanna go party with me baby?" I looked at her, said "Honey, you need to head on down the sidewalk" and she did... and I went to the bathroom to wash my ear out. *shivver*
And while we're there, the bathrooms after about 1 or so, turn chaotic. These are plywood floor bars, the toilets usually have one crapper and one urinal and a sink, and for the crowds there... it aint enough. Add in the "didn't quite make it to the toilet vomit trails and the busted glass and beer bottles in the bathrooms and the "other" stuff... I could see where it could turn into an adventure for a "smaller" guy LOL
I was in The Wheel the last nite (I think it was the wheel) and I went in the john, 2 guys waiting for the urinal, the stall door was shut to the toilet, 2 guys behind me. I rattled the door to the crapper and not 1 but 2 guys yelled that it was in use. I stood there for a minute, looked a the dude behind me and his look of horror... and then... a third male voice from the stall voiced his complaint as well with me disturbing their privacy. To which I replied "WHAT THE F ARE YOU GUYS DOING IN THERE?" which pretty much tore the bathroom up with laughter. I gave it up and went out the back to the bar next door. lol
I'll have more pics and tales the next post from Halloween night.
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