On The Road

Took a little roadtrip this weekend with an old friend.  We've known each other about 20 years, and though we don't get to hang out often it is always fun when we do. 

He got to hang out with Baby K., of course.  Miss Mox convoyed with us to a Mexican place for lunch, where all the other customers loved Baby K.  Then my friend and I headed off to the root beer bar a few towns over.  Sipped a cold one, got some for the road, then hit the highway.  Or, in this case, the back road.  GPS told us it was the quickest route, and it certainly was the most direct.  It looked straight on the map, but in reality was twists and turns and hills and trailers on hillsides.  And around one curve, an Amish kid driving a cart, with his dad standing up in back.  Mailboxes mounted on cinder blocks.  Finally, we reached civilization: little towns with gas stations.  Then back on a highway, and off again to go to another small town.

Our destination there was a small theater, Stuart's Opera House, to see Southern Culture on the Skids, one of my favorite bands. When we pulled up, the façade was hidden behind scaffolding and there was no sign that it was open.  Did we have the right place?  The right date?  Yes, it turned out.  Inside (in strong AC, thankfully,) we found a beautiful 130 year old theater.  It is run as a nonprofit, and has been restored but also modernized.  It was a great place to see a show, acoustically and in terms of comfort.  SCOTS has been around awhile, too, and they put on a helluva show.  A different experience from the last time we saw them, in a crowded campus bar.  The crowd was different too.  Older (which is saying something, considering my age.)  But still energetic- even the old bald guy with the cane was dancing in his seat, and stood up for an ovation.

We saw ads for the Backwoods Festival, which sounds a little scary.  Also the pawpaw festival, which we took to calling Pawpawpalooza.  We heard about a bluegrass band called Mandolin Orange.  We talked about work and kids and music and beer.

The D-Rays opened, a local band doing instrumental surf tunes.  Good, but SCOTS were an order of magnitude better.  Their music is hard to categorize.  It could be called country rock, but that is too broad.  I call is surfabilly.  Some country covers, lots of goofy original songs, all played with verve by a tight three-piece ensemble.  How many bands do you know who reference Game of Thrones, demolition derbies, Mexican wrestling, Little Debbie snack cakes, and Link Wray's diet?

The drive back was more relaxing, on the highway in the dark, tired after a long day.  I don't know when we'll get together again, but it will probably involve music, and laughter.

The D-Rays:



Southern Culture on the Skids: