Read about our music travels in Austin Texas day one
Austin Airport
Yes, we made it. And here’s just one tiny reason why I love this place…Austin knows how to adorn baggage carousels. Also, Austin has our luggage, the same baggage we so missed last evening – another plus.
Having finally arrived, we needed to work out some logistics including how to return to Dallas for our flight to San Francisco. In the end Jenny and I decided on avoiding the short flight and got the best car rental deal we could and simply drive the 200-mile journey on Thursday. Having a car here will also mean it’s easy to get to Wholefoods, Waterloo Records, Shepler and any shopping outlets deemed necessary.
We picked up the Mazda 6 and checked in to the Austin Motel.
We caught up with Sandra and Trish at reception (Richard was staying at digs around the corner). What followed was a change of clothes and a coffee and lunch at Joe’s next door (including a close inspection of gigs as laid out in The Austin Chronicle). The Continental is an early favourite with The Peterson Brothers (Happy Hour and no cover) at 6.30.
A little rest up at the hotel before deciding that we needed some provisions for breakfast et al – off to Wholefoods on 6th and North Lamar. Some went into buy some food – others (well me) stridently made our way to Waterloo Records diagonally opposite.
There are many reasons why I like Waterloo Records:
There are used as well as new CDs
A healthy section of Texas music
All music in alphabetical order regardless of genre (one exception – “world”)
Many listening booths, easily accessible
Many many artists represented that you don’t find elsewhere eg a choice of Blasters’ albums
EVERY ARTIST has a tab – easy to quickly look
Lots of fun other stuff – DVDs, books and quirky goods (Dr Who anyone?)
Thirty minutes in the store and my first visit was over.
We took our food back and had some appetisers over the pool with all the gang before heading to the Continental for The Peterson Brothers. These young guys hail from Bastrop Texas. Two brothers, one vocals and electric guitar (Glenn), the other bass (Alex) together with a drummer and keyboardist. The band has really got an intense groove going, spontaneous and very refreshing (particularly for me after two days of bluegrass music!). The brothers play with a lot of feeling, easy smiles and they like to mix it up, to test each other, the sign of a group that has played a LOT together. Long fluid jams around some classic blues numbers – “keeping the blues alive” is their motto and that is what they do. Recently, the City of Austin has announced that Thursday the 3rd of October (Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Birthday), will be named “Peterson Brothers’ Day” in Austin, a huge honor in recognition of their musical achievements to date.
After their first set, Jenny and I wandered up South Congress and had a light meal at The Magnolia Cafe.
We thought of seeing Dale Watson at 10 at the Continental, but we have seen him a number of time before, we have tickets for both his Melbourne shows towards the end of this year – plus we’d been up since 5.30.
Tomorrow it’s going to be 90 degrees – it may be a shopping day.
Glenn Peterson
The Magnolia Cafe
Read about our music travels in Austin Texas day one
Read about our music travels in Austin Texas day one
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