One cell phone, two handstamps, and Hank Three.
The finding, at the end of this article says something to the effect that, “driving while talking on a phone is more hazardous than being over the legal limit [for alcohol>.” From my biased, pedestrian point of view, I can attest that it’s a fact – most folks [Gemini’s are excluded> shouldn’t talk and drive.
I don’t know the sign of the female driving the car, turning east from Congress onto Caesar Chavez [First Street>, but she was talking on a phone, and she did almost take me out. I paused, didn’t get run over, she stopped, and gestured me across, and I really had to kill the impulse to make a gesture at her. Texas law: pedestrian in the cross walk has the right away, especially if the “walk” sign indicates that both of us [there was a woman approaching from the other curb> \\have the right of way\\. Plus, it’s just courteous to be nice to folks on foot. If you’re talking and driving, do like Gemini Bubba does, pay attention to the road – he uses a headset, too.
My Tuesday afternoon fell apart, and I kept shuffling plans around, only to dig out an e-mail notice from a friend that his band was playing the 9-10 slot at a club on Sixth, literally, around the corner from where I was hoping to go. Stopped off for grilled pork in bowl of rice noodles, grab a couple of cigars at the cigar store. Just in time, paid the cover, got the first handstamp, watched MTV along the wall as the band shuffled through a 45 minute set. Best lyrics that I could make out? “I’ve got keep myself out of the pouring rain/I’ve got to keep myself from going insane….” spent most of set chatting with my buddy’s wife. “The only perfect husbands I know are Virgo,” I was telling her. My drummer buddy is Virgo.
Out the door, down the block, up another block, and there was the 710 Club, oddly enough, at 710 Red River. Paid the cover, got a handstamp, and walked into a crowded scene. Ran into a Pisces, a Gemini, a Libra, then, a little later, a pair of Sag girls. “You’re a Sagittarius, too? Cool!” I learned a little more about her love life than I wanted, but I was able to point out, for us Sagittarius types, those long-distance love affairs work best.
Shelton [Hank Williams III> came on after “Honky.” It was close to two hours of music, near as I could tell, all hardcore, “Hey man, thanks for coming out to hear our loud shit.” Honky Punk, hardcore Hellbelly music is alive and thriving. Packed house, and if I’m going to hang with this kind of a crowd, I obviously need to get a lot more tattoos so I fit in.
I staggered out after the set, headed back home to my trailer, and I was careful, throughout the show, to stand aloof and alone, towards the back. I forgot earplugs, and without those little guys, I could easily damage my ears.
Straight up: the show was awesome. Screaming devil-rock. Loud and fast. I was worn out by the end, and I was just watching. Hank Three is an amazing, talented, and very versatile performer. It’s some sort of hillbilly, punk, speed metal thing. Hey, call it what you want, it’s engaging.
