28.9.11

House Show | San Marcos, TX



The first band takes the stage featuring a banjo, washboard, spoon and washtub-bass players.


September 26, 2011
It's Monday night in a small central-Texas town. I am driving with a band, from Austin to San Marcos, to see them play for the second time in two days. The band, Grog, are all friends of mine and are touring with solo artist Payton Marovich, also a good friend. After getting directions from two cute waitresses we find our way to the show house.

The first show, in downtown Austin, was a let down. The bar they played in hosted no more than 20 people, half of which ignored the bands as they drank beer and watched sports on big flatscreens. I get the feeling that live music, such a standard in Austin, is often taken for granted.

Arriving at the second venue I was blown away. The stage, immersed in a garden of exotic edible plants and dwarfed by hundred year old oak trees, appeared to exist in a time before cars, when electricity was just beginning to illuminate the night. The punk music played by many of the bands had a folk twang and only added to the feeling of nostalgia. For one night I lived in the days when people stayed up late, not watching TV but entertaining each other with jokes, stories and best of all music.



Thomas Wentz violin player, braved the meat grinder of Austin traffic.


Payton Marovich.


A banjo player, who goes by Banjo, sings on the upper porch as a band sets up below.


Whitney Flynn, plays trumpet for Days 'n' Daze.


A lamp in the driveway guides guests around to the show in the backyard.


Days 'n' Daze plays.


Thomas Wentz plays violin and HT on accordion for Grog.


All the bands that played swarm the stage for a group song.


Dueling washboards.


Consecutive nights of music and drinking can take a toll on even the best musicians.


Thanks to everyone that played you made my night! Be my Facebook friend to see more of the pictures.
-Dana

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