The Big Finish

A late summer evening. The humidity rises as the sun begins to dip towards a chance of evening rain. A rapt audience watches the final throws of a washer throwing competition and leaps to their feet as 2 successive 5 point shots are made! There are cheers and laughs. Pictures to be taken and a show still to be played but the end of the tour is as clear as the end of the game. It’s going to be a good one.

On Friday I didn’t drive. After DC, Baltimore, Philly and 2 days in NYC I was worn out with driving and we had an easy highway cruise to Buffalo. John and Walt did the honors. This was to be our anchor weekend. If it weren’t for our friends Gary and Christie Colvin we wouldn’t have been on this run at all. Gary helped me put these shows together upstate and worked really hard to fulfill my request of “asses in seats”, so these were the shows we built the tour around. We arrived in Buffalo and walked into the Sportsman’s Tavern. What a great bar! The opening band was rockin and had one hell of a crowd. The air was crisp and cool outside and the bar was hot and sweaty. We ate at Joe’s, a pizza joint across the street, and continued our run of NY pizza joint Italian food as well as maybe the best buffalo wings I’ve ever had. Kinda makes sense I guess.

Sportsman’s is on my short list of favorite bars ever. They bring in a lot of Texas acts from Asleep At The Wheel to Gurf Morlix and other Americana music folks like Paul Thorn. Owner Dwain Hall used to tour the U.S. in a country band and welcomes you with open arms and a great beer selection. My choice of the night was local beer Genessee though my first of the day was a PBR (tastes like true love). As evening descended and we smiled back at familiar faces in the crowd, all the way from Texas, we took the stage and did what we do. And it was good.

We spent Saturday afternoon with the Colvins and a few friends in Le Roy, NY. It was beautiful and what a treat to be in someone’s home for awhile after all the bars and hotels. It was funny to me that all the New Yorkers spent the afternoon drinking Shiner beer from Texas while the visiting Texans drank NY’s Genesse and Canadian LaBatt’s. After a great sufficiency of food, beer, conversation, a nap in a hammock and a very exciting washer tournament, it was time to play our final show of the tour. The Abilene Bar in downtown Rochester is in an old house right across from a Ballroom that used to be the Jewish Community Center. Another great bar! I love this part of the country! We really hit our stride at the Abilene. The place was good and packed with folks of all ages and we really did rock the house. We had planned to play outside on a beautiful deck, but the weather didn’t allow it and I have to say there’s something about a little bar packed with people and a rocking band that I really like.

So we ended on a high note and when the last CD was signed and our goodbyes said, we headed to our hotel for a few hours sleep. Actually I think Ray and Johnny went to the bar, but I hit the sack. I dropped the boys off at the airport in Buffalo this morning and as I travel back towards NYC and eventually home to Texas, I’m really proud of our trip. We made new fans, some new friends and played well from the halls of the O Street Mansion to the 36th floor of Sirius Radio to The Sportsman’s Tavern. Thanks to all who joined us on this adventure and helped make it possible. See you next year New York.

Looking forward to being back in Texas,

-El Guapo