Randy Rogers (2003-01-24)
Okay, you peeps and stalkers must be wondering -- why in the world does he go roadtripping all over to see bands and drink beer.
The answer is, well, if you can't get the bands you want to see over to your town often enough because they're all just a bunch of Kenny Chesney-heads, then you roadtrip.
And so we did Friday night, to El Campo, Texas, home of Greek Bros Restaurant (I really can't escape Greeks no matter how hard I try) and... well, not much else, frankly.
This was our second trip to Greek Bros. The first time, we were blown away by the amazing food, and then blown away by the Randy Rogers Band (first time we had seen them in an actual bar, after first seeing 'em at a Texans game). So we figured we'd catch Randy and crew again there.
It was a little less crowded this time -- I think the cold weather kept all the El Campo weenies huddled around their woodburning stoves drinking moonshine or something -- but after our friend Jose Cuervo made a few rounds, the room loosened up and the band blasted away for an hour or so.
And then our crew added a new feature to the Randy Rogers intermission -- political commentary and debate. After a LONG week or so of figuring out political risk in some of the dicier places in the world, I was more than happy to sit back and let our friend John and Randy flesh out the finer points of health care policy and the death penalty and Scott Ritter (well, okay, I did wonder once WHICH Scott Ritter we were talking about, the one who was once critical of the Iraqi regime or the more recent apologist). And we talked a little music as well (now that I think about it, we talked a LONG time, which was cool). At some point, Randy had to leave the Fox News panel... err, I mean our table, and get back to the stage. But it was all great fun, nobody got called a fascist or a Commie Pinko, and more beer was consumed. And iced tea. Eddie was pounding the iced tea. Not sure what that was all about.
So Randy went on to close the place down for our small but dedicated little crowd with a kickass set and occasional political commentary that I'm not sure anybody but our Fox News devotees caught.
My only complaint -- the band seems to have retired "Just This Side of Heaven" from the live sets. I think it's just a ploy to make us all buy Live At Cheatham Street myself. But ploy or not, if you want to hear some REAL country music (none of this Kenny Chesney or Billy Ray Cyrus crap) you should buy it, and you should definitely go buy Like It Used To Be as well. Or better, go to a show, and buy 'em, because that makes everyone even happier.
And when you get Randy to sign the thing, ask him about Scott Ritter. Tell him the Fox News gang sent ya!
[Posted at 21:28 CST on 01/27/03] [Link]
