AMP Up!

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We went to Mystery Mondays at the Backstage El Mercado on S 1st in Austin. This is an AMP UP for Swan Songs special event. Guests include Joe King Carrasco, Tish Hinojosa and Murphy’s InLaws.  Regulars are hosts Christine Albert and Bill Kirchen with back beat regulars David Carroll on bass and Bobby Kallus on drums. Chip Dolan on keyboards is a special addition to the band. The picture at left is Joe King Carrasco leaning into the audience.

Amplify Austin (AMP UP) is a city wide fundraising time for charities in Austin. Christine Albert, who hosts Mystery Mondays with Bill Kirchen, runs/manages the "Swan Songs" charity which brings music to patients who are dieing or near death like those in hospice care. The intent of tonight's Mystery Monday is to raise funds and awareness for Swan Songs.

It's a big night with lots of guests and lots of great music. Joe King Carrasco is the performer let out of the bag. He's wild and crazy played hard with Bill Kirchen and jumping into the audience.

Tish Hinojosa, who we first saw many years ago (1990 or so in Dallas), is here as well. We've seen her a few times over the years. She has a lovely voice and sings Spanish and Tex/Mex songs.

It was a crazy night with some very good music. And some funds were raised for a very good cause. What more could one ask for?

Judy in Austin

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Our good friend (and former sister-in-law) Judy came to visit us in Austin. That's a picture of me enjoying a Lone Star Beer with her at Esther's Follies -- a comedy show we like on 6th at Red River. We've been a few times and always enjoy it.

The photo album starts with a plaque on Pecan/6th St near Esther's Follies that commemorates Leslie Cochran. He's one of those fellows that worked hard to keep Austin Weird. We did bump into him years ago wandering the streets near SoCo and said the ourselves -- what the heck was that? A bearded guy in a tutu?

Anyways, we enjoyed Esther's Follies and, thankfully, weren't drawn onto the stage. That's a danger of sitting near the front.

We visited the Bullock (or "Texas State History") Museum and had lunch at the Texas Chili Parlor Bar (have a mad dog margarita with that enchilada), took in some music at Guero's Taco Bar under the live oaks and Rachel Laven at in a Barker House concert, visited the Broken Spoke,  enjoyed some music and had a Purgatory Player's brunch, checked out the "Sacred Waters of Barton Springs", had a lunch at the Oasis on Lake Travis and some brisket at the Salt Lick BBQ near Dripping Springs, took in a Mystery Monday show at the Backstage El Mercado and showed her one of the many "Moonlight Towers" (there's one at Monroe and S 1st near the El Mercado).

We kept her busy. We all had fun .

Purgatory Players

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It's the Purgatory Players, Gospel-ish Brunch, Sundays at the Backstage El Mercado South. We're here for breakfast and a bit of music played in support of the Texas Central Foodbank.

Jeff Plankenhorn is hosting with Eric Bettencourt. A special guest is Grammy Award winning producer/songwriter Gary Nicholson, the talented bass player Bonnie Whitmore, and Dave Scher on drums filling in for Jon Greene! Much of the usual gang were sitting this one out (Scrappy, Seela and John Dee).

Jaimee Harris, who we really like, is a guest in the second set.

Here's some of the tunes from that show recorded by DanViewtube

Dana Cooper

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Mystery Monday has Dana Cooper as their guest tonite. He's a singer/songwriter based in Nashville and plays acoustic guitar.

I can't recall why he's here in Austin tonite but I do recall it being another night of great music arranged by Christine Albert.

Christine Albert and Bill Kirchen are hosting with Bobby Kallus on drums and David Carroll on base -- the usual cast of characters who perform excellent backup to all who play here.

Honeycutters

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The Honeycutters (or sometimes Amanda Platt and the Honeycutters, or lately just Amanada Platt) play a Friday night gig at the Backstage, El Mercado on S 1st in Austin. It's just around the corner from where we're staying, and we go there often, so of course we're going to this event.

Beat Root Revival, some English transplants, are there as an opening act. They're pretty good, very expressive, but I'm more interested in Amanda Platt. I've listened to some of her music on Youtube and I'm keen to hear more.

The Honeycutters are a full band with Amanda on acoustic, there's a drummer and bass, an electric guitar and another fellow on keyboards. They're tight together and play very well. We think the sound isn't bring her voice to the forward enough and mention that later to the sound man. He says she ought to sing louder and into the mic. We think he ought to work more with what they have.

Their music, while sometimes rockin', can often have a sad melancholy. "Learning How to Love Him" is an acoustic tear jerker that really moves me. .. this is what love is. I put it on the Xmas 2018 mix tape I make for Kate.

We liked the music. A lot!

Ben Jones/Chris Gage

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Tonite it's a special concert at the El Mercado Backstage with Chris Gage (Christine Albert's husband) and Ben Jones (British expat who performs as Beat Root Revival with Andrea Magee). We're staying a short walk away at the "Hill House" by "Under a Texan Sun" so of course we can't miss it.

Chris Gage is a multi instrumentalist who has a popular Monday night residency at Don's Depot. Ben Jones is a younger fellow who play guitar (both acoustic and electric). He's somewhat famous/infamous for doing jumps and such when playing. He emotes.

Whitney Rose

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We saw Whitney Rose at her Tuesday night residency at the Continental Club on South Congress.

Whitney has some great tunes and tonight has a tight band with her. We've seen her a few times over the years, we both like her music.

The Continental Club is a landmark bar but a bit of a dive. The dance floor is quite worn with the underlying concrete showing in most places; very little tile remains.

They really ought to invest in maintaining the place. But why bother, people come anyways.

Jeff Plankenhorn

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Mystery Mondays at the El Mercado (South), Austin TX. Just around the corner from our vacation rental.

Jeff Plankenhorn was the guest this Monday. Another great show where we made friends with a fellow from Switzerland  who had been on the Outlaw Country Cruise with.

Larry Quinton

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Amongst all of our frivolity -- New Orleans, the Outlaw Country Cruise and our winter stay in Austin -- some rain will fall. Our oldest brother Larry Quinton passed away during our travels in his 77th year.

We were able to get back to Ontario to attend a celebration of life/wake event in Collingwood with our family. Many thanks to our kind hosts at "Under a Texan Sun" who were able to help us out by watching over the cat Piscine while we were away.

The picture at left is from happier times. See our 2016 posting for Larry's 75th birthday bash. Click on the photo at left for more pictures of Larry.

Attached is the obituary, prepared by his daughters Leslie, Natalie and Julia, as posted to the Owen Sound Sun Times.

QUINTON, Larry - December 4, 1940- January 21, 2018 Larry Russell Quinton, 77, of Collingwood, ON (formerly of Walter's Falls, ON, Kingston, ON and Lakeland, FL) passed away Sunday, January 21 in Tampa, FL. A celebration of life service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, February 3 at St. Philip's Anglican Church, Walters Falls with a 'Don't-be-singing-the-Blues' reception at the Falls Inn immediately following. Friends may call from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. on Friday, February 2 in Collingwood at the CHATTERSON FUNERAL HOME (404 Hurontario Street). Memorials may be made to charities supporting music education in public schools, about which Larry was passionate: Canada: musicmakesus.ca/donate, USA: www.mhopus.org. Larry was born in Walter's Falls, Ontario to Maurice and Margaret (Dixon) Quinton. He graduated from Owen Sound Collegiate and Vocational Institute and went on to the Provincial Institute of Trades (now George Brown College) in Toronto where he was the top student in his field of studies in the entire province. Larry proudly worked for TransCanada Pipelines with over 35 years' service in leadership roles across Canada and the US. He donated his time to various organizations throughout his lifetime including as a Rotary member, church choir member, amateur baseball coach, EAA and Recreational Aircraft Association board member, and his volunteer leadership of the Kingston Flying Club, the Edendale Flying Club, and the Sun 'n Fun International Fly-in, among many others. Larry was an avid Blues musician and enjoyed jamming any chance he could get, in both Collingwood and in Florida, with his well-known harmonica sling thrown over his shoulder. Larry had three passions in his life: aviation, music and his family. After spending time with his family in Canada, he was flying back from an international blues festival on his way to his winter residence in the US before he died, proof that he left us exactly as he wanted, enjoying life to the fullest. Larry leaves behind his three much-loved daughters, Leslie (Abdel Tawdi), Natalie (Peter Roy), and Julia (Brett Oosterman). His five grandchildren, Cameron, Evelyn, Aisha, Riley and Quinn, will remember him with love. Larry was the eldest brother of seven children and is survived by his beloved siblings: Ellen, Tony, David (Gail), Dale (Sherie), Reg (Kathryn), and Paul (El), along with nieces and nephews, and many friends in the music communities in Canada and the US. He was predeceased by his parents and is survived by wife Jean MacLaren (North Bay, ON) and her children (Steven and Nolan).