Feelin' Good Again!

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Well, the pandemic isn't really over yet ... but. We've had the bug, the weather is warm again and the Richmond Tavern has The Rizdales playing their residency (3rd Saturday of every month). It's an afternoon show, so all the better — no need to stay up late to catch some music. This is the first live music we've been to in a very long time.

The show is from 3:00pm until 6:00pm at the Richmond Tavern which is in the core of the city. It's the last of the old time beer halls divided down the centre into two rooms — what would have been "Mens" vs. "Ladies & Escorts". 

We arrive early as Kate has banged her foot and we need to get a seat. We find free two hour parking on Richmond Street right across from the tavern and are in plenty of time to find a good seat. They're doing a sound check and setting up their gear as we arrive. The bar isn't too busy yet and there are some regulars we recognize — like Bev the dancing cowboy. We talk briefly to him about my photography gear and his son, Sean, who is holidaying in Ireland and who we know from St Marys.

We had arranged back in 2020 to have the Rizdales play in St Marys for our 40th Wedding Anniversary party but with COVID that was not to be. Tara and Tom greet us and are pleased to see we've made the jaunt into town. We explain that we've been avoiding honky-tonks during COVID and are only now feeling comfortable being here. Besides we've had COVID and now are "safe as houses". But of course, nobody is really safe at all.

Tara tells us she's had COVID at least twice but tests herself regularly as she also performs in long term care homes. I remark that they've had a recent anniversary and they recall that we're now working on our 43rd. We all agree that we ought to have a 45th anniversary party. Tom has a snappy "Day of the Dead" shirt and comments on our tees — Kate wears an El Mercado (Austin), I wear a Cigar Box Band (San Antonio). We explain that we've not been back to Austin since 2020 but have reservations for next winter. They're big fans of Austin too and even have a song about their "Austin Honeymoon". 

Tara tells us she's written a song for us inspired by a reference to "My Sweet Baboo"! We've not heard it yet but look forward to hearing it sometime soon. I guess we'll have to have that 45th wedding anniversary party.

The Rizdales are: Tom Dunphy (guitar & vocals), Tara Dunphy (fiddle & vocals), Blair Heddle (electric guitar), Steve Crew (drums) and Oscar Macedo (bass). For today Blair was away and Doug Dietrich (pictured above) filled in on pedal steel guitar. Doug plays with Tom's Classic Country which has a residency here as well.

We were only able to stay for the first set — happy to hear some Loretta Lynn, Ray Price, and more. The dance floor filled and everyone had fun. Our friends Sam and Al arrived after we had left and stayed until the end. They, like us, really enjoyed the set. The event, and our return to the Richmond, reminds me of a Robert Earl Keen song "Feelin' Good Again" (1998):

So I strolled across old Main Street
Walked down a flight of stairs
Stepped into the hall
And saw all my friends were there
A neon sign was flashin' "Welcome come on in"
It feels so good feelin' good again.

COVID may not be over but it feels so good to be feeling good again! 

See also:

• Previous Blog Posts (since 2006) on The Rizdales.
• The Rizdales on Facebook.
• The Rizdales web page and merchandise.