ABGB Dancing

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Pictures are mostly from our visit to the ABGB.

Sunday was an eventful warm spring day with Gord and Leslie and a few false starts. Kate and I had been to the Sagebrush (on way south Congress) to see Los Pinkys (it's Conjunto music which I would describe as accordian polka plus plunking guitar) the day before. It was an ideal sunny and warm day, the bar was dingy and dark, and Los Pinkys just weren't that exciting — we have seen them a few times over the years and although there was a good sized audience of all ages who were enjoying the music we weren't. Anyways, we gave up. Sagebrush has some interesting acts (we've missed Garret T. Capps, Elizabeth Cook and Sophia Johnson who have played there), we had never been before and now we can say we have. I suppose we might return for a night time gig when the lights are low.

Today there's another Conjunto band playing at Sam's Town Point we want to investigate — Josh Baca & the Hot Tamales. While we have found our way to this bar before, it's way, way, way south off Manchaca at Slaughterhouse (Gord asks if we're still in Austin), it's hidden away and hard to get to and, while we've been here once before, we've never seen any acts here. Again we are aware of several interesting gigs that we've missed (Libby and the Loveless and the Guthrie Girls have a regular Wednesday gig) so we are confident that there are good things to see. However, it's another beautifully sunny day and another awfully dingy dirty honky tonk that we decide to skip. We never got to see the band and only briefly stepped inside the bar.

We're all of a mind that it would be far nicer to be outside someplace soaking up the sun. While "under the live oaks" at Guero's on SoCo is a possibility we know it will be very busy with long line ups, scarce seating, and parking will be awfully hard to find and expensive. So we decide instead on ABGB. We've been many times before (most recently for an afternoon Drag Queen show) but Gord and Leslie have not ... and they're both dancers.

The ABGB (Austin Beer Gardens and Brewery) is a reliable Sunday afternoon adventure. They have a large patio area outside shaded by live oaks and a large area inside, well lit with windows, sturdy long tables, a dance floor, a raised stage and you're guaranteed there will be a band playing dance music and regulars, some in dancing regalia, having a great time dancing. Today is no exception.

Parking is a bit of an issue as the place is hopping but we find a handicap parking place (with Kate's screwed up ankle we need it). Some of the parking lot has been taken over by outside tables. I was willing to drop people off and find street parking in the neighborhood.

The band is Theo Lawrence and the Hearts, he's a French Canadian here via France, now stationed in Austin. We hadn't heard of him and were a bit leary. But, it's the ABGB, so it's guaranteed to be dance music. The band is very young but play original classic country styled tunes from the 1950-60's. We had some beers (Kate had wine) and parked ourselves at the end of one table near the busy dance floor. The sound system is very good but you can't really see the band, even though they're on a raised stage. The dance floor is packed and it's hard to even get through the dancers to take pictures. I did talk briefly to one of the young fellows who was singing (not Theo) and told him how much I liked their music. At the time the drummer, a young woman, was taking the vocals. I've looked up Theo Lawrence on iTunes but have not found any music yet that adequately represents the full band country dance music we had today. California Poppy, from Youtube, is a good representation of the music we heard. Hmmm... his Facebook page says he will be playing Thursday night at Sam's Town Point.

With Kate's ankle problem and Gord's knee we didn't get dancing. It would have been hard to navigate the busy dance floor and, at best, it would be awkward ugly ducklings amongst the graceful swans.

We found a table outside on the reclaimed parking lot just before the band's break (Ps. I can't imagine they can brew beer fast enough to keep up with the crew today!). We tossed around the idea of staying for pizza, they are very good and we recommend them here, but ended up going home and having some quiche from the market lady (yummy) and salads from Costco.

It was a good day — springtime in Austin.