Don't Touch My Hair

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Sunday morning and we're off to see the Purgatory Players at the El Mercado for brunch and a bit of gospel. The usual gang is there — Scrappy Judd Newcomb, Rich Brotherton and Guy Forsyth. They have a guest drummer today, Jordan Cook. All are performing free, giving of their time, to raise funds for the Central Texas Foodbank. 

One reason we're here is we've read on Facebook that it's Guy and Jeska Forsyth's 6th wedding anniversary. This morning is to be a wee bit of a celebration with more later in the day in Smithville, her home town, about an hour to the south east. Apparently, everyone is invited. Kate is keen to go; I'm not keen at all. We don't know these people!

They're setting up some gifts and things by the entry way which we think might have something to do with the anniversary — it turns out to be something to do with a pet event afterwards. This might help to explain why there's a good house this morning.

Anyways, in spite of it being their anniversary, they don't make any fuss about it until she comes up in the second set to play Joan Osborne's song, "What If God Were One Of Us?" We understand that she's a regular performer around town but today is our first experience of her. 

The Purgatory Players repeat several gospel tunes from last week including "This Train". Guy is an enthusiastic peformer, plays a wicked harmonica, and has some rhythm instruments (tamborine, shaker and even a saw — we know he's also accomplished on guitar). Scrappy is very laid back by comparison and keeps a bass line going with frequent guitar runs to the higher notes. Rich Brotherton plays 6 and 12 string guitars, does a version of "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize", and encourages everyone to get involved and vote in the coming election. While not telling you who to vote for it's pretty clear that, like much of Austin, they all lean a little to the left.

We first bumped into Guy at La Zona Rosa when he played with an all acoustic band, "The Asylum Street Spankers". That would have been back in the 1990's.

Rich does an excellent version of the Iris Dement's song, "Let the Mystery Be", that moves me to tears.  It's sort of an anti-gospel song, as is "What If God Were One Of Us?".

Kate Howard, she's a regular in the second set, does a funny song about "Don't Touch My Hair" (if you value your life). She's very witty and will be performing on Feb 15 at the NewWorldDeli with Scrappy. We've seen her many times over the years and she always has some uniquely bizarre story set in verse and played on her ukulele. The Purgatory Players seem to enjoy her as an addition to play with. Kate and I both speak to her, she's grateful to be recognized.

DanViewTube is there recording again and I say hello. We bump into him later in the day at the Saxon Pub where he's recording Rich Brotherton's Celtic group, "Ulla". At this writing he has posted this Purgatory Players 02/04/24 event. There's some tunes I'll grab from that posting.

We have some drinks and food. The waiter remembers us from last week and last Monday, Kate has a "Morning Margarita" — a frozen margarita with a bit of orange juice. Reg has a "Mexican Martini" — a large margarita on the rocks with some olives and a splash of olive juice. Kate orders some chips and queso, Reg orders a couple of breakfast tacos but when they arrive they're not what he ordered so he sends them back. Our waiter arrives later with them again and the other waiter, who we had sent them back with, arrives with another pair which again, while close, aren't what I ordered. Rather than press the issue I eat one pair and take the other home for later.