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.

Joe Ely, Gruene

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We saw Joe Ely with his band at Gruene Hall on Saturday night February 10, 2018 at the Gruene Texas Dance Hall. 

Joe was fronted by the Johnny Nicholas Band (with Scrappy Jud Newcomb on guitar, Bruce Hughes on bass and John Chipman on drums). We had never seen Johnny Nicholas before, but the others are Austin regulars we've often seen.

It was a cool night and a packed house. A really packed house. Joe has lots of fans. Kate and I did manage to find a table inside but getting up to the stage to take photos was pretty much impossible. So what I have recorded in the album is pretty minimal and not much to brag about.

Ps. This page added on 2025/12/18 on the occasion of Joe's passing earlier this week. He will be missed.

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.