If Miles Davis and The Doors were gang raped by The Red Hot Chili Peppers

you would get Valley of The Mariner (http://valleyofthemariner.com/)!


It was a Sunday night at The Dirty Dog (http://dirtydogbar.com/), YES a SUNDAY NIGHT, and music was FreeFlowin in the Valley of Overlord. Not that cold, but the music will always keep you warm.

The FreeFlow (http://www.myspace.com/thefreeflowmusic) was onstage first with their ever and always food feelin music and rhythms. You really need to take a hot minute out and go check these guys out. I bet they would be smokin if you see them down in San Marcos at one of the local pubs there.

Valley of The Mariner was an unexpected, but not surprising, treat. Unexpected because they were so different from The FreeFlow and MC Overlord, but not surprising because Overlord knows how to treat an audience with a diverse musical repertoire. Like the title says, this is what you can expect! I definitely see and hear the cool ass shit these guys were pouring out at the audience and know it has the originality and spark to make them a worthwhile stop on any given night! Trumpets, keyboards, and blazing guitars will surprise you and excite you.

  

And then there was one! 22+ years, Really! and you haven't been apart of his legacy yet? MC Overlord (http://www.overlordmusic.com/) was back and in full effect for the new year...even had Johnny Branch on stage firing up the lead guitar. It's been awhile and his always good to hear that sound. Well no matter who's onstage with the big man himself, it is always lively, fun, and NO DOUBT energetic! A must see and must do!

Laters

An evening at the Inn (pt 2)

Ok, part to and now it is starting to drift off into the late afternoon. Up to go we have Aimless Gun, a small dinner break (damn good brisket by the way), then Michael Dillard, Fremen, and MC Overlord. But you know what, it was still hot as hell!

With a short break to set up, we now have Aimless Gun ( http://www.aimlessgun.com/main.php ) onstage. Billy had the raw pleasure of seeing and hearing Aimless Gun perform an acoustic set some days back. Now it was his turn to hear them in their full glory, plugged in and all.  I really like the energy that Aimless gun is starting to show onstage. Musically these guys are there. Lyrically you can start dedicating songs to girlfriends and creating ringtones. They really just have some good sounds that are so easy to just sing along with (very important for bringing in the audience, and making that gold record). The catalog of what Aimless does onstage is so very impressive and I have seen it and experienced it first hand, when are you going to? With the up tempo tunes and the sing-alongs, there isn't much that the audience just simply doesn't dig here and it is somehow breathtaking.

At this point in the evening there was a little dinner break. After a while Billy came back from the lake and to this day he wont stop talking about "swimming with The FreeFlow, diving off the dock with Aimless Gun, and kayaking with Michael Dillard!" Like I have said, Austin musicians are more than songwriters and performers, they are people and they are inspirations for this city!

Michael Dillard ( http://michaeldillardmusic.com/ ) now had his turn to hop up onstage and melt away like everyone else. As the evening hours were creeping on and the sun was setting, Michael was still enjoying the heat. With the crowd actually growing larger, it was yet another set that had the crowd just being able to chill, enjoy some cold refreshments, and drift away with the music. Being joined onstage by William Harris of Fremen, MC Overlord and friend (Billy Tompkins), it was a perfect way to close to this set. I don't think there was really anything else that could have made the setting sun on the lake any more enjoyable than this set (besides some beautiful company I guess - mijita).

Fremen ( http://www.facebook.com/FremenATX?v=wall ) now had a very interesting spot in this day of music, they performed directly ahead of Overlord. What a great spot! Fresh from the studio with Ter'ell Shahid (Overlords amazing and soulful vocalist) these cats have some inspiration behind them to make this night kick off very tight and very right!. With the custom stage lights in place, thanks to Billy and Miles for the tree work, it was gonna be a hot set. The crowd really did swell at this point and it was right on the mark for all that we heard and experienced. To those who have missed out, don't worry, there will be more sightings of the Fremen and for those who haven't heard, the CD wont drop soon enough so go check this set out!

...and then there was one. Not just one, THE one. MC Overlord ( http://www.overlordmusic.com/ ) with all of his imposing stature and presence, completely launched the night into a whole new level. Under the stars and all fired up, this was truly a great way to be a part of that Overlord music. For a day that started out with gunshots (sure ask anyone that was there!) it definitely ended with an explosion. Michael Dillard joined the performance in the end and MC Overlord even had Billy back onstage again. I will tell you when this next album drops the future may not be able to contain him, so go be a part of it now!



Laters

Blue Boy Inn

It was a very nice day at the lake. The Blue Boy Inn is a very cute, quaint cabin in Spicewood. Lovely accommodations, beautiful access to the lake, and a gorgeous yard and deck to enjoy a cool fall weekend in Texas (unfortunately, it is only in the mid to upper 80's during the fall with about 90% humidity on the lake). In the yard and by the dock it was very nice, but watching the bands on stage with no air circulating around them, they were melting. Nice thing was that the music was just as hot, so it was all good!

The list of bands was so hot and bad ass, I couldn't believe it. This next time this happens, I hope for more press and promotion, and for more folks and bands. It was great. To know what Austin musicians can do this is very inspiring. Wouldn't give credit to any other city in the world to have a musical community with such a powerful, smart, and moving presence than Austin.


The FreeFlow, Ryan Harkrider (acoustic), Derrick Davis (acoustic), Aimless Gun, *dinner break*, Michael Dillard, The Fremen, and MC Overlord.

Now what makes ALL of these performances very special was that my son, Billy, was with me to enjoy. I have only caught one performance of The FreeFlow previously, so this is good.  The acoustic performance by Ryan Harkrider is something that I have never seen before. Derrick Davis is some new sounds that I will relay to you. Aimless Gun, as you know, is a favorite, much like Michael Dillard. The Fremen have new life, as they have finally (with the production of Mr Ter'ell Shahid), put the tracks down for a much anticipated CD. MC Overlord, well this is the man who helped inspire me to start putting the music in print, so he will ALWAYS be my primo.

The social aspect of this day was very importan,t as you get these guys together to make a day out of it, the next thing you know, it's a full on 2 day benefit for whatever you could imagine. The FreeFlow ( http://www.reverbnation.com/thefreeflow#?kick=830335 ) started about 2:30. I really, REALLY love these guys. I think this is just good beer drinking (or maybe even a drink with an umbrella in it would be more appropriate) kind of music. You get to just kick back and listen. Without question they do the BEST Marley mix I have ever heard. To listen and look around at the audience, see and hear everybody singing along, it is nice to know these kids have the audience hooked. In my own humble opinion, I would love to hear that Marley tribute be just a little bit longer. NO! don't change up the songs, but ahhh it is so good to hear the way they lay it down and even better to feel it in the crowd. There is more to come from them and you should keep up via their Reverbnation page. GO! check them out, order something fun to drink and sing along, don't worry, everybody else will be too!

Ryan Harkrider ( http://www.ryanharkrider.com/ ) strolled up onstage with just him and his guitar. Very excited to hear and see this new twist for Ryan. It was great. Ryan has absolutely learned the way to capture the crowd. The music and sound is catchy, fun, and poetic, but to be able to make the audience laugh and laugh at yourself all while bringing an amazing stable of tunes to the table, WOW! Ryan really does have a great rapport with the audience and it makes it so fun to be at one of his performances. As I am sitting there listening, my friend comments on how Ryan, Derrick, and Michael (and even Cody from Aimless Gun) have the potential to be the new, modern day Outlaws. Musically if you don't know what I am talking about that would be Willie, Waylon, Hank Jr, and D.A.C. Look them up! The ability to get up onstage, any of these three or four guys, on any night, in any line up order, as an acoustic set and completely stun the house. That is a good ticket! My smart ass remark to follow was simply this "You know what makes these acoustic performances so fun and special? It's when one of the other artists just jumps up onstage, and fills in a little guitar or vocals...just for the hell of it!" C'mon , if all these guys are good friends, it's never hard feelings or an ego when someone else jumps up onstage with you, it's just good fuckin fun for everyone!

Well lo and behold, with a whisper from Will Harris, Derrick Davis was all of a sudden onstage with Ryan. The chemistry was kick-ass. EVERYONE loved it, it was just really fun. Derrick dropped in for a couple of songs (check out the video from the second song here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzIqAX7TKow ). Ryan finished off the set be leaving the stage and streaking for the lake. OH! did I say streaking, YES! Off with the shirt, down the steps to the dock, off with the shorts, then it was in the air to the water and I do believe that the moon was out that afternoon!!!!

As Derrick Davis ( http://www.reverbnation.com/derrickdavis ) mounted the stage next his comment before beginning his set was "How do I top that?" "Just do you set naked onstage!" LOL! not today thank god! Just another stellar performance, god music and good fun. I loved sitting in my lounge chair, drinking a margarita, and chilling to Derricks jams. NOW what got me up outta my seat and got my blood pumping and had me singing along (rather loudly and probably quite obnoxiously) was his final tune and very nice rendition of "I Wanna Be Like You" from the children's favorite and Disney classic "Jungle Book"! What a GREAT way to end the set. Nope! no nudity or running for the lake, but special in its own way.

This has to be a two-parter. So be prepared!


Laters

The music did Free Flow tonight

I just went to this performance Saturday (06/05/10) back at the One2One ( http://www.one2onebar.com/ ). There to see my faithful friends and performers, Michael Dillard and Aimless Gun.

If you missed my first blog about Aimless, go back and check it out. By now, if you haven't partaken in their sweet and fun sound, you're not a friend of the band, you're just a fan! HAHAHAHAAH! Sadly if you hoover around and are generally creepy, you're not a friend or a fan...you are a STALKER (hey, I write for these guys so back off, HA!).

Free Flow - opened with two acoustics on a pretty rockin new song they profess to have only written about a week before, sweet! And I will say these two young men can make these acoustics talk to each other like nobodies business, it was harmonic, heh! Give it a little shake of Santana, some Latin influence. These boys definitely need a crowd so they can kick it right. You gotta 'get up, stand up' when they do some...yes of course... Bob Marley. Oh and then they stopped the acoustic and kicked it up a notch with the rest of the band joining them onstage. You guys gotta go see them and be part of the crowd. Free Flow does it fun!

AND THEN  MC Overlord walked in, I've said it before, Like Jesus stepped into the One2One. Everyone has to say hi, touch him, and be near him. I know better and get outta the way before I end up at the bottom of the stampede (Love ya Ovey!).

Micheal Dillard - once again Mike did it nicely. I will give you the example of what you are missing. My son and daughter get to go to Corpus to hang out for several weeks/whole summer [sniff sniff, teardrop]. When I told my daughter that I was going to see and hang out with Dillard and Aimless Gun, let me tell you there is nothing on this earth that is more powerful than the shriek of a 14 yr old girl who doesn't get to see these guys.
"Dad I don't want to go now!" WTF! Love you my baby girl but I promise that I will get you in very soon.
So to pacify her, I shot a crappy ass, noisy video of Mike doing 'Crazy' by Gnarls Barkley (yes, Micheal Dillard owns this and makes it his own)! Maybe if you are lucky I'll edit it and post on YouTube with the rest of my bootleg video collection.

And now to Aimless Gun. As fun as always. These guys are DEFINITELY getting better on stage and more comfortable on stage. It shows in the smiles and you hear it in the sound. BTW it is about to be too late to catch them cause I hear that there may be a tour getting ready to happen.

GET OUT NOW AND GO SEE THEM!

Again, nice to see local Austin talent showing up to support local Austin talent (thanks EPMB)!

LATER