Help Austin Help Haiti Show
The Austin Music Hall played host to a ten hour show recently in an effort to raise money for the relief effort going on in Haiti. As one might imagine, that is a long freakin time to be standing about watching music and swilling your favorite beverage. Add to that fact that the show was held on a Sunday, and you have a real possibility of keeping people from their respectable day jobs the next day. I got to ground zero and was in the door by 1:45 p.m. The first band was already playing their last song. I did not leave the Music Hall again until just before midnight. It was a marathon show to be sure, but it was a wonderful opportunity to see Austin’s best musicians.
The show was put together in less than a week by Joe Ely. He sent out the call to arms to everyone in the Austin scene. By Tuesday before the show he had a 3 hour set. By Thursday that had grown to 10 hours. He worked hard to get items and services for a silent auction and many people came to aid him in that endeavor. There was everything from fine confectionary tastys to all manner of rare music memorabilia and Austin cool. Many a dollar was raised in that one little room. The final tally at the end of the night was unspoken, but nearly 3000 people paid the 33 bucks to get in the door. There was food as well, all donated by Austin’s coolest and most notorious eateries. Torchies Tacos, The Salt Lick, and Austin Pizza served Thousands of dollars worth of food. So after all was said and done, the evening can only be called a success.
The band roster for the night was simply spectacular. Any one of these artists are worth going to see, but when they are all going to be playing 20 minute sets stacked up on top of one another, well as I said it was spectacular.
Asleep At The Wheel
Patricia Vonne
Guy Forsyth
Paula Nelson
Band of Heathens
Bob Schnider
The Flatlanders
Shawn Colvin
Bruce Robinson
Kelly Willis
Ray Wylie Hubbard
The Gourds
Reckless Kelly
The Joe Ely Band
Marcia Ball
Robert Earl Keen
Charlie Sexton with Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon
How could I possibly pick one or two performances to highlight? I thought that Patricia Vonne was awesome. The Highlanders was a treat. Sharing Ribs and eating beans that were made by Ray Wylie Hubbard was definitely a highlight. I left before midnight so I missed Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton. Charlie Sexton was so late that we all feared that he might not make it at all. That is easily forgiven considering the fact that he was in L.A. playing the big Cable benefit for George Clooney only a couple of days before with Justin Timberlake. There was a nasty rumor that the Arc Angels were going to play, but I had it from good authority that Doyle Bramhall II was in L.A. in the recording studio. Always a good thing, but that meant that there would be no Angels reunion for the cause.
All in all it was a very special night of music in Austin Texas. There was something for everyone, and by the end of the night I saw many people that would still be drunk if they ventured into work in the morning. I, having kept it down to three beers in 10 hours, had no problem with that the next morning. If you were there or participated in the Auction I thank you. If you were not there, then I feel sorry for you. You missed something rare. I guess what touched me most is that all of these people, with there busy schedules and tours and careers, dropped everything at a moments notice to be there and try to help make a difference.
Get out and see a show. Support these special people who make up the scene of the Live Music Capitol of the world.
