March...

...is looking pretty busy.

The juggernaut known as SXSW will be taking over the middle of the month as usual. This year I'm only playing one official showcase and four or five other shows with the Hickoids, the Ladies and Bigfoot Chester. Bigfoot is really back! I'm thrilled.

The big news is the Hickoid European tour.

We head across the Atlantic on March 20 and meet up with our pals The Grannies. We have about a dozen shows lined up in Holland, Belgium, England and Germany (the majority of shows are in Germany).

Obviously we are all looking forward to it. I haven't been over since South Filthy went five or six years ago and it seems like forever. This is truly the best way to travel. People want you there! We're not some Ugly Americans with money, we are a broke ass band from Texas! It feels good to be appreciated.

Tom and I (one or both of us) will be filling in on bass for the Grannies for a couple of shows. Brilliant. We do it all the time over here, why not over there. All I/We have to do is learn the set...

I'll be posting (in theory) daily updates with lots of gory details. The number one question on the collective Hickoid brain is 'Will Davy go to the red light district in Amsterdam or save his money for the all-day German sex club?' Inquiring minds...

2/16/13

Another Hickoids show at the Hole. We were the "headliners" (aka last) again for Churchwood's record release party. It got kinda swampy in the back of the Hole.

The place was loaded. It was nearly impossible to get a beer. Chablis started things off with a seemingly straight forward country act, until things started going. It went wrong in a very beautiful way. That ain't no "regular" country band!

Churchwood whipped it like a red-headed rented mule. I've been on so many bills with them at this point it's what I've come to expect. They Deliver. Joe had chicken bones around his neck and they had a horn section for the show. They ain't fuckin around.

We went on and if it wasn't for a couple of "My ladies" in attendance I wouldn't have had any beer for the set! That would have been troublesome. It's good to have friends/band mates to lean on.

Breakdown

They need more bartenders (or more bars?) at the Hole on nights like this...

2/2/13

#1

Me and the Ladies at a backyard party. Evan from Cunto asked us to play so we couldn't say no. There were a number of people there who were distillers and brewers so quality booze was flowing freely. About ten minutes after getting there someone offered me moonshine! I had the tiniest nip and it kept me warm and happy.

Somewhere in the middle of our set this big hairy dude started rolling around in the dirt. Earlier in the night he was "playing along" with us on a wind chime, smacking it against a tree. A wonderful drunken oaf.

We had a lot of fun, but I couldn't stay there as long as I wanted, I had to get home and swap out my gear for...


#2

Hickoids at the ND. This was the record release for the Reivers and Shoulders was on the bill! I haven't seen them in years and it was brilliant hearing all those songs again.

Cindy Toth is still the Reivers bass player and she used to be mine! It was great to see her again.

Breakdown

Moonshine! And several beer tickets at the ND made for a lovely night.

I'd dropped my bass of for a set-up a week and a half before (this was the only two week break I had before May, but then we booked a show...) and I was thinking I was going to have to use my second. I was thrilled to get a call around noon saying it was ready. I practically have a new instrument!