3/19/22

Night two! I actually have it pretty easy this year, only four shows and they are pretty spread out time wise and two are at the same place on the same day!!

Let’s talk about those two shows. 

Smitty had one of his usual mini fests  at the new Hickoid home, the Sagebrush. Loads of bands on both of the stages. Tons of talent and all of it backlined!

I went up with Harvey for a quick 40 minutes set with a new drummer. We really played fast and furious this set, slugging hard most of the time. AND we had two new tunes! 

Later on the Hicks went up on the main stage and we killed it. It was pretty packed with folks who wanted our bullshit and we served it up nice and fresh.  

I also got to see Tex, They Might Be Deadly, Josephus,  Die Spitz and some others I can’t really remember… I ended up pretty toasty by the end!! Yeah music!

3/18/22

 The season is upon us…

No mater what the endemic thinks, sxsw is happening and we are diving in face first.  

Hicks were down in Hunter at Rileys last night with the Beaumonts and They are Deadly. I was pretty excited about this show. Of course I love the Beaumonts but I’m also a huge fan of a few of the “Deadly” folks and I was excited to finally get to see them. 

But the day job got in the way and I made it to the club when we were setting up…

Fortunately there was a bass rig ready so I just got up and started.  Our set was decent, a little all over the place but we rocked the crowd and gave them the goods. 

I hung for a little bit and talked with a few folks out back, but it quickly became time to run so…

12/31/21

 The Hickoids were at the Sagebrush for New Year’s Eve. We went on after the Beaumonts and another band…. I got there when the Beaumonts have three left so I missed most of the night. 

I am not a fan of New Years or any “party” holiday, I tried to avoid as much as I could. Also we lost our  our buddy Klaus the day before so I was in an absolute funk before I got there. 

By the time we got up I was feeling better and happy for the distraction. I ended up getting pretty drunk and that helped even if it was temporary. 

Klaus!

11/12/21

 Just got home from a pretty great night at the Lighthouse in San Antonio. Hicks finally got to play here, thanks to the pandemic we’d been postponed a number of times. FINALLY!!

We went on after Shandon Sahm! Hell yeah! It had been a few years since I’d seen him. He moved to Amsterdam a while back and he isn’t really coming this way that often. AND WHO COULD FUCKING BLAME HIM!!!  HE LIVES IN AMSTERDAM!!!!

Anyway, his combo had been playing for about a month and they were nearing the end of their run with two shows left, so they were tight as hell. He even had a couple of Beaumont’s up there with him!! Happy happy. 

Our set was solid. It took a little while to get going but we got to full on out of control locomotive in no time. I’d never seen that many folks in the Lighthouse before. They got right up on us and got wild! Damn that feels good

5/1/21

 And there was another one!

Things are not back to normal but it sure feels like it’s creeping back there slowly. 

Hickoids had a show in San Antonio with the Beaumont’s and We Are The Asteroid. It was gonna be at Lonesome Rose out back but the 90% chance of rain moved it over to Paper Tiger and it was “presented” by Lonesome Rose. 

Some things don’t change. Just like the screwball nature of how, where and why this gig happened. A semi standard down here in the low rungs of rock and roll, all three of theses bands were primed and ready to kill it. We’ve been in “ready, set” mode for a while. NOW GO!!

Paper Tiger can hold a thousand and we had 200-250ish there. It was mostly safe as far as covid goes but once folks got drunk it was probably a different story. 

I’m not gonna go in to to much detail. I’ve written about theses bands a bunch and I still love them and I’m thrilled we got to have a bill like this again. But it was the same old story. “The ______ did _____ and it kicked ass”. It still applies. 

9/15/19

On Sunday the trio played Riley’s for the Beaumont’s Sunday brunch. A very high class and reverent affair, filled with the best of the best. Only the finest. 

We went on second and had a solid set. As Lance said “not inspired but solid as hell”   He summed up what I was thinking before I could articulate it. Fair enough! 

Beaumont’s were on it. This is their regular monthly now and folks show up and are ready for it. No need to sing a song two or three times, the crowd sang when they were supposed to unprompted. 

I even got “Not As Cool As Jesus” dedicated to me!! I left happy as hell after they finished. I love those dudes. 

5/19/19

The Beaumont’s invited the Hickoids out to play their Sunday brunch at Riley’s last Sunday.  The place was  packed considering how fucking hot and humid it was. Summer has finally come to Central Texas.  

Wild Bill was up when I got there.  They were killing it. But I stayed inside, the swamp cooler made it a little nicer than the world outside.  

We went up, plated for about an hour. It was a sweat fest but pretty fun. At one point were doing the medley and  during  the break at the end of “Butfuck Junction” a train whistle blew thirty yards from where we were playing.  Surreal. 

Beaumont’s went up last. I was fried and sat inside near the door facing the stage. I made it three tunes and headed home. 

Old man was whipped. 

3/30/19

The San Antonio night of the Hickoids anniversary was at the Bang Bang Bar!

This place is pretty sweet.  Big club and not stuck in some corner in some busy part of town. 

We missed the first band.... and only caught a few of the Next’s set.  Sometimes that drive is longer than you think...

But we did catch all of the Beaumonts!!  Almost the same set as the last time I saw them. But they ended with the Bowie AND the Melvins!  I got extra lucky, the “Ice Cream” song was dedicated to me!!

There is a good chance I could eat all of that ice cream.  At a minimum I’m up for the challenge. 

Our set was pretty damn good. If I’m being picky (and I am...) not quite as unhinged as the night before but pretty sweet.  The only guests were Wade, Tommy, Arthur Hayes for one and Odie replaced me on three. 

I had to run back home ASAP so I didn’t get much of a chance for post show bullshitting.... It’s not all parties ya know. 

12/21/18

Hickoids were in Houston last night. 

Fitzgerald’s is closing?!!!!  Zeldas too... talk about the end of an era. I played both back when I was only a solo act. Twenty plus years ago...  first place they ever miced the stage to make my stomp extra loud.  It’s gonna be gone....

There were bands upstairs and down. I showed up when Texicali was on. The Beaumont’s were after and Dash Rip Rock after them. Hicks last. 

 I dug all the sets I saw. Ours was not so hot...  it’s how it goes. We haven’t rehearsed much with all of us in the same room over last few weeks.  

Oh well. We gave them what we could and they seemed to like it.  

Gonna miss that joint.  

8/3/18

Hickoids were at the Lost Well last night. I got there right when All Monsters Attack we’re going on. They were tight as hell and it sounded really good in the room. Like better than I’ve heard any band sound in there. I found out that thei soundcheck they did was a half hour long... not sure who was behind that. Really doesn’t matter, they sounded great. 

The Beaumont’s from central Lubbock Texas were next!! It’s been months since we played with them. I’ve missed it!  They did “The Boots Stay On” and I’m guessing the reaction wasn’t quite what they wanted so they did it again!?!?!? Possibly the funniest thing I’ve ever seen them do. And I’ve seen them do a lot of funny shit over the years. 

Our set was decent. The highlights were Wade Driver getting up for a couple and we did our “Canada suite”. Five songs from Canadian artist chopped up and ruined by Hickoids. We’d done a fair amount of work in it and the reaction was pretty lackluster. Won’t be the last time... SA tomorrow!

12/9/17

One more before the year is up. it’s also late and hell... life’s been getting dramatic and all over me. 

Hickoids were playing Riley’s with the Beaumont’s and Spider Mike.  It was cold as hell out in the country. 

I made he drive in my noisy ass truck, but I made it down there easy. The access road was lined with cars at the exit. Families all ready to go to a three acre chunk of land with Christmas lights on it. They might have had a Santa in there, I’m betting it wasn’t worth it for anyone involved in any capacity.  

Mike stated after I loaded in. His new act had a lot of slide in it.  All is good. 

Our set was decent, the stage is really too small for the size amps we use. And the jumping around, Tom and I kept running into each other. And then there is Smitty... Fucker is all over the place. 

Beaumont’s were killing it but I still took off right after “Not As Cool As Jesus” aka the greatest song in the world!!! Those guys, I fucking love them. 

Next year is comin soon!!

10/13/17

Week two, day one of ACL. Or my second and final sow of the festival. ABGBs with Beaumont’s, Winsome Losers and Rennie and the Banned Names.

I missed out on Rennie's first show ever... She had Lance and Cody (and another dude) playing with her. It sounded like they had a good first of many.

Winsome went up, hmm most of that band is familiar. Sometimes Austin to San Antonio. Is one big pool of talent that puts it's players in interesting and new ways. Great set. 

We went up and kinda killed it. Since Frontier Dan wasn’t here we were regular Hickoids. After last weeks three shows with him it was fun just being us. And the crowd gave everything we gave them back with a multiplier.

And then the Beaumont’s...  “Not As Cool As Jesus” is still the greatest song in the world. I could hear it for a week straight and not be tired of it.

5/28/17

Gringopalooza, number four in Dallas Texas at the Three Links. Me Thinks, Beaumonts, Loco Gringoes and Hickoids. We've done this one a number of times even if it wasn't called gringopalooza. Once again it was pretty amazing.  

No reason to get in to any real detail on this lovefest. The highlight of the evening was when our buddy Hushpuppy decided to take off his shirt and lay down on the stage when we were playing. Then Smitty started teabaging him. It was amazing. Then it happened again and again again and... 

He almost got booted for knocking the monitors around. That happened a couple of times. Eventually one of the club guys started waving his shirt in front of him like a bull. It distracted him enough to get him outside. 

Yeah. Facebook is loaded with the pictures. 

Bend tomorrow. 

5/27/17

Third night and things were picking up. We were at White Water Tavern in Little Rock with Frontier Dan and his Frontier Circus. 

By showtime there was a decent crowd. They were very attentive and very polite. Lots of golf style claps in between songs. Not a lot of fire. 

The Circus had a great set. Three guitars bass and drums, the rock and roll big band. He gave us all the hits we wanted   

We went next and we played great. We were really knocking the hell out of our set but when we ended a tune... golf clap. Very polite.  Zzzz. 

I hung out back for the first part of the Beaumonts set. Then they started "the song" and I stayed inside for the rest of their set. What else can I say... I love their brand of bullshit. I'd eat it daily, spread on toast if they sold it that way.  

Dallas tomorrow. 

5/26/17

Nashville had us playing at the Stillwater Supper Club. Don't let the name fool you it's a total craphole with a food counter in the back. We did not suddenly get classy. You should have seen the bedbug shelter we stayed in after the show....

We went first. The band side was pretty packed for our set and the crowd was very responsive. So we gave it to them good. Out buddy Frontier Dan came over from Little Rock and got up with us for a couple. He has this manic and unhinged style to his playing and it really fits nicely in top of our nonsense.    

Beaumonts had another good one. That song... it's everywhere in the freak van. All of us are either humming it, singing it or making up new lyrics for it.  That's a real country music hit people. 

Little Rock tomorrow. 

5/25/17

Day one of a little tour with Hickoids and Beaumonts. We played Shreveport at place called Bushnookies. Decent joint but they lost their liquor license, no booze no beer and as you could expect... no real  customers. I feel bad for these folks, it's a pretty cool joint and they are taking it on the chin. They also got some bullet holes in the windows...

I spent the whole Beaumonts set out on the porch. They tore it up. That "Not As Cool As Jesus" tune will not leave my head. (Steal it Rice...steal it...). 

Our set was ok. The lack of crowd made it hard to get going, but we still had fun. 

Nashville tomorrow. 

5/6/17

More than a week late... No surprise there.


Hickoids at the Buzz Mil in San Marcos with the Beaumonts! We went on early, 8:30, most Hickiod fans are just getting up at that time, but a few of them made it out to the club for us.


Our set was pretty good. Tiny stage so Tom and I were on top of each other. It was one of those nights where you had to plan your move to the microphone and you would still end up knocking the crap out of the other guy...



Beaumonts were next/last. Lance and I ate pancakes and eggs while they played... I drank a little whiskey and the Beaumonts were killing it. New (to me) tune "Cooler than Jesus" had me crying in my breakfast. I snuck out when they had about twenty minutes left. We are doing a little tour with them at the end of the month I'll get more Beaumontin' than I can use then!

1/7/17

You know what happens when you play three nights in a row? You can't help but slaughter it. Fuck ups be damned! Nothing is getting in the way of the Hickoid, three day freight train. We were even stronger than when we tour because we'd all slept in our own beds every night. I could tour like this forever.


It was a big pile of a lovefest at the Lost Well. It was Tub Rex from the Gringos' birthday and folks from all around made it out. I've never see the Lost Well that packed before. It didn't hurt that it was still cold as hell outside so there wasn't that much "going out side to smoke" going on.



Rio Jordan started it off. Holy shit. I missed them at ACL so glad I chance to make up for that. It seems real traditional at first, but that quickly changed when they started mixing up some pretty serious Jazz in the middle. And they didn't do it like they were showing off, they just whip that shit out whenever they want. Got to see them as much as I can.


Me Thinks made it down for their first show in Austin ever. Hard to believe I saw them for the first time nearly ten years ago and they've NEVER played Austin, crazy. Anyway they kicked ass, hard. So hard it made us step up our game when we went up next.



Gringos did a mini set after us. They were wearing pig masks when they did "Nurture My Pig." It was pretty disturbing. The mouths moved just a little and it looked like some kinda shitty animatronic doll that Disney scrapped in the fifties. Thanks for the nightmares fellas...


Beaumonts and Cunto finished things off. I was loading out and chatting folks up while the Beaumonts were on. I caught a fair amount of the set but I wasn't paying too much attention. I was so whipped after the last three days of working and playing I was gone with an Irish goodbye before Cunto even started.

10/7/16

Late late lame



ACL Week Two

Hickoids were on earlyish at the Hole. In fact we were so early I almost missed the set! I showed up, plugged in, got a drink and we were on. GO!! Our set was decent. The crowd was nowhere near what we'd had the weekend before, seems like the big festival crowd can' make it above MLK. Oh well... We rocked it.

It was the typical two stage setup, back and fourth, bam bam bam. Meet your death was after us up front. Cool set, but Walters amp popped so he didn't sound like his usual self.

Sailor Poon was next in the back. I could barely understand what was being sung, but that didn't matter. They were great! I really liked them. As a matter of fact they have a bass player and a drummer that work pretty well together. Hmm...

Beaumonts were last and upfront. Their penises looked HUGE up on that little stage. I took off around the half way point, they were killing it and there was no reason to believe that wouldn't continue.

And that was all the ACL for me. I wasn't on the bill the next night, I was gonna go but by 9PM I was still in my underwear and I'd poured myself a whiskey so...

And AND The fellas (with Odie as my sub) are curremtly on the east coast and about to head over to Europe (bastards, without ME!!!!) Go see them! And tell em you miss RICE!!

7/3/16

I made the hot as hell drive to San Antonio solo. Since it was a holiday weekend the driving was extra stupid and cops were everywhere. 35 was loaded with them.


After a couple of hours I made it to the Paper Tiger, we were going on second to last at a BBQ festival called "The Meat Sweats". I'd hoped for some sides and I was starving when I got there. But all of the stands only had meat, no sides. Shit. The Greek place across the street was closed and the taco stand wasn't by the strip club... It's tough being a vegetarian at a meat festival.


Anyway, we went on after the Beaumonts and had a decent but very sweaty set. The club has garage style doors and they were open, Jesus it was hot. I actually wore the sportcoat for the first song, idiot. I was melting. At a couple of points it might have looked like I was grooving along with my eyes closed. Not the case. The sweat was burning them and I couldn't keep them open.



Texas in summer.