12/31/12

I have to admit, I was more than a little skeptical about NYE in Hot Springs Arkansas. I figured it was the middle of nowhere and they had nothing going on. I couldn't have been more wrong. And I couldn't be happier about it.

It was cold as hell when the fake freak pulled up in front of Maxine's. We were told it was once either the oldest brothel in the state or the most popular. We heard several variations on and between those themes from most everyone. No solid answers. A club with some mystery.

The bill was Ben Franks, The Frontier Circus, Booyah Dad with Foul Play Cabaret and the Hickoids. It was a standing room only event, all of the tables were sold ahead of time. The place was ready to explode.

Ben and the Circus did fine jobs. The Circus did the same set from the night before (with Jones playing lead). Ben had an alt country rock vibe going. A couple of the players swapped instruments and they had a bunch of cute girls up front singing along. Always a plus.

Then Booyah Dad with Foul Play Cabaret. Let's face it stupid party rock works. It doesn't matter if two of the members look like the cast of Duck Dynasty and the other looks like a substitute teacher. They rocked the shit out of it. Songs like "Freedom Party", "Ass Party", "Say You Love Me" and "Popin and Lockin at the Country Show" work.

And they really work with the ladies of the FPC. A half dozen beautiful ladies dancing AND stripping makes for a hell of a good time. Everyone in the place was having a blast. Loads of frozen smiles plastered across the room, mine included. It was a beautiful thing.

Hickoids were after the NYE "fireworks". We did a short but rocking set. Loaded up the Freak, got paid and drove home.

Breakdown

We got free beer! They offered to feed us, but we'd eaten a bit before we got there. They had a burlesque show! I'm in love with Maxine's!

These people know what they are doing

12/30/12

Hickoids at Murphy's in Memphis. This was basically an after party for a wedding reception. Our buddy Misty White got hitched and needed a dose of the 'oids to round out the nuptials. We were happy to oblige.

It was a big beautiful drunken mess. Our set started with happy people dancing and ended with a bunch of those same folks rolling around on the floor. The booze was flowing freely and everyone was happy.

Frontier Circus opened things up. It's some friends of Davy's and he played lead with them. I've never seen someone play a theremin with a guitar before. A cacophony of sound.

We had the middle slot and Skip Town closed things up. Yet another bad ass local band packed full of surprising amounts of talent. Memphis is loaded with that and it's always fun to see.

A Hot Springs NYE tonight!

Damn

It feels good hear Otis on the jukebox when your in Memphis.

12/29/12

We ended up doing two shows last night. The first (and originally the only) show was at a coffee shop that happens to have bands. The second was at a bar.

#1
We only played five songs because we went on fifteen minutes before closing. We were too loud for the joint, but that didn't stop folks from having fun. We got paid and loaded the freak for...

#2
We were put on this bill a little after we loaded in for the the first one. Gotta love a last second show. We did about an hour after a local band and did a decent job of not scaring off too much of their crowd. Or everyone was so drunk they didn't care. Either way they stayed.

Memphis next!

The next three days

Hickoids on a little tour. Shreveport tonight then Memphis and NYE in Hot Springs Arkansas.

We have a temporary freak and it nice and clean. We should be fine this trip.

Updates will follow.

12/22/12

Hickoids at Headhunters. That's kind of a lie. Headhunters is going to be on a Bar makeover show so some fancy "designers" came in and changed the joint. It's now called Metal and Lace and it's a steampunk club... They have clocks and gears on the freshly painted walls. But all of the new decorations look like they were bought/rented from the same supplier for a bar in Disneyland. It might work somewhere. Apparently it's going right back to Headhunters as soon as the show airs.

The back is pretty much the same, but now it's called "Headhunters Lounge". Swanky. So swanky they have a stripper pole up on the second floor. I busted a couple of moves and made a couple of dollars before we played. I'm an entrepreneur.

Breakdown

Zero free beer. Sad. At least all of the bartenders were cute.