ACLF 2018, Round Two

(Hmm....let's see how well I remember all this. I'm writing this a couple of days after returning from an immediately-post-ACLF Italian vacation.)

So, the second set of performances for ACLF for this drummer were on a Friday and Sunday. Saturday was a day off.

Friday night was a double-duty (both Pocket FishRmen and Hickoids) night at the ABGB, one of my favorite places to play in Austin. Many of my bandmates aren't too big on it, the crowd can be very hit or miss, but it does have a bit of a built-in audience of food-and-beer patrons, and there's no admission charge. Also, the staff there is top-notch, plying you with drinks and pizza constantly. And.....there's a house drum kit. What more could I want?

The night began with Jean Caffeine, and she and her band played a great set, culminating in Jean getting behind the drum kit for a couple of songs. Harvey McLaughlin was up next, and he and his band played their usual great set. Harvey (Patrick) did not play drums, however. Hickoids were up next. We began with a few of our "regulars" and then Frontier Dan hit the stage with us. I love playing with Dan, there's no other way to put it. He's hilarious, and watching Jeff and him try to one-up each other in "frontmanship" is equally funny. I commented later that it's like backing up Costello and Costello, no straight man. Pocket FishRmen finished the night with a good set, although some people had left by then. The whole show was going up against a reunited Skatenigs show at Come and Take It, and several of our friends were either there or in bands playing that long-rostered show. I still had a great time and thought we all pulled off quality entertainment. What else can you want? (I need to stop ending paragraphs with questions.)

Saturday night, as mentioned earlier, was a night off for me, but I went to Lost Well for awhile to represent and support. I saw Z-Pocalypse (rockin' kiddos from San Antonio), the Me-Thinks (oh, god), and Texacala's new band. I bailed toward the end of Tex's set, as Michelle had stayed home....we were close to our Vacatiano Italiano.

Sunday, early evening, the Hickoids, A Pony Named Olga, and Bigfoot Chester played the Planet K parking lot in support of a Davy Jones art opening at South Pop. Our set again featured Frontier Dan, but for a shorter time this time. Great set overall, and I bought a piece of Davy's art I can't pick up until December. We said quick goodbyes to everybody before leaving, but we had to be at the airport in the morning. And I still had packing to do. Another ACLF in the can.