Another Venue

Pato's is an interesting place. Right after I moved to Austin, over seven years ago, I was playing there with a pianist whose name will not be named here. On a break, she complained of an earache. I laid her down on one of the tables and candled her ears. This was back in the days when ear candles could be bought in Texas.

Since, the place burned down (no connection) and rebuild years later, a little less al fresco and a little less funky.

It's still a place searching for an identity. We tried to assist it in arriving at that identity months ago, but it's having a great deal of turnover among the employees, with the exception of the position of Kitchen Manager, which seems to belong absolutely to Patrick, my brother Jimmy's son.

Well, they got around to calling us back today, and it would appear that we've got some steady work if we want it. We took the First Available, October 9. (Sad that Janice Jean will be out of town that weekend.)

The advantages are numerous: We've been playing about 35 miles from home, 35 miles of country road populated by little more than bored cops and dumb deer. Pato's is three long blocks away from my house and a lot closer for everyone. There's a PA there. There's a stage there. We could actually develop something of a local showcase following there, in that it's the kind of a place where people come to seal their wedding plans.

The main disadvantage, other than the kind of remaining funkiness, is the bread. Short is the best way to characterize it. Less even than the other place.

I might add that of the first call players contacted for the gig on the 9th, every one of the agreed to the rather vague terms. (Except Janice, who is flying to Atlanta for her sister's birthday.) We're talking agreement without hesitation.

Great bunch of players we have here.

Clearly there is some potential. Might was well ride it as far as it goes.