What a wonderful weekend I've just had! Not only the great (as usual)
shows, but meeting so many new faces...the names and personalities
I was already acquainted with. Met quite a few "lurkers" too, and all were
found to be delightful. The night life in Austin was too good to be true!
(I had a slight problem trying to entertain people on a Saturday night in
Springfield!) Fabulous music at every turn. And I've always loved
Tex-Mex cuisine! I can't remember having ever packed so much FUN
into 48 hours. And the shows...Bob always benefits from "competition"
onstage-these nights, of course, in the form of Charlie Sexton, Ian Moore
and Doug Sahm. (I had no intentions of enjoying the sets from Ian Moore
Band, but found myself paying attention on both nights. Very good.) Each
night there were several "highlights". The absolute ultimate, though, had
to be Saturday with "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue". Maybe I'm slipping
over the edge, (hush) but I found myself feeling in an almost trance-like
state. Stunned...awed... hypnotized by that single drop of sweat that hung
endlessly from his nose--refusing to give in. I had to occasionally remind
myself to take a gasp of air. Completely over the top, this one was. He's
gotten to a point where each and every version of each and every song
has enough fresh nuance to seem bright, shiny and brand new! I can't
imagine how this feat is accomplished. After all, I've heard some of these
songs live many times over, yet I'm taken in by "Down In the Flood",
"Watchtower", "Tambourine Man", etc. over and over. Then he pulls out
the newest version of "Shelter From the Storm" and there is no question
in my mind that this small person on the stage is the biggest thing to hit
20th century music. He's a gift from above bestowed on any who take the
time to listen. How very lucky we all are to have received this. At the
Sunday night show there was an early rush to the stage after the first
acoustic song. Partway into the next song he noticed (how could he not?)
an older woman, 65 if she was a minute, only six inches taller than the
stage and sporting a black leather jacket. I don't know if she was the
catalyst of the early rush, but she was really boogeying (in old lady
fashion) front and center against the stage. He found this to be adorable
(as did we all) and smiled and pointed at her then proceeded to lock
eyes with her while playing the guitar with a flair. We thought it could
well be that she reminded him of his own mother. He put on quite a show
for her which we all benefited from. Before leaving the stage at one point,
he smiled down at her again, then wandered back to his spot and fetched
a guitar pick, handing it down for a special souvenir of the evening. We
were all quite jealous!  He was back to wearing a jacket on Sunday-the
long one with appliqued velvet leaves (black on black) to which he had
added some spiffy silver button covers. The shirt (deep magenta lame)
was still worn in the same buccaneer style underneath it, however, cutting
a dashing figure as usual. Well, I apologize for these wandering comments,
but wanted to post while it was fresh in my mind. Only problem being that 
my mind is not very fresh!  After rubbing shoulders with Doug Sahm at the
Continental Club and getting a very late (early?) breakfast at the IHOP,
I only had time for a short nap before catching a 6:30 am flight back home
then straight to work.  Perhaps I'll post more later.

Just thought I'd mention it...

Christine