It was a last minute decision, but I made it down to Gruene for the Old 97’s. I’m so glad I did, because it’s a rare occasion that these guys play this legendary venue. They recorded their Alive and Wired album at Gruene in 2005. But this screened-in barn/bar doesn’t regularly show up on tour stops, so it was worth the ride down past San Marcos to the lovely, picturesque burg for the show. Fantastic performance, with a great sold out crowd. And, I love that I can take off to see Old 97’s in just about any city and be surrounded by a bevvy of old friends and get to meet some new ones. For this show, people made the trip from Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Oklahoma… If your band isn’t attracting this kind of avid following, you’re doing it wrong. The Old 97’s have had a community surrounding their music since the early days, and that’s why they have had such a long and storied career. Each show is like a reunion that just happened to book the best band ever.
This show concludes touring for the 97’s for the near future, as Rhett moves on to complete his solo album and gears up for some SXSW gigs. Check out the project on Pledge Music.
