Wednesday, August 5, 2009

BRUCE ROBISON at Cactus Cafe 7-31-09

Boy, have we missed Bruce. He spoiled us last summer, playing every Wednesday night at Scholz Beer Garten. Haven't seen him since. Not that he hasn't been playing around town. We just, for one reason or another, hadn't made it to a show since the Scholz series ended.
On this night he had part of the band with him: pedal steel, lead guitar and keyboard. They played 2 one hour sets. He is the best writer around, period. His stuff never gets old, no matter how often you hear it. He can really get you going with honky tonk or do the softest ballads to where you can hear a pin drop in the place.
We got to hear 2 new songs. One is called "The New Me." It's written from the perspective of a jilted lover who is being replaced. Hence, the new me. Which is really a clever play on words since usually when you hear that phrase, it's a positive. Leave it to Bruce to come up with that spin.
The second new song we heard I don't know the title of, but it was written about the cop who killed the UT Texas tower sniper back in 1966. Evidently, that cop, Houston McCoy, struggled throughout his life afterward. It is a very powerful song, one of those where, if the pin dropped, we'd have heard it. It was especially memorable as the anniversary of the shooting was the next day.
Bruce played all the favorites, too; "My Brother and Me," "Wrapped," "Not Forgotten You," "Angry Anymore..." the list goes on and on.
Opening was Jenny Reynolds. She did a great job, about a 30 minute set and really won over his audience.
This was a $15 cover. Expensive by Austin standards : )

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