Flew home to Texas to get over the illness - Thursday night until Tuesday morning. Didn't follow all the rules and went to Austin for the night Saturday...saw Wan Santo Condo, Oliver Future and Shane Bartell at The Mercury. For a place I've never been to before, I will miss it when it's gone. The Mercury shuts it's doors on May 4th to make way for a hip-hop club, with a twist.

Evidently, the owners of The Yellow Rose (a Gentlemen's Club in Austin) have become big fans of the "everything" venue. They've wanted to open their own club on 6th, so they made the Mercury guys an offer on the club they couldn't turn down. According to venue watchers at Lovejoy's, "The new owners have encouraged the strippers from The Rose to hang out at the club when they're not working." This would lead me to believe all of the guys who go to see the ladies work at The Yellow Rose can meet up with their favorite starlet, buy her (them) a drink and impress her with how well THEY dance...um, well...yeah, not likely.

I consider this something of a repeat, seeing the Soho out of the windows of The Mercury. The Soho was an upstairs hip-hop spot (managed by Mr. Dudley, turned engineering student) that occasionally hosted many groups of ladies from the various Gentlemen's clubs around town. I remember Mr. Dudley's heyday at the Soho; I kinda remember buying a drink for a lady or two, but I never showed them how well I dance.

Wan Santo Condo has good rock chops and the singer / guitarist has perfected the "Chris Cornell" sound...but that's the problem. There's only one Soundgarden - never to be repeated...only on Hoot nights.

Speaking of Hoots...is Johnny Cash serious covering DM's "Personal Jesus"? I almost fell out of my chair.

Oliver Future is what makes rock fun and exciting. The lyrics are introspective and grieving ("I love your complications, why don't you love me")...but we all know it's ALL about the delivery. They produce the energy, the stage swagger and sincerity that wins over the crowd, even if they are aping Bowie and Iggy - at least they left the outfits back with A Love Supreme. The new group hits it flush and you need to pay heed - especially if they land J.J. Johnson on drums full time.