Sunday April 14, 2019
With no set schedule for the day, I drove into downtown Clarksville and ditched the car. Most of the road barricades were gone, as were some of the temporary stages. The bulk of the festival was indeed over.
There’s a famous breakfast place downton called Our Grandma’s House of Pancakes. Even today there was a line for their limited seating. In the adjoining room, Big Jon Short was playing, and his guitar wafted through the restaurant. It made the wait quite pleasant actually.
I worked by way back to Ground Zero and settled in to listen to Lala.
One person I wanted to catch was Watermelon Slim. I caught the end of his set two years ago. He was scheduled to go on at 1:30P at the Bluesberry Cafe. He’s the owner, cook and dishwasher when he’s not performing. I lucked out and got a seat in a booth.
Dickie James and Da Guv’nor were playing.
I can't tell you much about the guitarist on the left who goes my Da Guv'nor. But, he did something I haven't seen anyone do since Jimi Hendrix... Yes, he played it with his teeth.
Next up was Carlos Elliot. He's up from Colombia. The blues always intrigued him and he came to Mississippi to learn and embrace it. His music was a little more upbeat.
During the break, Guy and Donna joined me in the booth. We had a nice chat. Donna and I compared band pictures from the festival. When Jessie Cotton Stone came out, we settled in. At one point they stood up and danced. Space was limited and they were having a great time. Donna’s phone was on the table, so I took a few shots of them together and didn’t say anything, figuring it would be a nice surprise when they found them.
Bill Able was up next and had the joint hopping. The highlight though, we convinced the owner, Watermelon Slim to come out of the kitchen and join in. What a great treat!
Once Bill Able finished his set, it was time to head out and find some food. Naturally, a place called the Stone Pony caught my eye. After a late lunch, I headed back to the car to swap out lenses. Where I was headed would be a little cramped for the 70-300mm. That's when I heard my name. It was Sue, minus the mirror ball hat. We chatted for a while before she headed for home.
As for me, I was headed for the after party at Red's Lounge. I did this two years ago and learned you've got to be there early if you want a seat. It's one of the last of the old school juke joints. When it rains, the roof even leaks.
The after party is held at Red’s Tavern starting at 8P. I walked in around 6:30P. I heard my name again. This time it was Page from the breakfast line. We grabbed seats right next to the stage. A half hour later, I hear my name again and it’s John from breakfast. I've gotta tell you, it's weird hearing your name called out three times in one evening like that.
The music started with the house band around 7:45P. There’s a sign in sheet. All are welcome. When they call your name, you sit in with the band for a few songs. This kept the styles and sounds changing. This alone is worth staying Sunday for.
Around 10:30P, I decided to call it a day and head back to the hotel. The fun began when I walked in the door. From the main lobby, there are casinos left and right. On the far side of the casinos are the hotels rooms. The security guard told me my side was closed. This time of year it’s only open Friday and Saturday. But, my stuff was still in my room. She couldn't help me.
At the front desk I was informed that yes, that side of the hotel was indeed closed. They had no idea why this wasn’t flagged at check in. I had to wait over a half hour for a security supervisor to escort me to the room to pack up all my stuff and move it clear across the facility. I was already tired and getting crankier by the minute. There were some other reasons, but I will never stay at the Capris Island Hotel again. I was finally in the new room a little after midnight. Remember, I did tell you this would come back in the narrative.
And believe it or not, it does get worse. It even involves a sheriff’s deputy.
No comments:
Post a Comment