I'm going to spend 4 days/3 nights in Texas next month--2 nights in Dallas and 1 in Austin. Does anyone have suggestions for music-related points I should visit? I'm particularly interested in blues spots and plan to visit Stubbs in Austin. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also, if any of you live in the area and want to get together, feel free to get in touch.

As always, thanks!

If David Grissom is playing while you're there, HIGHLY recommended. He's an awesome player.

And if anyone tells you Dallas loves you, duck!

Ha! I certainly don't want to lose my head over this trip!

Actually, I'm going to studiously avoid any of the assassination sites. The wound is still too raw (even though I was only 2 months old when it happened). I will, however, hit the LBJ library in Austin.

Is Gilley's still operating? If so, be sure to post some video of you riding the mechanical bull.

Ever heard of Toni Price? A few years back, some of her CDs made it as far as stores in Florida, but she sticks to Austin, where she sings "every Tuesday from 7 – 10 PM at the Continental Club on South Congress Avenue." http://toniprice.net/

Smiff's bull is anything but mechanical.



I'm pretty sure your alibi will hold up.

Someday, I'd like to get down to Dealey Plaza. Bill Hicks' routine about the assassination is fabulous, as is Tim Wilson's Uncle B.S. bit about it.

I saw her on one of her rare journeys outside of Texas, and I liked her. Have a couple of her cds. She was on my wanna list when I went to Austin, but never made it.

I did stop in for lunch at Threadgill's, where Janis Joplin used sing at the very beginning of her career, although I think it's historic in name only at this point in its history. They still have live music sometimes and a claimed "World Famous Chicken-Fried Steak," but locals would know better than I if this is a worthwhile stop. Mostly I was feeling touristy and went there for the musically historic aspect. As I'm not a chicken-fried steak connoisseur, I can't compare it to other c-f steaks.

This sounds like the place to stop for lunch. I had dinner at Barney's Beanery in Hollywood a couple of months ago, which is where Janis went the night before she died. If I go to Threadgill's I can hit the other end of her professional timeline. Plus, chicken-fried steak sounds fabulous--and world famous CFS sounds extra fabulous!

If I ever go to Austin, one place I want to visit is the Lucky Lounge. Ian McLagan (Small Faces/Faces) live in Austin and does a residency of free shows there.

He's there on May 29th and June 5th if either of those happen to be the days you're there.

I'll be there that week. I'll definitely have to look into that. Thanks!

Well, I just returned and I had a blast in Austin. Cryton took the day (and evening) to show me around, and he was a fabulous (and generous) host. He took me to a few clubs, including the Continental Club and the Chugging Monkey for live music (and beers), a german beer garden (Shultz's?), and we even went to the LBJ library, which was cool. He also drove me around so I could see the whole city. It really is a lovely city, and I can't wait to go back. I also really enjoyed the ride down from Dallas. He stayed until midnight, so I'm sure he was dragging ass today.

So, here's a public THANK YOU!

Hey, it was great to meet you! I'm glad you enjoyed your visit. You'll have to come back when you have more time to stay so we can get thrown out of some more venues around town.

You were a gracious and fun host. Patient too since I was running off at the mouth so much. I think it was the excitement of being in a strange and exotic land.

Hopefully you'll have a chance to come to Boston so I can return the favor. We'll sit on the Monstah!

Cryton has been Smiffed...and will never be the same. It's a life-changing experience and I'm not sure that I mean that in a good way.

And he's a much nicer guy than the rest of you miscreants...so I'm sure he is truly scarred.

Miscreant, huh? I can live with that.