The Gobblers Knob

A friend and I attended the 92.5 Lone Star Fandango starring ZZ Top.  I went for all of the bands leading up to the sharp-dressed men with beards, fuzzy guitars & cheap sunglasses.  Below I have detailed the days events and observations:

1:30pm: Pull into parking lot $15 poorer (I didnt have a rebel flag, so it was full-price, more on that as we go).

1:35pm: Achieve amazement at the variety and creativity of rebel flags.  We have already seen one with the phrase “Dimebag Darrell RIP” & one with a skull wearing a top hat.  I wasn’t aware at this early stage that I would continue to see a cornucopia of rebel flag translations.  Rebel Flag Count - 3.

2pm:  Realize that the lawn area is going to be hotter than the chins of David Alan Coe and ZZ Top combined.  I locate a booth that is selling upgrades to the shaded area, throw my money at them as I shout “bless you and your family, my son.”  We catch the Boys Named Sue  set and feel bad for them as they are the sweatiest, hottest people in the place (except for 1100 Springs, who played the side stage next) as the spectators (except me for some reason) all stay 30 feet back suckling the loving bosom of sweet shade that the pavillion in front of the second stage teased the people that came after 1 o’clock with. Rebel Flag Count - 5, including one with a picture of David Alan Coe in the middle where the X comes together.

3pm:  Await the beginning of the Drams set at the main stage.  Brent Best rules, because I met him beforehand and talked to him (if me stuttering “hey man, big fan, see ya” is a talk).  They tore through their 40 minutes and even threw us a treat with an old Slobberbone song (”Just One Man“).  They rocked, then I rolled back to the side stage for Mario Matteolli (former Weary Boy) and his band.  He offered a short set of classic Parson’s-style country rock without making you sad that he isn’t touring with the Boys that are Weary .  Rebel Flag Count - 73.  That sounds like a big jump in a short time, but it’s getting more crowded.  One totally sober (not really) old-timer was wearing a painted-on rebel flag on his disturbingly smooth and concave chest.

4:00 pm:  David Alan Coe just fell down during his set and got up as a track of Waylon singing background was playing.  He must’ve hit his head because he proceeded to play everyone’s songs but his own, then tell us he wrote them (even if he didn’t actually “write” them).  Rebel Flag Count - 74.  The only one I saw this time around was the one that David Alan Coe’s guitar was in the shape of, which oddly enough, was only the first Rebel Flag themed guitar of the night.

5:20pm: Drive By Truckers kicked out the sweet as sun-tea jams.  “Marry Me” and “Gravity’s Gone” were hi-lites, as I was seeing them for the first time after years of pining to.  Rebel Flag Count - 112.  Hats, flags, chests, shorts, jeans….they are taking over!!!

5:45 pm:  Bottle Rockets on side stage, sucks for them, AWESOME for us.  They should be allowed to command the main stage if there was any real justice in this world, but there must not be, as evidenced by a crappy time slot on a side stage.  As they roared into “Indianapolis,” Brent Best (who has toured with Bottle Rockets recently) walked up and stood right next to me and rocked along as he and I pumped our fists (I was really wondering if I had a chance with him, but then realized I didnt want to explain that to my pregnant wife at home).  The Rockets blazed through a few of the songs (”Lucky Break,” “Radar Gun,” “Welfare Music“) that have helped create the niche that is “Alt-Country,” which they will tell you doesn’t really exist, so it must be true ‘cuz they rule the school. Rebel Flag Count -112.  I so didn’t have time to look as I was worshipping at the feet of the Bottle Rockets next to my boyfri…I mean, uh, with Brent Best standing near me.

6:15 pm:  Shooter Jennings is the definition of cool, and his band is as cool.  “Gone to Carolina” was Shooter telling the crowd that his amazing daddy is never too far away.  Rebel Flag Count - 12,003.  I missed the sets of the Old 97’s and ZZ Top making sure I got my count right.  The last one counted was the grey and black rebel flag pattern that covered Shooters guitar, which brings the count of guitars that look like rebel flags to an astounding 2 in one day.

Well, that was my day, and as it turns out, the last concert I’ll go to in my truck (not now, it’s too soon to talk about it), and before my lil’ baby boy is born (any day now).

The Drams - Truth Lies Low