Wow, Folks.
How’s it going? I’m off. A little fragmented and jagged. The road. Lack of exercise. The world is on fire. Unhealthy food. Unnecessary troll battles. It all adds up.
I did get some kind of reprieve in the midst of it all. Dean Delray and I had a great little Texas tour. It’s fun to travel and drive with someone you get along with and like the same music.
We landed in Dallas on Thursday, rented a car. We did the show at the Majestic Theatre that night and it was amazing. Great audiences in Texas. I never know what’s going to happen but I’ve learned that you can’t quite generalize a state in terms of who you think lives there. There really are good people of all kinds almost everywhere in this country. I’ve had a relationship with Texas forever. I grew up next door in New Mexico. It always seemed like its own country to me and it kind of is. Expansive.
The need to eat barbeque becomes almost overwhelming when I go to Texas. I generally try to do it just once at Opie’s but for some reason the urge was too strong and we found ourselves at the Pecan Lodge in Dallas minutes after checking into the hotel. It’s not an old school place but the meat was serviceable. Good. Meat sweats and meat naps started hours into the journey.
After Dallas, we made the drive to Austin. Well, actually, to Spicewood for some Opie’s BBQ. We share a deep love for AC/DC and we rocked it for almost four hours in a Chevy Malibu through the flats and hills of Texas. It was a perfect drive. I’ve been driving all my life and there is a Zen to hit with the right music and we hit it. There’s was head rocking, air guitar playing, some air drums, maybe a little air bass, some singing. Texas gets short shrift for its beauty but when you are rolling through it and you feel the massive context of what it is, it is a stunning expanse. Only made better by Highway to Hell pounding out from the inside of car. Rock vessel.
Opie’s always delivers. When you climb out of a rock vessel after hours driving it feels like you’ve just landed on another planet. This was Planet Meat. Kristin, who owns the place, always takes good care of me. We had amazing meal and set out for Austin. That night at the Paramount Theater was stellar. We both had a great show.
The next morning we set out for Houston. Overly meated and a bit heavy and laid back. We cranked up the Grateful Dead station and rode one concert all the way to Houston. I think it was from ’72. It was an entirely different tone, obviously, but it was right. Texas looks different with the Dead blasting. Everything is warm and flowing.
We got to Houston and ate some Indian food at Pondicheri. First thing. I love that place. Then we checked into the hotel. Crashed for a couple hours then headed out a few blocks to the theater at the Wortham Center. Amazing show. Great crowds all over the Texas we covered.
Did some hotel room troll battling after posting what I thought would be a conciliatory tweet to Marvel fans to stop acting like religious fanatics defending their belief system. It didn’t go down well. They responded like religious fanatics defending their belief system. I’m all for having a good time but big business escapism and fantasy shouldn’t be so charged that it affects the core of who you are. But maybe that’s just the raging inner child that can’t accept or understand why everyone doesn’t like what it likes. I know, I’m in the joker movie. Doesn’t erase my opinion.
Today I talk to Betty Gilpin! She’s my co-star on GLOW and has done a lot of acting in a lot of things. I love her. On Thursday I talk to Blues legend Buddy Guy. He tells me a couple of stories that were just beautiful if you’re a blues person. Personal anecdotes about people that were so specific and mind changing. Great talks!
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron