the acffh morST cyber-blog is here now.

morst's PITOWN 2007 (pt 2)

Thursday, Sept 6, 2007: So we got ourselves down the interstate. . . past the giant windmills,
and up 29 Palms Highway to Yucca Valley, got some groceries, and headed up Pioneertown road
to the historic Pioneertown Motel. The schedule called for Chris LeRoy at 9PM then Railbenders at 10, but nobody seemed sure what time things would actually get going. Beachbum had his autograph session over by room 12 of the Pitown Motel, he was signing little leather tush covers, well, leather discs that could be used to cover a small part of one's tush, I suppose. He also had some images printed out but he did not want to sign those when he decided that they were counterfeit, showing a scene which never took place.
Over at Pappy and Harriet's, the Railbenders played an early Soundcheck set around 6PM for the bikers who rode up with the local Harley dealership's monthly ride. The Railbenders played about a 20-minute set: Whiskey Saturday Night, Like A Wheel, Black Chrome Horse, I'm At Home Gettin' Hammered (While She's Out Getting Nailed), Whiskey Rain, and I Drive A Truck.
Then, satisfied that the sound was ready to go, they cleared out, and sat down and had dinner. Around 9PM Chris LeRoy came out with Johnny and played three acoustic tunes (On a Good Thing, San Bernardino Boy, Whole Lotta Trouble), then was joined by the rest of Death Of Me to celebrate their CD release. The band played Please Please Please, The Trees, Last Train, Saint and a Sinner, then closed with Let It Drown. I suppose it was the debut performace of pretty much everything except San Bernardino Boy and Whole Lotta Trouble. Casey Martin mixed the audio for the evening, and the crowd was really into the music. During the Death Of Me set, the crowd nera the stage was in rapt attention mode, singing along with the newly debuted songs like they were classics already, having heard the demos and pre-release postings on the myspace page. Back in the pool table area, the bikers were seen dancing with pool cues. It was an amazing level of crowd response for a band's first gig, breaking out unplayed songs, and a great way to start the official Campout schedule.
After Chris's set was over, The Railbenders got right up there and played about a 40 minute set consisting of Midnight Train, Country Song, Dope Smokin' Song, I Drive A Truck, I'm At Home Gettin' Hammered (While She's Out Getting Nailed), It's Time To Party, Whiskey Drinkin' Man, O.D.'d In Denver, Hellbound Party Train, Honeymoon Song, Drivin' Back to Denver, and ending with Drive Away. I Drive a Truck was dedicated to Mat, who had made his mark on Railbenders history at the Hollywood gig the night before, and who told Jim Dalton of some misheard lyrics which were funnier than the actual lyrics. Jim sang Mat's lyrics, and, not knowing the original version, I thought it was the best line in the tune! Wonder if that will stay that way, or just be a cool alternate!?
After the Railbenders, the scene shifted to The Hickman Dalton Gang - Johnny Hickman and Jim Dalton, playing a three-song set of Whiskey Rain, then Old Border Town, and finishing up with Mexican Jail. Johnny and Jim have only been doing the "gang" thing for less than a year, but they sure play great together! After the HDG set, Johnny and David got up and did a great nine-song Cracker Acoustic Duo set of Dr Bernice, Been Around The World, Sidi Ifni, Everybody Gets One Free, Teen Angst, Big Dipper, One Fine Day, Mr Wrong, and then Friends. Following the set, the crowd adjouned from Pappy and Harriet's to the motel for the first night of Porchstock, featuring Johnny, members of the Railbenders, Frank, Casey, Mr Monkeyfingers, Father Dan, and many others singing, picking, and percussing! An auspicious start to the first official three-day Crampout.

Labels: Chris LeRoy, Dalton Hickman Gang, Death Of Me, Hickman Dalton Gang, Hutchins Harley Davidson, Pappy and Harriet's, Pioneertown Motel, Porchstock, Railbenders, Yucca Valley