The Bottle Rockets were friggin' great. I am old. →[More:] Unlike my companions pips and Hugh Janus, I did a full work shift before the show (in stifling heat). So, I am sore all over and at the Odessa diner afterward, I nearly pitched forward into my eggs.

Anyway, having a smoke before the show, I noticed a wiry guy with a porkpie hat and goatee standing on the sidewalk watching people go by. I walked over. "Are you who I think you are?" "Well, who do you think I am?" "Brian Henneman. [the Rockets lead singer]" "Yup, that's me." and he shook my hand and chatted for a few minutes. He was very cool and I told him that I'd been waiting to see them live for 15 years and was really stoked. One of the perks of being a fan of a band with a small cult audience.

Openers the Apple Brothers and Eric Amble & the Roscoe Trio* did excellent sets. At 11, they took the stage, and when they opened with 'Welfare Music,' I realized that I hadn't won the setlist contest. (the winner we found out was standing right next to us. His choices were great "Slo Toms," "Smokin' 100's Alone" "Radar Gun" and all the rest got played perfectly. His choice of a cover song ("Suffragette City") was inspired. During the encores we got to shout out for whatever we wanted and I yelled loud enough that Henneman said "Somebody really wants to hear Gotta Get Up, so here goes,' and they tore into and I pogo'd around like a madman. They closed with a cover of 'Come & Get Your Love' featuring several female audience members go-go dancing onstage. An excellent show, see them if you can.

*Ambel is also the Rockets producer, and was formerly in the Del-Lords, who were led by former Dictator Scott "Top Ten" Kempner. Six degrees of separation, baby!