Monday, April 27, 2009

The Cowboy Festival 2009



We spent a wonderful afternoon at the Cowboy Festival in Santa Clarita: cooler weather than ever before, fewer exposed tattoos on rolling flesh, and actual good food for the first time: bison tri tip cooked by Bristol Farms. And all kinds of music related to cowboys, however indirectly.

As we were getting on the bus taking us back to the parking lot late yesterday, the couple above got on board.

I said: "Ooh, a matching set!" (referring to their clothes.)
She said: "I feel like a movie star."
I said: "You two look great! I'll take your picture."
She said: "Look at the camera dear."
He said: "It was just like travelling in time today."
She said: "I'm from Chile. He made me love him."
He said: "No, you made me love you!"
I said: "Tierra del Fuego!" (hey can I keep a conversation going?)
He said: "There aren't any polar bears down where she comes from."

The bus started up.

They called out, "It was great to meet you" as they got off the bus.

The best act was Sourdough Slim accompanied by my old pal Bob Armstrong whose music was so outstanding it almost dwarfed Sourdough's charming vaudeville act. I didn't think to take a picture when I went up to the stage to say hello to Bob, and when I took a picture from my seat from the phone it was useless.

I was disappointed in Hot Club of Cowtown. The new chick dominates the band and Whit Smith just seemed kind of sad and not miked right.

This band plays Civil War marching band music in Union army attire. Some of the band members looked about that old. Notice all the horns face backwards, so the soldiers marching along behind can be motivated by the music.

7 comments:

Linda Davick said...

That's some great dialogue there.

But SALLY! We know that Bob's music is the best. But we have never seen him without his nose in a twist. We needed a picture! Oh, all wight. You still gave a very good report.

stray said...

Funny you hear Civil War music in California!

Mean Jean said...

You are having too much fun.

Namowal (Jennifer Bourne) said...

"Exposed tattoos on rolling flesh?"
I'm glad it was a cool day too.

I never knew about backward facing horns, but it makes sense.

What exactly is the Cowboy Festival? The entertainment you mentioned sounded rather eclectic.

p.s. What does bison taste like? Would you be able to taste the difference between bison and beef if you were served the former?

Sally said...

Look in his photo album at facebook, Linda. I think it's called Mein Pictures.

Mean Jean, fun is about to end.

Namowal, it was originally called the Cowboy Poetry Festival and has been going on for many years. The poetry acts got fewer, and it switched to a general theme of Western music or any sound that could have been in an old cowboy movie.

That's really what it's about, old movie cowboys that baby boomers watched on tv. really.

They had a quiz on the bus over where the guide named a movie cowboy and you had to come up with the name of the cowboy's horse.

Jon and I were nailing them!

A Wanderer said...

The Hot Club of Cowtown has a new lead singer?

I saw them opening for Dylan several times when Elena James was still with them. Great stuff. One of the last Dylan shows I attended in 2007 had her new band, Elena James and the Continental Two. Whit Smith joined them on stage. One wonders why the line-up change happened at all.

Got my tickets to see Dylan again this summer in Dayton in July! Woohoo! Last year was the first entire year I went without seeing him live since 2002. I made up for it by seeing Tom Waits, though.

Sally said...

A Wanderer, I didn't write it clearly enough. Elana James is still lead singer for Hot Club of Cowtown. For a while Whit Smith branched off in bands with other names. They must have a testy relationship. Enjoy those concerts! Sure you've seen the docu dvd on Dylan that's out now, but if not, it's great.