[We would like to thank Landon Schoenefeld (user @nomidwestlove IG: @_colonel_mustard) for recapping last night’s show. -Ed.]

Howdy Partners! For today’s recap I’m going to need you to read these words and imagine the writer's voice is a cross between Sam Elliot’s character from The Big Lebowski and The Rich Texan from The Simpsons. I’m really leaning into the Texas thing here, and if you can’t handle that, then this recap may not be for you. Mosey along now, and feel free to hit that dusty trail doggie.

Austin, Texas. Helluva town, barring all the damn hippies that is. Amazing Tex-Mex. The best BBQ in the world. Every dang cocktail you’ve ever heard of turned into a slushie. The smell inside Allen’s Boots. They even build the buildings here in a way as to not block a single ray of sun from hitting the capitol building. Deep in the heart of Texas (clap, clap, clap)!

The show started slightly earlier than usual at 7:55pm. The lights went down and it got dark; darker than a steer’s tokus on a moonless night. The band kicked off with “Punch You in the Eye,” woo doggie! Classic opener. Big Red with some crunky effects in the beginning, they seemed to continue with the recent tradition of extending the intro with some playful jamming. Not quite on par with the PYITE from Bill Graham last Spring but a fun way to start the show all the same. I’m not sure if anyone else noticed this, but the ending of the song has been changed. No longer is there a guitar-piano-guitar outro. It is now a shortened guitar into piano, then quickly done. I’m not exactly sure when or why they made this change after 36 years of playing the dang song, but I’ve noticed it in the last couple of versions. For the record, I’m against it.

Next up was “Free.” A favorite of my old buddy Bill Dauterive who loved to go see the Phish and live in a parking lot. This Free was the standard hose variety, but the breakdown jam had me clickin’ and tappin’ my boots per usual.

“My Soul” followed. The Clifton Chenier penned tune. An alright dude in my book, despite being from Louisiana. Lots of covers this run. Cactus’s bass got some rumps a shakin’. USDA choice only so far.

Upon conclusion, Trey sure did seem excited, giving a little hop on stage before dropping into “555.” Admittedly, not my favorite choice, but bless their pretty little hearts, "555" offered up some of the first real interesting jamming of the night. Starting off with some dissonance into some darker territory. Kuroda’s lights seemed to have formed the mountains from a Coors can. Now I of course prefer Lone Star, but aw hell, the mountains were blue at least. Trey’s guitar poked through triumphantly near the end.

Then they dropped into “Reba.” A song about an inventor who engages in commerce, as so brilliantly described by my recapping colleague @farmhose a few shows back. Woowee! I love me some "Reba," but I was madder than a hornet because more than a few of my neighbors decided to chomp for most of the jam. These poor folks could have talked the legs off a chair I tell you what. It must have been their first rodeo. Anyhoo, a solid rendition building to a white light peak. Sans the whistling.

“Hey Stranger” came after. A newish song that I happen to really love. The jam was hotter than a stolen tamale. Almost like a aboriginal funk with growling effects coming from Trey’s new/old Koa 1.5 guitar. A syncopated, plinko-adjacent jam to end the song.

Then the opening notes of “Plasma” came out of the ether. Calm and patient improvisation to start. Somewhat cyclical in nature. A lot of the squares in my section took their seats (many of the same chompers from the "Reba" jam, coincidence?). But the band slowly built to a danceable peak. Much like a big, beautiful beef rib, done low and slow, until nice and smokey-tender. Tasty jam.

And then, what in the name of high school football?!? “Gueluh Papyrus!” A mini bust-out as it were. Aboard a craft bereft an oar. A favorite of mine for sure. Mike and Trey nailing the choreographed dance moves.

Bang! Another surprise with “Moonage Daydream.” In continuity with all the covers from this run, the Bowie penned rocker was a banger way to end the set. Trey hitting some sustained notes towards the end to a very appreciative and raucous crowd.

Set break was a special kind of Austin brand weird. Worthy of mention, Moody Center is a fantastic venue. Good sightlines, easy to navigate, nice bathrooms with hot water in the sinks and eco-friendly water filling stations. Goddamn hippies.

The lights went down again at approximately 9:41 for set two. “Chalk Dust Torture” was called by my Canadian neighbors to our rear. Hot diggity dog, those maple syrup swilling, gravy fry eating SOBs were right! Now I had me some high expectations for this set opening CDT, but the jam stuck close to the vest. There was some ambient trolling with Gordo’s bass really carrying the jam along and nice fills on the Rhodes from the chairman. It did build to a soaring little jam, and I took a moment to bask in the warm wall of sound. Ultimately this Chalk Dust was dryer than a popcorn fart in my opinion, only clocking in at about twelve minutes before segueing into “Twist."

“Twist” had a slightly thick and funky jam but again fell a little short if you ask me. Were the boys gonna kick into high gear this set or not? So far, it had seemed to be all hat and no cattle.

Thankfully, they gave us “Ruby Waves” next. Now we’re talking! Easily a contender for jam of the night. Certainly the longest. Some repeating riffs from Trey to start the jam into some more mellow lo-fi playing eventually it went into some hawk-like screeching from Trey’s guitar. Some pulsing, flashing electric lights. A truly mesmerizing display from CK5. Cubism accompanied by synths. I got a wiff of deemsters. Some foolhardy hippie was really going for it. But that smell could gag a maggot I tell you what. Dead alien babies. The second section of the jam was more spacious and before you know it, I was swimming in the primordial womb. Perhaps I had got a bit of a contact high. And then dagnabbit, I swear I heard a jam akin to “Blaze On”. Perhaps conscience of this, the band steered away into a breakdown awash with heavy clavinet and wonky bass effects. A crunky jam ensued with Trey just spittin’ notes. A slow-motion conclusion brought them horses back into the corral.

“Monsters” served as the cooldown afterwards. Some real bravado coming out of Trey accompanied by some Gilmore-esque riffing.

Now I can’t help but think of my old buddy Jefe from the Arizona desert every time they play “Limb by Limb.” This poor sucker has been chasing LxL for God knows how long. Well Jefe, you might start seeing more shows with me because I checked my stats to find out that last night’s version was my 21st LxL. What in tarnation? Page really tickled them ivories before building to yet another white light peak.

Collectively, I think we all felt the “Split Open and Melt” coming next. And boy howdy, we were ready! The MVP of the show may have been my man Kuroda again impressively morphing the light rig into a double helix. The jam aligned with most of the modern-day Melts. It was about as clear as mud. The freakout I call it. Walking basslines. What in the hell? Is this free jazz? I looked over yonder only to see some poor fans faces being melted off.

“Rock and Roll” is a solid way to end the show. Yet another cover. The notes were again a flying and came to a blistering peak even for a relatively short version.

“Waste” came in the encore giving a chance for all the dudes to pull their fillies in tight and maybe even give them a do-si-do.

‘Say it to me S.A.N.T.O.S.” was great way to rock the arena one last time.

Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Life by the Drop” seemed apropos on the PA for the walkout music. All in all, a solid show, but maybe a couple sandwiches shy of a picnic, especially compared to Friday nights barn burner. Still, I think our man Ernest earned his native plates here in Austin and I say with gusto: y’all come back now ya hear!

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