BIG STAGE. Big Sound. Big Fun. Happy People. Sunshine. Me jumping around, sliding all over the neck of my guitar, Eddy taking killer solos, Zirkel in a funny straw hat, Lorrie in a blue flowing skirt…Brad kicking the beat on the backside….Lisa Loeb and Shawn Colvin were solo, so I hope it was alright I had brought the band, but so much JUMPING and FUN. I love when people dance at our shows! I love heads bobbing and hand waving and big smiles and holler backs.
Drove home with Phoebe (fiddle player with the Hudsons) by my side. We laughed! We yelled! We sang! She snapped fingers! We drank sodas! We asked questions and told stories and stopped to pee and get gas and bought kolaches in West, Texas! Drove her to Hudson’s house, which, oddly enough, was the house my best friend Caryl inhabited long ago. A nice reminder at the end of a fantastic weekend.
This was a fine Sunday.
Saturday: Started the morning on the baseball diamond, watching Lily play her final game of the season after arriving from a third grade all nighter at Sea World. BONUS SURPRISE: Coach Rick gave a lovely speech about how on every team there is always one player who gives there all, always says, “What can I do to help, coach?”, sticks around to put things away…and, so, my dear Lily received the most valuable player award for 2006!!! Plus her gold statuette (complete with golden ponytails for the girl players). Then we caught “Over the Hedge” after lunch to celebrate. I fell asleep during the movie. So, you know it was slow and relaxing. If you want slow and relaxing, go see this movie.
Drove up with dear Lorrie and had much fun chatting and practicing a capella. Checked in to the hotel, got changed, drove over to the venue, an in-door theatre where we went on stage at 9:45 and shared songs, chuckles, stories and love. Afterwards, my old friend, Kim Platko, surprised me from behind the curtains back stage, and he and I caught up on life/death/happenings for about an hour out in my car. He was the one-of-a-kind guitarist for Domestic Science Club. He has been winning gold medals in Tai Chi. Of all the guitarists I have ever played with, he is right up there in my top favorites: Brad McLemore, Andy Timmons, Kim Platko, Adrian Belew, Mitch Watkins, Jon Sanchez. It was great to see Kim. He is a gentleman and a true friend.
Today, I hope to hear from Mr. Drake. I am going to continue to send positive love and hope out into his world. I have got to believe in my own journey. I’ve got to believe that I belong. For though I am weary, and sometimes feel forgotten, I’ll find the strength…in my own song!!
Thank you to everyone who helps me in this endeavor of a musical dream….I mean that. Thank you.
gurdonark
says:hi Sara:
My wife and I had the good fortune to see both your Poor David’s Pub show (we were faithful library patrons) and your Wildflower Festival show (to the extent we could see over the dancers). I had not seen you perform live since the 1980s, so it was great to see that you’re in such fine form still. The material on the new album sounds like some of your strongest material yet.
When Lisa Loeb told the anecdote about being a teen-ager and wanting to see you play, but being too young to get into the Deep Ellum clubs like Club Dada, I thought to myself that I am just enough older than Lisa (and perhaps a year or two older than you) to have been inside Clearview or Prophet Bar or Theatre Gallery, while others arguably looked in, and sometimes you were on stage–as well as other amazing acts, like the True Believers, the dBs and (under the green tomato moon of the Tango frogs) the Dream Syndicate.
I remember when you opened once for Christine Lavin, at that converted movie theater that now is some kind of dance lounge on Greenville, just before you got your first “major” record deal. Christine raved about how in a year you’d be signed and famous. At Poor David’s, you could make the same prediction for Kristy Kruger (who is amazing–I had found her music on Myspace, and I’m thrilled to see her get the recent attention here she’s gotten). The spyrograph spins round, and the pencil makes the coolest patterns.
The only drawback for me to a Sara Hickman concert is always wanting to hear “last night was a big rain”, when it is such an old and no doubt “by the wayside” part of your repertoire.
Yet I enjoyed all the things you did play at each show. I also enjoyed hearing Edward’s piano jazz CD. He should do a solo piano piece just before your shows, because his work is interesting, complex and yet soothing.
Lately, I’ve been having fun making amateur music videos on youtube.com. My latest one, of one of my own ambient pieces, is at:
It’s a bit…odd…but that goes with the weirdbient territory in which I travel. Maybe someday it would be fun to do a more traditional video for one of your songs, if you’d grant the permission for me to do so.
Best of fortune with your new album–if I clicked all the things right, I’ve got my pre-order down.
best,
Robert
who records as gurdonark
DeAnna
says:Ok.. do we take the “groupies award” now or what? We had never heard of the Wildflower! Fest, but saw it on the schedule and decided “LET’S GO SEE SARA!” WE HAD A BLAST!!!! Sara, you rocked that little auditorium Saturday night and thank you for recognizing us and the hugs! Earlier in the day, we got a most excited phone call from our teenager back at home, “YOU HAVE A PACKAGE FROM SARA!!!”. Can’t wear the t-shirts to school, though, Sara.. at least not in Georgetown!! (haha!)
Any way, we loved seeing you both days- and we’re passing the MOTHERLODE word on to anyone we encounter (about to head to the chiropractor in Liberty Hill, TX and leave some fliers there!)..
Much love and joy,
DeAnna & Laurisa