Not a fan
I was looking forward to seeing Dale Watson last Friday night, but I wasn't looking forward to seeing him at The Woodlands Tavern. It's a venue I don't frequent often and I was last there in 2013 for Jon Dee Graham. To me, the entire back area smelled like urine and despite the small space, you could barely see the stage from any vantage point.
I ended up by the bar, near an emergency exit door, and it was the best view I had while I was there. The other part may have just been me, being the only POC in the building, but every time I shifted my position to get a better view, the guys in front of me would shift to block my view. After about 30 minutes of this I relocated to the bar area. The whole vibe kind of ruined the evening for me and I left after less than an hour. I got to hear "My Baby Makes Me Gravy" and "South of Round Rock Texas", which is always a good time.
I wore my Ego's shirt in the hopes I'd get a chance to chat with Dale after the show about seeing him play there back in the day, but my early departure prevented that. He complained at one point about nobody dancing, but there was no room. In Austin, the dance floor is always left free for folks to get up and cut a rug, but at Woodlands, the only area to dance in was near the entrance and merch table, which was highly congested. One couple was braving the crowd and dancing though and that made my heart happy. "It's Been a Long Trucking Day."
I ended up by the bar, near an emergency exit door, and it was the best view I had while I was there. The other part may have just been me, being the only POC in the building, but every time I shifted my position to get a better view, the guys in front of me would shift to block my view. After about 30 minutes of this I relocated to the bar area. The whole vibe kind of ruined the evening for me and I left after less than an hour. I got to hear "My Baby Makes Me Gravy" and "South of Round Rock Texas", which is always a good time.
I wore my Ego's shirt in the hopes I'd get a chance to chat with Dale after the show about seeing him play there back in the day, but my early departure prevented that. He complained at one point about nobody dancing, but there was no room. In Austin, the dance floor is always left free for folks to get up and cut a rug, but at Woodlands, the only area to dance in was near the entrance and merch table, which was highly congested. One couple was braving the crowd and dancing though and that made my heart happy. "It's Been a Long Trucking Day."