With the recent success of this lil Reunion up Challis way, flocks of fans have contributed some changes...Like moving from the venue from Stanley to the Challis ( what a mistake for Stanley) Golf Course. Unfortunately last year some idiot drunkard heaved a beer bottle at the guitar player in the Randy Rogers Band during the Street Dance...and that quickly put an end to that. To the guitarist's credit, they could have pulled their boots up and headed out town but they decided to keep playing...the guitarist needed stitches but he was going to wait til he got the next town/gig ( awesome in my book). The liability issues became apparent and financially unrealistic. While Muzzie Braun thinks we should have pulled some outlaw justice and pulled the bottle chucker down to the gully near the side of the road, the reality of the situation has since changed the Reunion. No more street dance, and probably the biggest change is the lack of the cooler pass.
Years past, you could pay $20-25 bucks and you can bring in a big ass cooler of whatever liquid/food you want. The concoctions of liquor that I have seen guzzled during a show is amazing and somewhat scary. Pacing yourself does not play out in Challis at a Reunion show. That being said, the cooler pass is no more and reality has set up in due to these liability issues. One positive change that has been recognized is the honeybucket sanitary issues however. This was/has been an issue in the last few years, and so much so, that some shirts have been made up supporting the need for more honeybuckets/portapotties....
The reason I bring up these changes, is while I believe change is good, the changes at the Braun Bros Reunion has hindered me from attending this year. The street dance was an epic adventure and the epicenter of a lot of interesting memory making incidents. The Friday night acoustic shows were exciting, but everything lead up to Saturday. The all day Saturday show would feature the lesser know Texas Red Dirt acts, followed by the namesake, Muzzie Braun, and his brothers pulling those old guitars. Eventually Muzzie would let his boys take over, and one set of boys would front Reckless Kelly and another set would lead Mickey and the Motorcars. Occasionally in years past, some big time Alt-Country stars would make their way through the mountains, including Robert Earl Keen.
One big change this year, that I mentioned is the lack of the street dance. They will ignite the festivities at the normal Challis Community Stage near the golf course tomorrow night. Mickey and the Motorcars ( MMC) will kick start/headline with 3 other supporting acts. One of them is Ray Wylie Hubbard who just so happens to be playing at Alive after 5 in Boise tonight for free.* The bad news is MMC will be departing due to scheduling issues right after the show. Well, there in lies the rub.....I love when on Saturday night, MMC and RK would jon there Dad on stage to close down the Reunion in the old days, but this year will be different. More change, right? Now according to the flyer on the Braun Brothers Reunion, MMC is playing Thurs, parting ways and letting Cross Canadian Ragweed takeover on Friday night. Not so fast my friends, when looking on MMC's tour dates, it states that the MMC will be up in Challis all weekend long. So who knows.....change, change, change. One thing that caught my eye is the special guest that is suppose to grace our presence on Saturday night. Rumors of Willie Nelson stopping by, since his daughter, Paula Nelson, is playing in Challis on Saturday. Only problem is that Willie is on tour in Lubbock that night. As for my guess as to who the special guests is.....I will venture Hank Williams III, but that is just a unrealistic shot in the dark...I have no stinking idea. Maybe Shooter Jennings...since he is playing in Boise on Friday night at the Warped Tour of all places! The only problem is that he is supposed to be in Utah on Saturday night.....I just hope the special guest is not MMC, since I am not making the 4 hour plus drive this weekend. For all I know
*Finally, and the main reason why I brought this Reunion up, is that a few of the acts are playing tonight in lil ol' Boise. Ray Wylie Hubbard kicks off Alive after 5....free venue where local Boiseans will probably enjoy the hot hot hot sun and beer/food more than this style of Outlaw Country. RWH then heads off to Challis, where he will be playing at the Reunion on Thursday night- but would not be surprised if he shows up at the Knitting Factory before heading out of town. The night picks up with three good bands at the local Knitting Factory, with the Randy Rogers Band ( no truth to the rumor that the guitarist will be sporting a helmet), CCR and MMC. To my friends who are not headed to the Reunion, you should attend this lil gig with friends and meet future ex-wives.....If you are headed up to the reunion, enjoy tonight's lil flavor in your ear before you take that 4 hour plus drive up the mountain.
** Avoid the hailstones this year
2 comments:
MMC did play on Saturday night, a full set after special guest Mary Cutrufello and before RK.
The hail did come down again during Stoney LaRue's set on Thursday---it's never a good idea to miss a BBR, just sayin!
good news for those MMC fans....as for the hail, maybe that will replace the street dance and lack of cooler pass! Sounds like you had fun!
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