Janice Williams Loves Austin

I could see going into this weekend that I was going to have to go see some music that was NOT related to my work in order to achieve this goal of 30 bands in 30 days. So I did just that:

BAND #27  The Geezinslaws at the Broken Spoke on Saturday night. I went over without the accordion this time. I decided I didn’t want Sam and the guys to think that was the only reason I came to see them. But they all seemed genuinely to wish that I had my box with me. Okay, next time. I hope there is a next time. There is a very suspicious “TBD” on the last Saturday of the month on the July calendar at the Spoke. What’s that supposed to mean? That’s the Geezinslaws’ Saturday night. I certainly hope there is no change in that long-standing tradition, but I will say they had a small group there Saturday night. I had a good time, though. Troy Kimmel was there and he bought my dinner. First time I’d seen him since way back. WAY back.

BAND #28  The Belleville Outfit at Momo’s.  I just got in from Momo’s and it was raining lightly downtown. How wonderful! I wish we’d get a cloudburst. No sign of rain down here in South Austin just yet, but I’m hoping. I was glad to see Phoebe, Rob, Jeff, Connor, Marshall and the drummer that I do NOT know of the Belleville Outfit. Such a tight, fun band with a unique sound. I wish they would work up Be Mir Bist Du Schon (which, I am sure is NOT how to spell that song title at all). That was on a Guy Lombardo album I had as a kid (hello!! I’m OLD!!) and I always have loved it. They have that same cool vibe. Lots of folks there to see them and it was a little bit claustrophobic, but Momo’s has that great outdoor deck so it was easy to go out there and catch a breeze.

BAND #29 Warren Hood and the Hoodlums  I think I can count this as new band #8, but I’m not sure. I’ve seen Warren in many configurations and I don’t quite know if I’ve seen the Hoodlums before. Just to make sure I DO see 8 new artists and complete my 30 for the month, I’m going to catch one more tomorrow. But Warren and the guys were fabulous. Great harmonies, very tight band, fun. But, again, even though a lot of Belleville Outfit fans seemed to clear out, a new wave came in and the place was very tight and very full, so I didn’t stay too long.

My other adventure of the day was making homemade ice cream for the first time in my life. Most everyone has memories of the bucket and churning the ice cream at family gatherings. I also have memories of coming home from school and mother making ice cream - - a LOT.  Mother was a real ice cream addict and made it regularly, especially once the electric freezer was invented. Maybe because we had it around so much, I’ve never been much of a fan. But since I inherited the bucket, I decided to give it a go this afternoon. It was pretty darn good, too! Maybe there is something to appreciating it more when you’ve turned the crank (figuratively, since this is still the electric maker). I made banana since I had some very ripe bananas in the kitchen and it was very good. I need to go back and try another BIG sample now that it has set up and had time to freeze hard. The funniest part of making it was when I finally plugged it in to begin its freezing. The motor kicks in and I look to the back door and see both kitties sitting, waiting anxiously to come in. I know they were thinking, “Can opener!! Food is on the way.” They dashed in and sat by their food dish and kept looking up, expectantly, like “When is that can opener going to be done?” Finally, Nathan had to get up on the counter to inspect this sound and find out why there was no forthcoming food.

A realization today about the contents of ice cream, too. When I was a little girl, I churned butter a few times. Not like kids of the old farm days did, but not like Girl Scouts do either, it wasn’t a one-time thing. We had a cow and we had cream and milk and we made butter a few times. Butter consists of one ingredient:  Cream.  Shake it around enough and add a touch of salt and you’ve got butter. Interestingly, you take that same cream, add sugar and eggs and vanilla and shake it around and freeze it at the same time and you’ve got ice cream. Butter with sugar, that’s basically what I’m about to go eat . . . with relish. And a big spoon.