Calendar Tattoos

The Most Significant Residencies of the Austin Club Scene

Photo Mike Fitch.

Who needed club listings when you had Tex Thomas and the Dangling Wranglers at Hut’s every Sunday, Bad Livers at Saxon Pub on Mondays, Erik Hokkanen at Flipnotics on Tuesdays, Jon Dee Graham at the Continental on Wednesday, Cornell Hurd at Jovita’s on Thursdays and so on?

Musicians love the weekly gig because it keeps them going the other six days. It’s a sliver of stability, a paycheck, and a motivation to write new songs for the same friendly faces week after week. Work out that new material every Thursday at C-Boy’s, Eric Burton and Adrian Quesada, and Black Pumas just might have something.

There’s a rich history here of calendar tattoos, but nobody’s ever owned a day like blues angel Toni Price did Tuesdays at the Continental Club. “Hippie Hour” started in 1992 and wrapped up in 2017, with a break from 2007-2009 when Toni tried San Diego. There was no cover for years, but when they started charging $5, none of Toni’s maronies complained. Five bucks for an emotional musical journey? Here’s a twenty for me and the next three people in line.

”There's just nothing in the world like it,'' said fan Linda Cox, who considered herself only a minor zealot. “There are some people who just get totally into it. Toni is their goddess: she rules their world.''

Some were uncomfortably moved, like Pentecostal potheads, and you wondered how Price could keep building the spell. ”I don't like religion because it comes with rules,'' Price told me before a set. “But I'm a spiritual person and I definitely feel the spirit on Tuesdays. We're all trying to get healed, all trying to feel the spirit of community.''

During the infamous 8 o'clock break, the entire audience went out the back door to smoke dope, as Toni went around handing out Hershey's kisses. “You can have these back,'' said one guy in a leather jacket, “and give me the real thing.'' And the singer, who carries herself with the graceful defiance of Susan Sarandon's best characters, kissed him full on the lips. As Toni twirled away, Mr. Leather held his heart and staggered, most-likely in jest.

Toni, who grew up in Nashville as Luiese Price, wasn’t an instant sensation in her new home town, which was filthy with blues singers in 1989. That was fine with her. She knew there was a place for her in the scene and that it would just take time.

Price’s 1993 debut album Swim Away (Antone’s), with “Just to Hear Your Voice” (written by Monte Warden) in heavy rotation on KGSR, made her a local star. Hey in 1995 and Sol Power two years later were strong followups. Price’s first three LPs are on the Waterloo Records list of its 100 best sellers all time.

”I do want to be successful,'' she said, “but there's nothing less appealing to me than clawing your way to the top.'' She didn't court the press, preferring to get the message out with her charmingly primitive “Dishrag” newsletter.

“I don’t know why I’m doing this interview,” she told me. “But you know you can’t write about what happens out back during the break, right?”

OK, that was a problem. I was a reporter, not a publicist, and we argued on the phone about what to leave out. Toni’s intense. “Everybody knows what’s going on, but they leave us alone,” she said of the authorities. “You putting it in the newspaper is just rubbing their noses in it.” I saw a paddy wagon I wanted no part of, and took out one of the most interesting parts of the story. It was the right thing.

The Toni Price “Hippie Hour” ended in October 2017 with no fanfare. The club and its star were apparently burnt out on each other. Twenty-five years is a long time to do anything. Toni tried to bring the spirit of “Hippie Hour” to the Little Darlin’ in 2018, but it wasn’t the same. How could it be?

Hippie Hour has returned- to Devil’s Backbone in Fischer. First Wednesday of every month.

HERE ARE SOME ALL-TIME GREAT AUSTIN MUSIC RESIDENCIES

What would you add?

SUNDAY

Freda and the Firedogs at Split Rail, Tex Thomas and the Dangling Wranglers at Hut’s, Alejandro Escovedo Orchestra at Continental Club, Junior Brown at the Continental Club, South Austin Jug Band at Momo’s, Rock N’ Roll Free-For-All at Hole in the Wall, Dale Watson (Chicken Shit Bingo) at Little Longhorn, Resentments at Saxon Pub, Texana Dames at Guero’s, Los Pinkys at White Horse, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble at the Rome Inn

MONDAY

Standing Waves at Raul’s, Don Walser at Henry’s, Two Hoots and a Holler at the Black Cat, Austin All-Stars at Steamboat, Bob Schneider at Saxon Pub, Bad Livers at Saxon Pub (early ‘90s), Sarah Elizabeth Campbell at Artz Rib House, Fabulous Thunderbirds at Rome Inn, Storm at One Knite, Reckless Kelly at Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar, Little Elmore Reed Band at T.C.’s Lounge, Paul Oscher at Railroad Blues, Scott Biram at the Parlor

TUESDAY

Toni Campisi at Elephant Room, The Scabs at Antone’s, Erik Hokkanen at Flipnotics, Toni Price Hippie Hour at Continental, Cobras at Soap Creek, 8 ½ Souvenirs at Continental, Lotions at Liberty Lunch.

WEDNESDAY

Asylum Street Spankers at Austin Outhouse, Mau Mau Chaplains at Flamingo Cantina, Supper Songs at Threadgill’s, Grey Ghost at Continental, Band of Heathens at Momo’s, Jon Dee Graham at Continental, Greezy Wheels at Soap Creek, Kirk Whalum at Baxter’s, Gary Clark Jr. at Continental

THURSDAY

Rusty Wier at Saxon Pub, Beto y Los Fairlanes at Liberty Lunch, Mother Truckers at Continental, Ian McLagan at Lucky Lounge, Supernatural Family Band at the Shorthorn, High Noon at Headliner’s East, Black Pumas at C-Boy’s, Cornell Hurd at Jovita’s, Conjunto Night at the Split Rail, Soulhat at the Black Cat, James Hand at the Saxon Pub, Angela Strehli at Hut’s, Chaparral at Broken Spoke, Nortons at the Hole

FRIDAY

Dan & Dave at the Backroom, Hamell on Trial at Electric Lounge, Son Geezinslaw at Buddy’s Place, Erbie Bowser and T.D. Bell at Continental

SATURDAY

Redd Volkaert at Continental, Flametruck Subs at Black Cat