Roger Creager & The Randy Rogers Band @ Joe's

Since we have so many photos of Roger and Randy already and my girlfriend had to cancel her plans to fly up from Austin i wasn't sure if i was going to attend this show until a few friends here in Michigan said they were going and had room for me to ride along. We didn't make all of the opening set by The Dirt Drifters but from the few songs i heard i really liked their sound.
Roger Creager is one of my favorite Texas country songwriters and singers who has a rich sounding voice and songs that range from deeply personal childhood stories and lonely feelings on the road to good ole college drinking songs. I have seen Roger every time he has come to Chicago since 2008 and this was the first time that he has shared the stage with his dad Bill Creager. If you have Roger's "Live Across Texas" CD then you know what i am talking about as a version of "Rancho Grande" just isn't the same without him. Roger kicked the show off with "I Got the Guns" which is about inheriting his grandfathers hunting rifles. He did a cover of "Cocaine Blues" by Johnny Cash and my favorite song of his "Late Night Case of the Blues" that he puts everything into.While Roger was on stage i also had a chance to talk with Brady Black, fiddle player extraordinaire and harmony singer for Randy Rogers. My friend Brett from the band Ninth Street Bridge gave me a fiddle that he didn't need, i have to replace the bridge and bow but i asked Brady if he would sign the back of it for me and he did. I also talked with Roger Creager a bit after his set, he is working on a new album and i told him how i met my girlfriend because of his music and since she couldn't make the show i asked him to sign a T shirt for her.
Randy Rogers played every song off the new "Burning the Day" CD except for two, "Missing You is More Than I Can Do" and "Don't Tell Me the Truth" that was written with Dean Dillon. I have been wearing out the new CD, its one of my favorites, i think it sounds great, Randy's voice sounds better than ever, the harmony vocals really sound sweet and Geoff's guitar solos are really taste full on this one. I wasn't working this show, i just wanted to see these guys again and have a good time so i didn't try too hard taking pictures. I feel lost without my camera at any concert but i managed to have fun despite my girlfriend not being there by spending some time talking with some good friends i haven't seen in a while. Glad my friend Mike didn't end up with a shiner (not the beer, that's a good thing) after that fight broke out in the middle of the floor, he didn't start it but if you know Mike, he could finish it!The last Cross Canadian Ragweed show October 24th is also my last show working at Joe's, i am moving to a place outside Austin on lake Travis with my girlfriend, finally after talking about it for years its going to happen and i have some great projects in the works so stay tuned!