Written by Samuel Barker
Jun 20, 2003 at 08:00 PM
ImageGotta Be Free, that was the final song Mojo Nixon and the Toadliquors played on this night. Sure, it’s a tale of getting your penis enlarged to make your life better, but it took on a new meaning on this night, as Nixon hinted, well, downright said, it was his final show.Coming down to Texas to film a role in a movie, Nixon did a quick three-city jaunt through the Lone Star State before heading to the movie location with his band, The Toadliquors. As always, the Houston show was a special night because Continental Club owner/former Toadliquor pianist Pete “Wetdawg” Gordon would be on the keys.

Nixon didn’t miss a beat through his opening song, UFOs, Big Rigs and BBQ, even taking the chance to hype up the Continental’s own BBQ man.

During Debbie Gibson Is Pregnant With My Two-Headed Luv Child, Nixon took the opportunity to dispel the rumor of him having sexual relations with Yao Ming, as well as take a few shots at kiddie book star Harry Potter.

After tearing through three of the regulars in the Mojo Nixon set, Louisiana Liplop, Drunk Divorced Floozie and Tie My Pecker, Mojo let the crowd know it may be time for him to call it a career. With that a fan yelled back, “You’ll die on stage just like Country Dick!” Not one to back down, Nixon was quick to reply with “I’m not dying on stage, I’m going to die in a hotel room with 3 pounds of cocaine and 6 hookers. Farley and Belushi won’t have anything on me!”

As fate would have it, Nixon and the boys kicked into The Ballad of Country Dick. Out of all my past experiences with Mojo Nixon, this was only the second time I had ever heard this song live and it was great. Drunken Mojonites wasted no breath singing along with Nixon.

As Nixon kept threatening that this would be his final show, the Mojonites yelled back with pleas to continue as well as favorite songs to hear for, quite possibly, the last time. The first request to be fulfilled was The Poontango. The Mojonites danced, drank and hollered along. Then, Mojo broke a string.

With that, Mojo exclaimed, “Most people would leave you waiting while they fixed their string, but I don’t need all six strings, I’ve got five left and that’s enough.”

Then, Mojo burst into Ain’t High Fallootin’, which was a definite first time live song for me. It fit in perfectly with the moment. Rather than halting the show to have a string changed, Mojo kept going and never missed a beat, definitely no High Fallootin’ going on there.

Nixon tore through the remainder of his set ending with Elvis Is Everywhere, which ended with Nixon on his knees in front of Wetdawg’s piano, Wetdawg on top of his piano playing like a madman, bassist Earl B. Freedom perched up on the drum set while drummer Wid beat the hell out of them. Despite being tired, the band layed it all out and went completely crazy.

After a short break, filled with cries for more and drinks flowing, a tired Mojo Nixon came back to the stage with the Toadliquors for a few more songs. Mojo decided to explain why he may call it a career. He told his loyal Mojonites that he had a new job doing drive-time radio in San Diego. He said, “I work for the devil now, I work for Clear Channel. Soon there will come a day when they come to me and say ‘Mojo, it’s time to suck the demon’s dick.’

As everyone hissed, Nixon began Burn Down the Malls, which was full of cracks on the media conglomerate Clear Channel, Mojo may work for the beast, but he definitely isn’t afraid to say what he thinks about it and having people try and force him to play bands like Styx, Journey and “those pretentious Canadian assholes,” Rush.

When the night came to a close, the Mojonites finished their drinks and headed towards the doors. Some people who had been drug there by friends were shaking their heads in dismay, but most were asking when the next show would be…the sad thing is, no one knew if there would be a next show.