Written by Eddie Ferranti
Dec 08, 2013 at 07:00 PM
ImageA funny thing happened to Rose and I on the way to cover a new house concert series in Austin. It turned into a wedding reception with Eliza Gilkyson as the featured band!

Dino Jobe and Leslie Cash had a surprise for all who attended their Rawhide Trail Concert series for sure. Earlier in the day, they tied the knot and then the party was on; complete with champagne and multiple cakes from the ceremony.

The rustic cabin feel setting is in north Austin at a very scenic spot complete with a stunning view of the sunset. An over-the-top “Potluck” started off the gig at 5:30ish and it was delicious to say the least. Foods of all varieties included veggie turkey soup, chicken salad sandwiches, pork sections, awesome cheeses, chicken bad ass tamales, grilled chicken, meatloaf, kale and brocolli salads, pasta dish and desserts out the wazoo including some home made chocolate chip cookies!

The music room itself was tight, but manageable for upwards of 70 folks with acoustics that rocked very nicely. You can tell they invested in a nice sound system complete with ample lighting to showcase the performers. The place was Christmas decorated complete with a tree and helped give the night a nice holiday tinge to it.

After everybody got settled in Eliza Gee hit the “stage” with her wonderful sidekick, Mike Hartwick, at her side a tad before 7pm. EG has beyond a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor and started off saying she “dusted off” her three happy songs for the special couple! We have seen Gilkyson and Hartwick many times, but this night they seemed quite energized by the setting and overall quality of the venue.

‘Once In A Blue Moon’ kicked it off with classic lyrics about turning off the iTunes and stepping out in the hood to see what’s happening and finding out we have it pretty good in life. The show flowed with ‘Emerald Street’ about spring in Texas complete with whistling, ‘Roses to the End of Time’ dedicated to The Jobes’ and a tune written by her brother Tony called ‘Death in Arkansas’.

ImageGilkyson has very meaningful poetic talents and she tells great stories along the way that enhance the experience.

‘Nocturne Diaries’ is the title of her next album due hopefully in early 2014 and EG said all the songs were written in the middle of the night when she could not sleep!

Other highlights of first set included ‘Fast Freight’, EG’s big hit ‘Beauty Way’, political gem ‘Tender Mercies’ and Hartwick seemed to amp it up big time on ‘Midnight Rider’ with his marvelous handling of his electric guitar.  Eliza can hold her own on acoustic and when the two face off it rocks.

After the break EG asked for requests and they were all good. Sing-a-long ‘Welcome Back’, her fave “country diddie” ‘Fall Into the Night’, ‘When You Walk On’, sweet as hell ‘Is It Like Today’ and one of our favorites ‘Jedidiah’ rolled right on to the packed house’s delight!

Gilkyson has always written and professed lyrics about the world around her and the things going on in it with a no holds barred attitiude that draws us to continue to follow her and see what is going on in that talented head of hers. Plus I cannot say enough about how good she is with Hartwick in tow, which showed itself on cool closers of ‘When Shadows Fall’ for the newly weds, touching ‘Requiem To Mary’ and crowd involved blaster ‘Slouching Towards Bethlehem’!

2 hours of good music was worth the $20 cover and then some. You can learn more about Eliza at her website: http://www.elizagilkyson.com/. This gig was the 53rd that Folk Alliance International certified Rawhide Trail Concerts have put on and already have eight gigs posted thru June 2014. They are definitely gettin’ it right and you can follow what’s happening there at : http://www.rawhidetrailconcerts.com/

One thing for sure, they got it right this night and will forever cherish the memory of their wedding day…That’s all I got and we’ll see you out there in LIVE music land!