Festival Follies

Jackrabbit, Tale of the Mosh Pit Misfit

Let me tell you an Original Terlingua International Championship Chili Cookoff story. Speaking oftequila (we were, weren't we?), best story of the 2004 cook-off/festival was the Tale of the Mosh Pit Misfit:

Mark David Manders & his band were playing and did their Frat-sing-along, "Beer." Great audience participation; only 1 word to remember (although, even this is challenging after 3 days of heavy Terlingua partying!). Several college frat types just had to jump up on the stage and help him along with these tough lyrics. One in particular was really enjoying his moment of fame. Took off his shirt and proceeded to jump around like the jack rabbits we'd all seen in the last 200-300 miles to our annual chili pilgrimage.

Let's just call our wonder boy, Jack Rabbit. Last word in the song is tequila, and of course, Jack Rabbit had a partial half gallon of the famed (and sacred) liquid strategically placed within his reach. He uttered its holy name into the microphone and proceeded to chug the remainder of his bottle. Then JR uttered his last request, prophetically like a benediction, "Hey y'all; catch me!" (forgetting, of course, he was not at his usual frat house party of mosh pit maniacs). I heard a nearby cowboy spit and utter (not quite under his breath), "We don't do that shit around here." Then he calmly stepped aside, as did ALL the other spectators in JR's intended flight path. I swear I thought Moses had parted the Red- Neck Sea (Sorry, I was feeling extremely spiritual after my margaritas won 2nd prize).

JR landed flat on his face in the middle of the brick dance floor. This must have jarred loose some semblance of sense and humiliation, as he got a tad testy. A couple of guys went to help him to his feet but he jumped up like his more intelligent name sake and started swinging. This was just not Jack Rabbit's lucky night. The punch he threw connected with the jaw of a cop! Next thing you know, JR is again, face down on the bricks and wearing those sparkly fashion wrist accessories called cuffs. Then he was loaded up in a cruiser for his 80 mile ride to the nearest jail.

Ahhhh, where is a mosh pit when you need one? Answer: Don't know, but NOT IN WEST TEXAS!

Viva Terlingua!

Cheryl Arthur

Thanks for the great story, Cheryl! Miss Lana

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The Weekend We Became Dubbed "Camp Duct Tape"

September 14-15, 2001's Pickin' in the Pines was one of the festivals we will never forget. It was our first Pickin', and it is still our favorite festival.

We picked our site and began to set up the pop-up a friend of a friend had let us borrow. Weather forecasts indicated we'd have sunny weather all weekend, a good thing since we could see quite a bit of daylight through the canvas. The kids ran and played as we worked. We settled in, and Andy finished off our campsite by placing duct tape on the various corners and holes, just to help keep the mosquitoes out. We were officially "Camp Duct Tape".

We were fine for Friday night and Saturday day, but the sprinkles began during Brian Burns's sound check in the evening. TxCindy and the Jones clan were determined though, we scooted our chairs together, put the kids in our laps and covered ourselves with a tarp. We would be front row for Brian when the rain stopped. We even sent Andy clad in a rain poncho and cowboy hat back into the blinding rain to refill the empty bucket of beer.

After sitting for an hour tarped in the cold rain, we decided it was time to go back to Camp Duct tape. We stopped at BB's van (he was dry and watching TV, offered us a spot, we were drenched so we politely declined) and gave him the last one of the beers in the bucket Duct tape will solve many problems folks, but for patching canvas amidst a full blown monsoon it still needs perfection. We found dry spots for the kids to sleep and strategically placed buckets and bowls around. When the rain stopped, Andy stayed with the kids (one of whom somehow managed to get a stomach bug in all this!) so I could go listen to Brian. Did I mention beds are cold when wet?? We still managed to find it all funny.

But, even with the wetness and all the laughing about Camp Duct Tape, one of the most spiritual moments probably to ever happen at a festival happened this night.

Brian finished with the National Anthem. As he sang and the audience joined in, the song ringing through those beautiful pines was a few moments I'll never forget and will always treasure. I was just a little extra proud to be a Native Texan that night, honoring my nation from where I stood, clothes drenched, with some of my OKOM family next to me, and my own family just yards away, safe and sound. I felt comforted that all would be okay with the world...something I hadn't felt since before Tuesday morning's (Sept. 11) attack on our nation.

It was a truly unforgettable Pickin'.........and needless to say, we have slightly better accommodations for our festival going now!

Check out Pickin' in the Pines at www.t-roymiller.com

Dana Jones

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No, He's NOT Dead, He's Just Resting

Tommy Alverson's Family Gathering #5

Sunday when everyone was leaving, we discovered Grant had "fallen asleep" on the ground at a campfire earlier in the morning. By the time we got there, passers-by had written all over his clothes in black marker and had written on his forehead. I believe Jay Johnson, Michael Shane Borden, Don Burke and others had placed rocks all around Grant, placed a guitar across his chest and made a "monument" out of empty bottles and cans at his head. They flagged us and others down to join in singing Amazing Grace while it was all caught on video tape! Grant never even flinched throughout the whole ordeal. He probably still hasn't lived it down.

Vicki Knipp

(pic courtesy of Tina Canary)

Get info on Tommy's Family Gathering at www.tommyalverson.com

Have a festival story you'd like to share? E-mail it to lana@misslana.com.

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