AUSTIN, Texas — When Slaid Cleaves moved from Portland, Maine, to Austin, Texas, at the tail end of 1991, he landed on South Lamar Boulevard, a few blocks from the legendarily seedy Horseshoe Lounge. But as he points out on his new live album, “It was many years of drivin’ by before I worked up the courage to come in through the door.”
Maybe his New Englander’s reserve got the better of him; one thing most Texans do not fear is walking into a bar. But curiosity and, no doubt, the lure of stories contained within eventually won out, and in 2000, Slaid wound up releasing “Horseshoe Lounge,” an ode to the 46-year-old beer joint, on his breakout CD Broke Down. A turning point in his career, Broke Down transformed Cleaves from feckless Austin singer/songwriter, playing open mics and running sound at the legendary Cactus Cafe to Americana chart-topping, New York Times-lauded (“One of the finest songwriters from Texas”) national touring artist. Oh, yeah, and the 2001 Austin Music Awards named the title track, written with childhood pal Rod Picott, Best Song of the Year.
“I'm glad I found Slaid Cleaves, because my life would have been poorer without him. . . . Listen, go to one of Slaid's shows, take a friend, and pass on the news: not all the good guys wear hats." —Stephen King
[A "Rear Window" First Hand Observation]
This past January, we had the privilege of presenting The Steel Wheels, a world class Blue Grass/Americana Band at the Rear Window. Without question, they are one of the best shows that I have ever been to, including a great many headliner artists/bands. Two days later, a good friend and I determined to go and hear them at another very popular venue a couple hours from here. The venue was large & quite nice, but the din of the table noise, clinking of glasses, talking (mostly slurred) etc. pretty much overrode the everso impressive music dynamics that were heard at the Rear Window. The Steel Wheels were still great, but so much was lost in the noise around us. I can honestly say that I would have paid twice, or even three times, the price and traveled the 2+ hours in order to hear them at the Rear Window Listening Room ... it's just THAT GOOD! There is no doubt that if you are a true Music Lover, you want to come to the Rear Window to listen to the shows we present. Another benefit of the Rear Window is that you will have an opportunity to get to meet the artists that come here, and you WILL get to hear them to near perfection. Don't hesitate, come on out and see ... or shoud I say ... "hear!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QlobN5pwRw&feature=relmfu
www.slaidcleaves.com
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Hoping 2012 will be your best year EVER!!!
