Now in its 28th year, music lovers from Central Texas and beyond flocked to Driftwood just outside Austin for Old Settler’s Festival. As always, the lineup featured a range of acts big and small falling within the genres of bluegrass, folk, Americana and rock and roll. The rain that fell on Friday and Saturday did little to damped the spirits of excited campers and bands. In this writer’s opinion Old Settler’s is one of the best festivals around, and is well worth hitting even if you don’t live in Texas. Looking back on the weekend, there are a number of things worth raising a glass to.
Cheers to…
…The Mavericks
They came on at night and even though the sun had long since went down and the rain had turned the concert field into mud, The Mavericks injected a healthy dose of sunshine into the whole night. Raul Malo’s dreamy vocals carried through the crisp Hill Country air and the band’s Latin-tinged, Tex Mex rock and roll had everyone digging their feet into the mud to dance right along with it.
…Israel Nash
This Missouri-born artist has called Dripping Springs home for the last few years, so it didn’t matter that he was given a noon set on Saturday because he probably had a shorter drive than anyone to get out to the festival. His music, which he calls “desert folklore” and has said is inspired by the very landscape around him, could not have fit in better with the Old Settler’s environment. Songs off his 2014 album Rain Plans washed over the crowd with deep vocals and enchanting steel guitar, and also summoned the sun from behind the clouds, turning it into a beautiful Texas day.
…Jeff Austin Band
With the help of his incredible band of talented musicians, including Danny Barnes on the banjo, Jeff Austin accomplished everything he could do in the past with Yonder Mountain String Band, but perhaps more so. There was plenty of jamming and that intensity we have come to expect from Austin was out in full force. It didn’t matter that they were playing in the middle of the day, as Austin’s band kept momentum chugging along, taking songs out into deep exploratory waters far beyond the realm of traditional bluegrass.
…JD McPherson
The crowd gathered for JD McPherson’s set on Saturday was far smaller than it should have been considering the Oklahoma rocker just released an early contender for album of the year with Let The Good Times Roll. Luckily McPherson and his band treated it like it was their last show ever, which almost seemed plausible when a major storm blew through, threatening to shut them down. A downpour and a lightning storm wasn’t enough to stop them as they encouraged people to dance to their soulful, boogieing tunes with hints of rockabilly. JD is charismatic on his own, but props go to his sharp band and especially organist Ray Jacildo, who may have stolen the show with his greasy, slinky solos.
…Pokey LaFarge
Let’s face it, if your name is Pokey you better be a badass or you’re going to be in for one hell of a tough life. Pokey LaFarge is a badass, but in a different kind of way. The singer took us all back in time with his songs of romping and rolling all over town, complete with clarinet. His music is reminiscent of a ragtime-y band playing in New Orleans many years ago, and with his oddly infectious voice Pokey worked the stage like a cross between a wide-eyed Southern preacher and a well-traveled lounge singer.
…Shinyribs
Nobody seemed less bothered by the deluge that had just cut off the music for close to two hours than Kevin Russell of Shinyribs. In his cherry-red suit Russell and his band more than made up for lost time with fun-loving tunes like “Donut Taco Palace” (a touching subject for Austinites in the know), “Take Me Lake Charles”, and a well-executed take on TLC’s “Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls”. He even brought out dancers to chug whiskey and throw kitchenware at him one of the tunes off his new record Okra Candy. Like always, Russell and his ensemble cast of musicians proved to be wildly entertaining in their ability to play music that is both quintessentially Austin and Old Settler’s, making for a perfect close out to the main festival on Saturday.
…To the water that kept the campground lush and the creek flowing as the result of so much rain
In the five or six years I’ve attended this festival the weather has been immaculate every single time, it was only a matter of time until the bane of all fests had to catch up with us. Make no bones about it, the rain that hit Friday AND Saturday night sucked…a lot. But it also didn’t. If you spent your weekend looking at the ground than the mud was undeniable. However, if you looked anywhere else you were confronted with lush green trees and wild flowers blooming full force, a true site to behold and a reason to fall in love with Central Texas all over again. Not only that, the rain also made the creeks flow fast and cold, making those hungover mornings feel like a Hill Country baptism.
…The staff of OCMF
These folks definitely deserve a cheers for their hard work and ability to always embody the vibe of the festival, which is laid back and friendly as can be. Throughout the weekend staffers were happy and helpful, doing their best to keep the mood high while black clouds formed overhead and a storm moved in. Compared to previous years, they also kept the schedule running fairly smooth, which is always an accomplishment.
…My camp neighbors who somehow jammed for over 12 hours straight
I knew there was trouble when I walked up and saw that this gaggle of jammers had a pedal steel player in their posse. Little did I know these older fellas had already embarked on a marathon jam session that would put Phish to shame. These guys were going strong by midnight and when I went to sleep nearby around 4AM little had changed except for maybe a few rotating players. They stayed at it – rarely breaking for more than a minute or two – throughout the night and well into the morning. When I pulled out of camp around noon on Sunday the steel player was still twangin’ away and so were the rest of them. Normally I’d be livid at my festy neighbors keeping me up all night long, but the beauty of this crew was that they somehow managed to play basically every country tune ever written. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re still going at it somewhere.
…The fans
Without the lovable attendees, Old Settler’s would be any other music festival. They are the reason this event has went for 28 years straight and stayed consistently pleasing the whole time. Negativity gets checked at the door and everyone interacts with a jovial attitude first and foremost. Even the most belligerent of folks are treated with dignity. If there’s one key factor in keeping the whole operation brimming with enthusiasm, it’s gotta be the fans. Raise a glass to them, because there is no doubt they will be there year after year.
Photos by Arthur VanRooy.
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