After a Fashion
Stephen and the rest of town remember Clifford
By Stephen MacMillan Moser, Fri., June 1, 2007
REMEMBRANCE Last Tuesday was the one-year anniversary of the death of our beloved Clifford Antone. A special mass was held at St. Mary's Cathedral, well-attended by many of Clifford's friends: Judy Maggio, Olga Campos, Jimmie Vaughan (with wife Robin and two precious daughters), Bud Shivers, Roggie Baer Elm, Kat Jones, and Don Pitts, Jill McGuckin, Margaret Moser, and Raoul Hernandez, to name a few. Sister Susan Antone graciously greeted everyone afterward, no doubt a tough challenge considering that she must have had a very heavy heart. Tuesday night was the big celebration of Clifford's life with a knockout lineup of stars performing at Antone's, but the musical celebration really began on the previous Friday night with the Scabs concert, followed by the newly formed Blues Society membership drive that was dedicated to Clifford. There's no question that Clifford would have been the first to sign up. All told, over the next week, musical tributes were paid by Jimmie Vaughan, Marcia Ball and Carolyn Wonderland (performing together), Bob Schneider, Bruce Hughes, Eve Monsees, Bill Carter, Denny Freeman, Charlie Sexton, Doyle Bramhall II, Eric Tessmer, Lou Ann Barton, Gary Clark Jr., Storyville, and Derek O'Brien (who spearheaded the arrangements for the celebration). Said Susan, "It was incredibly uplifting. I can't think of anything that Clifford would have liked more than hearing great music by great people coming out of Antone's." In addition, Clifford was honored on Saturday with a proclamation by both the Texas House and Senate for the heartfelt good works he did for our community. Love you always, Cliffy!
THE LIGHT FANTASTIC The Austin treasure and brilliant choreographer Sally Jacques and her Blue Lapis Light troupe is at it again, and Austin is better for it. Her last production, Requiem, was some of the most creative and spellbinding work I've ever seen. If you don't know her work, I can assure you that you've never seen anything like it. Do not miss her new site-specific dance work, Constellation, in which Sally's dancers soar, tumble, ascend, and descend across the faces of the Jake Pickle Federal Building and the Homer Thornberry Judicial Building, reaching greater heights than ever before. Truly fabulous! Go to www.bluelapislight.org for complete details.
SOCIAL SCHMOCIAL I'll be spending this weekend in Houston celebrating my dear friend Mark Sullivan's birthday (Mark lives in Houston now after being a fixture in the Austin nightlife and magazine circles for years). I'll be staying at the ultra ultra stylish new Hotel ZaZa (www.hotelzaza.com/houston), which will be celebrating their grand opening. The former landmark Warwick Hotel has been given a new lease on life and features the Magnificent Seven (a series of suites so luxurious and over the top that you could die), the glorious Monarch Restaurant and Lounge, and their enormous ZaSpa. I'll be in hog heaven… I'll be helping the great Wine & Food Foundation of Texas celebrate their fifth annual Texas wine and cuisine tasting, June 14 at the Four Seasons. Mmmm, can't wait! You can join me there: Go to www.winefoodfoundation.org for details.
