Buick MacKane's red shiny beast. And Alejandro Escovedo... Credit: Brenda Ladd

The accompanying image here, shot by local photographer Brenda Ladd and back today from Contessa Gallery on Kerbey Lane – a gift from Jay Trachtenberg via the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar – arrives just in time for tonight’s Buick MacKane gig at the Continental Club. Chronicle ad says midnight.

Buick MacKane – Joe Eddy Hines (guitar), David Fairchild (bass and vocals), Glenn Benavides (drums… drums… drums), and Alejandro Escovedo (Gibson SG, charisma, snark): Accept no substitute.

Actually, we’ll all have whatever Alejandro’s having and be damn happy about whoever shows up. (In Ladd’s photo, that’s Escovedo mainstay Hector Muñoz behind the kit.) Make that glam happy about whoever shows up. Buick MacKane – T. Rex meets AC/DC? Ironic glam or metallic punk? Yes please.

Escovedo’s written songs for 10-year-olds and 80-year-olds, but Buick MacKane’s “Black Shiny Beast” can’t be bested. When the guitarist straps on his Angus Young axe, either a black or cherry red Gibson SG, fun time has begun. Pray for the Stooges’ “Loose” next, or Buick MacKane battle axes “Queen Anne” and “Big Shoe Head.” Or maybe just “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” and a Stones cover or two. Does Buick MacKane do the Velvet’s “Train Round the Bend”?

Buick MacKane guy with his shiny red guitar in a new blood red frame. Think he goes in our whore-house-red Deadwood bathroom.

This article appears in July 15 • 2011.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US

San Francisco native Raoul Hernandez crossed the border into Texas on July 2, 1992, and began writing about music for the Chronicle that fall, debuting with an album review of Keith Richards’ Main Offender. By virtue of local show previews – first “Recommendeds,” now calendar picks – his writing’s appeared in almost every issue since 1993.