Souled Out 2008
Victory Grill, Aug. 9Saturday night, creative energy flowed off the well-worn stage and into every inch of the Victory Grill. Outside, artists from the California-based mural collective Trust Your Hustle immortalized Austin’s first lady of soul, Miss Lavelle White; piano man Roosevelt “Grey Ghost” Williams; and venue founder Johnny Holmes on the juke joint’s west wall. Eastside cultural catalyst Harold McMillan filmed the creative process, and the muralists reciprocated, interviewing McMillan for insight on the building-turned-canvas. Rock-solid Killeen duo Crew54 joined the film fest, capturing footage for its entertaining online reality shows after a brief but spirited set. “This is gonna be on YouTube, right Crew54?” asked Lower Life Form’s MC Brew, rapping into the camera. H-Town’s Brew and PhD painted debaucherous pictures, bemoaning the 9-to-5 grind as their sevenpiece band wove a soulful horn-filled tapestry. Sporting a boxer’s robe and disarming ganja grin, Phranchyze proved one of Austin’s best live acts, pounding his chest while testifying, “This one’s for the city I’m from, the city I love, the city that didn’t always love me back, but it’s my city nonetheless, and I will rep it to my death and strap this bitch here on my back.”
This article appears in August 15 • 2008.
