“An abiding love for music and a desire to make a difference led high school friends Gary Keller of Keller Williams Realty and award-winning engineer/producer Randy Miller to the studio.” So states 2013’s All ATX Vol. 1, mostly original material performed by single acts (Quiet Company) and celebrity mash-ups (Alejandro Escovedo/Mother Falcon). Initial home run British Invasion (“Texas Platters,” Dec. 26, 2014), last year’s All Along the Moontower: Austin Gets Psychedelic (“Texas Platters,” Nov. 20, 2015), and now Low Down Violet Crown retain the unique pairings, but classic rock rules all three succeeding roosts. The latest bests its predecessor’s game rebound after the breakout British Invasion by cementing the franchise as a new homegrown tradition worth annual anticipation. Blues, rock, and FM pop host, setting the scene with Nakia reeling in Allman Brothers’ lash “Whippin’ Post” to a more Allman Joys-leaning soul holler, while Jimmy LaFave honeys up CCR’s “Long as I Can See the Light.” The moment Grupo Fantasma boards ZZ Top’s “Waitin’ for the Bus” for the Eastside, a party on the patio begins in earnest and in Spanglish. Bob Schneider serving up both Doyle Bramhall II (“Black Betty”) and Danny Malone (Tom Petty’s “Breakdown”) some drank to slow both songs to a codeine crawl will puddle you where you stand. Granted, not segueing the latter into the Moving Panoramas’ girlish “American Girl” misses ample opportunity, and Sweet Spirit pulling back on the Faces’ “Stay With Me” should’ve worked in ye olde counter-programming department, but the missteps are forgivable (South Austin Moonlighters’ faithful “Witchy Woman”) and the rewards ripe: Black Pistol Fire pistol-whipping early Fleetwood Mac standard “Oh Well” ahead of Guy Forsyth busking “You Keep Me Hanging On.” Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) – benefactor of All ATX just as SIMS and Seton net proceeds from KGSR’s annual Broadcasts series – got dealt a full house.
This article appears in December 2 • 2016.
