"Pearl's, The Gem Of The Stockyard"

On a damn hot Saturday night I finally got to hear some Western Swing & 2 Step Music. After checking out all of the options online (really, I actually had options), I made a bee line to the first old school place that I'd run across on my travels. "Pearl's Dancehall & Saloon" was down around the Fort Worth Stockyards. Started by Buffalo Bill Cody back in the day, "Pearl's" was full of a bunch of mostly older Texans ALL in cowboy hats and button down starched shirts. I guess the guys mostly had money cuz they walked around all cocky and stuff which was kinda fun (and kinda funny). There were some really good dancers, really great band and just a great, great looking bar. All the classic looks with the "pressed tin tiled ceilings" and everything. The lighting was great. Not a bunch of neon beer signs on the walls with the latest Texas buzz bands on 'em. A big old bar that ran down one side of the place and a dance floor that was down a little ramp on the other side of the bar. The older guys all had their own style in their dancing and the women all followed along like they'd done it a million times. Just a lot of really graceful dancing (not a lot of "whirling dervishes"). The small tables had names written on them like Bill and Alice Evans, I suppose reserved for the various couples (didn't see "Dominic & Dennis's" or anything like that on any of 'em, though). "Billy Mata and the Texas Tradition" was ALL old school. Ray Price, Bob Wills, Mel Tills :) & Conway. Songs like "I'll Be Over You (When The Grass...)" and "15 Years Ago" . It hit me standing there that night that I'd kinda been working when going to see the other bands but on this night I just stood there drinking a cold Lonestar enjoying the music and the dancing. STILL trying to learn how to listen without an agenda. That's just been one of the toughest things to do while I've been out here but I'm still working on it. I stopped by "Filthy McNasty's" (younger/typical Texas music) on my walk back to the car and it became work again so I left after a song and a half (which it felt longer than that). Some band with a "top 10" in the Texas charts or something. I'll have to get back to that stuff on another night. That's all I got for you on this hot Texas night. Good thing I like hot weather (I say that while typing from my 72 degree hotel room, though). I'll "camp" again when the nights get below 80. O.K., if it makes you (sadists) feel any better, the room I'm stayin in right now smells somewhere between and wet dog and a 100 year old men's locker room. The price you pay for a cheap hotel. Super 8 "We'll give you the feeling of sleeping in a 100 year old men's locker room" is my suggestion for their new slogan.