Hey reader, did you notice how today’s review of scampy folk-meister Bill “Can Do” Callahan’s new album Dream River was missing one-and-a-half stars or so? Me too! Bullshit, right? But! But… to be fair, I totally asked Alex Griffin about that, and — wouldn’t you know it — he totally copped to having, specifically, NOT listened to the album unfolding live in its entirety while sipping a mint julep on an old time-y boat as it chugs around some pretty water at sunset deep in the heart of Texas! Typical of that guy, right?
But don’t worry; Callahan’s label, Drag City, has stepped in to remedy the problem. According to their website, a boat cruise featuring Callahan is totally happening this Sunday, September 22! For real. Just watch! Take it away, plucky Drag City copywriter:
[On] Sunday, September 22nd, cruise down Lady Bird’s Lake with Bill and the band as they showboat the Dream River album in it’s entirety live, and in concert for an elite group of 80 lucky schmucks. And you! Expertly timed to coincide with the magic hour, aka sunset—breathe the freshest air in Austin on the top deck of a sweet boat in motion while the light—and your life—change forever.
Sweet, right? Well, except for all the fine print. Tickets for this magical excursion are on sale EXCLUSIVELY by walking your personal self into the fine Austin establishments Waterloo Records and End of an Ear, so you’ve kinda gotta live in Austin; and you have to actually buy a physical copy of Dream River first (who does that, Drag City!?)—, oh, there’s a limit of one ticket per customer, so you can’t impress a cool indie-girl this way or anything (unless you buy her a copy of the record too, which is creepy).
But, still. It’s for real. The boat boards at 6:30 PM and departs at 7:00 from behind the Four Seasons Hotel Austin on Lady Bird Lake at 98 San Jacinto Blvd. And I assume that Callahan’s performance will retroactively be awarded five stars (or dots or whatever the hell we use) as a consequence.
• Bill Callahan: http://www.dragcity.com/artists/bill-callahan
• Drag City: http://www.dragcity.com
[Photo: Hanly Banks]
More about: Bill Callahan
