2 Backpacks, 2 Bikes, a Van and a plan..: A Fine Occurrence (Andre)

We have had many amazing times in Big Bend and the West Texas area, as you may have been reading. We consider ourselves quite lucky to essentially have ‘moved in’ here for the past 3 plus months. We have hiked, driven, explored, eaten, drank, made friends, worked, and many other things that will fill our thoughts as drive away in a week or so.

Just another fine and unexpected occurrence happened to us this week!

The Starlight Theater in the Terlingua Ghost Town, about 30 minutes from the park, is a local bar, restaurant, and social gathering place of some note. We go usually weekly and there is always great food, drink, and live music. If you don’t like the music inside, then head out to the front porch which kind of serves as the town square. And out on the porch are lots of people, great sights, views, conversations, reunions, and random musicians playing in various pairings as the night goes on.

We got a call from our friends, Rob and Angie Dean, that Butch Hancock would be playing at the Starlight this Tuesday. Butch Hancock is a legend in the Texas country/western/rock music scene. He is currently part of a Texas ‘supergroup’ the Flatlanders. And he has a house in the ghost town. We understand he plays at the Starlight every month or so.

Well, as has been our case, we were lucky. He had been out of town for the summer and had yet to play the Starlight, until this week. As you will see from the pictures below, it was a great night of music and living the Terlingua life.

Uh Clem opened for Butch Hancock. Uh is a notable local who plays the Starlight quite often and also lives in town. Butch and his son, Rory, later joined, as did other local musicians on the bongo and mandolin. We will indeed miss such nights!