My first introduction to Wild Bill was in the summer of 2011 at Flipnotics. Your humble Austin Music Minute maven had no idea what to expect – or who the weirdo wearing the DIY “Born To FAIL” t-shirt was, but I was intrigued. And most happily, I was not disappointed. What we have here is not a failure, but a songwriter who knows how to laugh at himself and people who take themselves way too seriously. (One might imagine the local music scene would provide plenty of fodder for Wild Bill, a.k.a. Bill Ogden, and his candid observations).
These days, Wild Bill has expanded his repertoire to include performances at a number of places, including the White Horse (where he and his band The Lost Knobs caught crowds off guard with the irreverent Honky Tonk Holidaze extravaganza last December). He’s recently put a special something together with a bevy of local bands that’s also a guaranteed great time. It’s the exclusively non-exclusive Wild Bill Highbilly Happy Hour, a monthly ho-down for all manner of counter culture cosmic cowboys, chock full of live music and, no doubt, lively audience participation if Wild Bill has anything to say about it.
Check out this line-up, baby: Mayeux & Broussard, Guns of Navarone, Wild Bill & The Lost Knobs, Bluebird Specials, and The Blind Pets‘ Joshua Logan‘s alter-ego, Chief White Lightning. You won’t want to miss any of these performances. The Highbilly Happy Hour happens tomorrow night at Antone’s, 2015 E. Riverside Dr. Doors open at 8 p.m. It’ll do you good to check ’em all out. Recommended.