Saturday night in the hills

Saturday night's benefit show was in great contrast to Friday's sweaty downtown crowd. This was a benefit to buy musical instruments for kids who can't afford them, so a great cause. It started early in the afternoon, but we didn't venture out until it was almost time for James Hyland and the Joint Chiefs (a bunch of musicians we see whenever possible) who started around dusk. This place was not that far from home, but definitely part of another world. Here is the google sat view:
Big. You can tell that much.

I was imagining a house concert where the patio would probably be the stage (more room that way, and a keg of beer (as was promised) would not make a big mess. It turned out to be just a *liiitle* bit... more... more everything.

You had to drive down a steep piece of street, and park/walk the rest of the way (party parking). The street leading to the gate, the driveway beyond that, and the rest of the access surfaces were as steep as a roller coaster. When we got down to the lawn, this is the view of the house:
Three stories (maybe even four, as this house was built into the side of a hill). That wall there that looks wet, is actually a waterfall (wished I'd gotten a better picture of that aspect of it) - when someone splashes in the pool it spills over into a large trough below. Here is the pool viewed from the edge of the patio, and you can see the people draped over the edge of that. Click to embiggen.

Here is the stage set up on one end of that very long green that the pool overlooks.

By the time James went on stage, it was beautiful twilight where the sky was still a deep dark blue. There was a great breeze and the t-shirt temperatures were great.

Here's some James Hyland music, and if you listen to this you can tell what kind of groove we had going. The place was definitely not crowded by then, and a couple of friends joined us. Kind of unusual for Austin as the only people we knew there were the band and those associated with the band... but that's OK. Nice evening and admission was only $10.
Oh Darlin' (Blaze Foley cover). A different venue and band makeup, not my video this time.

When it was time to leave, I was more than a little anxious because I do not climb hills. Never could, still can't. Fortunately, the homeowner had someone shuttling people to their cars, waaaaaaay up the hill, using this golf cart. If you lived in that house, I don't see how you could get by without it.