MacHenry’s, Fort Worth, TX, Nov. 5 and 6, 2005
The Rogues played at MacHenry’s in Fort Worth on Friday and Saturday November 5 & 6. If you have never been to MacHenry’s it is very much an Irish pub. The pub is well laid out and has a comfortable atmosphere. The owner John Walker is always there to welcome you with a warm smile, handshake and a Guinness. John has a great staff that makes everyone feel at home.
The most obvious thing was a new face on the stage. EJ was running the New York Marathon with his mother. Now that’s cool but I’m out of breath just thinking about it! The new face was Jeremy Freeman, and he is a bagpipe instructor at St. Thomas Episcopal School in Houston, Texas. Jeremy, who has never played the Rogues style of music, had to learn the tunes at the spur of the moment. He had sheet music for many of them and I was astonished at how well he did. This was a good and fun show and well worth the price of admission and a long drive for some. It was nice to see some faces from as far away as Oklahoma and Corpus Christi and everywhere in between.
Jeremy, Jimmy and Randy were wearing kilts when they hit the stage; Nelson joked about not getting the dress code memo. He was wearing jeans and an un-tucked white long sleeve button down shirt with the collar up, of course. Folks let me tell ya, Nelvis was in the house! “Auh huh, anybody got a peanut butter and ‘nana sam’ich?” Nelson’s usual antics and jokes kept us laughing and entertained.
Heather Hohmann had everybody sign a pair of her husband, Bill’s, Fruit-of-the-Looms and presented them to Nelson. He put them on his head for a little while during one of the sets. Very silly and fun.
Sharon Wothke and Denise Cannizzo (AKA. Isabella) were there selling CD’s and custom Rogues t-shirts. Denise Allen took a break from selling that weekend to sit back, relax and enjoy the show with her daughter who was up from San Antonio. Denise Cannizzo took a couple of breaks from selling to waltz to Cullen Anderson with me, her husband. Tom and Serita also joined us on the dance floor. Irish country dancing periodically broke out during both evenings and was very entertaining to watch.
On Saturday evening the Rogues invited some amatuer musicians in the autience, including myself, up to the stage for the last two tunes. That was great fun and the audience seemed to enjoy it.
The Rogues play again at MacHenry’s on Firday, January 28, 2005. But one night only because Holy Cow! The’re playing at the Mucky Duck in Houston the following night Saturday, January 29, 2005. Let’s help make both of these shows standing room only.
Ken Canizzo