A Salty Salute: Tequila and Guided by Voices

What I know for sure (to paraphrase a recent Kennedy Center honoree):

a) That a bar that offers 52 tequilas should be on my regular route.

I hadn't been to the Whisky Grill and Smokehouse since the second week it was open and back then, they did not have an entire book detailing the liquors they carried. Now they do.

Sure, some of my favorites were there: Corazon, Don Julio, el Tesoro, as well as plenty new to me: Corrolejo, el Jimodor, Milagro.

Cielo Reposado, described as tasting of "toffee, cheese, dried cherry, brown spices and pineapple custard with a slightly tannic entry and a medium-full body that finishes with a long, okay, mint, cream and spice nuanced fade," delivered.

No chaser required.

It being Monday and all, they were out of the half chicken and the barbecue, so I had brisket (fatty bits included: yum) and beans (hot, hearty and belly-warming) and discussed with my server why drummers come home from being on tour in such great shape, why juice fasts are worth it and what RVA has over LA.

b) That you didn't have to be a music fan in the 90s to appreciate a Guided by Voices tribute, but tonight's show was a huge treat for those of us who were. And on a Monday night, too. The crowd was enthusiastic and clearly full of fans come to hear some of a favorite band's music.

For fans of indie music since there was such a thing, GBV's lo-fi pop was the best-kept secret around.

The amazing part was that there were enough GBV fans among Richmond's current crop of musicians to do a tribute show (enthusiastically and drunkenly, as the invitation stated).

After taking the second best seat in the house, a friend came in and took the best one, directly next to me, so now I had music, a clear view and a musician friend with whom to enjoy the show.

Sadly, there was no Cielo Reposado in the house, but everything else was perfect.

Herschel Stratego and his ukulele made the most interesting commitment; while agreeing to perform, he also admitted that he didn't know of GBV before being asked.

But he did his research, resulting in a brief set that shared fun facts about the band and sampled some of their music. A for effort.

Climbers and Trillions used neither a ukulele nor humor, but more than did justice to several GBV songs, in all their poppy brevity.

Paul Ivey vs. Board of Education, if not GBV fans, had certainly done their homework and delivered a well-done set. Paul looked like he could have been one of GBV's fans from back in the day and he was an excellent interpreter of the sound.

The highlight for me was Snowy Owls' set because, although I'd fallen in love with their shoegaze sound online, I had yet to hear them live and Matt is one of my favorite music buddies (the kind who recommends bands he thinks I'll like and sends me links to check out after we talk).

Their drummer had approached me earlier to introduce himself, saying "I see you at every show I go to" which caused my friend and seatmate to say, "I bet you hear that all the time."

I bet I do and I consider it a compliment of the highest order (so much better than the unoriginal "hey, great legs!").

Once they finished, the crowd around me went wild. "Strong set!" one fan said, nodding in approval. These people were taking their GBV covers very seriously; it was really cute.

Adah's leader Jun had organized the show and they played last.

Their very passionate set included some fierce violin playing on the part of Jun, who ended by turning to his band and saying,

"We rehearsed one more, but I'm too tired." End of set...but understandable after what we'd just witnessed.

The crowd was in no hurry to leave, so people lingered and talked about the show and what might be next.

There's talk of this becoming a series of tribute shows to bands that matter. I heard Pavement thrown around as the likely next honoree, but several people made a strong case for Spoon.

Either way, I'm in.

Another thing I know for sure is c) that when the current generation is re-interpreting older music, I want to hear it (especially when they're doing it drunkenly and enthusiastically).

I might suggest a little indie nap so they don't get so tired next time, though.

Holy Happy Hour, Batman!

Best happy hour in recent memory: today from 5-7:30 at Garnett's.

Because during the arsenic hours, wine is only $3 a glass.

Because all the time, they have appetizers that only cost $6 or $7.

Because it ends up qualifying as dinner it's so satisfying.

And when the check comes, you'll marvel at how full and wine-happy you are for so little cost.

A couple of glasses of shiraz, a couple of malbecs, the smoked salmon plate with tomato, capers, red onion, brown bread, Benedictine spread and Mac's fabulous pickles as well as the cheese plate (Gorgonzola, Brie and Muenster) with oil-brushed toast points and we had enough food to keep my girlfriend and me occupied for most of our visit.

It also fueled the required girl talk, which was why we met up in the first place.

Perennial Garnett's customer Cy came in and sat down next to me with a companion.

He and my friend kept eyeing each other until they both acknowledged that they recognized the other.

A few quick questions and hints and voila!

The two degrees of separation in RVA were revealed. "Your were at so and so's party! You're the one who was dancing with all the middle-aged women!" my friend exclaimed when she figured it out.

Cy's blush and ducked head confirmed every word. Hilarious.

Up next was Gallery 5 and what an interesting experience that was.

The bands playing were Shark Attack (firmly rooted in the 70s), Duchess of York (technically proficient but seemingly without any passion) and Trillions (formed from the ashes of Prabir and the Substitutes).

Fear not, though, Prabir may be long-gone, but the rest of the band's coifs remain firmly in place.

I say that with tongue in cheek only because I remember seeing a Prabir gig in NOVA listed as a "must-see" in the Washington Post's "Going Out" section, with a reference to the band's poppy sound and hipster haircuts.

Present and accounted for.

Trillion's sound is still plenty poppy, but with a more recent angular heritage, including a lot of The Strokes' influence.

Appealing voices and well-played instruments made for the best set of the night.

I had met Charlie, the singer and organizer of the show, earlier and stumped him when I asked him what he was listening to lately.

"Romantic period classical," he finally said.

Anything recent. I wondered? Not that he could name, to his embarrassment.

Oddly enough, the same thing had happened when I'd asked the sound guy Matt that exact question earlier.

After he acknowledged his parents' classic rock and a few jam bands, he had a hard time citing any current music he's listening to.

Does this strike anyone else as odd?

If a 20-something musician or sound guy isn't paying attention to the music his generation is making, who is?

I probably already know the answer, but I think it needs addressing.

Talkin' 'bout your generation.