We Went Down to the Crossroads

Scene: backstage at the Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago this weekend, where a crowd of 25,000 packed Toyota Stadium to see dozens of major blues and rock acts. abomber30 and I got invited to display our cars outside the courtesy tent as a distraction for the many performing hot rod enthusiasts (like Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, and Jimmie Vaughan).

Drew's hemi coupe



My coupe, with my kid's Strat riding in the passenger seat



Billy G examines my heap



We got talking cars with Billy and he invited us onto his tour bus to see pix of his new project at SoCal -- a '33 three window. Other than that we are sworn to secrecy. Billy and Drew on the tour bus:



Billy and the kid (my kid that is)



Don't believe my kid didn't appreciate that moment -- that 14 year old knows his rock and roll. Here he is (shameless plug!) performing "Black Betty" in concert the previous night with his band. He's playing lead on the Hamer.

 

Geez Mike, that was a weekend to remember! Totally cool!!!

 

That right there is some cool shit all the way through ! Congrats to you both for havin' a cool life !

 

Thanks man!

Bet you son still has a big grin on his face.

 

Jim -- I told Chet afterwards: "sorry pal, it's all downhill from here."

 

Your son is good (and I've heard a lot of guitar players)!

 

Cool, plain and simple.

 

Sweet, you guys are makin me miss Chicago

 

Speaking of that, the big finale of the concert was "Sweet Home Chicago" performed by (get this) Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, BB King, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan, Ron Wood, Robert Cray, the Allman Brothers, James Burton, Johnny Winter, Susan Tedesci, Johnny Lang, Los Lobos, Robert Randolph, John Mayer, Joe Bonamossa, Keb Mo, and a bunch others that are slipping my mind.

 

I'll be back visiting the parents in November.

 

Very cool Senor, boss' wife was there and said the finale was amazing.

 

NV! looks like one great time!

 

aaaaaawwwwwwwsum. are you still running the meteors for the street?

 

Scoob - yup. Ran like a champ yesterday.

 

MY HERO~

Well done sir.

 

Wow ... Billy Gibbons with his sunglasses, rare ... very rare indeed !!!

 

That's killer man!!! Your son's a shredder!!!!

Oh and Drew's coupe is definitely hitting a soft spot on me.

 

Da know how many (million's) of people that would have loved ta been in y'all;s shoe's that week-end?

 

Now I know why my sister, Brother in law, nephew and his gal friend went to Chicago this weekend. Cool, thanks for sharing.

 

I'll pass on the compliment! The thing I thought was impressive is that none of the boys had ever played the song before Tuesday, and that performance was only after 4 afternoons of rehearsal. They also did an original and stuck a spot-on cover of "Carry On Wayward Son" complete with 3-part harmony. The singer is 15, bassist is 13, rest of the boys are 14.

 

Big things a comin' for all of those guys. My first born child is due to be born sometime in the next two weeks and I am hunting a Fender Telecaster for him just to give him a nudge in the right direction. Very Cool MR. ZENOR!

 

JeffreyJames -- It's comforting to know in a world full of prefab Disneyfied Justin Biebers and Jonas Brothers there are some teenage acts who still know how to rock. I like to think these guys could play a biker bar without chicken wire around the stage.

May your son be a rocker!

 

That is just too cool! Enjoy life's sweet spots.
Because ...

 

Wow Mike! It was an honor to shoot your car for R&C.. Looks like the rock stars were digging it too!

Spike

 

Chet rules, makes you look like a dork Mike.

 

Hot Rods n Rock n Roll...sniff. Damn I love this country!!
Great post.

 

Those kids RULE! Pass that on Mike.

 

Two comments - one, those kids are terrific. They can play, I don't care how old they are. Two, I have never, ever seen a picture of Billy Gibbons, or Dusty for that matter, without their shades on since they grew those beards. Gibbons looks weird without them.

 

Congrats Mike! No wonder you don't love us anymore, you're hanging around with REAL Rock Stars! Tell "little Sapo" he ROCKS!

 

Neat deal... Gary