The Real Thing: Rodney Hayden Sticks To The Classics At Gruene Hall

Rodney Hayden and band at historic Gruene Hall.

A lack of parking in downtown Austin on Thursday afternoon derailed plans to catch a couple of new bands, but opened my schedule to head out to the historic Gruene Hall for a low-key evening away from the frantic atmosphere of SXSW.

The neon glow of beer signs replaced the setting sun as the main source of light when Rodney Hayden strapped on his guitar. A cool, brisk breeze rolled through the open windows and across the weathered dance floor. The sound equipment was situated opposite the stage, a few feet behind the bar, proving to be an ideal spot for a thirsty band.

Listeners filed in and out at their leisure, but most who entered the screen doors stayed to catch a refreshingly traditional artist tear through classic covers–that would have made their original interpreters proud–and entertaining, dance-worthy, and sometimes heartbreaking originals. Someone who wasn’t familiar with the songs wouldn’t have known a difference between the two.

The theme was set early when Hayden played several Haggard tunes (”Sing Me Back Home,” “Silver Wings,” “Big City,” and “Ramblin’ Fever”) mixed with Bob Wills (”Corrine Corrina”), Buck Owens (”Act Naturally”), and Dwight Yoakam (”Always Late With Your Kisses”). By my unofficial count, he played nearly ten Haggard covers throughout the night, and somehow snuck “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink” in twice along with an acoustic and stirring rendition of “That’s The Way Love Goes.”

At one point a middle-aged, brunette woman carefully juggled several bottles of longnecks in each hand. “That’s pretty impressive,” Hayden said, “former waitress?”

“Nope, teacher. Spring break ‘08,” she whooped, drawing a raucous laughter from the crowd.

Despite the cover-rich evening, Mr. Hayden was able pull songs from each of his three albums–”Heartaches & Highways,” “The Real Thing,” and “Mighty Lonesome Sound” from The Real Thing; “Mr. Mockingbird” from Living the Good Life; and “Midnight In Memphis,” “Nuevo Laredo,” and “I’ll Ride Again” from Down The Road are a few examples. The crowd was treated to a new song, “Waltz With Me,” about his wife. The performance that night was dedicated to two brides-to-be in the audience, and a studio recording will be available on his forthcoming album.

Four hours after Rodney Hayden began I was ready to call it a night and headed out into the nippy night air to make the forty-five minute drive back to Austin. There were only a couple of songs left, but I’d like to think the band continued into the early hours of daylight.

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Previous articles on Rodney Hayden:
From Austin To West Texas, Rodney Hayden Is Just Down The Road
An Interview With Rodney Hayden