Let’s set the scene: A sticky summer night, pastel sunset, big backyard full of picnic tables and string lights. And one hell of a show happening on the venue’s bright yellow stage. The Once in a Lifetime Tour featuring Des Rocs and The Blue Stones stopped by Austin’s Far Out Lounge this week, bringing some good old fashioned rock ‘n roll to the live music capital.
The co-headliners have been alternating with who takes the earlier set, and this time it was Des Rocs’ turn to make a good first impression. Our favorite New York rat smoldered at the crowd, basking in the glow of the stage lights and the adoration of the fans.
After through the first half of the set with favorites like “This Is Our Life” and “Wayne”, Danny paused to tell a story of late night walks through the city and meeting a fellow wanderer who reminded him to hold tight to his dreams. “Close your eyes,” he told the crowd, “and picture your dreams. Who’s there? What does the air feel like on your skin?”
The pace picked back up with a cover of “We Will Rock You,” featuring a guest drummer from the crowd (shouts to Olivia) and plenty of onstage antics. Closing with “Let Me Live / Let Me Die”, Des Rocs won over even the most ambivalent attendees who gave a standing ovation from their picnic tables.
As blues rockers, The Blue Stones were welcomed with open arms to Austin — and had plenty of fans show up to see them. The older half of the crowd inched their way forward as the set started, draft beers in hand, hips swaying to “One by One” and “Magic” under the starry sky. But it wasn’t just the older cuts that got the crowd moving; New track “Don’t Miss” was an instant hit. “Sing along if you know it,” they encouraged, and they were pleasantly surprised to see it was already well known.
Not willing to leave without telling their own story, vocalist Tarek Jafar regaled the duo’s first live show when someone reached out, allegedly via MySpace, asking them to play a music festival. Upon arriving at the address, they found it was a girl’s graduation party, and they played to a handful of friends and left before hotdogs were served, much to the girl’s mom’s dismay. “We should tell that story more,” he said to drummer Justin Tessier.
Too soon it was time to “shake off the rust” and call it a night, leaving the crowd in good spirits, enjoying the warm breeze, and hoping it wasn’t a once in a lifetime experience.
Check out all the photos from the show!
Story and photos by Taylor Knauf
