Boquillas Overnight – dancing in the dark.

Jessica Lutz

Let’s get this out of the way first:

Staying overnight in Boquillas is fun, easy, comfortable and like being in a time warp.

It’s as if the flat-bottom boat that the smiling guide delivers you to Mexico in is actually a magic device – like climbing through the back of the wardrobe in “The Lion, the Witch, and Wardrobe,” or climbing down the rabbit hole with Alice.

Boquillas is another country and another world- especially at night.

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George Womack, drummer and solar power expert, talking to the press.

During the day, the sun is out.  Lilia and Bernardo, who own the best restaurant in town- Falcons, have a “George Womack installed” solar power system, and little solar panels dot yards all over town.

At night…

I went over to Boquillas along with fellow musicians Mike Davidson, George Womack, Laird Considine, Jeff Haislip, Charlotte Teer, to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of the opening of the Boquillas crossing.

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Marcos, Mike and Laird in la plaza.

For over a decade, after the paranoid psychopaths closed the border, Boquillas suffered economically.  All businesses except one bar closed, families either left or sent their children to stay with relatives in other towns.  The 30 minute trip to the park store for supplies turned into a 6-hour trek over bad roads.

I’ve written about this before- it was a cruel, stupid decision based on “lowest common denominator” politics and needs to be reversed…

And, now the crossing is open.

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Music…

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Bonnie Whitmore, Craig Carter, Fireman’s Ball 2014

Last night, Bonnie Whitmore played the Starlight Theatre.  Later, Craig Carter and the Spur of the Moment Band played the Fireman’s ball at the Boathouse.

I’ve been watching and listening to Bonnie for… a decade?  Her folks, Alex and Marti, started both of their girls out young- singing and playing and writing songs.  It worked.

When you go to Bonnie’s website, you’ll note that she’s getting a LOT of radio airplay. Listening to her perform her songs, it’s easy to see why.

Last night’s show was a sort of homecoming.  Bonnie played and talked about how her parents influenced and taught her.  Then Alex and Marti joined her on stage.

bonnie whitmore at the starlight in terlingua
Bonnie at the Starlight

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Loves It in Terlingua.

The homeless duo, “Loves It,” played the Starlight last night.

Although they are officially from Austin, they have a storage room in Nashville and live on the road in their touring van.  Apparently, this is a trend- Ray Tarantino, Jon Hogan and Maria Moss, Hank Woji… have discovered the economic reality that you can just skip all that rent and utilities stuff if you just keep on moving.

I’d never heard them before, but reviews from their show at Lajitas were good, so I hung out at the Starlight with Cosmic Kathy, Jeffro Greasewood and Sha, and other locals at the bar.  It was a full house, which is just weird.  It seems like spring break will never end…

Jenny Parrot of Loves It

Jenny after the show.

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Monday on the porch in Terlingua.

Yesterday, we hung out on the porch before dinner…

Chase Peeler, Jeffro Greasewood, Hillie Bills, Mark Lewis, Hank Woji, and a few others were playing… I was enjoying a cigar and the scenery and the scene.

Over the course of about an hour I snapped a few pics.  What struck me when I looked back on them was how the band morphed and changed over that hour.  People switch instruments, go on beer runs, see someone they want to talk to…

But, the music plays on.

Only in Terlingua, y’all.

musicians on the porch in Terlingua
Chase, Hank, Mark, Hillie.

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