leath213
+1y
Edited: 3/23/2010 1:27:19 PM by leath213
Edited: 3/23/2010 12:11:12 PM by leath213
Again, I wanted to let you guys know if you didn't read my previous article. I am not a writer, nor am I paid by streetsource. I go to many shows selling our videos and record my experiences from time to time if the mood strikes me. I figured I would post this one, because the Tex Mex thread has now spiraled out of control.
For Chris, Amanda, and I, Tex Mex was a show that we had been anticipating since that warm sunny Sunday evening exactly one year ago. Tex Mex 2009 had ended, and we made the journey home. I can remember on that drive I thought to myself that this was the start of something memorable. This show had grown leaps and bounds. As the weeks approached to the 2010 show, you could feel the hype building by the day. Social media pages like Facebook and Myspace were alive with Tex Mex continual status updates. Those attending, posting a continuous barrage of their preparations, and last minute builds, as those not fortunate enough to make the journey sat back helpless, trying to ignore the taunts of the obvious, this was going to be a truck run unlike anything the south had seed since the disappearance of Showfest.
As the time grew closer, so did rumors of an odd front of weather, bringing strong winds, and rain, and a drastic drop in temperature. Could this actually be happening? Is a higher power trying to punish us in some sort of karma related action in retaliation for that hotel I fucked up that time in Louisiana? (I am speaking figuratively of course, but I am sure some of you can relate to an experience such as that)
But back to the show, Thursday came and went without a hitch, camp sites were built, music was played, and the air was filled with anticipation of arrivals, and the smell of grills burning cheap sausage and hotdogs. Upon my arrival Friday, I decided to ignore the death sentence that the meteorologist had given that morning on my local forecast. I enjoyed the day, and we partied that night harder than we had in a while. Surround by what I consider my extended family, we drank, we laughed, and we made the most of our time together. "But what about the cold and the rain coming?" We will worry about it when it shows up, and believe me Saturday, it showed it's ugly face.
Immediately when I made it to the show on Saturday, there was a buzz in the air. People were wanting to go home. People who traveled hundreds and in some cases thousands of miles, to come to a show that in my opinion was on track to be one of the most memorable shows ever. The manicured grounds soon turned to mud, winds poured in off the water, campsites were destroyed, it was our own little Minitruckin Katrina.
My day was ruined, we decided to drown our sorrows and disappointment in a local establishment. We talked with friends and shared war stories, and I think at this moment we all had an epiphany. We have been to many shows, and seen the camaraderie of minitruckers as a whole, since when have we let a little rain get in our way of having a good time? We decided to find a bar near the hotel we were staying, which was a cool 20 miles from the show. Two Facebook status updates later, a small empty dive bar was filled with black shirts, dickies, and sketchy tattoos. Rounds were bought, and glasses were raised. Hours earlier the wind taken the excitement, and energy away from us, but who knew that it just moved it 20 miles up the road to a honky-tonk in Brenham texas. I have come to realize that Minitruckin as a culture isn't contingent upon shows, or even trucks. It is built on family, and whether we congregate in the confines of a truck run, or at dive bar north of Houston, we are going to have a good time, and make the best of our days and nights as a group of like-minded individuals refusing to allow the elements to keep us from what we love.
I wanted to thank Mitch, Andrew and the Severed Ties crew for all of their hospitality, and not throwing in the towel once the weather tried to stop the show. The show will always be one of my favorites. I do hope that it lives on, and if not, I am sure more shows will come and go. I try to see the silver lining in most things, and even if you consider this year's Tex Mex a disappointment, I saw it as an opportunity to witness first hand the dedication that people have to keep these shows alive.
Thanks for reading,
Brandon Leath
Crime Pays Video/Weekend Celebrity Productions