Rarely have I seen artist, venue, and audience so well suited as at Roots of Creation’s Sept. 6, 2024, show at Rancho Relaxo in Dale, TX.
The band was hot. One set of Roots music. Then, “Grateful Dub,” the group’s reggae take on Grateful Dead tunes. Both sets jam-heavy.
The quality of the sound matched the intensity of the music. Leading the sound check, saxophonist Andrew Riordan meticulously attended to detail. Each voice and instrument calibrated to the space.
The crowd could and did appreciate it. Very classic Austin. Elder Austin, to be sure. Many from the jamily. Very in tune to great tunes. Quite at home at the Rancho.
The distance from Austin and camping-friendly grounds encourage overnight stays. Tents pitched under acres of live oaks create a festival vibe among guests and performers. It’s 20 miles down the road from the old home of Old Settler’s Music Festival - a much larger venue with a similar spirit.
A small, well-lit stage and a flagstone patio sandwiched between the owner’s home and a private space for performers comprise the Rancho Relax concert space. A brightly colored, very-Dead mural fills one wall: a large Stealie, several dancing skeletons, a hatching terrapin, a Doo-Dah Man, and a cartoon Jerry. It’s a (very, very) Deadhead-friendly, hippy haven.
