I'll start with a scoop: Davey Jones 0- yes, that Davey Jones, of The Monkeys -- may sing on Earl PIckens' new children's CD. But it's not quite official yet. Maybe Monday. But still! Earl Pickens & Family really should add the word "Show" to the group name. This act puts on a show.

It started with some U2 "Joshua Tree" material in the big tent that was once the parking lot of Abilene. (It's way bigger than I would have imagined, and there's food vendors.) Then they moved into the "Billy Jean" Michael Jackson homage that justs rocked, combined with "Bullets & Blue Skies." Let me just say that band member Jessie Yamas so seamlessly harmonizes with Pickens that there was not even a pause for second guessing. It's a musical marriage. I love this band!

The band did a crowd-rousing version of "I've Been Everywhere" and then got the crowd even more involved with a bit about how Pickens loves the ladies, ooh, he loves the ladies. Then a few new songs from the new CD, one about being dumped that I could easily see being picked up and covered by a bigger star (not that Pickens is looking to move in that direction).

Then I went off to the actual Big Tent to catch the Sauce Boss, but I'd just missed the second set so I slipped into Kilbourn to hear Mose Allison. He's sooooo smooth. It's amazing how, after all his years, his voice hasn't aged.

Back to the Big Tent to the gumbo revival meeting that is the Sauce Boss. He played the gamut of rock 'n' roll to blues to preacher-man and served gumbo at the end. I found it rather formulaic, but hey, he served gumbo! I added a little hot sauce, but still, gumbo? Yeah! First day and everything ran rather smoothly. Except the Sister Cities garage or whatever's it's called. Dark and creepy, and the elevators don't work. That sucked.

Saturday night I'll be hitting Mick Hayes at one of the free stages and Catherine Russell at Harro East.