C went to California this weekend, and I went to Southpaw Prison in Brooklyn with A & K and a few others to watch Johnny Cash perform. Okay, it wasn't really Johnny Cash. It was Alex Battles. And Southpaw isn't really a prison, but if it were, it would be the best damn prison ever. Because this prison had a coat-check and free-flowing Kelso on draft.
It was the Johnny Cash 76th Birthday Bash that brought us out. The main event was Alex Battles' Whiskey Rebellion faithfully recreating the Folsom Prison concert in its entirety, right down to the "announcements" that occur between the songs. There were even visits from June Carter (played by Jessica Rose and Becky Birmingham). It was a lot of fun, and Alex Battles was very convincing as Johnny Cash.
The evening opened with the Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co., who played some classic hillbilly country. Swing, swing, swing. That was followed with some rare Johnny Cash films displayed larger-than-life on the side wall. It was kind of eerie seeing Johnny Cash's giant head floating above the crowd like that, but it helped set the mood.
Here's a shot of Battles. And there are some more fuzzy photos here.
And here's a shaky video I took. Now, before you go making fun of my video skills, keep in mind that I wasn't really trying to get the band. I mean, anybody could do that. What I really wanted was a close-up of that guy's beer-hand blocking Alex Battles' face. And I got it, brother. Spot on. Not bad, eh?