A Story Everyone Should Know About My Friend Dave Chaves (And Also Stevie Ray Vaughan, Who Is Not My Friend)
Most of you know I acquired a press pass for Austin City Limits Festival last year and with it came certain perks of which I was not too proud to use. There was access to a small press area where I ran into Alex Turner (midget) and scored free snacks, VIP Dell Lounge access, where my friends and I had free everything (beer, water, food) and sidestage access, but there were also a shitton of events I was getting invited to outside the festival, because my name had appeared on some sort of ubiquitous solicitous list.
One of them was a kickoff party put on by the record label BMI. BMI sponsors an ACL stage for up and coming artists and the person in contact with me was incredibly nice and allowed my two friends Dave Shaw and Dave Chaves to come along. Since it was before the festival started, therefore not conflicting with anything, we decided to RSVP Yes.
We get to the restaurant where it's being held (this really classy barbecue restaurant called Lambert's), head upstairs and try not to stick out like sore thumbs, sampling the delicious finger foods, and such.
At events like this there's always the same sort of feeling out process with the food and drink. Is it free? Is the bar open? When in doubt, don't be tentative and just go for it, which we did wholeheartedly. Turns out everything was free and we sidled up to the corner of the bar, where it turns out singer songwriter Kara Granger was drinking wine.
I begin throwing back Gin & Tonics with Dave Shaw and Dave Chaves starts his normal process of draining whatever locale he's in of their stock of Southern Comfort. We're listening to the musicians perform, getting crunk, eating damn good BBQ and all is well. Dave Shaw starts the Mojito ordering trend, which makes every bartender manning an open bar cringe and that catches on like wildfire.
Finally things are settling down, and we're about to see a presentation.
BMI presents the co-writers and bandmates of Stevie Ray Vaughan plaques in honor of the 1,000,000th radio play of SRV's song "Crossfire". People are giving speeches, people are breaking down and crying. It's very touching (possibly because everyone's drunk). Then the titular Dave Chaves leans over to me and says:
"Who is Stevie Ray Vaughan?"
I looked down at his plate of free food, his 3/4 full alcoholic beverage and promptly told him to shut the fuck up. Good times.
