OL' D'S SODA SHOP

The weather has decided to start acting like weather should act in south Texas in the winter time.  It has been in the upper 70s and lower 80s with sunshine lately.  I have been getting out and about trying to familiarize myself with the valley.  But, I haven't been doing anything that was blog worthy. However, one of the guys in the RV park told Mr. W about a place in "historic" downtown Harlingen that has a blues band every Friday night.  Last Friday night, we decided to check it out.

The name of the place is Ol' D's Soda Shop and it is on Jackson St. in downtown Harlingen.  Jackson St. looks like the street where everything in Harlingen that was anything was once located.  The buildings along the 3 blocks of "historic" Harlingen are old but it looks like businesses are moving in and trying to revitalize that area.

The blues show was suppose to start at 7:00 pm, so we decided to get there around 6:30 and have something to eat before the show.  There weren't very many people there and we had our pick of seats.  They serve hamburgers, sandwiches, French fries, and all the things that a 50s diner would serve.  There is also a old fashioned soda counter with stools and if you ordered a banana split, milk shake, or float, they went behind the counter to prepare those items.

The soda counter
(I didn't take my camera so all these pics are with my phone.)

Around 6:45, the "band" started showing up.  I say that loosely because it was more like anyone who showed up with an instrument got to play.  There was a stage and so many guys set up that the stage was full and they started setting up on the side of the stage, in front of the stage, anywhere they could find a spot. 

The first guys show up to start setting up. The section in front of the stage is the dance area.

The band getting ready to start

The main guy there was a black man, Johnny Harper, and he played the guitar just as you imagine a blues guitarist would play.  The rest of the guys considered themselves the Hardluck Band.  There was a mix of mostly old guys with some young guys who were all very talented musicians.  I'm not so sure it was what I consider the "blues".  To me, it was more old rock and roll songs that had a bluesy sound.  They did a ZZ Top song that I recognized.  Other than that, I didn't recognize anything. Let me say again that all of these could really play the guitar.

Johnny Harper with one of the young guys

The guy on the left was the guy who did most of the singing. The guy on the harmonica was good!

There was a guy who showed up really trying to look like the Blues Brothers. He did a little singing and he also played the harmonica.  He was definitely trying to live out his younger years. I'm all for staying young and having fun and even doing some silly, crazy things sometimes.  But, I struggle sometimes when older people try too hard to be too young again.  Maybe I shouldn't worry about that.  Maybe that's what keeps some people going.  Anyway, he had on his sunglasses, his trench coat, his hat, and he looked like Joe Cocker when he sang. He also kept grabbing our waitress and wanting to hug her (the young girl in the soda fountain pic above) which I found a little creepy. I guess it is what it is.

There was one section of the place that was sort of a tribute to Elvis area.  Ol' D's had a guy that was a regular there that was an Elvis impersonator and sadly he was killed in an accident the day before we went there.  The people who had told us about the place had seen him the Saturday night before and then he was gone on Thursday.  Just a reminder of how short life is and how suddenly it can be over. 

Ol' D's has a country/50's show on Saturday nights.  We ended up going back to see that and this time we ate before we went and tried out their ice cream as dessert.  It was good too.  They have a dance area in front of the stage.  Both nights people got up and danced.  There were more that danced on the country/50's night, but dancers both nights just the same.  They also have special musical artists that come during the week.  Unfortunately, they don't do a very good job of advertising so those are not usually attended very well.  But, I have heard that they have some great acts.  I will definitely go back and if you are ever in Harlingen, you should go too.