Jim Almand and the Rue Barbs

It was 2:00 in the afternoon today -- Memorial Day Sunday. Nothing was happening in town, so we decided to drive out to the Mine Shaft Tavern in Madrid to listen to Jim Almand and the Rue Barbs playing there.

Bikers were everywhere in Madrid. There was hardly a place to park in the whole town. I guess Madrid is a bit more popular now then it was when I was going to high school in Albuquerque a few decades ago.

Click any picture to enlarge, click the play button to listen to the music.

Randy, Lynn, and Jim were playing when we arrived.


Check out the washtub bass that Lynn plays: a stick, a knotted cotton clothesline, and a tin washtub with a microphone under it. He wails on that thing!


Jim invited me up for a few numbers during the second set. Jim's version of Tom Waits' Chocolate Jesus is definitely cool. Jim ended up the second set with this wild number by Marvin Gaye that really had me on my toes.

Kenny Valdez showed up later and played with them during the third set.

Here's one of the numbers they did with Kenny towards the end of the set as the ladies danced in front of the stage.

Towards the end of the afternoon, Jim did this beautiful version of Bruce Springsteen's I'm on Fire.


Jim Almand and the Rue Barbs: Randy, Matt, Freddie, and Lynn are playing every other Sunday afternoon at the Mine Shaft Tavern in Madrid, 2:00pm - 6:00pm. Come on out -- they are good.


--Doug