It was one of those moments in time. As we said goodbye to Ladybird at Birdman's Nest on Saturday night, we looked around at one point during the show and realized it was the end of an era. "This is one of those moments we'll remember years from now."
Announcements from the stage that the police were aware of the gathering (and considering the size of the crowd, how could they not be?)
Requests for the owner of a silver Buick to move their car so a person in a truck could get out.
An on-mic call for Files to bring a new mic stand over, because the fans at the front of the stage destroyed one.
"You remember that, bro?"
There was music from Jay Burnam, Open, Basics, Upsetting, and the honorees of the night, Ladybird. Garry, Peter, and Daniel blessed us with performances of all the tracks we love, like “Groundhog Day” and “House Parties,” and closed the night with “Gravedigger.”
For a group as talented as Ladybird, who have played on some big stages, it was a huge crowd for the suitably humble trappings of Birdman's Nest that served as the final gig. And that just feels right. We couldn't help but think there were several live music venues in Wichita Falls drawing much smaller crowds who could learn a thing or two from the hundreds who showed up at The Nest , but that's a discussion for another day.
Thank you Garry for all the years of great music. We know this is just the end of one chapter as you go off to the Houston area for the next step. Years from now, we will all remember Saturday night as a moment in time, permanently etched in the music lore of Wichita Falls.