Feb 21
So last night I'm out for sushi at one of my regular places. I have about 4 that I like, but last night I was at Dragons Gate. Moto was the sushi chef there last night. I have talked to him so many times before.
I've been there many times before and Moto has taken a special interest in my '62 T-bird convertible that I brought there once many months ago. He always asks about it and generally, this is what we talk about. Last night he asks me if I know Steve, from the Continental Club. I have met Steve and happen to know that he is a classic car/hot rod guy. Foolishly, I assume that Steve is a sushi regular there and ask Moto if Steve comes in here for sushi.
Moto tells me that he doesn't come in here and that he knows him from a regular gig at the Continental Club. I'm floored. For those of you that don't know Austin, there are just a handful of very legeondary clubs in town that Stevie Ray, Janis Joplin the fab t-birds etc… have played and one of those places is the Continental Club. Absoultely, classic Austin. So we talk further and it turns out he has been playing a weekly gig there for the past year. I'm still perplexed. I asked what he played.
Blues Guitar? No damn way… especially in Austin what many musicians refer to as the grad school of music. We start talking more. He in fact does play blues guitar and plays with a couple bands… I give him a hard time and ask "How can a sushi chef have the blues… impossible… you need to be from Mississippi and be poor…"
So I am going to see Moto play the blues very soon and I'm ashamed of myself. He's been here something like 16 years and very deep into the music scene. I shouldn't have stereotyped and assumed that sushi was his whole world. I'm an idiot. I'm also angry with myself for only talking about my car and sushi. I should be more inquisitive and learn more about those around me. I've been selfish. Shame on me.
I've been there many times before and Moto has taken a special interest in my '62 T-bird convertible that I brought there once many months ago. He always asks about it and generally, this is what we talk about. Last night he asks me if I know Steve, from the Continental Club. I have met Steve and happen to know that he is a classic car/hot rod guy. Foolishly, I assume that Steve is a sushi regular there and ask Moto if Steve comes in here for sushi.
Moto tells me that he doesn't come in here and that he knows him from a regular gig at the Continental Club. I'm floored. For those of you that don't know Austin, there are just a handful of very legeondary clubs in town that Stevie Ray, Janis Joplin the fab t-birds etc… have played and one of those places is the Continental Club. Absoultely, classic Austin. So we talk further and it turns out he has been playing a weekly gig there for the past year. I'm still perplexed. I asked what he played.
Blues Guitar? No damn way… especially in Austin what many musicians refer to as the grad school of music. We start talking more. He in fact does play blues guitar and plays with a couple bands… I give him a hard time and ask "How can a sushi chef have the blues… impossible… you need to be from Mississippi and be poor…"
So I am going to see Moto play the blues very soon and I'm ashamed of myself. He's been here something like 16 years and very deep into the music scene. I shouldn't have stereotyped and assumed that sushi was his whole world. I'm an idiot. I'm also angry with myself for only talking about my car and sushi. I should be more inquisitive and learn more about those around me. I've been selfish. Shame on me.
