Stroke of Genius looked at me on Saturday morning and said that classic Animals line. “We gotta get out of this place.” He was going stir crazy so I promised a trip to town after I cleaned the house and he mopped the floor.

My, that worked very well.

Off we went to town, headed to the great afternoon jam session at Arkey Blue’s Silver Dollar Saloon. Now for those of you who don’t know Bandera, it’s a full on Cowboy town. If you want to dress up in boots and a hat, well, then this is your place, pardner.

Can you see that little red door past the General Store?

I forgot my camera, so you’re going to have to put up with iPhone pictures, though they are not that bad.

Jammin’ away

Excuse the fuzzy photo. See the light at the top of the picture? That’s the magic stairs that bring you down to the classic venue of Arkey Blue’s. Seated there are those musicians that came to jam that day. Not a large crowd of players, but some of the best in the west.

The afternoon crowd

The place was almost full of locals and tourists. Everybody was toe tappin’ and clappin’. Lovely, calm afternoon crowd. Lots of clapping, but not much dancing. Luckily I was asked to dance on the sawdust floor, which I happily agreed to.

The  bar

There are names carved in it, a popcorn machine, deer heads and cheap lights. Plus chrome bar stools which are bolted to the ground. These are the most uncomfortable bar stools in America and only tourists are foolish enough to sit there. No worries Snow Birds, I was unlucky enough to have a bad date on one of those bar stools one night. The man and the stool – never again. Luckily, Arkey makes the rest of the place very comfortable.

Why is Arkey’s “the best place” in town? Well, nobody else in the world can offer you great music, cheap beer and this.

A Dolly Parton pinball machine

A bit hard to see with the iPhone, I admit, but have you ever seen a Dolly Parton pinball machine before? Me neither. Has to be from the 70’s and is still in perfect working order. That’s what Arkey’s is all about.

Great atmosphere, cold beer, sawdust dance floor and all the classic relics around the place. Tomorrow, we’ll finish up a fun tour of Arkey Blue’s Silver Dollar Saloon and see more action, plus some really great customers.

Downtown Bandera. Get there as soon as you can.

Spreading music throughout the world…one jam at a time.

Mikie Baker
www.mikiebaker.com