Old 97's - 09-21-1997 - O'Cayz Corral - Madison WI - AUD -O'CAYZ ARCHIVE PROJECT Show # 008

The Old 97’s September 21, 1997 O’Cayz show captures the Dallas band during a breakthrough year. Formed in Dallas in 1992 by singer-guitarist Rhett Miller and bassist Murry Hammond, the band soon brought in guitarist Ken Bethea and drummer Philip Peeples to round out its lineup. With their mix of country, rock and punk, the Old 97’s became one of the pioneering bands of the alternative-country movement during the mid-to-late 1990s. This O’Cayz performance came three months after the release of Too Far to Care, the Old 97’s Elektra debut and the album that established them as one of the leading bands of the alternative-country movement. Featuring songs such as “Timebomb,” “Barrier Reef,” “Big Brown Eyes” and “Four Leaf Clover,” the record pushed the group’s mix of country, rock and punk into faster, louder and more polished territory. The band spent much of 1997 touring behind the album, including appearances on that summer’s Lollapalooza tour. Nearly three decades later, the Old 97’s continue to record and tour with the same four members who performed at O’Cayz that night. Lineup (1997): Rhett Miller – Vocals, Guitar Ken Bethea – Lead Guitar Murry Hammond – Bass, Vocals Philip Peeples – Drums Big thanks go to Lisa Marine, who preserved this recording. Her band, the Quickies, opened for the Old 97’s that night. About: The goal of the O’Cayz Archive Project is to digitize and share significant performances from the storied history of O’Cayz Corral. Cassette tapes often deteriorate or are discarded over time, with many of these recordings existing only as a single copy. Digitizing and sharing them now is crucial to preserving these recordings before they are lost forever. Please reach out if you have a recording you would like to share.