A Must-See!

It has been four years since Ayn Bowron — far better known to peers and fans as “the lovely and Talented Miz Ayn,” which was how the late P.J. Belly always brought her to the stage — has performed in Lubbock.

Or, for that matter, grilled a burger in Levelland.

Most fans remember Miz Ayn supporting her day job, when she opened a small Levelland restaurant, named it the Mean Woman Grill and made sure she never ran out of music or atmosphere.

Eventually, she took all her savings and moved to Mexico, living as cheaply and as long as possible on a beach.

But she’s back and has agreed to headline a concert at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 17, called Miz Ayn and Her Very Excellent Buds, at the Cactus Theater, 1812 Buddy Holly Ave.

She indicated that her set list contains only new material, with the exception of two songs that she has promised to perform on request.

She emailed, “This show is gonna be awesome and funny and, hopefully, raucous. I plan on heckling the audience, with a very special torture reserved for (friend) Ralph DeWitt because I am sick to death of his ‘suggesting’ that I get a job.”

She added an LOL at the end.

Not surprisingly, she confirmed that street poet Paul Bullock will open. “He will do a poem he wrote about our time in Mexico and his ‘amigo gustavo.’”

Miz Ayn called out those she expects to accompany her on stage:

“My son, Buddy Bowron, will play either bass or guitar.
“Gypsy Jane, one of our former Mean Woman Grill waitresses, will play guitar and hopefully also sing. She is extraordinary.

“Kathleen Vowell. She is a singer-songwriter who is a 10-time champion knife-thrower. And yeah, I am going to ask her to throw some.

“My very good and talented friend Ron Riley playing harmonica. That’s assuming he has returned from the yearly harmonica conventions he attends.

“The Lubbock Texas Rhythm Machine, led by prize-winning blues guitarist Dustin Garrett. They are always awesome.

“And Don Caldwell himself will play saxophone — because he thinks I am cool. (And I am.)”

Those are Miz Ayn and her Very Excellent Buds.

Tickets are on sale and Miz Ayn is interested to see how much of her former Lubbock following remains after she left to try out life in Mexico.

But I suspect her West Texas fans are faithful.

Reserved seats are $20, or $40 for balcony box seats. Call 762-3233 for reservations and more details.