09/27/2026
Bartender Diary, Day 156
The Cruz Room has officially been open for five months, and last night was one of those spontaneous evenings where everything came together in the most extraordinary way.
It started with Los Darks running late. Apparently, they had gotten so lost in the music while rehearsing on the railroad tracks that they completely lost track of time. That sounds entirely made up, but I assure you it’s true. Mark, who makes an appearance later in this story, actually spotted them rehearsing on the tracks while making his way to The Cruz Room!
Twenty minutes after they were supposed to arrive, I started calling in favors. Within fifteen minutes, I had assembled an emergency band. Rawley Fingers was on his way with his baritone sax, and a guitarist named Mark was bringing his guitar and looper pedal board.
Naturally, Los Darks arrived just as my reinforcements were ready to save the evening. But here’s where things got interesting!
Rather than send everyone home, we ended up with this wonderful, spontaneous exhibition of music.
Rawley Fingers joined Los Darks on baritone sax, jumping into different songs throughout the evening. And it was simply marvelous!!
And then there was Mark.
During the band’s breaks, Mark would take the stage with his guitar and looper pedal and create these extraordinary little soundscapes. Layer upon layer of beautiful guitar, building into something hypnotic, warm, and inviting.
And everyone who was there could feel that something special was happening. Nothing planned, nothing rehearsed, just a handful of musicians who happened to find themselves in the same room.
Five months into this little adventure, I’m discovering that some of the most memorable nights are the ones you could never have planned, and sometimes all it takes is a band losing track of time on the railroad tracks.
