Gary Tackett and Full Moon Rude play May 8 in Idaho City. The show, to be held in the Gold Mine Saloon and Grill, will be well worth the scenic drive up to Idaho City. Gary Tackett and Full Moon Rude have been busy getting back to playing music live with some stellar shows at places like the Sandbar at the Riverside Hotel, Indian Creek Winery, Double Diamond Saloon (New Plymouth, ID), Sapphire Room at the Riverside Hotel and WillB’s Saloon in Boise.
Gary Tackett, the “Guitarist to the Stars”, has played on many stages including the Oakland Coliseum and the Grand Ole Opry. He’s played with many top artists such as Billy Currington. His favorite place though was the recording studio, however, where he played guitar on Merle Haggard’s Blue Jungle album. He brings to the Gold Mine Saloon and Grill Full Moon Rude, the wonderful band he has played with for many years. Full Moon Rude features Kevin Jensen on bass, lead and backing vocals. Barry Carlman does an amazing job on drums and percussion. This is an amazingly tight band. They can do wonderful improvisations and yet know what each other is thinking to segue into an ending or even a different song.
The Gold Mine Saloon and Grill in Idaho City has turned into quite a destination all by itself. They feature an expansive menu including breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus a full bar 
featuring many local breweries and distilleries. The Gold Mine Saloon and Grill. Their chili is not to be missed, drawing a very long line of tasters even when it started snowing in the recent Idaho City Chili Cook Off. Steve Twilegar, the owner of the Gold Mine Saloon and Grill, was happily passing out many bowls of delicious chili, even after it started snowing at the March 20th event. As well as a nice, large bar and plenty of seating inside and a front patio outside, the Gold Mine Saloon and Grill has also added the Trailer Park Stage, a nice outdoor area with a wood fire pit and an excellent stage to accommodate bands. If the weather is nice Saturday, it would be a treat to enjoy the band outside on this excellent outdoor area. With amazing views of the mountains, pine trees and blue skies, the Trailer Park Stage has few rivals for best location to hear music in a natural setting.
This will be a nice time to make it an all-day road trip to Idaho City. Gary Tackett has plans for before his show, telling The Boise Beat “I try to go up early and hit a few creeks with a gold pan. I love panning in my spare time, which is rare”. Idaho City is a fun walking place, with several stores, restaurants and even a museum to enjoy. There are also plenty of historical sights to see in this small town, which 150 years ago was the largest city in the Northwest, a mecca for gold miners. There is even a popular place called The Springs, a natural hot springs retreat which is a great way to unwind after exploring Idaho City. Horseback riding in the Boise National Forest is accessible right in Idaho City and makes the trip even more fun if you enjoy that. Many pullouts on ID21 can be found to snap pictures of the Lucky Peak Reservoir and the Boise River, which parallels much of the drive up and into Idaho City,
Gary Tackett and Full Moon Rude start their show at the Gold Mine Saloon and Grill at 8pm. A nice option to consider after the show, rather than a late night drive back to Boise, is overnighting at one of several hotels in Idaho City. Several hotels are in Idaho City, including the Inn the Pines, The Prospector Motel; and the Sarsaparilla Suites. A great choice is the Gold Mine Hotel, right next door to the Gold Mine Saloon and a perfect way to make for a short commute after an exciting music show. This gives the added plus of returning to the Gold Mine Saloon and Grill for a delicious breakfast. They’ve got Build-Your_Own Omelets, Egg dishes, Biscuits and Gravy and Pancakes. The Boise Beat loves their Chicken Fried Steak Plate, served with sausage gravy, hashbrowns and toast. This is one of the best CFS breakfasts around and a great way to start the morning (or the morning after!).
You can be sure Gary Tackett and Full Moon Rude are excited about this upcoming show. Gary said, “I love playing at the Gold Mine Saloon. The food is awesome; and the people appreciate what you do”. Playing covers ranging from Wonderful Tonight, Workingman’s Blues and the always popular Stuck In The Middle With You, the band also includes some of Gary’s originals from his Blue-Eyed Sole album. His originals like 27 Miles to Bakersfield, a song about traveling in a tour bus; and Over the Side, which was featured on Apple Music’s iTunes Blues Hot Tracks. Blue Eyed Sole is available for purchase online; and Gary usually has copies of it also for purchase at the shows. The band’s mix of blues, country and classic rock tunes is sure to to please everyone.
Whether you plan a weekend trip to Idaho City for exploring as well as seeing Gary Tackett and Full Moon Rude; or just take the short drive up the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway (ID21) to enjoy dinner and the show at the Gold Mine Saloon and Grill, you’ll find it an excellent trip through a scenic area. With great food at the Gold Mine Saloon and Grill plus great music from Gary Tackett and Full Moon Rude, the Saturday promises to be a really fun day for all who come up to Idaho City.
Gary Tackett and Full Moon Rude
Saturday, May 8, 2021, 8pm
The Gold Mine Saloon and Grill
3867 Highway 21
Idaho City, ID 83631
(208) 392-4787
Gold Mins Saloon and Grill website
Gold Mine Saloon and Grill Facebook page
All photos by Ed Simon for The Boise Beat
