Willie Nelson plays the staples outlawed at the Beto O'Rourke Rally in Austin – Rolling Stone

Willie Nelson was perhaps the name of the marquee of the "Rally With Willie & Beto" in Austin, Texas on Saturday, but the rock star of the evening was the candidate himself, Beto O'Rourke. The former punk musician and Democratic candidate for the Texas Senate had just delivered a moving speech to nearly 60,000 people at Auditorium Shores, and it was almost inevitable that Nelson would recall him on his tour.

"Beto, come help me do that," said this 85-year-old rural legend from the small Colorado River Discovery Scene, with downtown Austin's skyline behind him. O 'Rourke, his sweat-covered shirt and rolled up sleeves – both features of his energetic and improbable run against Republican outgoing President Ted Cruz – strove to help sing "On the Road Again", then stopped with a big smile. Nelson played a solo on his trusty Trigger guitar.

Nelson's short and fast series relied heavily on outlaw clips such as "Whiskey River" and "Mamas do not let your babies grow up to be cowboys," and his son Lukas Nelson has given a hard read of "Texas Flood". was the catchy performance of Nelson's new political anthem, "Vote" Em Out, "calling to the action of the night, in which he sings:" The biggest cannon we have called the urns". However, the red-headed alien, wearing a hat and a Beto t-shirt, left the comment to the politicians, saying simply, "Agreement, Beto!" between the songs.

Although Nelson's decision to play the free event, which also included Leon Bridges, supported the Democratic candidate in advance, some opponents had shown up in advance, there was no trace of resentment or of tension to find on Saturday. There were not even any entrance doors, because the public was allowed to simply go out on the street. O'Rourke's speech emphasized the nocturnal atmosphere of spontaneity and inclusion.

"We will run against no one, nothing and no political party. We run for each other and for this country that we love so much, "said O'Rourke, to warm encouragement from the public. "It's a campaign for the future because the people of the future – our children and our grandchildren – depend on what we are doing right now. Tonight be a message for the future. Tell them who we are, what we believe in and what we are willing to do to achieve our goals. "

The goals set by O'Rourke were certainly noble goals, especially in a state that traditionally votes as red as the state of the lonely star. Universal health care, global warming, the legalization of marijuana and women's reproductive rights were key points that he mentioned in his 15-minute speech, during which his message recurrent was that Texas, as "gateway to the rest of the world". world "" can pave the way. "

"It's a campaign of people, all people, and I do not care about the differences between us. If you are Republican, you are in the right place. If you are a democrat, you are in the right place. If you are independent, you are in the right place, "he said. "Whoever it is, whether you do it, whether you like it, no matter how many generations you've been to this country or how you arrived yesterday, we're all in the same boat, we're all human beings , and we'll start treating ourselves that way. "

Most of the feelings of O 'Rourke resonated all night, starting with the opening speech of Austin Mayor Steve Adler, in which he introduced the city as a sanctuary. for immigrants and LGBTQ rights, as well as his minimum wage of $ 15 per hour and paid sick leave. . Adler has seized what he termed "crazy week" just now, expressing his support for victims of sexual assault, a referral to the Senate hearings on the candidate of the Supreme Court Brett Kavanaugh.

That such opinions are shared by the voters out of the liberal Mecca of his capital is another matter, but Carrie Rodriguez, one of the artists who interpret the bill, believes that they should be the only ones to do so. ;be. "Beto is this white guy with a spanish nickname who is fluent in Spanish. For me, that's what we are in Texas. We are at our best when cultures come together to create new cultural identities, and Beto really represents that, "Rodriguez told Rolling Stone Country. "He grew up on the border in a bicultural community [in El Paso] give him this perspective by knowing what our needs are as a state. "

Rodriguez, an Austin singer whose mother is Chicana, delivered a bilingual set early in the night that made the crowd move for the first time with her violin-cut solos. Joe Ely preceded him, opening the musical part of the rally with his strongest political statement, his 2009 song with the Flatlanders 'Borderless Love'. Although many fans did not seem to recognize it, they cheered when Ely reached the finish line. no need for a wall.

"It sounds like a necessary thing. It's not just another show, it's a necessary spirit gathering, "Ely told Rolling Stone Country. He said his "optimism was quite positive for Beto" during the campaign. "I think Ted Cruz is a bit scared of what's going on now. His message is a little far-fetched, it's as if he were not in this century. It is in a different time zone. "

Throughout the night, various speakers referred to Cruz, including local representative Lloyd Doggett, who said, "He visited 99 counties and they are all located in Iowa." It was mentioned that O 'Rourke had visited the 254 counties of Texas. many times, which demonstrates his commitment to work and his motivation to make sure that he joins Nelson especially for "On the Road Again".

O'Rourke ended his speech by pointing participants to the dozens of volunteers present to help them register and vote, as well as encouraging them to join the list of tellers. When asked how many were already registered, cheers came from the crowd. Then, when asked who was still considering signing up, he is not you. The point of questioning – there are only three weeks left before early voting – is the number of people who have come forward to hear Nelson actually singing.