September 26, 2008
The six- or seven-song show lasted for about a half hour, and followed Beck's appearance at the Chavez Theater with opening act MGMT, which also played a song at the Percolator.
"Keeping it quiet for the past couple of weeks until I knew for sure was the hardest thing I've had to do," said Bobby Smith, the 28-year-old owner of the Percolator.
He said the show wasn't a go until the last minute, and was set up by a friend, Chris Lewels, who works at the Black Market, which is where Beck played last time he pulled a late night surprise in El Paso (two years ago). Click here for a look at that show.
Smith, who has ties in El Paso and Austin from childhood, went to school in Chicago and worked there as an engineer, so he has a music industry connection.
In El Paso, the Percolator has steadily expanded to become a strong part of the art and music scene.
"I found out from family member that this coffee shop was for sale. I'd been here before on a visit, I really liked the place, and as soon as I found out it was available I had ideas flying left and right," Smith said.
The concert, he said, "didnt look good. He (Beck) was feeling kind of sick, and at the last minute, literally 10 minutes before he got here, I got a call from Chris saying they were on their way."
"We had a show here earlier in the evening, and we kind of announced when Lusitania was playing that Beck was on the way. It turned from like 50 people to like 250 people in about five minutes.
"I loved the show. I was amazed. It still hasn't really sunk in that it happened.
"A friend of mine from Chicago called me this morning. People already started to blog about it, and he found it on the Internet.
"Any city, big or small, something like that, an artist of Beck's caliber playing at a little coffee shop or bar, is an amazing thing."