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Black Fret Keeps Live Music Alive With a New Festival

May 12, 2021 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

Nakia SXSW 2018 Black Fret
Nakia enlivened an amazing Black Fret showcase during SXSW 2018. (credit: Bill Tucker)

For more than eight years, Black Fret supported the Austin music community with an unstoppable sense of purpose and accomplishment. When COVID brought live music to a near standstill, many of us wondered who would step up and take a stand. Black Fret came to the table and their brand new music festival, “Keep Live Music Alive,” is the comeback party we’ve been asking for since March of 2020. And with news of the 2021 class of grant nominees around the corner, there has never been a better time to become a member and support the music.

Doing The Right Thing Since 2013

Matt and Colin Black Ball 2018
Colin Kendrick (L) and Matt Ott (R) pose before the 2018 Black Ball (credit: Bill Tucker)

Founded by Colin Kendrick and Matt Ott in 2013, Black Fret aims to support the local music scene through member support. Members pay a flat fee that goes toward yearly grants. In return, members get access to unique, intimate listening room style performances. Every year, members nominate twenty artists to receive either a minor ($5,000) or major ($20,000) grant. The year culminates in the Black Ball, a sensational awards show and concert blowout at the Moody Theater. I’ve been to multiple Black Balls over the years, and trust me. They are experiences!

And while COVID kicked the Austin live music scene in the gut, Black Fret fought back with the Happy Hour Concert series. The program paid out over $250,000 to over 150 musicians for playing shows for companies and businesses over Zoom. It’s that sort of innovation that helped Black Fret stay helpful and relevant during the pandemic.

How’s this for numbers? To date, Black Fret has awarded $2,000,000 to local musicians and $1,500,000 to Austin-area venues and music businesses. Every artist playing a Black Fret showcase gets paid as does every venue. And for the first time, this year’s season dues is $750. While that may seem steep, it’s a hefty discount from years past. And consider the amount of live shows you get exclusive access to, along with knowing you’re supporting the art that keeps Austin the “Live Music Capital of the World. It’s a donation worth considering if you have the means to do so.

The Keep Live Music Alive Festival

Buffalo Hunt during the Black Fret SXSW 2021 showcase.

Now that COVID restrictions are relaxing enough for Austin to dip its collective toe back into live music, Black Fret is launching its first membership drive of the season in the form of a festival. The “Keep Live Music Alive” festival will take place from May 14-16th at the Long Center Terrace. While the event is listed as members only, single-day tickets are available for non-members. But that’s not the point. With an incredible lineup to offer, becoming a member is the best way to experience this three-day extravaganza.

The jam packed schedule reads like a who’s who of new Austin music. While ATX staples like Ley Line and Darkbird make me smile, I’m dying to check out Zach Person. I’ve heard nothing but good things about this local up-and-comer. The full schedule is as follows:

Day 1Time
Eimarl Sol4:00
Darkbird4:45
Mike Melinoe5:30
Miggy Milla6:15
Zach Person7:00
Buffalo Hunt7:45
Nane8:30
Day 2
Night Blooms3:00
Motenko4:00
Ley Line4:45
Clarence James5:30
Lisa Morales6:15
Harry Edohoukwa7:00
American Dreamer7:45
Sam Houston & Blk Odyssy8:30
Jake Lloyd9:00
Day 3
Special Tribute to Bob Dylan11:00 AM
Jon Muq2:00
Casey McPherson3:00
Dom Fisher3:45
Pat Byrne4:30
J Soulja5:15
Matt the Electrician6:00
The Reverent Few6:45
Deezie Brown7:30

Looking Forward to the Season Ahead

Austin band Motenko performing during Black Fret’s SXSW 2021 showcase.

And the festival is a jumping-off point. On June 11th via a private event at the Moody Theatre, Black Fret will announce this year’s class of artists. After months of live shows, the season will culminate in this year’s Black Ball on December 4th. As a fan of this wonderful organization, it’s great to see it up and running as intended: promoting and stewarding Austin live music. And if Black Fret’s re-emergence is the goal, the Keep Live Music Alive festival is its proof of concept.

“Black Fret is all about supporting our local music as the art that it is and we thank the Long Center for hosting our first ‘Keep Live Music Alive’ festival,” said Matt Ott, Co-founder of Black Fret. “COVID knocked our music community on our collective ass and it is time for us all to come together to support our artists, venues, and vendors that create our amazing music ecosystem in Austin. Joining Black Fret is a great way to accomplish that.”

When the music community was sucker-punched by COVID over a year ago, it hit everyone hard. From artists to venues and everyone in between, it was a time of uncertainty and anxiety. Despite it all, Black Fret continued to do what it does best—provide a lifeline to Austin’s cherished and storied music scene when it needed it most. And with this weekend’s celebration, the Austin music community hopes to turn the page on the year that was, and look forward to a great season of sounds ahead.

To become a member and attend the festival, visit https://www.blackfret.org/klma/ for everything you need to do so.

@BillTuckerTSP wants to know:

Ever been to a Black Fret event? Tell us about your experience!

Filed Under: Arts, Events, Music, Non-Profits Tagged With: Austin, black fret, COVID, festival, live, music, nonprofit

Watch Fashion Change as You Walk Through History at Bullock Museum’s Newest Exhibit

February 18, 2020 by Brittany Ballard Leave a Comment

Fashion Forward Exhibition at Bullock Texas State History Museum
“Fashion Forward” guides museum visitors through the history of fashion (Credit: Chad Wadsworth/Bullock Texas State History Museum)

Walking into Bullock Texas State History Museum is always a thrill for me. I get chills just thinking about all of the history held within the walls of the building.

As a self-proclaimed fashionista, I’m extremely excited about Bullock Museum’s newest exhibition, called “Fashion Forward.” Not only does it feature pieces from renowned designers, but they are all from an annual award ceremony that put Texas on the map for fashion.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Culture, History, Museums Tagged With: bullock, fashion

All That Glitters Is Neon at Upcoming Surreal Sea Party

October 29, 2019 by Joleen Jernigan Leave a Comment

Surreal Sea Party Entrance Through Neon Fish
Enter Surreal Sea through the belly of the beast (Credit: Ion Art)

Austin, prepare to trip the lights fantastic in an awe-inspiring neon seacape. Dance the night away among dazzling creatures and festive people at Ion Art and Art Seen Alliance’s Surreal Sea 2019.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Arts, Culture, Entertainment, Events

Please Touch the Art During Touch Tours at Umlauf Sculpture Garden

August 30, 2019 by Camellia Falcon Leave a Comment

Touch Tours for Visually Impaired at Umlauf Sculpture Garden
Sarah Story and Sara Athans demonstrate the Touch Tours experience at “Muse II”

Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum is a place most Austinites have been at least once. This beloved art venue offers vibrant programming, which includes summer camps, family days, and yoga. The peaceful space is also a popular event venue.

But as I walked in to do research for this story, I realized I’d never taken a proper tour. That’s how I missed a key fact regarding touching the statues. I had to confirm: is it really okay to touch the art? “Yes,” Program Director Sarah Athans replied as she smiled, “at least the bronze ones.”

This fact, along with a longtime relationship with Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, set the perfect conditions for Touch Tours to become a part of the garden’s offerings.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Arts, Culture, Museums Tagged With: umlauf

7 Outstanding Fine Artists in Austin to Know and Appreciate

August 28, 2019 by Katrina Cervantes 5 Comments

Rachel Dickson One of Austin's Fine Artists
Rachel Dickson in a studio shoot with Fotohouse (Credit: Daniel Nguyen)

You already know Austin is a hub for art and culture. In addition to world-class museums like the Blanton, smaller galleries line the streets. The city does a wonderful job of making sure art of all sorts is installed in public spaces for everyone to enjoy. And there’s no shortage of street art, if that’s your thing. Sculptural exhibits are plentiful for those who prefer a more three-dimensional realm. Sometimes, you’ll find disciplines intersect, since plenty of artists like to play in the proverbial clay and experiment with different media.

The following list focuses on seven Austin-based artists who are skilled in the fine arts—mainly abstract, portraiture, and landscapes. As you’ll see, they find ways to expand upon these categories and even transcend them.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Arts, Culture

Austin’s Thinkery Children’s Museum Sparks Imagination for All Ages

July 8, 2019 by Krista Hager Leave a Comment

Thinkery Hands-on Children's Museum in Austin
If only all learning was this revolutionary (Credit: Thinkery)

To be perfectly blunt, I am usually not a museum person. However, there is nothing usual about Austin’s Thinkery children’s museum. A visit to Thinkery feels like the physical manifestation of wonder and inquiry from a growing mind. With so many rooms and rotating exhibits, each return visit maintains its novel appeal. 

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Culture, Museums Tagged With: for kids, mueller

Art City Austin to Delight the Senses While Celebrating Diverse Local Art

April 4, 2019 by Joleen Jernigan Leave a Comment

Art City Austin Pop Art
Pop art, fan art, and fine art come together at Art City Austin (Credit: Art City Austin)

Austin’s wonderful weirdness is due in part to our artists of every hue. Art City Austin festival, the anchor event for Art Alliance Austin, will welcome dozens of artists to Republic Square Park on April 12-14, 2019.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Arts, Culture, Entertainment, Events Tagged With: art, downtown, festivals, music

Frida Friday ATX Showcases Women of Color Makers in Austin

March 19, 2019 by Camellia Falcon Leave a Comment

Frida Friday ATX Sewing Machine

Credit: Anais Alesya Photography

With March being Women’s History Month, it’s a great time to celebrate women in a special way. Lucky for us, Austin has an answer for not just this month, but any time of the year you want to support women, shop local, join a community party, or participate in a multi-generational event.

Frida Friday ATX started as a monthly women’s market, offering the opportunity for local women of color makers to show and sell their work. With this founding mission, Frida Friday ATX developed a space that’s not just a market, but a creative, communal space. The women vendors give back, as well, with a local cause and/or community partner selected as a beneficiary for each event. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Arts, Culture, Entertainment, Events

Artistic Imagination Roams Freely at Indra’s Awarehouse in Austin

February 12, 2019 by Katrina Cervantes Leave a Comment

Randi Southard, artist and owner of Indra's Awarehouse in Austin

Randi Southard, artist and owner of Indra’s Awarehouse (Credit: Cindy Chapter)

Indra’s Awarehouse is a 5,000-square-foot DIY art space located 20 minutes from downtown Austin. That’s 5,000-square-feet full of imagination and liberation, where wacky and wonderful ideas are allowed to take root, and grow into a plethora of multi-sensory experiences.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Arts, Culture

Gallop Into History Before Texas With Bullock Museum’s Unveiled Addition

December 27, 2018 by Brittany Ballard Leave a Comment

“Becoming Texas: Our Story Begins Here” takes guests from life before European settlers to the forming of Texas as a state (Credit: Chad Wadsworth/courtesy of Bullock Museum)

There’s something both sobering and thrilling about stepping foot into a museum. The realization there are thousands of years of history culminating into the present day gives me goosebumps.

Texas has a rich history and it’s easy to delve in at Bullock Texas State History Museum in central Austin. The museum offers you a full look at the key events in our state’s history. But with the newest exhibition, you can step back to the time before Texas existed. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Culture, History, Museums Tagged With: bullock

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