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LBJ Goes All the Way at Zach Theatre

April 14, 2015 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

Steve Vinovich gives an impassioned speech as LBJ in All the Way at Zach Theatre

Imagine if you had eleven months to be president. What would you do? Would you seize the opportunity and make sweeping changes or lay back in the hopes of nabbing another four years?

That’s the problem Lyndon B. Johnson faced when he was thrust into the presidency in the wake of JFK’s assassination. All the Way, a Tony award winning play opening at Zach Theatre on April 16, 2015, examines LBJ’s early career with a dynamite cast and spot on direction. A definite must-see.

Rocky First Year

All The Way is the story of LBJ’s first eleven months in the Oval Office. If following in the tragic footsteps of the most popular president since Roosevelt isn’t enough, the Texas Hill Country native finds himself at the helm of a country ready to tear itself apart. [Read more…]

Newbie’s Guide to MotoGP at Circuit of The Americas

April 14, 2015 by Bill Tucker 2 Comments

This shot was taken in real time during the first lap of the Moto 2 race. These bikes fly.

This past weekend, the skies above Circuit of The Americas were dark and foreboding. Over three miles of world class track loomed before me. Off in the distance, motorcycles buzzed like a mob of angry bees. The air was full of adrenaline soaked tension.

The brand new race track on the outskirts of Austin was host to MotoGP, a Grand Prix motorcycle race I was lucky enough to attend, courtesy of the folks at GoPro cameras. As a newbie to the sport and venue, here’s what I learned: [Read more…]

Downtown Austin Comic Relief: Shows at The New Movement

March 31, 2015 by Kelli McDonald Leave a Comment

The New Movement Theater Downtown Austin

Headed to The New Movement on Lavaca

In a basement off Lavaca sits The New Movement comedy theater and conservatory. Originally located east on Rosewood, The New Movement was started by comedians Chris Trew and Tami Nelson in 2009. Since then, their success has led to a second location in New Orleans.

The New Movement has created a kingdom of comedy where patrons can catch improv, sketch and stand-up shows produced by talented and driven comedians.

Getting to Know the Shows at The New Movement

There is a lot of ground to cover when introducing anyone to The New Movement because of the huge variety of shows taking place onstage from Wednesday through Sunday every week. [Read more…]

Motherpunker Lauren Larson of Ume: The Hand That Rocks the Cradle

March 12, 2015 by Guest Blogger 2 Comments

Lauren Langer Larson of Ume (Credit: Ryan Souva)

Guest article by Audrey René Rodriguez

With a career that began with her 15-year old self riffing a guitar at a skatepark in a band named Twelve Blades, Lauren Langer Larson has fashioned more guitar licks on her belt than most. Whether or not she joined Twelve Blades to impress the skater boys is yet to be determined (and the one joke of this article).

Something tells me that someone who has been mother to Austin’s Girls’ Rock Camp for some time now does not tread lightly when it comes to girls in bands. [Read more…]

Texas Card House Opens First Legal Poker Room in Austin

March 11, 2015 by Edgar Barguiarena

Texas Card House on Manchaca in South Austin (Credit Taylor Wier)

It almost sounds too good to be true. Legal gambling in Austin? Short of a four hour drive to Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino in Eagle Pass, it simply didn’t exist before now. Texas Card House has changed all that, offering the first legal poker room in Austin–and in the whole state of Texas outside reservations.

The trick is in the language. Texas Card House offers membership to a “card and social club” and provides a facility where members can gamble. [Read more…]

How The Old Remains New: Bill Frisell and the Big Sur Quintet

March 5, 2015 by J. Alan Nelson Leave a Comment

Bill Frisell and the Big Sur Quintet will perform in Austin on Sunday, March 8th
(Credit: Monica Frisell)

The Cactus Cafe is bringing one of the world’s leading jazz guitarists, Bill Frisell, and the Big Sur Quintet to the Texas Union Ballroom this Sunday, March 8th, to examine the work of one of folk music’s preeminent figures: Woody Guthrie.

Frisell’s eclectic fountain of rock, country, progressive, jazz and blues music is well known in musician circles throughout the world. But Frisell is looking forward to his Austin gig.

“The first time I came to Austin was in the early ‘90s,” he shared. “I played at the Continental Club and that became, in a way, a home base for me. I’ve played there many, many, many times.” [Read more…]

Celebrating 45 Years of Austin Music Icon Asleep at the Wheel

March 4, 2015 by Edwin Ochoa Leave a Comment

Asleep at the Wheel, the Quebe Sisters, Amos Lee, and Avett Brothers at ACL Taping

Asleep at the Wheel, the Quebe Sisters, Amos Lee and The Avett Brothers share the stage in an epic finale at ACL TV (Credit: Scott Newton courtesy of KLRU-TV)

What could possibly be more Austin iconic than breakfast tacos, bats and barbecue? Asleep at the Wheel is what.

Since 1974, the Grammy Award winning band has called Austin home and kept the sound of country western swing alive. Led by local legend Ray Benson, Asleep at the Wheel appeared on the first official episode of the first season of Austin City Limits TV in 1975.

2015 is poised to be another banner year for the band with an epic album release, induction to the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame and their 11th appearance on the Austin City Limits show 40 years after recording the first official episode. [Read more…]

4 Places to Have Fun in Austin, 80’s Style

March 4, 2015 by David Thomas 2 Comments

The intersection of 183 and Burnet Road forms the epicenter of a half mile bubble of retro joy. If you were old enough to ride a bicycle in the 1980’s, this list of places to have fun in Austin should tickle the nostalgia center of your brain. Now you can roller skate, sing karaoke, bowl and visit an old school arcade without driving all over town.

#1 Playland Skate Center

Playland Skate Center Roller Skating in Austin

Making it look easy at Playland Skate Center

Playland Skate Center opened in 1973 at 8822 McCann Dr, just past Town North Nissan on southbound Research Blvd (Hwy 183). That’s four decades of roller skating fun. [Read more…]

4 Vicious Vinyl Shops in the Violet Crown

March 2, 2015 by Guest Blogger 2 Comments

Breakaway Records (Credit: 1138Studios.com)

Guest article by Gino Barasa

There’s a vinyl revolution going on out there and Austin is neck deep in it. What once was relegated to hard core audio nerds and fans of the John Cusack/Jack Black cult classic movie High Fidelity has become – *gasp!* – trendy.

Cool new chic bars and hipster stores not only spin albums, but display and sell them. There’s even an official National Record Store Day (April 18th, get ready!). Every act that rolls through the Moody Theater or the Back Yard has a fat stack of vinyl goodness ready for you to take home.

Why? [Read more…]

Quiet Company’s Rocking Album Release Show

February 27, 2015 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

Quiet Company lead Taylor Muse

The outside stage at Empire Control Room was buzzing with electricity. Five outstanding bands had been playing since 7:30. Feedback Alliance provided the between set beats while East Cameron Folkcore brought their brand of layered folk rock to the inside stage.

Everyone was stoked to hear headliner Quiet Company blow away East 7th with their signature brand of guitar driven indie rock. A celebration of their new record Transgressor, the band’s February 21st release concert featured new music and old favorites from a bonafide ATX original.

Explosive Opening

Forged in the fires of the mid-2000’s East Texas music scene, Quiet Company has seen a number of changes through the course of four studio albums. The brain child of lead singer Taylor Muse, Quiet Company has grown from a one man show [Read more…]

Rocky First Year

Getting to Know the Shows at The New Movement

#1 Playland Skate Center

Explosive Opening

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