Entertainment Archives - Page 57 of 70

Moontower Comedy Festival Is Back and Bigger Than Ever

April 22, 2014 by David Thomas Leave a Comment

Fred Armisen is one of the headliners for the 2014 Moontower Comedy Festival.

Saturday Night Live alum Fred Armisen is one of the headliners at Moontower Comedy Festival 2014 (Photo credit: austinculturemap.com)

If you haven’t noticed already, I’m a fan of stand-up comedy. Fortunately for me, I live in Austin freaking Texas where the comedy scene has been so successful that Cap City Comedy Club is consistently referred to by nationally-touring comics as one of their favorite clubs. I live in a city where the successes of showcases like Punch! have paved the way for other showcases to take hold throughout town. I live in a city that now has its own comedy festival that’s now in its third year.

It’s a Comedy Buffet!

Moontower Comedy and Oddity Festival is back on April 23–26, 2014. They aren’t pulling any punches this year, as their lineup represents the cream of the crop: nationally-known comics, high-end local performers and a reunion of the vaunted sketch comedy troupe, Kids in the Hall. Marquee comedians like Demetri Martin, Dennis Miller, and Mike Birbiglia are expertly teamed with local talent like Funniest Person in Austin Winners Matt Bearden, Mac Blake and Lucas Molandes, in a mix of shows spanning four nights, ten venues and over 100 performers. [Read more…]

Black Fret Prepares to Give 100,000 Dollars to Austin Musicians

April 17, 2014 by Brittany Highland Leave a Comment

Quiet Company performs at the Black Fret launch party

Quiet Company at the very first Black Fret launch party

I first heard about a new non-profit called Black Fret at the beginning of 2013, when I attended their first launch party at the 29th St. Ballroom.

The Black Fret team wasn’t afraid to aim big from the beginning. Their stated goal was to gain 1,300 members who each donated $1,500/year. This would allow the organization to give away 50 grants of $25,000 each to Austin artists, every year. Yes, that adds up to more than one million dollars to promote the local music scene we all love.

Black Fret founders Colin Kendrick and Matt Ott (Photo credit: Black Fret on Facebook)

For all of us who had never heard of Black Fret before, one million dollars sounded like – dare I say it? – an impossible goal. But, like many other Austinites, Eric and I caught the vision. Supporting local artists is part of our hyperlocal mission at the Austinot, so it was a natural partnership. And the more we got to know co-founders Colin Kendrick and Matt Ott and learned about their past laurels, and the more amazing Black Fret house parties we attended, the more tangible the vision became.

Milestone: First 100 Members

Only one year after that first launch party, Black Fret earned their first [Read more…]

Round Rock Express Hit Off 15th Season of Baseball

April 16, 2014 by Cris Mueller Leave a Comment

America’s favorite pastime lends simple beauty to the Texas sky (Photo credit: Cris Mueller)

The flood of lights spotlight the pristine manicure of the outfield. The chatty man behind home plate calls out to each movement of the men standing before him, while they master their familiar navigation from one base to the next.

Among the stands, the night air is busy greeting the comforting conversations of fans as they’re welcomed back for another season. Although it looks and sounds very much the same each year, a true fan does not miss this, the opening day. Our very own Round Rock Express took the bases at the Dell Diamond, located at 3400 E Palm Valley Blvd. in Round Rock, for their 15th season opener on April 4, 2014.

The 2014 Round Rock Express (Photo credit: Chuck Murphy – Chuck Murphy Photography)

[Read more…]

Mini Pony Gallops to Garage Country Sound With Psychedelia Thrown In

April 15, 2014 by Guest Blogger Leave a Comment

Mini Pony L-R: Ross Woods, Robert Franco-Tayar, Steve Zamora, Walker Pickens

This guest blog article is by Joana Ortiz.

If mother nature decides to make up its mind, we are nearly approaching the stinging rays of the Texas sun. When I think of summer, I think of air conditioning, the indoors, beer, live music and some more live music!

I’m here to do the hard work for you, recommending bands and shows you should keep an eye out for, as music venues bloom alongside the bluebonnets you’re taking pictures with for the umpteenth time. [Read more…]

Lemonade Day Austin Mixes Business Skills and Fun

April 9, 2014 by David Thomas Leave a Comment

Mikaila Ulmer turned her experiences at Lemonade Day into a distribution deal with Whole Foods Market (Photo credit: Austin.LemonadeDay.org)

Several months ago, I was journeying with my fiancé on my neighborhood’s hike and bike trails. The trails led us to our neighborhood duck pond, where we came across a young girl selling cups of lemonade with the help of her mom. The day was warm and it looked like business was good for her. I had my druthers about the quality of the product, but I bought three cups anyway. It was good lemonade.

Selling lemonade in America is the quintessential introduction into the world of entrepreneurship for young children. Our city, always willing to support and encourage creativity, is taking lemonade stands to a whole new level through Lemonade Day Austin.

Who Has the Best Lemonade?

Austin’s Best Tasting Lemonade Competition is a lemonade brewing competition showcasing 25 young lemonadistas (new word), ages 5-17. The young group of Michael Dells and Steve Jobses will compete in categories like Most Creative Recipe, Best

[Read more…]

Mondo Gallery Creates Limited Edition Posters for Cinephiles

April 3, 2014 by Robert Luke 2 Comments

Mondo gallery creates limited edition film posters that sell out online in less than a minute

This guest blog article is by Robert Luke.

Austin is notorious for being a movie town. Any given week, a TV or film production is happening somewhere in town. Additionally, between all of the film festivals, Austin Film Society, and Alamo Drafthouse, there is always a fun movie event to attend, whether you’re a hardcore cinephile or an average moviegoer.

Alamo Drafthouse has had such an impact on the film-watching community that there are multiple people who claim they moved to Austin just because of the Drafthouse and Fantastic Fest. Mondo Gallery is yet another local phenomenon that has spawned from Austin’s love of film.

Originally, back when Alamo Drafthouse was located on Colorado Street (where Haven currently resides), before the move to South Lamar, it had a small t-shirt stand called Mondo Tees. During that time, Mondo Tees began to sell creative, licensed posters to various film screenings, creating a rabid fan base among movie collectors and graphic design enthusiasts. [Read more…]

Austin Business Brings Extravagant Vegas-Style Entertainment to Austin

April 1, 2014 by Meagan Vitek 1 Comment

Texas Poker Supply Casino Tables in Austin

Texas Poker Supply offers casino tables and staff for Austin-area parties and events

Austin is no stranger to jaw-dropping events. From the ever-evolving South by Southwest parties – equipped with celebrity artists, out of this world design and unforgettable performances – to ACL’s two-weekend spread, to the never-ending list of Austin-based festivals. We all know Austin is home to great events, where, really, anything goes.

With the help of local business, Texas Poker Supply, Vegas too has found its way to Austin. Custom-built casino tables, casino-style games, trained dealers, showgirls, fire-eaters and a girl on stilts are only a slice of what Texas Poker Supply offers. Always Keepin’ Austin Weird, right? [Read more…]

Blue October Members Bring Orb Recording Studios to Hill Country

March 31, 2014 by Matthew Champion 3 Comments

It was a sunny, windy Sunday and I was exhausted. I’d been SXSW-ing all over Austin for a week and was ready to curl up with my hound dogs and sleep for a few days. But as bad as I wanted that Pawn Stars marathon from my couch, I wasn’t about to miss out on an opportunity to see the Grand Opening of Orb Recording Studios, Austin’s newest place to produce music that had been visited by Lil’ Wayne, Erykah Badu and Justin Bieber during SXSW.

Founders Matt Novesky and C.B. Hudson at Orb Recording Studios (Photo credit: 78triple6.com)

Orb Recording Studios was founded by a couple of the guys from Blue October – C.B. Hudson (lead guitarist) and Matt Novesky (bassist). Their vision was to capture everything they loved about East and West Coast studios and bring it all to the pretense-free vibe of Austin. [Read more…]

SXSW 2014: Opening Dialogue on Austin’s Drinking Problem

March 24, 2014 by Edgar Barguiarena 12 Comments

Out-of-towners taking in the Frost Bank Building from The Ginger Man’s patio

By all accounts and measures, SXSW 2014 was a juggernaut. The festival of all festivals had record attendance this year, along with more national and global media coverage than ever before. The latter, unfortunately, wasn’t always for the best of reasons.

At approximately 12:30 AM on Thursday March 13th, Rashad Charjuan Owens evaded police capture for a suspected DUI arrest and rammed through a barricade near 11th St. and Red River, killing 3 people and injuring dozens of others before he was finally captured just a few minutes after initially fleeing.

Even though South by Southwest has now been around for 27 years, those few minutes will forever alter how we view our biggest party of the year. [Read more…]

Texas Olive Festival Beckons Visitors to Beautiful Day in Hill Country

March 20, 2014 by Brittany Highland Leave a Comment

Entrance to Texas Hill Country Olive Company

One of my favorite day trips I’ve taken from Austin was a short 45-minute drive to Texas Hill Country Olive Co. in Dripping Springs. On a gorgeous, sunny Saturday afternoon, I enjoyed wine tasting, delicious cuisine from the bistro, live acoustic music, a tour of the olive orchard and the laid back relaxation we all hope to experience during our days off.

If you’ve never paid a visit to Texas Hill Country Olive Co., you’re in for a treat on April 5, 2014, when the Texas Olive Festival returns. In its second year, the 12-7 PM festival is perfect for dates, girls’ day out, families, and lone explorers. [Read more…]

It’s a Comedy Buffet!

Milestone: First 100 Members

Who Has the Best Lemonade?

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