Entertainment Archives - Page 58 of 70

The Funniest Person in Austin Contest: 6 Weeks of Comedy Mortal Kombat

March 18, 2014 by David Thomas 7 Comments

2013 Funniest Person in Austin winner Mac Blake stays busy hosting Mac and Cheese and co-hosting Jazz Cigarette (Photo courtesy of austinculturemap.com)

What would you do if there was a contest showcasing something you love to do? Would you not be doing everything possible to participate? For Austin standup comics, their opportunity is the 2014 Funniest Person in Austin contest, hosted by Cap City Comedy Club.

The Laff Stop opened in 1986. Ten years later, the name changed to Cap City Comedy Club. A year after that, the club started its Funniest Person in Austin Contest. This contest, now in its 17th year, draws in enough contestants for the competition to last roughly six weeks, and has gained the attention of national entities like Comedy Central. [Read more…]

Your SXSW Music 2014 Primer: Who to See, Listen to and Follow

March 12, 2014 by Edgar Barguiarena Leave a Comment

Matt and Kim at Fader Fort 2013 (Photo credit: Edgar Barguiarena)

I wake up early Tuesday morning, the dawn of the SXSW Music 2014, to find out Jay-Z and Kanye West are playing a show for Samsung at Austin Music Hall on Wednesday. By 9 AM Tuesday morning, the line to secure tickets to the show had already been cut off. That’s the speed of South By. The viral nature of the festival and the speed of Twitter descend on Austin for 10 days each March.

Kanye and Jay-Z are SXSW regulars by now and their shows are notoriously difficult to get into. These big name acts are ruining the spirit of the festival, some say. It’s the evolving nature of a massive and truly unique 10-day conference, others counter.

I just want to see some music. I want to see up and coming acts make their mark on the national stage here in Austin. I want to see local favorites play in front of bigger audiences than they ever have before. I want to see random marketing campaigns like the Anchorman food truck and live talk shows like Jimmy Kimmel. And if I happen to get lucky enough, I want to see a big name act crash a party.

SXSW can be a lot of things to a lot of people. But if you are a fan of live music and you happen to be in Austin during South By, this is your Super Bowl week. Don’t get caught up in negativity or hype. Make this festival yours. [Read more…]

Award-Winning Jess Williamson Hypnotizes Listeners With New Album

March 4, 2014 by Guest Blogger Leave a Comment

Austin’s own Jess Williamson

This guest blog article is by Joana Ortiz.

The room stood still as Jess Williamson crooned ever so gracefully at Red 7, in support of Angel Olsen’s U.S. tour. (What are you doing? Jot Angel’s name down!)

Before I showed up, I read through tweets circling around the show and noticed some questions over the choice of venue. Red 7 is classically known to book rather boisterous acts, but it seems they’re expanding their horizon and opening their arms to artists of various genres who have one thing in common: talent. [Read more…]

How to Do SXSW Like a Local

February 28, 2014 by Jessica Pino 5 Comments

Photo credit: nickmickolas via Flickr CC)

If this is your first SX, don’t stress! This time of year, cases of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) are on the rise.

Let’s start your education now. You must first get the lingo down…it’s just “South by” (SX). If you hear someone uttering all four syllables, South by Southwest, you’ll know they are one of the 30,000+ out-of-town-ers.

Most locals don’t have the pleasure of directly participating in the conference, but we do like to take advantage of the byproducts this massive 27 year old conference produces. The music portion of SX is what typically gets the most attention, and for a good reason. With over 1,700+ performances over a 10-day span, there is something for everyone. [Read more…]

Rattletree School of Marimba Imports Happy Music from Zimbabwe

February 27, 2014 by David Thomas Leave a Comment

Joel Laviolette, Founder of Rattletree School of Marimba

Joel Laviolette is the founder of The Rattletree School of Marimba

Have you ever been so inspired by something, you stopped what you were doing and began a quest to learn everything you could about it? Joel Laviolette has.

How It Started

Almost 20 years ago, Joel was traveling through New Mexico when he heard the music of the mbira. The instrument is indigenous to Africa and, after listening, Joel wanted to learn everything about it.

Traveling across North America, Joel did exactly that. When our fair continent could no longer provide new knowledge, he went to the source of another African instrument, the marimba. Over the course of several trips to Zimbabwe, Joel stayed with master musicians and continued his education.

He made his way to Austin six years ago and started a band named Joel Laviolette and Rattletree. He also started a marimba school named The Rattletree School of Marimba. [Read more…]

Erin Ivey: Austin Treasure Releases Whisper of the Moon Album

February 20, 2014 by Matthew Champion 3 Comments

Erin Ivey

I’m not sure what it is about Erin Ivey’s voice, but it brings me bliss like few others can. When she sings, I want to curl up, close my eyes and float off into the distance as the music completely envelops every fiber of my being. That may seem a little over the top, but listen to her and you’ll understand what I’m talking about.

I first discovered Erin Ivey years ago, as a college student delivering flowers to pay my bills. I drove a cargo van around the city of Austin every day with KUT blasting loudly through the speakers. I remember the first time the wonderful Jay Trachtenberg mentioned her name. I was taken aback the moment I heard her and continue to be with each new song she releases.

I recently attended and wrote about a show given by a close friend of hers, Elizabeth McQueen. In my article, I mentioned how big a fan I am of Erin, who participated in the show. I’ll be damned if she didn’t contact me after reading the piece on Elizabeth, and she graciously invited me out to her upcoming EP release.

That’s who Erin Ivey is. No ego. No pretension. Only love. [Read more…]

Staple! Holds the Austin Indie Comic Book Scene Together

February 19, 2014 by David Thomas 1 Comment

Chris Nichols Staple! Comic Convention Organizer

Chris Nicholas is the man behind Staple! (Photo credit: PunchingtheWallsofReality.com)

There are two types of people in this wide world of ours: those who are stopped by obstacles and those who find a way around or through them. Artists, writers, and those making a living through artistic expression have quite a few obstacles to overcome. Chris Nicholas is one such person who decided to not just go around his obstacles, but burst through them.

Why Staple!?

Chris, a comic book creator with 12 years of experience under his belt, knows how hard it is to break into the business. Every year, people with great ideas struggle to get their foot in the door of companies like Marvel and DC Comics. Even then, the struggle isn’t over. [Read more…]

1940s Big Band Musical at the Paramount This Sunday

January 21, 2014 by Brittany Highland 35 Comments

In the Mood at Paramount Theatre this Sunday, January 26th

Editor’s Note: Our giveaway is now closed. Thank you to everyone who participated! Our three winners are Richard Koehler, Justin Brosig and Laura S.

Many of us feel like we were born in the wrong era. For me, I often wish I had done my growing up in the 1960’s. I can imagine myself dancing on American Bandstand and profoundly appreciating the impact of influential Americans like Kennedy and Dr. King.

If you have a love for the 1940’s – particularly Big Band music and energized swing dancing – your chance to experience the era is coming to Austin this Sunday. In the Mood is playing at the Paramount Theatre on Congress Ave., and we’re excited to give away some passes to the Austinot community! [Read more…]

Elizabeth McQueen Stuns with EP Release at Lamberts

January 20, 2014 by Matthew Champion Leave a Comment

Elizabeth McQueen (Photo credit: Todd V. Wolfson)

The crowd was dense and the air was chilled last Saturday night as we anxiously waited outside Lamberts Downtown Barbecue to see Elizabeth McQueen, fresh off her departure from Asleep at the Wheel.

After eight years, a Grammy nomination and over a million miles on the road with the group, Elizabeth was saying goodbye and hitting the stage with some close friends she made along the way. [Read more…]

Austin Record Store End of an Ear Offers One of a Kind Selection

January 9, 2014 by Matthew Champion 2 Comments

End of an Ear, located on S. 1st Street

If you’re looking for that go-to record store you haven’t found yet in Austin, End of an Ear has you covered. Dan Plunkett and Blake Carlisle opened End of an Ear in May 2005 and have been spreading musical joy around the city ever since. With their diverse selection of records, CDs, books, and even new and used turntables, it’s not hard to see why they have developed a steady following.

End of an Ear’s prices are some of the most affordable in town, especially on their new vinyl. Plus, they have turntable listening stations set up throughout the store, so you can listen to anything that isn’t sealed before you buy it. [Read more…]

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