Fall festival time

September 28-October 4, 2006

I walked outside on Monday morning and it smelled like fall, aahhhhh. I know it's just a teaser, but I also know it's leading up to something and I like it!

When I think about traditional fall festivals, I realize that in a climate like ours the meaning has probably evolved. Originally these festivals acknowledged that the hard work was at last finished, the harvest gathered, and it was time to have one more fling before winter set in. These events have now become, at least for me, a celebration that we survived another Texas summer and that now it's finally cool enough to go outside and play.

And festival season has started. Last week there were the Italian Festival and the Brazilian Festival. The Med Fest is coming up. Oktoberfest. Renaissance Festival. International Accordion Festival. All opportunities to finally crawl from under our air conditioned rocks and breathe the fresh air once again. And can you name me anything in the world that has a sweeter sound than live music wafting on crisp night air? It just doesn't get much better than that.

Yeah, we've still got some hot days ahead of us, but those days are numbered, baby, those days are numbered. I saw fourteen flocks of geese coming back from Houston on Sunday, and geese don't lie.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

DJd Swing Dance
The Fed / 24th at San Gabriel; Austin Swing Syndicate / 8 pm

Chaparral
Broken Spoke / 3201 S. Lamar; 442-6189

Cerronato
Manual's / 10201 Jollyville Road; 345-1042

Glovertango
Cipollina / 1213 West Lynn; 477-5211 / 8-10 pm

DJd Milonga
Copa / 217 Congress Ave. / Austin, TX / 479-5002 / 10 pm

Aunt Ruby's Sweet Jazz Babies
Treehouse Italian Grill / 2201 College; 443-4200 / 7:30 pm

Cornell Hurd
Jovita’s / 1619 S. 1st, 447-7825 / 8 pm (family)

Two Hoots & a Holler
Ego’s / 510 S. Congress; 474-7091 / 11 pm

THRU SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8

BAM
Various venues / various times
Wow, that's specific, isn't it! This is the Black Arts Movement festival of theater and dance sponsored by the ProArts Collective. Click on the link to get all the details. Some highlights include Dallas Black Dance, Robert Moses' Kin Dance Company, Zell Miller and lots more.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

Marcia Ball
The Oaks / 10206 FM 973 N, Manor; 278-8788 / $15

Albert and Gage
Central Market / 4001 N. Lamar; 206-1000 / 6:30 pm (family)

Dale Watson
Broken Spoke / 3201 S. Lamar; 442-6189

Salsa Dance Festival
Texas Union Ballroom / 23rd at Guadalupe / 8 pm $10 (adv); $15 (door)
Come for the dance lesson at 8 and then stick around for live music by The Brew. You can register online through UT's Informal Classes. You want class no. 1405.301. Or you can pay at the door. Make it easy on yourself.

SATURDAY - SUNDAY, SEPT 30 - OCT 1

Pecan Street Festival
6th Street downtown / 11 am / free (family)
All the usual, of couse -- crafts, food on sticks, and lots and lots of live music by such folks as The Gulf Coast Playboys; Eric Hokkanen; The Bells of Joy; Poor Man's Fortune; Csardas; Oliver Rajamani; and more, more, more. A really good line-up this time. And the weather should be just about perfect.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

Chaski
Farmer's Market / Republic Square; 4th at Guadalupe / 10 am; free (family)
Yeah, it's early, but it is so worth it -- this fabulous Andean music will sit very nicely on the crisp cool morning air. And Chaski just doesn't play that often, so you really should make the effort.

Aunt Ruby's Sweet Jazz Babies
Treehouse Italian Grill / 2201 College; 443-4200 / 7:30 pm

The Eggmen
Jovita's / 1619 S. 1st, 447-7825 / 8 pm (family)
Come hear this fabulous Beatles tribute band at 8 -- or come earlier (7 pm) and hear Ouch! a RUTLES tribute band (hee hee).

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1

A Celebration of Don Walser's Life
Threadgill's / 301 W. Riverside; 472-9304 / 4 pm; $10 (family)
I don't know who all will be there, but I'm told that you will DEFINITELY get your $10 worth. And the cover charge goes straight into the Don Walser Memorial Fund, so come on out and celebrate the music and the memory of this wonderful man. He may have had hundreds of thousands of fans, but that doesn't translate into hundreds of thousands of dollars, so your support will help. And did you read the article in today's Chronicle? Beautiful. As were the tributes at his funeral on Monday. Here's a link to Howard Kalish's talk at Monday's service, which left a tear in every eye, as did Ray Benson's final song (Angel Flying too Close to the Ground). What a gift old Don was. How fortunate we were to have him here in Austin.

Rosie Ledet
The Oaks / 10206 FM 973 N, Manor; 278-8788 / 8 pm; $10

Monster Big Band
Ruta Maya / 3601 S. Congress; 707-9637 / 7 pm

Dale Watson
Ginny's Little Longhorn / 5434 Burnet Road; 458-1813

Brave Combo
Continental Club / 1315 S. Congress; 441-2444 / 7 pm
I don't believe it! A Brave Combo show I can finally, finally, finally see! It's been waaaaaaaaaay too long! I've got it on my calendar in ink.

Texas Swing Kings
Artz Ribhouse / 2230 S. Lamar; 442-8283 / 6:30 pm (family)

The Brew
The Oasis / 6550 Comanche Trail 266-2442

Heybale!
Continental Club / 1315 S. Congress; 441-2444 / 10:30 pm

MONDAY, OCTOBER 2

Dale Watson
Continental Club /1315 S. Congress;441-2444 / $6; 10 pm

Bayou Cajun Band
Evangeline Cafe / 8106 Brodie Lane; 282-2586 / 6:30 pm (family)

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3

Marc Devine & Denia Ridley
Reed's Jazz Club / 9901 Cap of TX Hwy; 342-7977 / 6:30 pm

DJd Swing Dance
The Fed / 24th at San Gabriel / 9:45 / no cover
Free dance after Four on the Floor’s classes.

Erik Hokkanen's Laboratory
Flipnotics / 1601 Barton Springs; 322-9750 / 8:00 pm

Jelly Jar
Jovita’s / 1619 S. 1st, 447-7825 / 8 pm (family)

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4

Seth Walker
Jovita's / 1619 S. 1st; 447-7825 / 8 pm

Gulf Coast Playboys
La Palapa /Hwy 290 @ Cameron Road / 7:30 pm
This has turned into an every Wednesday night gig.

Alisdair Fraser
Cactus Cafe / Texas Union, UT campus, 23rd at Guadalupe, 475-6515 / 8:30 pm; $17
Catch this great Scottish fiddler while he's in town.

ROAD TRIPS

Eunice, LA
Saturday, September 30
Geno Dalafose Fan Appreciation Party
In the pavilion behind the Winn Dixie in Eunice, Louisiana. I think they get started around 11 am. Take a little drive and enjoy the weekend!

COMING SOON

Thursdays - Sundays, October 5 - November 5
Requiem
Intel Shell / 5th at San Antonio / 8 pm
If you did not get a chance to see this during the summer, then don't make the same mistake this fall. The work is stunningly beautiful. Tix are $20 and $30 and you can reserve yours by calling 512-474-8497.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY, OCT 6 & 7
Mediterranean Festival / St. Elias Eastern Orthodox Church / 408 E. 11th / 6pm-midnight (family)
This year will feature Zein al Jundi with the Saadi Mnawwar Band playing all your Arabic faves, and Ikon playing that fabulous Greek music everyone loves. And of course there's the food. And the activities for the kids. And the belly dancing. And the lovely Otober weather, ah.

FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS, OCT 6 & 7, 13 & 14
We Are Normal, Cha Cha Chaaa / Clear Spring Studio / 605 Copeland (just off S. 1st across the street from the School for the Deaf) / 8 pm
This is Yellowtape Construction Company's (the folks who brought you "I Love My Dead Gay Son: The Musical:) fall offering, billed as a 'dance epic' with tons of feathers and some kick-ass dancing. Make your reservations today by calling 512-466-5221 or e-mailing contact@yellowtape.org.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, OCT 13-15
International Accordion Festival / La Villita, San Antonio
Put this one on your calendars now. It is simply THE best.

See ya on the dance floor,

Chris