Computers are our friends

March 22-28

Maybe it's because I'm tired. Maybe it's just bad luck. But I was approximately halfway through writing this week's list when -- you guessed it -- my computer let me down. Again. Argh! Fie! Death and damnation to them all (computers).

I am tired. Got up at 5 am to go to a 7 o'clock class yesterday only to get there and find that I was the one who didn't get the e-mail that the class was cancelled. And, of course, I've been burning the candle at both ends again working on I am not Tartuffe and writing music for Sycorax. Somebody 'splain me something: There is nothing, and I mean nothing, I love more than working on a creative project. It gives me such great feelings of accomlishment, pride, joy, satisfaction and worth. With music particularly, I end up with a finished tangible product that gives me as much immortality as a recording can provide. So... why is it that about halfway through a project that I totally, totally love, all I can think of is "I'll be so glad when this is over"? Is it because I'm tired? Lazy? Full of new ideas? I'm definitely in the home stretch on both these projects and I keep thinking about rest and time off.

Whatever happened to the good old days when all I did was go to my day job? Life was so much simpler when I wasn't actually living it.


Thursday, March 15

Trio Mediaeval
McCullough Theater / UT campus / 8 pm
Man, if I didn't have 'Tartuffe' tonight, this is definitely where I'd want to be -- listening to this fabulous group from Norway. Click here for details/reservations.

Duo Zingaresca
Flawn Academic Center / UT campus; 23rd at Guadalupe / 6-7 pm (free)
And I would go to this first before hitting the McCullough Theater for Trio Midiaeval. It's a concert of Gypsy traditional guitar music on Russian 7-string guitars by Oleg Timofeyev and Vadim Kolpakov - Duo Zingaresca. For more detailed information, visit the CREEES website.

DJd Swing Dance
The Fed / 24th at San Gabriel; http://www.austinswingsyndicate.org/ 8pm
Always room to dance here!

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

Marc Devine & Denia Ridley
Reed's Jazz Club / 9901 Cap of TX Hwy; 342-7977 / 8:00 pm

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

Heybale!
Ginny's Little Longhorn / 5434 Burnet Rd; 458-8313

Thursdays-Saturdays, thru 31

I am not Tartuffe
Play! Theater / 1204 Cedar Ave (just north of E. 12th St). / 8 pm
The general response to our opening weekend was "WTF?!?!?!" And that's all I have to say about that. Watch our faux French Art film (featuring Louis XIV in an amazing costume made entirely of fast food wrappers); or listen to Arts Eclectic on KUT, then make your reservations here.


Friday, March 23

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

The Studebakers
Artz Ribhouse / 2230 S. Lamar; 442-8283

Tom Russell
Cactus Cafe / 23rd at Guadalupe in the Texas Union Bldg. / 475-6515
Now here's a guy who can sing you a story!

The Eggmen
Jovita’s / 1619 S. 1st, 447-7825 / 8 pm (family)
A few nights ago I had a dream about the Eggmen, and when I woke up I thought, 'hmmm, I really need to establish a relationship with these folks, more than just a fan.' And no, not as a groupie. I keep thinking we've got a collaboration in us somewhere if we can just find it. So hey -- any Eggmen reading this? Let's talk. For the rest of you -- come early if you want a table, because these guys always pack 'em in. AND --- Rutles tribute band Ouch! opens. What could possibly be more fun?

DJd Milonga
Howard Johnston / 7800 N. IH 35 / 11 pm
More info here.

DJd Swing Dance
Go Dance / 2525 Anderson Lane (in Northcross Mall) / 9 pm; $4-$6

Hand Me Down; Twangzilla
The Parlor / 100B E. North Loop / 9:00; 10:30 pm

Colors of Rajasthan
Hogg Auditorium / 24th at Guadalupe; 471-1444 / 8 pm; $29-$38 (family)
Folk music and dance from the desert region of Rajasthan. Sounds like fun!

Captain Cody & the Lost Planet Airmen
Threadgill’s / 301 W. Riverside; 472-9304 / 10 pm
Oh my! Can you say 'flashback'?

Dale Watson
Broken Spoke / 3201 S. Lamar; 442-6189 / 9 pm

Friday & Sunday, March 23 & 25

Conspirare
Friday:
Northwest Hills United Methodist Church; 7050 Village Center Dr./ 8 pm; $25 / $15 students
Sunday:
St. Martin's Lutheran Church; 606 W. 15th / 2:30 pm; $25 / $15 students
Last night Mr. Ben and I went to an open rehearsal of this program of eclectic music featuring Paul Crabtree's 'Tenebrae Responsories on Songs of Bob Dylan' (in which we had a hard time finding Bob Dylan) among other exciting works, a couple of which are based on Joni Mitchell and Dolly Parton (and yes, we did find Joni Mitchell and Dolly Parton). All I can tell you is -- click here or call 476-5775 for reservations. Believe me, these folks should not be missed. If you're going to be on the road this weekend, they'll be in Bryan tonight and in San Antonio on Saturday, so visit their website for all the details.


Saturday, March 24

Djembabes
Central Market / 4001 N. Lamar; 206-1000 / 5:30; 8:30 pm (family)
Two words: African percussion

Jim Stringer's AM Band
Ginny's Little Longhorn / 5434 Burnet Rd.; 458-8313

DJd Milonga
Howard Johnston / 7800 N. IH 35 / 9 pm
More info here.

Crawfish Boil
Nutty Brown / 12225 Highway 290 West; 301-4648 / 6 pm (family)
The NB website is rather non-specific, but they do boast live zydeco music and dead crawfish, so it definitely seems work a shot.

The Gourds
Threadgill’s / 301 W. Riverside; 472-9304 / 10 pm

Little Richard
Forty Acres Fest / UT's Main Mall; 21st at Littlefield Fountain / 6:30 pm (free)
Good golly Miss Molly! Look who's comin' to town!

Lucky Strikes
Treehouse Italian Grill / 2201 College; 443-4200 / 7:30 pm


Sunday, Mar 18

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

Heybale!
Continental Club / 1315 S. Congress; 441-2444 / 10 pm; $6


Monday, March 19

Paris 49; Dale Watson
Continental Club /1315 S. Congress;441-2444 / 6:30 pm; 10 pm ($5 for DW)

Bayou Cajun Band
Evangeline Café / 8106 Brodie Lane; 282-2586 / 6:30 pm
Howard Kalish will be sitting in again this week.


Tuesday, March 20

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

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


Wednesday, March 21

The Brew
Speakeasy / 412 Congress; 476-8017


ROAD TRIPS:

Helotes, TX
Saturday, Mar 24
Two Tons of Steel
Floores Country Store / 14492 Old Bandera Road; 210-695-8827

Coupland, TX
Saturday, Mar 24
The Derailers
Coupland Dance Hall / 101 Hoxie / 512-856-2619


COMING SOON

Saturday & Sunday, April 14 & 15
Austin Fine Arts Festival
Republic Square Park / 4th & Guadalupe / Sat 10-5; Sun 11-6; $8 (family)
This one always appeals to me because Brave Combo always plays. Art and nukular polka. Can you think of a better combination?


See ya on the dance floor,

chris