Another opening night

April 12 - April 18

My taxes are done and my hedges are trimmed (we've been having to fight our way with machetes to the front door after all this rain, sheesh! I kept expecting a leech to drop down my collar. Or at least a tsetse fly). And now -- Sycorax opens tonight.

This is a very short run -- this weekend only -- and then, aaaaaaahhhhh. Some down time. I'm really, really, really, I mean REALLY looking forward to it. (Which is not to say that I'm not looking forward to this weekend's shows. Actually, I guess I pretty much look forward to dang near everything [except root canals]).

But I've been moving at warp speed since the first of the year. Between I am not Tartuffe, Sycorax, the class I've been teaching and the class I've been taking (which meets at 7 AM once a week and which just ended yesterday, aaaah), -- oh yeah, and returning half time to my day job -- there hasn't been much time for anything else. Now there will be, and I'm happy happy.

Sometimes people actually tell me they want to be like me. It's easy. All you gotta do is just pick out six or eight of these stunning events and over-extend yourself! Starting...

...NOW. GO!

Thursday, April 12

DJd Swing Dance
The Fed / 24th at San Gabriel; http://www.austinswingsyndicate.org/ 8pm

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)

Cluan
Cactus Café / Texas Union, UT campus, 23rd at Guadalupe, 475-6515 /8:30 pm
This is billed as a farewell concert. So sad.

South Austin Jug Band
Threadgill’s / 301 W. Riverside; 472-9304 / 9 pm

Ted Roddy
Ginny's Little Longhorn / 5434 Burnet Rd; 458-8313

Thursday - Sunday, April 12-15

Sycorax
UT Dept. of Theater and Dance / WIN 2.180 (Winship Bldg) / Th 8 pm; Fri 2:30 pm; Sun 11 am; FREE
This is part of the Cohen New Works Festival, where you will see new works (many still in progress) in dance, theater, music, film and various combinations thereof. 'Sycorax' is April 12, 13 and 15, and I'd love to see you in the audience so you can see and hear what I've been working on so hard the past two months. Click the Festival link for full details and schedule.

Friday, April 13


Pablo Zeigler and the Quintet for New Tango
Hogg Auditorium / 24th at Guadalupe / 8 pm
This ensemble is soooooooooooooo amazing. Tix are $26-$42 and can be ordered by clicking here.

DJd Milonga
La Tazza Fresca / 519 W. 37th / 10 pm
After you've been inspired by the music of Pablo Zeigler, head over to La Tazza Fresca for tango dancing your own self.

Zein al-Jundi and the Saadi M'nawwar Band
Sky Lounge (upstairs) / 416 Congress / 8 pm; $18 in advance; $23 at door
Zein is throwing another Arabic Hafleh (party). Ticket costs includes food, mmmmm. There will be belly dancing, henna tattoos, a sheesha cafe, and of course great music (for dancing, of course) by Zein and the band. AND... Zein has offered two free passes to her party to the first person who goes to the comment section of this posting and tells me what character from what famous children's book smoked a sheesha (aka hookah).

Mickey and the Motorcars
Threadgill’s / 301 W. Riverside; 472-9304 / 10 pm

Roger Wallace; Teri Joyce & the Tagalongs
Ginny’s Little Longhorn / 5434 Burnet Road; 458-1813

Erik Hokkanen
Central Market / 4001 N. Lamar; 206-1000 / 6:30 pm (family)
Appropos of nothing whatsoever, except that Hokkanen is a Finnish name, which actually has nothing to do with the Norwegians except that it's sort of in the same corner of the globe...I'm reading 'Grendel.' Have any of you read it? What's that bullshit with the dragon in chapter 5 (or maybe it's 6)? Did that make any sense to you?

The Weary Boys
Jovita’s / 1619 S. 1st, 447-7825 / 9:30 pm


Saturday, April 14

Boggy Creek Farm Strawberry Festival
Boggy Creek Farm / 3414 Lyons Road; 926-4650 / 9 am (family)
This will be a family friendly event where you can pick your own fresh organic strawberries (mmmmmm) and listen to live bluegrass/gospel/singer-songwriter music by Hand Me Down. Click here for a map.

Chaparral
Continental Club / 1315 S. Congress; 441-2444
Come out and help one of Austin's favorite rockabilly bands celebrate its 20th birthday!

The Eggmen
The Oasis / 6550 Comanche Trail 266-2442 / 7 pm (family)
It's that time of year when the Oasis opens up its decks for live music and dancing under the stars, aaah.

Cienfuegos
Central Market / 4001 N. Lamar; 206-1000 / 6:30 pm (family)
There will be a salsa dance contest, so put on your dancing shoes!

Hill Country Crawfish Festival
Camp Ben McCullough / 12:30 pm - ??? (family)
There will be live music by the Bayou Cajun Band and by Ponty Bone & the Squeezetones. The interesting thing about the website is that they have the date wrong. But I have it on good authority that it is indeed this Saturday.

The Recliners
Donn’s Depot / 1600 W. 5th, 478-0336 / 9 pm

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

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 (they'll be on at 4 on Sunday). Art and nukular polka. Can you think of a better combination? Click on the link to see a full schedule of bands and activities (like, for example, the White Ghost Shivers at 7:30 on Saturday).


Sunday, Apr 15

Damian Green Band
Central Market / 4001 N. Lamar; 206-1000 /12:30 - 3 pm (family)

Gulf Coast Playboys
Guero’s / 1412 S. Congress; 447-7688 / 3 pm (family)

The Weary Boys
The Oaks / 10206 FM 973 / 7 pm (family)

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

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


Monday, Apr 16

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


Tuesday, Apr 17

Lucky Strikes
The Belmont / 305 W. 6th; 457-0300 / 5:30 pm

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, Apr 18

The Brew
Speakeasy / 412 Congress; 476-8017

Mr. Fabulous & Casino Royale
The Belmont / 305 W. 6th; 457-0300 / 6 pm
This is an every Wednesday happy hour.

Jimmy Crowley and Mairtain Cogain
Cactus Café / Texas Union, UT campus, 23rd at Guadalupe, 475-6515 / 8:30 pm
Direct from County Cork, Ireland; also featuring Austin's own Tea Merchants.


ROAD TRIPS:

Coupland, TX
Friday, April 13
Two Tons of Steel
Coupland Dance Hall / 101 Hoxie (don't you love the name of that street?); 512-856-2226 / 9 pm; $10

Gruene, TX
Friday, April 13
Dale Watson
Gruene Hall / 1281 Gruene; 830-606-1281 / 8 pm; $10

San Antonio, TX
Friday, April 13
Rosie Ledet
Sam's Burger Joint / 330 E. Grayson; 210-223-2830 / 8 pm

Wimberley, TX
Saturday, April 14
Crawfish Festival
Cypress Creek Cafe / on the square, downtown Wimberley
As (nearly) always, Wayne Toups will be the featured performer at this annual festival.

New Braunfels, TX
Sunday, April 15
Crossroads Americana Music Party
Landa Park /2pm - 7 pm (family)
This family friendly event raises money for local children's charities; and food and drink sales benefit the New Braunfels Parks Dept. Look for Two Tons of Steel, Reckless Kelly. and Band of Heathens to provide plenty of top notch entertainment.

Elgin, TX
Sunday, April 15
Vrazels Polka Band
Elgin SPJST Hall / 702 Hwy 95 in Elgin; 512-285-3100

Nothing like a little polka dancing to celebrate getting the taxes turned in, eh?

COMING SOON:

Thursday-Sunday, April 19-22
Old Settlers Music Festival
Salt Lick BBQ Pavilion and Camp Ben McCulloch
As usual, there's an amazing line-up including (but not limited to) Peter Rowan, Iris Dement, Mary Gauthier, Grupo Fantasma, Red Stick Ramblers (reason enough to buy tickets!) Click on the link for ALL the details.

Saturday, April 21
!!!!!!! Mr. Ben's Birthday Party !!!!!!!!
Moose Lodge / 2103 EM Franklin (between MLK & Manor) / 9 pm; $10
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!!!! I would so love to take credit for the planning of this one, but I have to admit I simply got lucky. Mr. Ben is having a ('significant') birthday on April 21, and Bradley Jaye Williams just so happens to be hosting the perfect party. So...This is your invitation to come out and celebrate with Mr. Ben and to help Bradley and friends do what they can to save the Moose Lodge that is in danger of being 'developed', since it's so near the old airport and is in a prime urban development location. This will, undoubtedly, be THE party of the century!

See ya on the dance floor,

chris