Happy to have the blues

APRIL 17-23

Robert Johnson: Trick the Devil opens tonight and I'm sooooooooooooooo excited! It's in the new Rollins Theatre at the Long Center, where I spent a good part of this week. I gotta tell you, it feels like one of the sacred places. It's a hard space to walk away from. Even though everything smells new (unlike most theatres that smell more like dirty socks than anything), and even though it has very little wear and tear on it, it feels important and meaningful and alive. I hope it will feel that way for the audience as well. I can't imagine that it wouldn't.

And I don't really have the blues, as the title of this week's blog would suggest. Robert Johnson is about a significant blues man, though, and I'm happy happy to be part of it all, yessir, I sure am. And I'd be even happier to see you in the audience!

In the meantime, here's some magic for you. I see things like this and wonder how, how, how can people be so incredibly creative?!?!?! Enjoy.

Thursday, April 17

The Fabs
Guero’s / 1412 S. Congress; 447-7688 / 6:30 pm
Great 60s cover band.

Charles Thibodeaux & the Austin Cajun Aces
Cypress Grill / 4404 W. William Cannon; 358-7474 / 6:30 pm

Cornell Hurd Band
Jovita’s / 1619 S. 1st; 447-7825 / 8 pm

Lord of the Dance
Frank Erwin Center / 1701 Red River; 477-6060 / 7:30 pm; $25-$50 (family)
They're still at it, and still putting on a heck of a show!

DJd Swing Dance
The Fed / 24th at San Gabriel / 8 pm; $2 & $5

Jesse Dayton
Broken Spoke / 3201 S. Lamar; 442-6189 / 9 pm

Lucky Strikes
Tree House Italian Grill / 2201 College Ave; 443-4200 / 7:30 pm


Thursday - Sunday, April 17-20

Old Settlers Music Festival
Salt Lick BBQ Pavilion & Camp Ben McCullouch
Featuring lots and lots and lots of music by such folks as Delbert McClinton, Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys, David Grisman Bluegrass Experience, Brave Combo and more, more, more. Click the link for all the details.

Thursdays-Sundays, April 17-27

Robert Johnson: Trick the Devil
Rollins Theatre, Long Center for the Performing Arts / S. 1st at Riverside / 8 pm (3 pm on Sundays); $10 & $12
This is a fabulous collaboration between ACC & ProArts Collective in the brand-spanking-new Rollins Theatre! And I did the costuming, woo hoo, something I've been wanting to do for a long, long time!

Friday, April 18

Rubinchik's Yiddish Ensemble
City Hall Plaza / 301 W. 2nd / noon (free)
This would be a fun thing to do on your downtown lunch hour, yes?

Chaparral
Carousel Lounge / 1110 E. 52nd, 452-6790 / 7 pm

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

DJd Swing Dance
Go Dance / Northcross Mall (use north entrance) / 8:30 pm

The Eggmen
Jovita’s / 1619 S. 1st, 447-7825 / (family)
Ruggles tribute band Ouch! opens. I think things start happening around 7 pm, but I'm not positive. Might wanna give them a call.


Saturday, April 19

Beer, BBQ & Blues
Kenny Dorham's Backyard / 1106 E. 11th / 1-5 pm (family)
This event is a community outreach sort of thing that is being held in conjunction with Robert Johnson: Trick the Devil. There will be plenty of live music by some of Austin's senior blues men. Bring your own instrument for a blues jam. And bring an empty stomach 'cuz there'll be lots of mouth-watering bar-b-q.

Rajamani Ensemble
The Cactus / Texas Union Bldg; 23rd at Guadalupe / 9 pm; $10

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

Marshall Ford Swing Band
Lambert’s / 401 W. 2nd; 494-1500 / 8:30 pm

Nash Hernandez Orchestra
Donn’s Depot / 1600 W. 5th, 478-0336 / 9 pm

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

Third Saturday Contra Dance
St. Paul Lutheran Fellowship Hall / 3501 Red River / 7:30 pm; $5-$8
Live music by Andrea, Stew and Them Other Two. croth@austin.rr.com for more info.

Austin Refugee Services Benefit
Ruta Maya / 3601 S. Congress; 707-9637 / 7 pm; $7
Featuring the great world music of 1001 Nights, Atash, Tribal Nation, and Salero.

3rd Annual Salsa Central Dance Contest
Central Market (Central) / 4001 N. Lamar / 6:30 pm (family)
One lucky couple will take home a $500 prize, woo hoo! Live music by Cienfuegos, with some DJs msuic thrown in, too.

Just Desserts
Lamar pedestrian bridge / 7 pm
Tango and other international tunes for your al fresco dancing pleasure.

DJd Milonga
Esquina Tango / 209 Pedernales; 524-2772 / 9 pm; $5


Sunday, April 20

The Brew
The Oasis / 6550 Comanche Trail 266-2442
Sunday night salsa has returned!

Heybale
Continental Club / 1315 S. Congress; 441-2444 / 10 pm; $7


Monday, April 21

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y, M R. B E N!

Uptown Swingsters
Continental Club / 1315 S. Congress; 441-2444 / 6:30 pm (no cover)

Charles Thibodeaux & The Austin Cajun Aces
Evangeline Cafe / 8106 Brodie Lane; 282-2596 / 6:30 pm


Tuesday, April 22

Jitterbug Vipers
Lambert’s / 401 W. 2nd; 494-1500 / 6:30 pm

Planet Casper
Continental Club / 1315 S. Congress; 441-2444 / 6:30 pm

DJd Swing Dance
The Fed / 24th at San Gabriel / 9:40 pm
This is the weekly FREE dance after Four on the Floor's lessons.

The Tea Merchants
Cactus Café / Texas Union, UT campus, 23rd at Guadalupe, 475-6515 / 8:30 pm; no cover
A little Irish music to help your week along.


Wednesday, April 23

Oliver Rajamani
Pharas Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Restaurant / 111 E. North Loop / 8 pm
This is in the restaurant formerly known as Ararat.

The Brew
Speakeasy / 412 Congress; 476-8017 / 9:30 pm

Lucky Strikes
Joe DiMaggio's / 11410 Century Oaks Terrace (The Domain) / 7 pm
The manager is trying to make Wednesday 'Swing Night' by hiring live musicians and clearing out tables for dancers. This appears to be a good replacement for Reed's.

Hot Club of Cowtown
Continental Club / 1315 S. Congress; 441-2444 / 6:30 pm

Erik Hokkanen's Gypsy Tribe
Lambert’s / 401 W. 2nd; 494-1500 / 6:30 pm

Roger Wallace
Ginny’s Little Longhorn / 5434 Burnet Rd; 458-1813 / 9 pm


ROAD TRIPS

Anhalt, TX
Saturday, April 19
Anhalt Festival
Anhalt Hall / 11 am - 11 pm
Good old cajun music by Charles Thibodeaux & the Austin Cajun Aces; Ed Gary & the Cajun Aces; and Gary Bertrand & Touch of Cajun.

Houston, TX
Saturdays & Sundays, April 19-27
Houston International Festival
Downtown Houston
This year's spotlight is "Out of Africa" and will feature Buddy Guy, The Neville Brothers, The Wailers, Hugh Masekela, The National Dance Theater Of Ethiopia, Habib Koite, The Garifuna Collective, Emeline Michel, Shemeka Copeland, Bettye Lavette, The Lowrider Band, Grupo Fantasma, Samarabalouf, Charlie Musselwhite, Sonny Landreth, Trombone Shorty, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Red Stick Ramblers, Soul Rebels, Step Rideau, Terrance Simien and many more!!! Click the link for all the details.


COMING SOON

ummmm. I'm not really sure. A long nap, perhaps?



See ya on the dance floor,

chris