People, we are in FULL SWING. I have never seen Interactive so full of people and parties, and of course panels, but that’s almost a second thought. Below are six things that I haven’t yet talked about because they don’t fit because there isn’t always free “Stuff” or whatever.
Travaasa Austin is a new destination hotel in Austin overlooking Lake Travis in the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve and debuting mid-April. For the sneak SXSW preview, Travaasa Austin partners with StyleCaster for Hit The Lights, March 17-20, with exclusive accommodations and packages and an outdoor bash at Cheer Up Charlie’s on the east side on March 19 with an all-star Indie lineup that includes Dan Deacon, Pains of Being Pure at Heart as well as Heavy Hawaii, Diamond Rings, Dirty Beaches, Writer and Manhattan Murder Mystery. Sponsored by Wonderful Pistachios and Sigg.
The rooms include locally-sourced organic breakfast and free shuttles between downtown Austin and the Travaasa Austin hotel on Friday and Saturday to provide easy transportation for hotel guests andconcert attendees. Single occupancy is $249, double $299. To book (a perfect last minute choice!), call (855) 868.7282 or visit www.stylecaster.com/sxsw/vip.
Remember this marathon from last year? It’s SO Austin. At SXSJ on Wednesday, March 16th from noon to 6pm, stop by to see tons of artists performing the full 185-song Beatles catalog … the main reason I’m posting this is because one of the Beatle-crooning musicians is the group Bowling for Soup (“Mexican food sucks north of here anyways”), which is so freshman year of college. Others include Drew Smith, Amy Cook, Ben Kweller, and more.
Support my friend’s friend’s older brother’s band:
You can be certain you’ll hear more about the most amazing burger I had at Second Bar & Kitchen the other night, late, but like 9pm late not like 1am late. For the 1am and on crowd, Haddingtons is having a limited SXSW late-night menu now through March 19, 11pm to 2am. The menu includes the infamous Toasted Pots; Bleu Burger with caramelized onions & blue cheese; Fish & Chips with celeriac remoulade; Roasted Lamb Sandwich with arugula, red onions & mint aioli; TLT Sandwich smoked sun-dried tomatoes & brun-ustoo cheese. Valet parking during SXSW 5pm to 2:30am.
All week through March 15, the hotel is offering its guests an Early Riser Bar, 6-9am with complimentary breakfast tacos and Bloody Mary Bar. There’s a late night menu too, from 11p to close, with breakfast and burgers, whichever tickles your fancy. Guests, you already know they greeted you with a pretty sweet swag bag…
Obviously there are tons and tons and tons of apps being released right now, so sorting through them is kind of a madhouse. But Grubster promises to help you choose not only the restaurant but what to order (though I never liked that specificity) in a Pandora-style fashion. If it works, it’ll be awesome.
The iPhone app is currently available in the App Store here, and the website grubthis.com functions the same way as the iPhone app.
Phew! So there are six more things about SXSW. Does your brain hurt yet?
Fadó Irish Pub celebrates St. Patty’s Day with the First-Ever Austin weeklong ‘Savage Craic’ Celebration!
Savage craic (pronounced “crack”) is an Irish expression meaning a great time out with friends. Fadó’s weeklong St. Patrick’s Day party kicks off Wednesday, March 9, with St. Patrick’s Day-themed trivia. There’s a Friday night dance party, then on Saturday, March 12, a St. Patrick’s Day parade to benefit the nonprofit St. Baldricks Foundation, a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising pediatric cancer research.
Wednesday, March 16, Fadó will host an all-day live music showcase from 11am to 8pm before the big day. On Thursday, March 17, the city closes down Fourth Street so Fadó can set up a massive outdoor tent, complete with a beer garden and performance stage, directly in front of the pub. Doors open at 6am, with the street festival beginning at noon. For the rest of the day and into the night, Fadó will treat Austin to two stages of live music.
Fadó (pronounced “fuh-doe”) Irish Pub and Restaurant is located at 214 W. Fourth St. in downtown Austin.
Hey-o. We’re almost to SXSW 2011! At long last, allow me to share with you the Best Free Party Spreadsheet for 2011. I’ve been making these spreadsheets since 2008 and this may be the most last-minute, but there are still tons of awesome parties listed! I’ll be updating it as invites roll in, and as always, I ONLY include parties that ANYONE can go to, though you may have to RSVP. There also has to be something (besides free music) the party is giving away!
Without further ado:
… let me know if you know something I don’t, I’ll add it!
You don’t like spreadsheets? Hit up New Music Tipsheet’s PDF then.
It’s the last weekend of the annual epic week of free music, so go see a show. For a comprehensive list of showtimes the likes of which I couldn’t find anywhere else, head over to see my friends at Ultra8201.
May 2011 be your biggest year yet, Achachay!
p.s.- apparently my mom wore a toga to this New Year’s Eve Eve show?
The first Fun Fun Fun Fest was in 2006, and the music-ish festival quickly became known as an only-in-Austin sort of festival that focuses on independent music and comedy in Waterloo Park. If it’s any indication, Weird Al Yankovic (of Amish Paradise fame … anyone?) is one of the acts. I didn’t even know he toured anymore! The Fest is put on by Transmission Entertainment, The Austinist, Giant Noise, Ground CTRL, Guerilla Suit, and Jakprints.
As per this is life in austin usual, I’m certain you can find the regular schedule by picking up a freaking google. I’m here to present all the pre- and after-parties!
All these are within walking distance from the park, so you can literally party all day and night …
THURSDAY: FFF FREE KICK OFF PARTIES (NO COVER!)
OFFICIAL FFF KICK OFF @ Club de Ville: Helio Sequence, TBA (FREE show, brought to you by Toyota Matrix and Mike’s Hard Punch)
Mohawk: Austinist presents its annual “Local Music is Sexy” w/ Bill Baird, Weird Weeds, Watch out for Rockets, Markov, Botnay, Amasa Gana, Sleep Good, Mutual Benefit, Dana Falconberry, Rayon Beach, Sally Crewe (FREE)
Red 7: Inquisition and more (FREE).
FRIDAY: FFF OFFICIAL AFTERPARTIES (ALL are $5 w/ fest wristband, $10 w/out)
Club de Ville: 16 Deluxe, Smoke and Feathers, Royal Butchers (out)// The Moaners, David Dondero (inside)
Mohawk: Gorilla vs Bear Presents: Special Guest, Memory Tapes, Sleep Over (out)//Fol Chen, Soft Healer, TBA
Red 7: Dead to Me, Cobra Skulls, Toys That Kill, The Arrivals, Shanghai River, The Stampede
ND: Peligrosa Dance Party
Parish: Big Sam’s Funky Nation (New Orleans Funk), w/ DJ Mahealani (FUNk FUNk FUNk pt 1)
Beerland: Faun Fables, Death is Not a Joyride, Little Teeth
Beauty Bar: Dam-funk DJ set, Bon Jay, Richard Henry.
SATURDAY: FFF OFFICIAL AFTERPARTIES (ALL are $5 w/ fest wristband, $10 w/out)
Red 7: Scream (DC hc legends), TBA, TBA, the Impalers
Mohawk: Special Guest, Joan of Arc, tba w/ Dum Dum Girls DJ set (out) Kuroma (members of MGMT and Whigs), Intelligence,
Beerland: the Flatliners, Off with Their Heads, Snips
Broken Neck: Outbreak, Hour of the Wolf, Red City Radio, Cruel Hand, Backtrack, Aficianado
ND: Austin Surreal/Proper Ent presents: Live MCs: Perseph One, Kydd, The Nice Guys. DJ sets by: Rapid Rick, Waajeed, DJ Mel, DJ Dus and special DJ sets by Jean Grae and Devin the Dude (sponsored by Smoke ATX)
Parish: Foot Patrol w/ DJ I Wanna Be Her (FUNk FUNk FUNk pt 2)
Beauty Bar: Delorean DJ set, Jacques Renault DJ, Learning secrets DJs, Lemonade, Cowabunga Babes, Burger City DJ (Presented by Learning Secrets)
Scoot inn: Knuckle Rumbler’s “Bizzoounce” w/ Katey Red, B.E.B., The Glitoris (dj set), DJ Rusty Lazer
Headhunters: Mobile Death Camp, Infernaeon, Demontuary, Indisgust, Misery
SUNDAY: FFF OFFICIAL FREE AFTERPARTIES (FREE w/ fest wristband, $5 w/out)
Red 7: Special Guest, Mammoth Grinder, Ratking
Mohawk: Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s, Sonny and the Sunsets, Golden Triangle, Jookabox, (+ Karaoke Underground)
Beauty Bar: Yelle DJ set
Beerland: The Applicators, The Motards
Alright kids, that’s some serious music. I may not be that cool, but I’ve at least heard of most of the bands. So get out there this weekend and have some fun fun fun!
You absolutely cannot miss:
Looking across the river towards the Back Lawn, where you will enjoy fabulous music and delicious tacos…
KUT 90.5 and Four Seasons Hotel Austin invite locals and festival visitors to experience a more intimate side of Austin City Limits with a pre-show broadcast from the hotel’s gorgeous Back Lawn. Check out 30 to 40-minute sets by awesome ACL fest artists:
9am: Sahara Smith
10am: Blind Pilot (coincidentally played Aspen’s Belly Up this past Sunday night)
11am: Spoon
Noon: Robert Randolph and the Family Band
The event is open to the public on a first-come, first served basis. Admission is JUST $5, which includes a breakfast taco! All proceeds benefit the Shivers Cancer Center at Seton Hospital. Attendees are encouraged to bring their favorite chair or blanket to relax … Friday, October 8 from 9am-1pm on the Back Lawn of Four Seasons Hotel Austin (98 San Jacinto Blvd.)
RUMOR: Saturday, Oct. 9 – ACL afterparty with The xx @ Malverde (400 W. 2nd St. Austin, TX) – RSVP info TBA.
- What to wear to ACL? Light-colored clothing, with a swimsuit. Girls, you’re inevitably taking your shirt off to hide the sweat running down it, guys, you’re inevitably taking your shirt off because it’s hot as hell. Yes, I hear we will have 80-degree temps. Doesn’t matter, the sun will still be blazing and you will still be hot. It’s Texas. Or it might rain (see woodstock ’09 aka last year). You’ll still be glad you’re wearing a swimsuit.
- Drink lots of water. Yeah, the portapotties suck. But being dehydrated sucks more. Drinking booze is tempting, and sneaking it in is easy, but hydrate first. Drink later in the afternoon, you’ll thank yourself for it later. And you’ll remember at least half the bands you saw.
- Sunscreen. Don’t get cancer, and don’t be miserable for the following two days. Don’t get sunburned, it will make you a thousand times hotter, which is not a place you want to be. Wear some freakin’ sunscreen. Even if it’s cold. SPF 30 please.
- Big, floppy hats / umbrellas / sunglasses / chairs with built in umbrellas / your program / whatever, use it to cool it down.
- Take breaks/naps. Barton Springs, restaurants with a/c, under trees, or under someone else’s chair, as long as you take a respite, it doesn’t matter where.
- Don’t try to drive and park. It never works. A bajillion and a half cabbies and pedicabs are circulating, buses and shuttles are all over the place (free from Republic Square!), or have friends/parents/bums drop you off. The other side (west) of the Mopac bridge is a great place to be dropped off and avoid the crazy Barton Springs Road traffic.
From my commentors:
Sarah: Check out the autograph schedule to get up close and personal with your fav artists: http://www.aclfestival.com/experience/activities/autograph-schedule/
Andrew: Make sure to check out the black keys on Friday 4-5, got to see them in 2008 and it was an unbelievable set.
Edward A. Cross III: Ride a bike to avoid horrible traffic for cars and buses!
Amy: Run across the street to Barton Springs Pool in between your favorite acts for a chance to cool off!
Mitch: Be sure to factor in rest time! After 3-4 hours of seeing shows, you’ll need a couple minutes off your feet to catch your breath.
Have fun, see Phish!
[WINNER! Matt, who suggested crazy costumes!]
Yes, we have a pair of tix to Talib Kweli on Thursday night at Scoot Inn up for grabs! Just post your #1 ACL tip in the comments to enter to win! Could be your fave band to see, outfit suggestions, places to go instead, whateva! As usual, I will use random number generator unless your comment is boring in which case I will randomly generate a different number.
Jay-Z’s famous Black Album rhyme: “If skills sold, truth be told/I’d probably be, lyrically, Talib Kweli.” Yeah, you could see that for FREE (or just $22 at the door)
Presented by KnuckleRumblr, the definitive cool-music kids in Austin. They’re also presenting Art Disaster and EA Need for Speed on Thursday, then Amanda Blank on Friday, Etienne De Cracy on Saturday, and The Smoker’s Club (Curren$y, Big K.R.I.T., and Smoke DZA) on Sunday.
lululemon also presents Yogasm to kick off ACL in healthy style on Thursday at Republic Square Park. At 4pm reserve your mat spot & enjoy food vendors, artists & local DJs. The yoga class begins at 6:30 & after the last savasana, MC Yogi will take the stage for his first performance in Austin.
Another Thursday happening, free but food and drink will cost ya.
Contest: Post your ACL tip in the comments by 9pm CST on 10/6/2010 to register to win two free tickets to Talib Kweli. Winner announced 10/7!
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