Home > The M.O. > Archives > 2008 > August
August 2008
Your A-List: Best Celebrity with Local Ties
The man from Abbott, Texas, fortunately returned to the Lone Star State after a stint in Nashville as a songwriter and helped establish the Outlaw Cowboy scene here in the 1970s, acting as the unofficial reverend in the marriage of cowboys and hippies. Known almost as much at this point for his activism and philanthropy, Nelson will forever be known as one of the greatest songwriters in American history. With more albums, hits, awards, accolades and fans than any artist could ever dream of, Nelson is without a doubt truly deserving of the label of “legend.” There has never been one like him, and there will never be another. And, even as he celebrated his 75th birthday this year, Willie was to be found much of the year where he always is … on the road.
Check out our comprehensive package on Willie Nelson from earlier this year.
More links to Willie on Austin360:
- Willie, A to Z
- 75 days of Willie
- Photos: Willie’s 4th of July Picnic through the years
- On the road with Willie
Others receiving votes
- Matthew McConaughey, 15 percent
- Lance Armstrong, 12 percent
- Sandra Bullock, 12 percent
- Robert Rodriguez, 5 percent
- Luke Wilson, 4 percent
- Richard Linklater, 4 percent
- Dennis Quaid, 3 percent
- Dixie Chicks, 3 percent
- Andy Roddick, 2 percent
Write-ins: Ray Benson, Michael Dell, Mike Judge
Image of Matthew Odam and Willie Nelson courtesy of Odam family.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment Categories: Your A-List
Your A-List: Best Margarita
Hard to believe it’s already been a year since we started the Your A-List polls. Oh, the passage of time. We being this year’s polls with a familiar face/taste, as Trudy’s, winner with 23 percent of the votes in the Your A-List poll for Best Margatia, is our first repeat winner.
With three locations, and a fourth establishment in the form of the South Congress Cafe, Trudy’s has all of Austin covered with its Tex-Mex fare that is complimented perfectly by one of any number of margarta concoctions. While older patrons may prefer their ‘ritas on the rocks, it seems the frozen is still the drink of choice at Trudy’s. With its delicious use of Montezuma tequila, Trudy’s frozen margaritas are the perfect way to wind down a warm summer evening, whether after work or after class. For those who like to venture beyond the standard lime flavor, Trudy’s also offers strawberry, and for those who are indecisive, you can always swirl it up.
But, drinker beware, although these tasty treats look innocent, after a couple you may come to the realization that, unlike many of the patrons at the Texas Star location near campus, you are no longer a college student, and your tolerance ain’t what it used to be.
Others receiving votes
- Baby Acapulco, 16 percent
- Z’ Tejas, 13 percent
- Manuel’s, 13 percent
- Chuy’s, 10 percent
- Vivo, 10 percent
- Cedar Door, 4 percent
- Iron Cactus, 4 percent
- El Arroyo, 4 percent
- Four Seasons, 2 percent
Write-ins: Abuelo’s, Azul Tequila, Curra’s, El Chile, Flores, Jardin Corona, Jorge’s, La Feria, Matt’s El Rancho, Maudies, Nuevo Leon, Polvo’s, Rain, Rio Grande, Serrano’s, Shady Grove, Tres Amigos
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Your A-List
Your A-List: Best Pool Hall
Good pool halls are dark, cavernous, smoky, offer a huge array of tables and hopefully have some music playing and a dartboard are two. No wonder, then, that The Grand (formerly Eric’s) on Airport Boulevard is the winner of this week’s Your A-List poll for Best Pool Hall.
The Grand, which took home 40 percent of the vote, is located in a non-descript strip center a few blocks west of I-35 and always seems to have available tables, a fact that seems to be greatly appreciated by the eclectic and friendly crowds who frequent the joint. The Grand also earns points for having a friendly bar staff and its massive bar.
Others receiving votes
- Buffalo Billiards, 22 percent
- The Warehouse Saloon & Billards, 12 percent
- Clicks Billiard’s Inc., 8 percent
- Stardust Club, 6 percent
- Dave & Busters, 5 percent
- The Side Pocket Billiards, 4 percent
- Main Event Entertainment Center, 2 percent
Write-in: Slick Willie’s
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment Categories: Your A-List
The sly genius of Norm MacDonald
Norm MacDonald, one of the funniest men in comedy, took the stage a couple of weeks ago for the Comedy Central Roast of Bob Saget, formerly of “Full House” and currently of ironic iconic status as an actor playing himself and overcussing comic. As you may be aware, these roasts usually feature ‘friends’ of the roastee and various comics generally doing very blue humor. Leave it to MacDonald to break the roast mold.
After a scathing first few acts, which, while hilarious, featured mostly homophobic jokes and blue humor that unfortunately can’t be repeated or linked here, MacDonald came out with an intentional ironic juxtaposition of styles and a nod to the meshugeneh comics of the legendary Friars Club in New York, where these style of celebrity roasts became legendary.
MacDonald, who sat reading a sports page through most of the acts, refused to play to expectations of the night, but did play exactly to type. While his dry humor and intentionally flat jokes from 50 years ago may have made many in the audience roll their eyes or wonder what the hell was going on, he absolutely killed with the comics on the stage. Much like his time on the anchor desk at “SNL,” which ended way too soon, it seems MacDonald continues to leave many in the general public scratching their head while his peers roll with laughter.
(If you wanna see some people really get loose, including octogenarian Cloris Leachman, and Gerg Giraldo and Jim Norton, who seem to only kill at the roasts, just search for the roast on YouTube. But it is very blue, as you can imagine; so you’ve been warned.)
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Comedy
Rage Against the Machine to, well, rage against the machine in Denver
Anyone who has seen YouTube footage of (or was lucky enough to be at) Lollapalooza in Chicago knows that Rage Against the Machine is back, in full effect. The politically charged band which recently got back together to the delight of fans everywhere were on fire in Chicago, and now they are bringing their message this month to Denver, site of the Democratic National Convention.
From the press release:
Rage Against the Machine has joined forces with the Iraq Veterans Against the War and Tent State University to perform as part of the “Tent State Music Festival to End the War” on Wednesday, August 27 at the Denver Coliseum. They will join the Flobots, The Coup, State Radio, and Wayne Kramer. Doors open at 9:30 AM, show begins at 11:00 AM. Tickets are free and available by lottery. Sign up for the lottery, with a valid photo ID (person must be present) at Tent State University at Cuernavaca Park between 11AM and 6:30 PM (look for the Tent State Music Festival booth near the IVAW Tower) Sunday, August 24 through Tuesday, August 26 during the D.N.C. Winners will be notified by email Tuesday evening, August 26. Go to tentstate.org for more info.
For a taste of what fans in Denver can expect, check out this Rage clip from Lollapalooza.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Music
Your A-List: Best Dive Bar
Someone stumbled home to his computer from a long night of swillin’ beer and tellin’ lies just in time to put Lala’s over the edge in the Your A-List poll for Best Dive Bar. The North Austin bar with charm beat out the classic Deep Eddy Cabaret and Ginny’s Little Longhorn by four and five votes respectively. The close race proves that despite tapas bars, condos and nouvaue cuisine, many Austinites still hold the dive bar near and dear to their hearts, as well they should.
Just like any good dive bar, Lala’s, which is located on Justin Lane just off of Burnet Road, features a pool table, killer jukebox, septuagenarian bartender, confined space for drinking that instigates conversation between strangers, a host of colorful regulars and a full bar, naturally. And the pièce de résistance, year-round Christmas lights. You ain’t gonna find that at no yuppie bar on West Sixth Street.
Others receiving votes
- Hole in the Wall, 10 percent
- Horseshoe Lounge, 8 percent
- Poodle Dog Lounge, 7 percent
- The Jackalope, 6 percent
- G&S Lounge, 6 percent
- Carousel Lounge, 5 percent
- Baryfly’s, 4 percent
- Scoot Inn, 4 percent
- Trophy’s, 2 percent
Write-ins: C. Hunt’s Ice House, Donn’s Depot, Ego’s, The Ginger Man
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment Categories: Your A-List
Your A-List: Best Queso
Everybody in Austin seems to have an opinion about everything. And nowhere is that statement more evident than when it comes to queso. The Your A-List poll for Best Queso was as hotly (no pun intended) contested as any we’ve had, with four different establishments taking home double-digit percentages of the vote. In the end, Austin landmark Kerbey Lane narrowly edged out the even older landmark Matt’s El Rancho 17 percent to 16 percent for the crown, while Torchy’s and Magnolia Cafe rounded out the top four with 14 and 12 percent respectively.
With everyone and their madre serving queso in Austin, you can’t just melt some Velveeta and call it a day. You have to somehow set yourself apart. Kerbey has done so by adding guacamole to their queso, and offering the upgraded Cowboy Queso, which features black beans and guacamole covered with queso and topped with pico de gallo. According to their site, the stuff is so popular that the folks at Kerbey make 150 gallons of the award-winning queso every week. I think my heart just exploded.
Others receiving votes
- Maudie’s, 9 percent
- El Arroyo, 7 percent
- Z Tejas, 5 percent
- Polvo’s, 5 percent
- Sazon, 4 percent
- El Mercado, 4 percent
- Nuevo Leon, 3 percent
- Zocalo, 2 percent
- Azul Tequila, 1 percent
- Santa Rita, 1 percent
Write-ins: 10th Street Tacos, Alamo Drafthouse, Chango’s, Chuy’s, Curra’s, El Chile, Fonda San Miguel, Jaime’s Spanish Village, La Perla, Lamberts, Manuel’s, Posse East, Rio Grande, Texadelphia, Texican Cafe, Tres Amigos, Uncle Billy’s, Vivo
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment Categories: Your A-List
Kanye West vs. The Charlie Daniels Band
For years now, political strategists have studied consumer habits in music, food, shopping, etc. to help gauge voters’ political affiliations and to better target their candidates’ communications.
For instance, these highly paid strategists look at research data on whether people prefer to shop at Whole Foods or Wal-Mart, drink Bourbon/Scotch or Gin/Bourbon, etc. Very scientific stuff.
It looks like these pollsters can now add a few more questions to their list, such as Black Eyed Peas or The Charlie Daniels Band? Willie Nelson or Gretchen Wilson?
According to a report in the New York Times Caucus blog, the two parties being planned for the national political conventions could not be more opposite, with the Republican National Convention’s line-up looking ready to party like it’s 1988.
A sampling of what to expect at each convention:
Democrats National Convention in Denver
Music
- Black Eyed Peas
- Willie Nelson
- Kanye West
- Jerry Jeff Walker
- Jennifer Lopez
Celebrities
- Quentin Tarantino
- Spike Lee
- Maggie Gyllenhaal
- Neil Patrick Harris
- Cheryl Hines
Republican National Convention in St. Paul:
Music
- Gretchen Wilson
- Cowboy Troy and John Rich
- The Charlie Daniels Band
- Sammy Hagar
Celebrities
- Tim Daly
- Kerry Washington
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment Categories: Music
Confessions of a junkie
I have spent hour upon hour upon hour locked inside my dark living room for the past month, interrupted only by quick visits to my local dealer for a fix and to the kitchen for rehydration supplies. I have a problem, and I’m big enough to admit it.
I’m addicted to “The Wire.” I know my chase of the dragon is about six years later than many, but after listening to and reading the (this season’s political buzzword) full-throated endorsements of the show by friends and critics for years, I finally fell into the abyss that is addiction to one of the most engaging and intelligent shows in the history of television. Once upon a time I battled with a brief addiction to “24,” but that show is the Pixy Stix of TV narcotics compared to “The Wire.” After renting the first disc of Season 1 just a few weeks ago, I have now watched every episode of the Peabody Award-winning show’s first four seasons.
Created by David Simon, the HBO show, for those of you who have been living under a rock, explores the socio-political dynamics of Baltimore set against the city’s police department and its relationship with the community and the criminal justice system. Very simply stated, the show has an incredible ability to weave multiple compelling narratives while dramatizing the social issues that have led to the plight of Charm City’s crumbling inner city. Generally refusing to pass judgment on many of the characters (with the exception of corrupt politicians), “The Wire” instead portrays most as victims of circumstance, caught up in a zero-sum game that leaves everyone frustrated with a cemetery’s worth of bodies in their wake. The writing, acting and cinematography all represent the best of what TV can be, with each show engaging the emotions and intellect of the breathless viewer in the way the best crime novels do.
As I neared the end of Season 4 last weekend, I took a few breaks, slowly stringing out the final remnants of the fuel to my addiction. Imagine my relief, joy and surprise then when upon returning the last of the discs to I Love Video, I was told that Season 5 would be coming out next Tuesday, Aug. 12. Until then I guess I can go back and listen to the commentaries to keep the shakes at bay.
(If you haven’t watched “The Wire,” get thee to a video store post haste. But make sure to block out a few weeks from your social calendar in advance. And stock the fridge. As an aside: I find it sad, weird, troubling and ridiculous that several of the actors from the show are not getting stronger film parts now. That should, and I hope will, change.)
Photos: Meet the cast of “The Wire”
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment Categories: Television
Your A-List: Best Basketball Courts
Located in the lovely park located off of MoPac that marks the northern terminus of the Johnson Creek trail, the courts offer solid footing, good nets and even better competition. Granted, it’s no Rucker Park, but when you tire of playing at your gym’s court (or on your Xbox) and want to really test your skills, slap on a headband and head over to the crowded Enfield courts on a weekend or after rush hour on a weekday and see what you’ve got.
Others receiving votes
- Downtown YMCA, 25 percent
- Barton Hills Playground, 7 percent
- Shipe Park, 6 percent
- Walnut Creek, 5 percent
- Brentwood Park, 4 percent
- Adams-Hemphill Park, 3 percent
- Clarksville Park, 3 percent
- Tanglewood Park, 3 percent
- Alamo Park, 2 percent
- Gillis Park, 2 percent
- Ramsey Park, 2 percent
- Wooten Park, 2 percent
- Givens District Park, < 1 percent
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Your A-List
Your A-List: Best Place to Buy Used Records
To be the king, you gotta beat the king, and as it stands now, Waterloo Records doesn’t look to ready to leave its throne as Austin’s preferred music source any time soon. With 68 percent of the vote, one of the anchor’s of the Austin music scene is the winner of the Your A-List poll for Best Place to Buy Used Records.
Although it may have moved locations since its birth in 1982, and quadrupled in size, the mission of Waterloo to promote good music from around the world and Texas in particular, has never changed. And while there may be t-shirts, bumper stickers, DVDs and more for sale at the venerable store on Lamar Boulevard, they still carry that which rests in the heart of all good music lovers — vinyl. With over 5,000 used records, and a selection of new vinyl that grows daily, Waterloo continues to be a beacon for audiophiles and music lovers from Austin and around the world.
Others receiving votes
- Cheapo Discs, 11 percent
- End of an Ear, 6 percent
- Half Price Books, 5 percent
- Antone’s Records, 4 percent
- Austin Record Convention, 2 percent
- Backspin Records, 2 percent
- DJ Dojo, 1 percent
- Sound on Sound, < 1 percent
- Friends of Sound, < 1 percent
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Your A-List
SlyDial introduces a new way to be a coward (or shy)
Oh, the Internets, is there anything you can’t do? A co-worker recently passed along to me a site that must be a tentative teenager’s wildest dream, or a timid person of any age, for that matter. You ever wish you could call that girl/boy whom you met the previous night (or three nights previously, or whatever the “rule” is) but didn’t really have the nerve or desire to talk to the person? Maybe you just wanted to leave them a message asking them to call you or telling them how awesome you thought they were. Enter SlyDial.com. The internet site allows you to bypass the chance that the person you’re calling may actually answer the phone, instead directing you straight to their voicemail. To use the service, you simply dial 267-SLYDIAL from any landline or mobile phone, and when prompted, enter the U.S. mobile phone number of the person you want to “slydial.” From there you are immediately connected to the person’s voicemail. And the service is absolutely free. Timidness solved, gamesmanship advanced.
Of course, you could also use the service for calling back a client or a parent to whom you don’t want to talk, but I think we all know who will get the most mileage out of this service. Gentlemen, start your cell phones.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Misc.
