Home > Austin Music Source > Archives > 2010 > January > 08
Friday, January 8, 2010
Southern Living names Gruene Hall the best dance hall in Texas
Southern Living, the lifestyle magazine that’s a staple of suburban coffee tables across the land, has named New Braunfels’ Gruene Hall the best dance hall in Texas in its current issue.
The mention is part of the magazine’s “Best of the South” feature, which saw more than 41,000 readers vote on some of their favorite travel destinations across the South. Built in 1878 and revitalized in 1975 by current owner Pat Molak and Mary Jane Nalley, it’s the oldest continually operating dance hall in Texas. Name a giant in Texas country over the last three decades, and they’ve probably played the stage at Gruene Hall — including Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, the Dixie Chicks, Merle Haggard and Jack Ingram.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
Crawling with Kings and the Regulars return for reunion shows
When Crawling with Kings frontman Brian Dyer packed his bags and vacated Austin for the far away environs of Chicago in summer 2007, he left behind a promising indie rock outfit that melded the simultaneously earnest and coy lyricism of the Replacements with an upbeat pop sensibility. It was melancholic rock delivered with the gusto of glam that produced two underrated albums.
Sunday night the promising and catchy sextet return for a Free Week show at Club De Ville, with support from David Dondero, Zookeeper and Danny Malone. They’ll hand out CDs of their last full-length, “Regarding Your Request For Closure,” to those in attendance. The show starts at 9 p.m. and is free for those over 21, $5 for those younger.
Also pulling back together for a special gig are the Regulars, the ever-dependable, ever-amiable roots-rock septet that held down the Saxon Pub’s Friday happy hour residency for five years, ending in September of last year. Though they played other venues occasionally, the Regulars — averse to pursuing lofty career moves or intense local notoriety — lived mainly to play the Saxon, a bar they held so much affection for that they sang about it on “You Turn My Light On.” The show, free, kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Friday (Jan. 15).
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
Willie finishes album with T-Bone Burnett
The as-yet-untitled album. recorded live in Nashville in four days, with a string section, Buddy Miller on guitar and Mickey Raphael on harmonica, includes “The Man With the Blues,” which Burnett says is the first song Willie ever wrote. Other tracks include covers of “Dark As a Dungeon” by Merle Travis and “You Done Me Wrong” by Ray Price. “Willie really nailed it,” says Burnett. “It’s just a really beautiful record.”
There’s no release date yet.
Meanwhile, Alanis Morissette was a surprise guest at Willie’s New Year’s Eve show in Maui, duetting on “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before.” Morissette recorded the song, switching genders, for her upcoming album.
Above right: Burnett backstage after receiving the Frederick Loewe award for film composing at the Palm Springs Film Festival Awards Gala in Palm Springs, Calif. on Tuesday, Jan. 5. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg)
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment
SXSW stealthily adds bands to lineup
Hat tip to our friends over at the Austinist for noticing that the South by Southwest Music Festival has stealthily added quite a few bands to its already announced list of showcasing artists.
SXSW launched a new event schedule tool yesterday including film, interactive and music events. At the moment, it covers most events happening between Friday, March 12 (the start dates for the film and interactive festivals) and Wednesday, March 17 (the first day of the music portion). That means a slew (and “a slew” is the scientific term for a flood of new SXSW info) of Wednesday’s performing bands are now available for your viewing pleasure, though venues and times remain to be announced.
There are some interesting, major acts sprinkled in that list, including Solange Knowles, the XX (who may be playing a Houston Press day party alongside Big Pink), We Were Promised Jetpacks, locals Brazos, Neon Indian and Brownout, Alberta Cross, Denton’s Midlake (who have a new album out Feb. 2), Toro Y Moi, A Sunny Day in Glasgow, legendary early punk rock band Zolar X and Everybody Was In The French Resistance… Now!, a new side project from ineffably charming Art Brut front man Eddie Argos.
Keep your eyes peeled to this space for further information. Thursday, Friday and Saturday are sparse right now — containing international showcases from Spain, New Zealand, Scotland, and Wales (we can only hope for an appearance by Cardiff-based indie pop outfit Los Campesinos!), among others — but more announcements should arrive shortly.
What are your thoughts on the lineup? Stoked to see Zolar X reprise their alien glam act? Pop into the comments and let us know what you think.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: SXSW, SXSW 2010
