Ringing’ in a New One Austin-style
By April on Dec 30 Filed In Austin, Texas, Events, Live Music, New Years Eve Add a Comment
If you are anything like me, then it’s been absolutely plaguing you about what to do in Austin on New Years Eve. Nevertheless, here’s a list of things that I have been considering, and you should too!
Chris Apollo Lynn:photo belongs to Republic of Austin Blog
1. My boy Covert Curiosity along with lots of other fabulous sponsors (Treaty Oak Rum, Home Slice Pizza, Do512 and more) are throwing a FREE party over at Cheer Up Charlies! Can you beat free? Heck no, especially when it comes with lots of music! (3 stages yo!) Do yourself a favor and get there to see the Marmalakes. They will put a smile on your face!
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2. Another cool FREE party is happening at the very tasty, always stylish, Justine’s Brasserie over on East 5th. First, if you haven’t eaten here yet, do it. And if you’re wanting something a little different, with a nice mix of naughty and classy for NYE, this party might be perfect for you. Come before 10pm and get in on a fabulous sounding Prix Fixe menu inspired by vintage dishes from “Maxim’s” of Paris.
3. But April, I was hoping for something a little more artsy, dark and carnival-like where do I go? I say, keep heading east on over to the Blue Theatre on Springdale Rd. for the Marvels of Carnival. This lavish production is sponsored by our buddies over at Tito’s Vodka and has a lot to offer in the way of entertainment: 999 Eyes Freak Show, Minor Mishap Marching Band, and Interstellar Transmission to name a few. Wear a crazy costume and become a part of the Carnival. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Tickets are $30 at the door.
4. If Burning Man-type parties aren’t your thing, but you’re really hankering for some great music ala N.A.S.A. and a DJ set by LadyTron and a reason to get all gussied up, head over to the Seaholm for the party to be seen at this year, brought to you by the folks at The Electric Company. It’s so oohlala that the VIP areas even get your own waitresses! This will cost you but some of the proceeds go to CharityBash, It’ll make you feel all warm inside, and that’s not just the libations talking.
5. I’m going to use this slot to share some music-based events with you because it’s important to have options for every kind of person out there, right? Right. Here are some other fun things to do New Years Eve in Austin: Foot Patrol at the ND Studios, or catch Austin’s own metal band, The Sword at the Mohawk, or just sit back at a close friend’s house to celebrate because starting January 1st, it’s FREE WEEK!! You’ll need to have stamina, strength and un-clogged ears for this one. GREAT bands will be playing all over town for free and there is no excuse to miss some of the bands you love, (Quiet Company, The Boxing Lesson, Car Stereo Wars, to name a few) when the cost is zip, zero, zilch. Join me! Lapping it up, preparing for SXSW!
The Boxing Lesson – Freedom – Luxury Wafers Sessions from Luxury Wafers on Vimeo.
@SweetLeafIntern — Ty’s [ACL] Sweet Beats and Eats!
By Marketing Intern on Sep 22 Filed In ACL, Austin, Texas, Food & Beverage, Intern, Live Music 2 Comments
First and foremost, allow me to introduce myself. I am Ty, one of Sweet Leaf’s new interns (three of us total). I’m super psyched to be interning around here. And I’m also super excited for ACL. And there’s only a few weeks until the festivities and festival-goers flood Austin. So, in preparation, here are a few beats and eats I’m looking forward to enjoying ACL weekend.
Sweet Beats
Click the pic to link to the GIVERS blog!
I’m super excited to see GIVERS this year at ACL. I first saw these guys (and girl!) in Beaumont, TX with JEFF The Brotherhood, and they were awesome! Hailing from Lafayette, Louisiana, the quintet is really fun to watch. Tiffany “Teddy” Lamson, the leading lady, never holds back, and well.. is just generally awesome to be in the presence of (as well as the rest of the band). Check out a video of them from this year’s SXSW.
Another band that I’m really looking forward to seeing is Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. Unlike GIVERS, I’ve never been able to see these guys live, although I almost got to back in my high school days.
Ted Leo and the Gang
According to friends who have seen Ted Leo and the Pharmacists live, they are “ridiculously energetic”, so that should be fun. Have a listen to one of my favorite songs by ‘em.
Ted+Leo+The+Pharmacists+-+Biomusicology
Sweet Eats
I think we can all agree that no ACL experience is complete without eating incredible food every day. And if you’re visiting, it can get pretty hectic trying to lock down a delicious, quick place to grab some food before your next show. One of my favorite places to bike (or walk) to and grab a bite is Sandy’s Hamburgers. The burgers are delicious and super well priced.
mmmmmmm
Daily Dose of Vitamin-B by way of BASSNECTAR
By April on Jun 3 Filed In Austin, Texas, Celebrities, Live Music 6 Comments
During ACL 2009, I fell head over heels in love with Bassnectar, so when I heard they were stopping by Stubb’s here in Austin 5/29, I knew that it was a show not to be missed!
Me and Lorin heshing!
I have been working hard to start a conversation with Lorin on Twitter to see if I could bring some tea to share, and after asking the awesome folks that help run the Bassnectar Facebook page whether or not Lorin runs his own Twitter profile or not. (he does!) Not long after my FB question, I was followed by the AWESOME Miss, Lia Holland! Lia is Lorin’s hard-working, bass-lovin’ assistant who sent this tweet to me:
Does a bottle of Sweet Leaf Tea have a picture of Granny on it?!! Heck yes, I want to bring tea to the sound guy, Trevor! I already had tickets, so swinging by before the show to drop off a case of Original for Trevor and a mix case of Citrus Green and Mint & Honey for Lorin (he’s a green tea fan, but turns out he’s like me and digs unsweetened tea much more) would be no problem. Not only did I make the tea drop, I was invited to stick around for the sound check and was gifted a VIP pass for the show!! Have you ever attended a sound check before? I hadn’t either and it was literally like sitting in on my own private concert. It was absolute bass-bliss!
Granny chillin' w/Patron and other buddies!
Trevor Bone, keepin' the sound crisp & bassalicious!
After watching Lorin and the crew work on the sound and visuals (Michael-your lights and video RULED!), I met up with some friends to have a bite to eat over at Parkside before coming back to the show and missed the opening acts (DJ Manny and DJ Haj & band). I got settled into my little spot up above the insanely-dense crowd and got ready to dance. Ohmyheavens, the bass was easier to deal with than at ACL (my eyes were not rattling around in my head this time) and the view over the crowd was awesome! I was able to see, take some video (might get posted at a later date) and absolutely GET DOWN! Have you listened to Bassnectar before? For me it conjures up images and feelings that I associate with Halloween. It’s heavy yet fun, and has some really dark, scary stuff weaved in under the surface, sometimes it’s absolutely beautiful, and other times it’s sick and twisted. Almost spooky-sounding. If you’re really paying attention to all of the musical nuances, you will be blown away by just how much work and production must go into the music he creates. He has his own jams as well as remixes of some really great songs. Two of my favorites that he just recently put out AND played live in Austin is the Pixies “Where is My Mind” and Metallica’s “Seek and Destroy“. (Please LISTEN/DANCE/THROW STUFF AROUND YOUR ROOM!!) WOW-ZERS! Lorin got down and entertained the huge crowd for OVER 2 hours without a break. Did you just read what I typed?!!? Over 2 straight hours of bass-bending music without a break!!! I watched him crouch down behind his decks to drink 2 bottles of water at a time. It made him even more endearing.
"WHATTT???" Lorin during sound check
Happy’s Post un-SXSW 2010 Thoughts
By Happy on Mar 25 Filed In Activities, Austin, Texas, Celebrities, Events, Food & Beverage, Intern, Live Music, SXSW, Social Media, Sweet Bikes, Uncategorized 3 Comments
Yowza. What. A. Week.
It’s been 4 days, and I think I’m fully recovered at this point after lots of rest and TLC. I’m starting to think that the human body wasn’t meant for that kind of action, but would I do it again? A resounding ‘hell yes’. This being my third chance to experience SXSW, it never ceases to amaze me how exhausting this particular festival can be. I’d like to consider myself an expert on surviving it, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t catch me by surprise, yet again. Do all you want to prepare yourself for a week of intense music and sensory overload, but rest-assured that an overwhelming feeling will eventually take over. I, too, was overwhelmed. And I’d do it again, and again.
Amidst all the events we sponsored, I did get a few chances to go explore a bit and catch some shows and events. Here are my highlights:
Bike Hugger Mobile Social (3/13)
What a fun ride. Hundreds of cyclists biked around town and ended with a day party at Mellow Johnny’s, complete with freebies, booze, and music. Great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
Massive Black / ConceptArt.org / The Art Department Present VISIONS at The Mohawk (3/12)
This was probably the coolest party I’ve ever seen at The Mohawk. The entire place was completely transformed, with giant screens all over the place projecting live art being created by artists on-site using Adobe Photoshop, goth-y models and burlesque dancers as subjects, and intense music. Best way to describe what was going on is through this video I found on YouTube. Good times.
Zilker Kite Fest
Not a SXSW event, but it was rescheduled to this weekend due to inclement weather. Ended up being a great way to spend a beautiful afternoon before heading back out into the SXmasses. Thousands of kites above the Austin skyline (and subsequently in trees). Awesome.
The Gowalla Tiki Room featuring Diplo
Gowalla made some incredible strides this year, being the leader in location-based social networking. Amongst their antics throughout the week (including giving away free OneTacos via the service’s platform and swag from their Gowalla-branded mini Cooper), they also threw a pretty sweet shindig at The Belmont. Despite the cold rain, it was probably my favorite SXSWinteractive event. Great music, great people, good times all around. Diplo was pretty amazing on the ones and twos. Yet another reason to get these shoes hoppin’.
ACVB’s Media Reception
The folks over at the Austin Convention & Visitor’s Bureau know how to throw a party. It’s one of my favorite events because it officially kicks off SXSWmusic. They always have it on the mayor’s balcony of Austin City Hall overlooking Lady Bird Lake in all its glory, and invite a few local musicians to gently wave us into the craziness.
Eastbound & Found presented by ZiegenBock, Dos Lunas Tequila, and Sweet Leaf Tea
I’m not featuring this party simply because we sponsored it but more so because our blogger friends (My Old Kentucky Blog, You Aint No Picasso, Ultra8201, Yours Truly, Chromewaves) did an incredible job procuring the lineup. Some of my faves include:
- Freelance Whales: great sound… looking forward to spending more time with their music.
- Ume: a long-time local favorite, gotta love a rocker chick
- Kid Sister: Damn this show was fun. Nice slice of hip hop.
- Here We Go Magic: Another band I’m looking forward to exploring more.
- Danielson: Reminds me of Polyphonic Spree, quirky as hell. I’ll take it.
- Delorean: So what if we’re dancing our asses off in broad daylight? These guys make it happen.
- White Denim: I can’t get enough of these guys. Sure, their album is impeccable, but their studio work doesn’t do their live sets justice. You just have to experience it.
- GZA: Bill Murray made his way over to our party for this. Enough said.
Converse ‘Get Out Of The Garage’ Party at The Levi’s Fader Fort
The folks at Fader have (yet again) done a great job at creating an amazing party space out of nothing. This party gave me the chance to see a few shows, notably:
- Mayer Hawthorne & The County. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him, but I’m glad he got a little more soul with his newer stuff. Kinda has a big brass feel to it. Well played, gentlemen.
- Passion Pit DJ set: You can’t go wrong. Let’s dance. Okay, go.
The Rumbler Lounge (3/17 – 21)
The folks at Knuckle Rumbler don’t only know how to put together a great showcase, but they really know how to throw FOUR DAYS of showcases. I stopped by for the following sets:
- Glitch Mob (My Old Kentucky Blog’s Bumps & A Pump Party): Seeing these guys do their thing is pretty fascinating. They record samples in the studio of various instruments and sounds, then use touch-screen computers and other gizmos to make music live. It’s hard to explain, but they blow my mind. Every time.
- Dominique Young Unique (Rhapsody.com Party)
This was unexpected for me, but this little lady from Tampa has got talent. And she’s young. And unique. Keep an eye on her. - Woodhands (Rhapsody.com Party)
I have to admit that I’ve been pretty obsessed with their sound ever since I got my hands on it. I missed my chance to see them at Monolith 2009 (poor logistics including thousands of people trying to cram into a 200 person room), so I was glad to finally catch them up close and personal. Two guys, and one plays a keytar. Sold. - Casxio (Rhapsody.com Party)
My friends from Austin Eavesdropper told me I shouldn’t miss them, and I’m glad I didn’t. Easily my favorite ‘new’ band of the whole week. They have a fresh sound that’s bound to raise some eyebrows. You can check out Austin Eavesdropper’s coverage here.
Hexdecagon at Whole Foods (3/19)
The Octopus Project was at it again, but this time equipped with a huge tent, speakers surrounding the space in surround-sound fashion, 8 projectors shining choreographed video clips on the ceiling, a mini-arena style stage (set up in the middle of the crowd), and brand new tunes produced just for this event. It was a multi-sensory experience that is pretty tough to describe, but I was in some serious awe. Another toughie to explain — I think they do it best themselves on their site.
Perez Hilton’s One Night in Austin (3/20)
Despite some logistical woes (mostly the porta-potty situation… seriously), they brought some great talent to an exclusive crowd. It was great to see V.V. Brown, Snoop, Alphabeat, Marina & The Diamonds, and Hole. You better believe we was shaking some things. Something tells me all the complimentary Tito’s Vodka might be to blame.
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I do want to thank a few folks for making my experience all that it was: Knuckle Rumbler, Brown Distributing (Ziegenbock & Dos Lunas Tequila), PureVolume, Gowalla, the #HTM, GARY! for voluntarily helping sling some tea, WOXY.com, Transmission Entertainment, Giant Noise, my Sweet Leaf Tea’m and interns, and a whole bunch of other folks (this list could go on for days)… so, THANK YOU. THANK. YOU.
There you have it, folks. Until next time…
Gibson Guitar & New West Records Present Exclusive John Hiatt Performance
By April on Mar 18 Filed In Austin, Texas, Events, Live Music Add a Comment
Gibson artist and Grammy-nominated veteran songwriter John Hiatt will celebrate the release of his New West Records CD The Open Road and the launch of the 2010 Gibson John Hiatt Montana Signature Acoustic Guitar, performing an exclusive showcase/demo/listening party at the Gibson Austin Showroom.
Come and enjoy some complimentary Sweet Leaf Tea and Tito’s Vodka while celebrating the release of John’s new CD.
RSVP to codey.allen@gibson.com
