Archives for October 2020

Texas Standard: October 23, 2020

News of the first FDA-approved COVID-19 treatment comes at a time when cases in Texas are starting to spike. We’ll explore the details and what’s next. And: Did you get a chance to watch the presidential debate last night? What are your thoughts? We’ll have a recap. Also: A new documentary about the life of Horton Foote who won an Oscar for his screenplay adaptation of “To Kill a Mockingbird”. Plus: The week in Texas politics with our friends from The Texas Tribune and much more today on the Texas Standard:

KUT Weekend – October 23, 2020

Third-party groups put their voices and dollars to work ahead of a public transit referendum in Austin. Plus, a look at some of the competitive elections in Travis County. And the declining COVID-19 situation in nearby Waco. Those stories and more in this edition of KUT Weekend!

Subscribe at https://weekend.kut.org

Drive-In Style

There’s a lot in these line-ups, and they’re just getting started. The Love and Lightstream Drive-In series at the Haute Spot in Cedar Park is keeping the live music going in a way you can enjoy it safely. The following artists are the show bills for this weekend, and you’ll be pleased to know there’s more badassery on the way:

Friday Oct. 23Shinyribs, Grady Spencer & The Work, Western Youth, PR Newman, and Love and Chaos, with DJ Cez between sets. Gates open at  4 p.m.

Saturday Oct. 24Max Frost, DOSSEY (featured on today’s AMM), Sam Houston & BLK Odyssey, Bayonne, Harry Edohoukwa, and Primo the Alien, with DJ BigBear between sets. Gates at 2 p.m.

Sunday Oct. 25Wild Child, Matthew Logan Vasquez, The Deer, Ley Line, and Altamesa, with DJ Cez between sets. Gates at 2 p.m. 

You can get tickets at the website. Haute Spot is located at 1501 E. New Hope Dr. (78613).

-Photo of Quiet Company at a recent Love and Lightstream Drive-In show by by Chris Pearce with Alive Coverage.

Being Kind To Yourself In COVID Times

Risk, isolation, and grief are experiences that have been amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Spending some time to recognize the small things, even if painful or negative, was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Jackie Venson: “Back To Earth” [Social Distancing Pop Up]



It’s no secret that we here at KUTX adore Jackie Venson. This native Austinite’s take-no-grief principles matched with an infectious personality is perfectly encapsulated in Venson’s distinct brand of guitar-driven blues and soul, making her music a must during quarantine.

Jackie Venson hosts My KUTX tomorrow night at 6PM and today our multimedia team has unfurled a comfy counterpart, capturing the singer in her natural element (and joined by Dexter the corgi) as she wisps with cicadas on a gorgeous acoustic rendition of “Back To Earth” – off of last year’s Joy album. 


Credits:
Musician: Jackie Venson; vocals, guitar
Cameras: Michael Minasi; Edit: Michael Minasi; Audio Mix: Jake Perlman; Producer: Deidre Gott


 

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Texas Standard: October 22, 2020

Across the Lone Star State, Texans expected to be tuning in tonight for political fireworks show, but what about policies? We’ll set the stage for a final debate. Plus, Texans looking for unemployment benefits will soon have to once again prove they’re looking for work, but what constitutes a work search in the eyes of Texas officials? We’ll take a closer look. And in Collin county, it’s the academy versus free speech as a professors’ tweet roils a college campus. And a freeze frame on a music scene almost forgotten from 40 years back. Plus, fake news for real? A warning about a rising force in local news that has experts advising don’t believe everything you read. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Rock the Border

Several familiar Austin names pop up on the huge bill for Rock the Border, Stop the Wall, a virtual concert raising awareness for much-needed health, education, housing and other services for border communities in the U.S.

The livestream line-up includes performances by Black Pumas, Ozomatli, La Santa Cecilia, Gina Chavez (“Ella” is featured on today’s Austin Music Minute), Aloe Blacc & Maya Jupiter, Making Movies, and the Trans Border Orchestra, featuring Sergio Mendoza and the Mexican Institute of Sound; plus Tiarra Girls, Bidi Bidi Banda, Superfónicos and many others.

The event kicks off at 5 p.m. Central tomorrow, Friday October 23 on Facebook Live, and details can be found at the Rock the Border, Stop the Wall website.

-Photo of Gina Chavez by Ismael Quintanilla III.

MISSIO: “Vagabond” (feat. Esoteric of Czarface)

Multi-instrumentalist/engineer David Butler and singer-songwriter Matthew Brue launched their Austin-based duo MISSIO not too long ago, and since their 2017 debut they’ve quickly accrued international acclaim thanks to their seductive strain of alternative indie electronic. Tomorrow MISSIO drops a new LP, Can You Feel The Sunradiating with excellence across its ten phases of carefully calculated arrangements and robust structures.

MISSIO will showcase the album in its entirety on Saturday with two complete performances via livestream, and if that’s not enough to entice you, Esoteric of Czarface lent his vocals to one of the record’s lead singles, so lather up some sonic sunscreen ahead of the release with “Vagabond”!



-Photo: Alexandra Thomas

KUTX supports Austin music; your support makes KUTX possible. Donate today.

Texas Standard: October 21, 2020

As Texas’s Governor takes steps to lift pandemic restrictions on businesses, worries grow for a Texas hotspot nearing critical levels, we’ll have details. Plus, 2020 has left tens of thousands in the oil and gas industry unemployed. Now many in the energy capitol of the world looking to Thursday nights debate and what the candidate will have to say about changes in policies. Also, reports of involuntary sterilizations among women in immigration detention. We’ll have a talk with the Texas representative calling for a congressional investigation. And as voters try to limit contact with others due to COVID-19, a method of casting a ballot less talked about than the mail in option. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Running Wild

It’s a double dose of Wild Child this weekend with two shows coming up:

-The track “Think It Over” on today’s Austin Music Minute is from their album Expectations, but did you know Wild Child has a new EP coming out? They’re celebrating with a release show Saturday, October 24, at Empire Control Room, 606 E. 7th St. The bill includes the fantastic “Authentic Essence” soul experience, Lunar Rae, and melodic artiste extraordinaire Dancy Jenkins. The show kicks off at 7 p.m. Seating is limited, and masks are required.

-Then it’s time for a stripped-down Wild Child acoustic set at Love and Lightstream Drive-In on Sunday, October 25, at 8:30 p.m. The entire line-up is a winner, featuring Matthew Logan Vasquez (7 p.m.), The Deer (5:30 p.m.), Ley Line (4 p.m.) and Altamesa (2:30 p.m.). Proceeds benefit the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) and Black Fret.

-Photo of Wild Child courtesy of the artist.

The Queen’s Royal Welcome to Texas

By W. F. Strong and Lupita Strong

February 2021 will mark Queen Elizabeth II’s 69th year on the British throne. In all of those years during which she witnessed some of the world’s most pivotal events, one can say — if one is a Texan — that we deserve an honorable mention amongst those events from her majesty’s life.  Specifically, her 1991 two-day visit to the Lone Star state.  She was the first British monarch ever to visit Texas and we gave the Queen a Texas-sized tip of the ole Stetson. She loved it. She asked her U.S. chief of protocol, “Why didn’t I come here sooner?”  During her visit she gave Texans one of the finest compliments we’ve ever had, but I’ll save that until the end.

Texas has long had a special relationship with Great Britain; it was one of the first European nations to recognize the new Republic of Texas.  We actually flirted for a while with the notion of becoming part of the British Empire in the 1840’s, but the U.S. had other plans.

Five years before the Queen came here, her majesty’s son, Charles, the Prince of Wales, came to Texas to help celebrate the Texas Sesquicentennial.  He cut into the 45 ton, world’s largest birthday cake with a three-foot sword. I mean, it was Texas, what else was he supposed to use?

At the capital the Prince was given a giant gavel. He laughed and said that it was the biggest he had ever had and “extremely appropriate coming from Texas.” While touring San Jacinto later that week. It was February but warm. He asked, “If it’s as hot as this in the winter, what is like in the summer? ”

Texas has had fourteen kings, but it was a queen celebrated  by Texas  May of 1991. Queen Elizabeth visited Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston with an itinerary jam-packed with visits to the River Walk, NASA, the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, and the Alamo.  She even took a ride on the San Antonio River on a beautifully decorated barge.

When she arrived at Love Field Airport, she was greeted with strains of “The Yellow Rose of Texas.” The words to “God Save the Queen” were recited before the playing of it so that the mostly Texas audience wouldn’t sing My Country Tis of Thee to the familiar tune.

While in Dallas, she knighted Cecil Howard Green, British-born founder of Texas Instruments and co-founder of the U-T campus there.

Accompanying her majesty on the visit was her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Sitting next to him at the Hall of State dinner commemorating the 150th anniversary of Dallas was Louise Caldwell, president of the Dallas Historical Society. Of the experience, she remarked, “It was very hard to find anything that he didn’t know more about than me . . .  including Texas history.”

The Queen delighted the audience there by recounting the well known Texas story by John Gunther in which a man tells his son: “Never ask a man where he’s from.  If he’s from Texas he’ll tell you.  Otherwise no use embarrassing him by asking.”  

At the State Capitol, Gov. Ann Richards hosted the Queen.  Eight-thousand people gathered to catch a glimpse of her majesty.  The queen  declared, “No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born Texans.” And she, the most travelled monarch in the world, knows what she’s talking about.

Honey Made: “Brand New”

Though they’ve only been around for a couple years, Austin funk-soul collective Honey Made has a shared lifetime of experience. And while they’ve got no trouble recalling the sound of icons like James Brown or Sly & The Family Stone, Honey Made’s fresh take on the soul genre is anything but saccharine.

With the production help of Grammy winner Steve Berlin, Honey Made is set to take the lid off their debut full-length Brand New on November 6th, culminating with a virtual record release party that same evening (with 18% of proceeds going to the SIMS Foundation). The nine-piece glows across Brand New‘s ten tracks, drizzling with discipline, good taste, sincerity, and talent; just hear for yourself on the album’s title track!


KUTX supports Austin music; your support makes KUTX possible. Donate today.

Texas Standard: October 20, 2020

Politicians often hope that political coattails can boost their chances, now it appears republicans are trying to cut them off as fast as possible. The story today on the Texas Standard.
We’ll hear why John Cornyn is trying to distance himself from the White House and what may reveal about how the GOP sees its’ chances for November. Also, Governor Abbott concerned too, digging into his own political pocketbook to back Texas republicans down-ballot.
Cutting the cord, involuntarily- pandemic protections against utility disconnections slip away leaving many in danger.
And you’ve heard of the “sleeping giant” in Texas politics? It maybe time to put the metaphor to rest…
Those stories and a whole lot more.

Red Headed Strangers

The track you heard on today’s Austin Music Minute may have sounded a bit familiar, and with good reason. It’s a wonderful tribute, from one red headed stranger to another – though they may not be strangers to you.

Walker Lukens has recorded a few of Willie Nelson’s best-known hits and a few deep cuts for his new release Red Headed Strangers, described by Lukens as a reimagining of Nelson’s work. And proceeds from the album sales benefit the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM).

Join Walker Lukens for the release party at a limited capacity socially-distanced show, 6 p.m. Thursday October 22, at Central Machine Works, 4824 E. Cesar Chavez. The line-up features performances by Kalu James, Stiletto Feels and Sydney Wright.

-Artwork courtesy of Walker Lukens.

The Venues

In this episode, you’ll hear from the owners two Austin venues. Brodie Elkins tells the story of Scratchouse which closed due to the pandemic. Then Maggie Lea and Tamara Hoover talk about how they’ve kept their venue, Cheer Up Charlies, afloat and explain what it’s been like to get ready to reopen.

Listen on The Apple Podcasts App, Spotify

Follow Cheer Up Charlies: Instagram and Twitter

Resources:

Music Venue Alliance Austin

Red River Cultural District

National Independent Venue Alliance

Amplified Sound Coalition

Austin Texas Musicians

Pause/Play: Episode 3

Bronze Whale: “Good Enough” [PREMIERE]

When drummer Aaron Jaques first linked up with vocalist Benny Alley back in 2011, sparks flew right off the bat and the two didn’t waste any time establishing themselves with a series of recognizable remixes under the handle Bronze Whale. And for the past half decade, these auteurs have maintained complete control over their mixing and mastering process in addition to their artwork and promotion, surfacing sporadically with their unique hybrid of indie electronic arrangements and hip hop production.

But just in the past couple years, the fellas have been hungry for more, and as a result Bronze Whale’s process has since migrated towards that of more traditional songwriting, culminating in some one-of-a-kind originals. Just today Bronze Whale was kind enough to give us a KUTX-clusive first listen to their latest single, one that we think you’ll agree is far beyond just “Good Enough”!


KUTX supports Austin music; your support makes KUTX possible. Donate today.

WTF Ice Cube?!?

This week on The Breaks

Listen to this episode of The Breaks

Texas Standard: October 19, 2020

Millions of Texans turn out for week one of early voting in a state notorious for low turnout. A hint of a more fundamental change in Texas politics? That and more today on the Texas Standard.

In this most unconventional election season the state to watch is Texas: so declares veteran political journalist Dan Balz of the Washington Post. We’ll ask him what makes Texas the most intriguing place in politics in the nation right now.

Also, a rule change for social workers in Texas dialing back anti-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation, gender identity and disability. Many social workers call it a gut punch.

Prepared for the Worst: Being a Musician During COVID-19

From finances to healthcare access, being a musician during a pandemic isn’t easy – even in the Live Music Capital of the World. In episode two of Pause//Play, the new podcast from KUT/KUTX Studios, Austin musicians Mobley and TEDDYTHELEGACY tell their stories of survival and creativity. Video by Julia Riehs

Roxi Copland: “Daddy Don’t Do Politics”

Having started classical piano lessons at age four, those (figurative) ebony and ivory keys have stayed close to the heart of singer Roxi Copland. After dropping her debut EP in 2008, Copland built up an admirable reputation (and award recognition) across the Midwest with her hodgepodge of blues, jazz, and Americana. Copland’s since gone on to release another EP, a collaborative live album, a solo acoustic record, a pair of singles, and two full-band LPs, having released Bad Decision just before relocating to Austin, Texas.

Last Friday Copland showcased her wit and social awareness on a bluegrass-driven piece of satire, perfect for early voting season, “Daddy Don’t Do Politics”!


KUTX supports Austin music; your support makes KUTX possible. Donate today.