Archives for October 2020

The Musicians

In this episode you’ll hear the pandemic stories of two Austin Musicians — Mobley and Teddythelegacy. You’ll find out how their ability to access financial help has impacted their lives, what creative projects they’ve been working on and hear their perspectives on the uprisings for racial justice.

Listen to this Episode of Pause/Play

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Unemployment Resources:

Velissa Chapa: Texas Workforce Commission Employer
Gwen Seale
Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts
Austin Texas Musicians

Other Austin Grants
The DAWA Fund
Banding Together

Health Resources
The Health Alliance for Austin Musicians aka HAAM

Mental Health Resources
The SIMS Foundation: Mental Health and Substance Use Recovery for Musicians, Music Industry and their Families

Check out Mobley’s curated reading list for the Austin Public Library — James Crow, a Songwriters Reader

Listen to the music featured in Episode Two of Pause/Play

A Thousand Plateaus: “Even The Sun Has A Dial”

Back in the late ’80s there was this post-punk quartet About The Poets, and while we haven’t heard from that iteration of ATP since ’88, the Wisconsin four-piece has recently re-emerged under the new handle A Thousand Plateaus.

Listening to their debut eight-track makes you question whether those three decades even went by, since A Thousand Plateaus maintains that early indie rock and cold wave style that made ATP’s understated alt-rock a must-listen in the first place. Keep your fingers crossed that this is only the inaugural landmark from A Thousand Plateaus, and bask in the time-transcending album opener from ATP’s eponymous rebirth, “Even The Sun Has A Dial”!

Part 2: What’s Next For The ‘Texas Miracle’?

For years, Texas Republicans have run for office on the state’s business-friendly reputation. But that reputation may also be leading to the GOP’s weakening political power in the state.

The Breaks Cancel Tory

This week on The Breaks

Hosts Confucius and Fresh talk about the absurdity of Tory Lanez new record “Daystar” where he denies shooting Megan the Thee Stallion in the foot.
Both hosts talk about their love for Outkast’s record “Aquemini” after the 22nd anniversary of its release on September 29th.
In his Unpopular Opinion, Fresh states that the best rap album if 2020 is “The Price of Tea in China” by Boldy James.
With the election less than 30 days away Confucius stresses the importance of voting in his Confucius Says segment.

Listen to this episode of The Breaks

Texas Standard: October 5, 2020

A one page letter signed by seven of the attorney general’s top aides ask for an investigation of the Texas attorney general. We’ll hear more about the complain, and how Paxton and other top Texas officials are responding. Also, the president and other top republicans urging supporters to be poll watchers. Just who can become a poll watcher, what does that involve, and what are the limits to their activities? And the hispanic republican from Nixon to Trump plus a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

John Lewis, pt. 2 (Ep. 44, 2020)

This week on In Black America, producer and host John L. Hanson, Jr. concludes a tribute to the Congressman and Civil Rights leader, John Robert Lewis, who represented Georgia’s 5th Congressional District from 1987 until his death on July 17, 2020. The interview was recorded during Congressman Lewis’s visit to the University of Texas at Austin in the Spring of 2020.

Blues Royalty

In 1999, Dialtone Records founder Eddie Stout began a project that would honor the very best of Texas blues. It started with the recording of the album Eastside Kings, capturing the sound of Austin’s mostly unknown African American blues musicians playing the local circuit, such as the late Austin blues guitarist Clarence Pierce, Austin songwriter and drummer Willie Sampson, and trumpeter Donald “Duck” Jennings. This led to the formation of the Eastside Kings Foundation, and the Eastside Kings Festival as it’s known today, preserving the heritage of African American blues, jazz and gospel and giving artists a platform to showcase their music.

The 8th Annual Eastside Kings Festival will be a virtual experience, featuring performances by Crystal Thomas, Soul Man Sam, Orange Jefferson, Bobby Rush(featured on today’s Austin Music Minute), Miss Lavelle White, Classic Ballou, Birdlegg, Tutu Jones, Andrea Dawson, and the house band, Eastside Kings & The Texas Horns.

Mighty, one and all. The fest kicks off at 7 p.m. (Central) tonight, Monday October 5, on Facebook Live. Donations supporting Eastside Kings may be made via the website.

-Photo of Bobby Rush by Rick Olivier.

La Dame Blanche: “La Incondicional”

Born in Cuba and currently calling Paris her home, multi-instrumentalist Yaite Ramos Rodriguez has hit her stride as La Dame Blanche. This singer, flautist, and percussionist has kept the Afro-Cuban style at the core of her music, while incorporating strong elements of Cumbia, Reggaeton, Dancehall and Hip-Hop to promote female empowerment.

The latest from La Dame Blanche came in the form of her latest LP, Ella, a Spanish language tribute of sorts to Ramos Rodriguez’s mother through ten tracks of pro-women positivity. It’s a remarkable record that merits several listens and you can get started now with “La Incondicional”!

John R. Lewis, pt. 2 (Ep. 44, 2020)

On this week’s program, In Black America producer and host John L. Hanson, Jr. concludes a tribute to the late John Robert Lewis, Congressman from Georgia’s 5th Congressional District and Civil Rights pioneer and leader, with an interview recorded in May, 2020.

The Storyline

We create stories for many reasons. Stories help us remember things, stories add meaning to our lives, and stories also create hierarchies of value–that much of the time hide more than they reveal about the past.

In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of the storyline.

Writer’s Block (Rebroadcast)

Writer’s block! That phrase might induce panic and a recollection of a familiar experience. It’s a very common phenomenon. So what is it?

In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explain the ins and outs of how and why we sometimes get stuck – and what we can do to help ourselves in those difficult situations.

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Let the Music Play On

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass would usually be drawing in the crowds the first week of October at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Obviously, that’s not happening this year, but don’t think for a second that they’d skip out on celebrating their 20th anniversary in style.

HSB is honoring all the incredible performances and experiences from years past with a special livestream broadcast, Let The Music Play On, which also happens to include several Austin artists on the grand bill. As a matter of fact, most of the performances you get to see this weekend were filmed at iconic venues here in the ATX, as well as Nashville and San Francisco.

And did the Austin Music Minute emphasize the spectacular line-up?! This is no small feat. These are but a few to list: Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Rhiannon Giddens, Steve Earle, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, Los Coast, Carrie Rodriguez, Amythyst Kiah, Jim Lauderdale, The War and Treaty, John Doe, Patty Griffin, Fantastic Negrito, Shakey Graves, Yola (featured on today’s AMM) and many more.

You’ll also get to see special archived material and get some insight into the history of the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. Let the Music Play On starts at 4 p.m. (Central) today, Saturday October 3, on the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass website, Circle TV, Nugs, Luck Stream, and Facebook Live. The livestream is free, but donations may be made to the Artist Relief Fund, supporting musicians across the country.

-Art courtesy of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass.

Part 1: How The GOP Consolidated Political Power In Texas

Something big might happen in Texas politics this November. There’s a good chance that Texas Democrats will win control of one lever of power for the first time in almost 20 years. If Democrats win a majority in the Texas House of Representatives, it would mark a huge shift in state politics. In this first episode of The Big Flip, we take a look back at Texas politics, the LBJ days and how we got to where we are–total control by the Republicans. Will the winds of change be strong enough in the November 2020 election to change our red state?

KUT Weekend – October 2, 2020

Does less spending on police mean higher crime rates? Plus, the University of Texas response to COVID-19. And why Luby’s cafeteria was such a huge success (before it wasn’t). Those stories and more in this edition of KUT Weekend!

Subscribe at https://weekend.kut.org

Corn Times, Virtual Style

The damn pandemic hit, and music festivals were cancelled left and right…except, perhaps, for one. See that demonic creature peering round the corner, an ear of corn in his fanged jaws? It’s revved up and ready to go.

Austin Corn Lovers Fiesta, created by your favorite hooligans behind Saustex Records and ATX cowpunks Hickoids as an alternative to other festivals happening around this time of year, is making this year’s party an entirely virtual experience, though no less rowdy or rambunctious. Corn Lovers fans would expect no less.

‘Tis is a strange year, indeed, but the Fiesta has always been a wonderfully strange experience, so no worries there! The crazy celebrations stream over the weekend with sets from a location near Austin (my, how secretive…), and remote sets from Atlanta, New Orleans, New York, and Haltom City (near Dallas/Fort Worth). And welcome to another sick AF line-up, featuring We Are The Asteroid, The Beaumonts, Churchwood, DiNOLA, Hamell On Trial, Frontier Dan and the Hickoids and more.

Get the full line-up and set times on the Facebook event listing, and tune in to Austin Corn Lovers Fiesta starting at 2PM (Central) Saturday and Sunday, October 3rd and 4th, on Facebook Live.

-Monster artwork courtesy of Austin Corn Lovers Fiesta.

Texas Standard: October 2, 2020

Governor Abbott orders no more than one drop off point for absentee ballots per county. The official in charge of elections for Travis county is pushing back against the governor saying all options are open. We’ll have the latest. Also, how the president’s positive test for Coronavirus has the potential to move the needle in a big way for Texas come election day. Plus Texas doctors concerned about chronic Coronavirus. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Loved Ones

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many families and friends to keep their distance — even at times when a hug is really needed. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Calliope Musicals: “Heaven” [MUSIC VIDEO PREMIERE]

Well, it’s Flashback Friday and we’ve got some ’80s goodies for ya! It wasn’t all that long ago that Austin outfit Calliope Musicals contributed their fair share to Slack Capital 3, rounding out the 41-song mega-compilation with the benefit album’s final track.

And while quirky retro aesthetics have always been near and dear to these Studio 1A performers, they really hit it home on their rendition of Talking Heads’ “Heaven” when SC3 came out back in June. But today they’ve taken it a step further with a music video that’s just surreal and bizarre enough to match David Byrne’s aura, and you can get a first look in the link below!

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Texas Standard: October 1, 2020

T minus 12 days and counting: are you ready to cast a ballot in Texas’ general election? We’ll have a list of practical steps to take now if you plan to cast a ballot in one of the most contentious elections in our history. Also the COVID-19 wake up call: why was Texas caught flatfooted even though plans had been in the works to deal with a pandemic? A Houston Chronicle investigation finds some surprising answers. And harsh lessons in reality for some just starting college in Texas during COVID-19. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Dream Stream Sunday

The Austin Music Minute is giving you a head start on this show, plus any excuse for your AMM host to play “Dance Floor” though no excuse is needed! This Sunday, on 3Ten ACL Live‘s series Stream Come True, dream rock outfit Moving Panoramas is in the spotlight. And, in addition to giving fans a chance to support their favorite artist, donations can also be made to local nonprofit Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM), which provides access to health care for local music artists.

Redefining Sunday Funday, Moving Panoramas performs at 7:30 p.m. (Central) Sunday, October 4, via the 3Ten website. See you on the (virtual) dance floor.

-Photo courtesy of the artist.