FESTIVALS
RedFest
May 23–25, Circuit of the Americas
For the first time ever, Jeff Foxworthy is putting on his very own festival, known as RedFest, and he’s chosen to host it in Austin. Intended to celebrate America and the outdoors, it will feature a Southern-friendly lineup comprised of music, TV and comedy stars like Tim McGraw, Duck Dynasty and Larry the Cable Guy. Tickets range from $29 to $99 and can be purchased at redfest.com.
3/1–3/16: 77th annual Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo
3/2: Zilker Park Kite Festival
3/7–3/16: South By Southwest 2014
3/28–3/29: Ninth annual Urban Music Festival
3/29: iHeartRadio Country Music Festival hosted by Bobby Bones
4/10–4/13: Old Settler’s Music Festival in Driftwood, Texas
4/16–4/27: Fusebox Festival
4/23–4/26: Moontower Comedy and Oddity Festival
4/25–4/26: Euphoria Music and Camping Festival at Carson Creek Ranch
4/25–4/27: Austin Food & Wine Festival
5/10: Pachanga Latino Music Festival
FOOD AND DRINK
Whole Foods Market Brings 45 Beer Taps to its New Domain Store
Beer lovers rejoice! Whole Foods Market has opened a new store at The Domain that has 45 beer taps in its Draft Shack, the store’s indoor oyster bar. It has more beer taps than Whole Foods has at its downtown, Arbor Trails and Bee Caves stores, and more than any other store in the world, for that matter. In fact, it’s a hell of a lot more beer taps than most beer bars have. Austin’s fifth Whole Foods Market store will be its second largest in the area, with 63,000 square feet, and will, of course, carry the fat selection of natural, organic and locally sourced eats that we’ve come to expect. That’s all well and good, but did I mention the beer?
“Austinites love their local breweries and we want our guests to know they can find them here,” says Whole Foods Market Beer Associate Coordinator Nichole Becerra. “The tap wall in the Draft Shack has 27 local Austin-area beers and four additional Texas beers, featuring Austin Beerworks, Live Oak, 512, Hops & Grain, Circle Brewing, Pedernales, Adelbert’s, Independence, Real Ale, Franconia, Saint Arnold, Karbach and Southern Star.”
They plan to keep the selection fresh with a regular rotation of new and seasonal beers coming in all the time. The lineup will include nitro stout, pilsner, Hefeweizen, pale ale, porter, stout and sour beers. They will also carry hard cider on tap from Austin Eastciders. The Draft Shack isn’t the only place in the new store to chill with a draft beer. In front of the store, the Public Domain has outdoor seating, playground equipment for the rugrats, firepits and a bad-ass recycled freight train shipping container that has been converted in to an outdoor beer and bratwurst bar with four beers and root beer on tap.
The Public Domain will also have space for live music. Not bad for a grocery store. If you prefer to take your beer home, The Domain store will have 80 feet of beer in coolers. The beer aisle will have a fourfoot section that features 100-point-rated beers. It will also have a selection of gluten-free beers and ciders. –Matt McGinnis
Just Opened
Blackbird and Henry, 3016 Guadalupe St., suite 100, 512.774.8955
CRAVE Restaurant, 340 E. Second St., 512.469.0000
The Hightower, 1209 E. Seventh St., 512.524.1448
Porter Ale House, 3715 S. First Street, suite A, 512.291.6299
Vinyl, 607 Trinity St., 512.358.6202
Upstairs on Trinity, 607 Trinity St., 512.358.4824
Gus’s Fried Chicken, 117 San Jacinto Blvd., 512.474.4877
Chavez, 111 E. Cesar Chavez St., 512.478.2991
MUSIC
Arcade Fire Reflektor Tour
April 10, 7:30 p.m., Austin 360 Amphitheate
Indie rockers Arcade Fire are bringing a potent live show to Austin, honed by 12 years and four albums of experience. After shattering expectations by winning Album of the Year at the 2011 Grammys with The Suburbs, Arcade Fire returned to acclaim last year with the highly anticipated Reflektor, featuring David Bowie and LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy, along with a 2014 Oscar-nominated score for Spike Jonze’s film Her. Catch a show that will definitely go down in music history. Tickets range from $30 to $325, and are available at austin360amphitheater.com.
3/3: Lorde, Austin Music Hall
3/19: Brooklyn Rider, Bass Concert Hall
3/21: Leann Rimes, ACL Live at the Moody Theater
3/22: Ellie Goulding, Austin Music Hall
4/11: Mobb Deep, The Parish
4/15: Robert Cray, One World Theatre
4/15: Rob Thomas, Bass Concert Hall
4/23: Haim, Stubb’s 4/24: Chris Botti, One World Theatre
4/24–4/25: Vampire Weekend, Stubb’s
5/1: Drive-By Truckers, Stubb’s
5/9: Lee Ritenour, One World Theatre
5/10: Paramount Anniversary Gala featuring Bonnie Raitt, The Paramount Theater
COMEDY
Aziz Ansari
April 18, 7 and 9:30 p.m. April 19, 7 p.m., Bass Concert Hall
You may know him as Tom Haverford from the Emmy-nominated TV show Parks and Recreation, and he may have even inspired you to have your own “treat yo’self” day. Aziz Ansari hits Austin for not one, not two, but three stand-up shows by popular demand. Rolling Stone put him on its special comedy issue, labeling him “the funniest man under 30.” The buzz about Ansari is only growing, with past mentions in Entertainment Weekly referring to him as one of its Breakout TV Stars, TV Guide naming him a scene stealer and People Magazine naming him 2011’s Funniest Dude in Prime Time. With a book deal, a long list of film credits and a stand-up tour, Ansari is only getting started. More importantly, Ansari comes off as the guy next door, someone you could crack a brew—or pop bottles—with any day of the week. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear his social commentary and see why he’s everyone’s favorite rising star. Ansari’s performances will serve as a separate kick-off show to the formal Moontower Comedy and Oddity festival, beginning April 23. Tickets available at texasperformingarts.com.
3/30: Chelsea Handler, Bass Concert Hall
4/1: Amy Schumer, Bass Concert Hall
4/19: Dave Barry, The Paramount Theatre
5/2: Mike Epps, Bass Concert Hall 5/30: Joan Rivers, The Paramount Theatre
NEWSMAKERS
Remembering a Texas Leader
It was a sad day when Jack Sawtelle Blanton, namesake of the Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art, died on Dec. 28, 2013 at age 86. A leader in the energy industry and higher education, Blanton was active in many civic organizations and contributed his efforts to advancing health care and the arts. Considered one of the top university art museums, the Blanton is home to world-renowned exhibitions and public programs, containing a collection of more than 17,000 objects
Scientific Achievement
University of Texas at Austin’s John B. Goodenough is one of four recipients of engineering’s highest honor, the Charles Stark Draper Prize for Engineering. Goodenough, along with Yoshio Nishi, Rachid Yazami and Akira Yoshino, received the prize Feb. 18 for helping to engineer the rechargeable lithium-ion battery that powers mobile devices. Goodenough was also awarded the National Medal of Science in 2013 and the Japan Prize in 2000. The highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government to science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their research careers is going to three Austinites out of 102 recipients. The Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers is awarded to UT Austin faculty members Kristen Grauman, Mattan Erez and Jonathan Pillow. President Barack Obama has named UT Austin’s Allen Bard a recipient of the Enrico Fermi Award, one of the government’s oldest and most prestigious awards for scientific achievement. The College of Natural Sciences chemist shares a gold medal and the honor, which carries a grant of $50,000, with Andrew Sessler. Bard was selected for his significant contributions to basic research, technological innovation, teaching and service.
New Sheriff in Town
The greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which serves a projected Hispanic demographic of 657,569 people, recently named Mark Madrid as its new president and CEO. Taking the reins Feb. 10, Madrid was selected after a nationwide search. Having served as chief operating officer for the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Madrid holds a degree from UT Austin and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in nonprofit administration.
Money Matters
The Mulva Family Foundation has made a $60 million multi-year pledge to UT Austin, supporting the McCombs School of Business and the Cockrell School of Engineering. The donation will help to construct the James J. and Miriam B. Mulva Conference Center and Auditorium, set to open in 2017, and renovate the Graduate School of Business and the College of Business Administration buildings.
Centennial Sailing
Running through April 13, experience the Battleship Texas exhibit at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. Commemorating 100 years of the ship USS TEXAS, this special exhibit displays life on board the only surviving battleship that endured two world wars. This free Texas history exhibit is located on the museum’s third-floor in the Rotunda Gallery.
Jimmy Kimmel Live Comes to Austin
Seems as though Jimmy Kimmel has caught on to the national trend of everyone and their mother moving to Austin. Although not permanently relocating, Jimmy Kimmel Live will host five shows at The Long Center during the 28th annual SXSW Music Festival. On bringing the show to Texas, Kimmel says,
“Austin is one of my favorite cities, and there is no place more fun than SXSW. I can’t wait for March 10th. I’ll be the guy covered in barbecue sauce.”
The last time Jimmy Kimmel Live went on the road was in 2012 to Brooklyn, NY, featuring guests Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Tracy Morgan, Kelly Ripa, Howard Stern, Chris Rock, David Letterman, Alicia Keys, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings and Vampire Weekend. For fans wishing to gain access to the tapings, The Long Center encourages watching its Facebook page and Twitter account (@longcenter) for further information.
RACES
Life Time South Austin Indoor Tri (10-minute swim, 30-minute bike ride, 20-minute run), April 27, Life Time Fitness South Austin.
Georgetown Tri Doc #1 (200-meter swim, 7-mile bike ride, 2-mile run), April 27, Georgetown Recreation Center.
Lifetime Tri CapTex (various distances available depending on ability), May 26, downtown Austin.
Whole Foods photo by Dave McLaughlin, DCM Photography. Arcade Fire photo by Guy Aroch. Battleship photo courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife.
