By: Chad Swiatecki
Concerts Recommended:
SANTANA, SEPT. 12 AND 14, ACL LIVE
An innovator for more than four decades, Carlos Santana has melded sounds and influences from throughout the world with his guitar mastery for one of the most distinctive bodies of work in all of music. His two dates at the palatial ACL Live will take a trip through time, featuring his greatest hits and deep favorites while also spotlighting songs from the new Guitar Heaven: The Greatest Guitar Classics of All Time. When Santana’s not making you dance to Black Magic Woman, he’ll be putting his own spin on favorites by Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and more. Hard to arguewith that.
Also Coming Up:
JOURNEY/FOREIGNER/NIGHT RANGER
Sept. 22, Frank Erwin Center
PAT METHENY • Sept. 27, One World Theatre
BLONDIE • Sept. 29, ACL Live
DOLLY PARTON • Oct. 7, Cedar Park Center
B.B. KING • Oct. 9, ACL Live
ROGER DALTREY • Oct. 11, Cedar Park Center
K.D. LANG • Oct. 12, Paramount Theatre
BELA FLECK • Oct. 13, Paramount Theatre
PETER FRAMPTON • Oct. 18, ACL Live
ADELE • Oct. 19, Frank Erwin Center
THE B-52S • Nov. 2, Stubb’s
THE JAYHAWKS • Nov. 18, Paramount Theatre
Festivals
Gypsy Picnic
OCT. 22, AUDITORIUM SHORES
An undeniable hit in its debut year, the Gypsy Picnic brings together
more than 40 trailers from Austin’s vibrant and thriving food-truck
community for a day of culinary adventure. Free to attend and with
cheap food and drink samples, the event is a sort of a one-day-only
foodie paradise, which helps explain why 15,000 visitors jammed the
scene last year. Our advice: Arrive early, and bring an empty stomach.
INFO: GYPSYPICNIC.COM
Other Fests
GRUENE MUSIC & WINE FESTIVAL
Oct. 6 – 9, New Braunfels
Four days celebrating Texas and native wines and music.
Info: gruenemusicandwinefest.org
FUN FUN FUN FEST
Nov. 4 – 5, Auditorium Shores
Austin’s loudest music festival moves to its new home on the water.
Info: funfunfunfest.com
Long Center Names New Director
Jamie Grant can say goodbye to his snow tires and hello to breakfast tacos. Grant, a veteran director of fine arts facilities throughout Canada, arrives in Austin in September to take charge of day-to-day operations at Austin’s Long Center for the Performing Arts. High up on his to-do list? Expanding the center’s calendar so it’s known as more than a showcase spot for operas and ballets. “I want to take the community on a journey so there’s something there for everybody to enjoy,” Grant says
Austin Skeeball League
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS, BETSY’S BAR, 301 W. 6TH ST.
Who knew that hundreds of hours and dollars spent playing for prize tickets at Chuck E. Cheese’s would eventually lead to weekly nights of beer-soaked fun? That’s what’s behind the success of the Austin Skeeball League, one of multiple weekly Austin leagues in
which teams face off to roll their way to big points, seasonal trophies and bragging rights. Sadly, no cheap stuffed animals as prizes … yet.
INFO: TEXASSKEEBALLLEAGUE.COM/AUSTIN
Hot Eats:
Bacon,
10th & Lamar
AS ITS NAME SUGGESTS, THIS SOONTO-OPEN FOOD STOP MAKES CELEBRATING
THE WORLD’S MOST PERFECT FOOD ITS GUIDING MISSION. THE BACONHEAVY
CLASSIC MENU WORKS MOSTLY AS A STARTING-OFF POINT AND PATRONS ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAILOR THEIR ORDERS WITH SUCH BACON FLAVORS
AS CINNAMON, MANGO HABANERO AND MORE. OUR ONLY QUESTION: WHY DID NO ONE THINK OF THIS UNTIL NOW?
TheUpperDecks,
301Barton SpringsRd.
IF YOU CAN SEE A SPORTS BAR’S MAIN VIEWING SCREEN FROM TWO FLOORS DOWN AND TWO BLOCKS AWAY, THAT’S USUALLY A PRETTY GOOD SIGN THEY’RE
DOING SOMETHING RIGHT. THE UPPER DECKS IS AUSTIN’S SPLASHIEST NEWCOMER ON THE ALWAYS-POPULAR FOOD AND FOOTBALL SCENE, WITH A WIDE BUT NO-NONSENSE SELECTION OF BURGERS, FISH, CHICKEN AND FOOTBALL GAMES THAT, ON A GOOD DAY, ARE VISIBLE FROM OUTER SPACE.
INFO: UPPERDECKSAUSTIN.COM
The List:
3Spooky Spots
1 HOUSE OF TORMENT, SEPT. 23 – OCT. 31,
523 HIGHLAND MALL BLVD.
With multiple themed adventures and production values that rival Broadway shows, House of Torment makes the most of its trademark “20,000 square feet of terror.”
2SCARE FOR A CURE, OCT. 14 – 31,
7400 COLDWATER CANYON DR.
Now in its fi fth year of raising money for breast-cancer research, Scare for a Cure is Austin all the way, bringing together artists of all types to create nights of fright for a good cause.
Info: scareforacure.org
3AUSTIN GHOST TOURS,
ONGOING, MULTIPLE LOCATIONS
A thoughtful and always-popular historic tour through Austin’s many rumored homes of spirits kicks into high gear for the Halloween season.
Info: austinghosttours.com
Experience the Chad:
• TWITTER – @THEECHAD AND @UBTHEDJ
• FAUXTUNES.COM
• AUSTIN360.COM
