Wild Child Rocks it on Wordfree Wednesday

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Lindsay S

I think I heard Wild Child for the first time at a show in one of Austin’s clubs. I had no idea who they were when the show started…by the end, I had become a fan!

Since then, I have made it to several other shows, and they were all amazing.

But nothing was as incredible as being invited to participate in the filming of their new videos! So off we headed to a place called The Boneyard (more about that place in another post!), and the fun began. Unfortunately, we left the good camera behind! So please forgive us for these camera phone-quality shots. We promise to do better next time!

We were so happy to be a part of Wild Child’s new video event! Next time, though, we’ll remember the camera!

You can learn more about Wild Child and their upcoming performances on their Facebook page and website. Hope to see y’all at a show!

Irish pub food and a punk band? Why not? It’s Austin!

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Lindsay S

We’re starting to explore some of the downtown restaurants (getting out of our North Austin world!), and the other night that meant a light dinner at Fado Irish Pub on 4th Street.

As we walked nearby, we heard the band…The Video Stars, a punk rock-clad group performing an excellent rendition of “Sweet Child of Mine”. Then we looked at the menu which promised traditional pub fare in their courtyard.

For me, the fact that they offered “boxty“, a tasty potato concoction I seldom see on menus, and the song the band was playing were enough. For Lance, the promise of a corned beef sandwich was enough to draw him in.

And we were not disappointed by any of it. The boxty I chose were crisp and hot, and were accompanied by a red pepper humus dip. Lance’s sandwich came stuffed high with corned beef, with a big pile of chips on the side (that’s fries, not potato chips.) We’ll have to return again to try a full dinner sometime soon…our light meal was a good introduction to their offerings!

The band played a variety of music, although the punk/KISS look was kind of funny when they launched into a Lady Gaga set! The courtyard was breezy, the crowd was a perfect mix of ages, and the service was excellent.

Although we don’t drink, we did see that Fado has an extensive selection of beers, ales, wines, whiskeys and single-malt Scotches, which makes it a good place to head for a few drinks, too.

Fado also has inside dining, although the music is outdoors only. The courtyard/patio is pet friendly, so our pup will probably join us the next time around.

Pecan Street Festival brings together music, art, and Austin weirdness

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Lindsay S

I should have known better. It was over 90 degrees and extreme heat and I do NOT get along well. But away we went to the Spring Pecan Day Festival in downtown Austin.

I expected t roast and melt. And to be honest, it was even hotter than I thought it would be. And melt I did. Big time.

But despite the heat, this festival, held annually on 6th Street/Pecan Street (and companion to the Autumn Pecan Street Festival) was also more than I thought it would be.

First of all, it was big. REALLY big. It went on and on with block after block of artists’ booths, food, music and just-for-the-heck-of-it stuff for sale. And most of it was truly good. We saw everything from hand puppets to wall-sized collages in the art booths. There was even a petting zoo! And the food was far beyond the usual funnel cakes and corn dogs (although both of those were there, too.) Topping my list for weirdest fair food was the alligator stand, while the homemade ice cold fresh lemonade takes the prize for “Most in Demand and Gratefully Purchased”.

Music venues all along the fair area were open for business with amazing sounds at every turn, too. We took shelter in the Stage on 6th for a bit to get out of the sun, and were treated to fantastic classic country sounds…amazingly, even our dog and our daughter were welcome there (we’re still not quite used to the rules in Austin, so that was a surprise — in Miami, kids and pets are verbotten in bars

The highlight of the Festival for us was the discovery of a new (well, new to us) band called Les Rav. Their music was a wonderful mix of Celtic, rock, New Age, chamber, progressive and Indy, with something special on top of all of that. They are definitely worth a follow.

The Pecan Street Festival is a family friendly event and dogs are welcome (on leash). If you head out to the Spring or Autumn events, I would recommend taking a good supply of water for you and your pets. It gets hot, and bottled water is pricy. Bring cash for food and drink — very few took cards and ATM fees were high.

The Young Face of Austin Rock with Charlie Belle

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Lindsay S

I had the privilege to hear one of the new voices of rock in Austin at a recent SXSW concert. And it’s hard to believe that the lead singer Jendayi and other other band members in the Charlie Bell band are only about 14 years old!

On the day I met them, they were also being filmed for Smart Girls at the Party, a site dedicated to celebrating kids being themselves. If the quality of music I heard is any example, being themselves is going to lead to great things for this Austin-based band. At an age when most kids are hanging out on Facebook, or texting friends about the latest school rumors, this group of talented young musicians already has gigs at Antone’s, The Cactus Cafe and SXSW to their credit.

Check out their schedule on their website and head out to one of their shows, Trust me on this — someday you’ll want to be able to say “I saw them when…”