Crash into this

Spinners is located on the edge of Austin,  your last stop before you leave weird and land at the rock. The bar consists of two sides,  the bar side with an outside deck, and the lounge side - set up for private parties and live music performances.

The bar side does have a small stage as you walk in the door, immediately to your left. It opens into a large room with the bar to your left and the outdoor patio to your right. There are plenty of TVs around for your sports watching pleasure. If you walk all the way through, the bathrooms are to the back.

The 'live' performance this particular evening (and check the schedule because I believe he is here most Saturdays) was DJ Crash. Yes! THAT DJ CRASH of Dirty Wormz fame. It is live for what he does and how he does it. 

Crash has been a fixture and part of Austin music legend for damn straight on 2 decades. It isn't the length of time, but his ability. Not really untouchable, but he commands respect. Being good and in demand is one thing, but to cross music genres as a DJ that does more than rap, hip hop, but also metal.

Tonight he was straight entertainment. Impressive at keeping the beats and the music entertaining for the crowd. Skillful in not taking your conversation away from you and your friends, but bad ass enough every few minutes to make people in the crowd look up. Yes, I heard people say 'DAMN!'

If you have to, or want to hire a DJ, do you want Pandora or someone that can control the crowd. Bring them up, bring them down. If you want your money on a man who can entertain and be invisible, but be the center of attention on demand...DJ CRASH.

Just stop by Spinners, look him up, find him with the Wormz, and feel good.

Laters

Written with extreme prejudice and a challenge and a dare. I challenge you to be daring!

Day of the Dead 2015

Central Texas Easter Seals Foundation (http://www.easterseals.com/centraltx/) is a wonderful organization. Not only are there some great people doing some great things, but those people they support and help are even more wonderful. For the last few years, Central Texas Easter Seals Foundation has had a fundraiser during the spookiest, fun part of the year...Halloween. Celebrating the traditional Mexican holiday of Dia de los Muertos the best way possible, with music and fun here in Austin, Texas.

I have had the pleasure of attending the events each of the previous years since it started and was there again this year with my wife has joining me, and our 9 year old. The celebration is most definitely fun for all. Vendor booths, food, and fun for the kids in the H.E.B. kids zone, this is definitely a celebration of life! But the most fun of all....is the music and dancing, of course!

For me the celebration starts with the Dia de los Muertos parade featuring The Austin Samba School and Las Monas. There are drums, costumes, dancing, and it is just one big Fiesta! Even kids of all ages are invited to join in at one point. This is one of the most exciting things to watch and my wife and I have always looked forward to it.

On to the musical portion. First of the 4 bands on the main stage this evening was Kinski Gallo (http://www.kinskigallo.com/). This was a 3 piece that was the perfect warm up for the late afternoon crowd. With the crowd slightly growing, it was evident Kinski Gallo was the right type of energy to have some folks get up, move up, and start to dance.

Next up (and this is what I love about live music in the capital city) was the very popular, and thrilling La Vida Boheme (https://www.facebook.com/LaVidaBoheme). My surprise of the festival. I love going into an event and not knowing all the bands. It leaves the biases to go out the window and leaves the door open for new experiences. La Vida Boheme was that.

This quartet out of Venezuela was thrilling to say the least. They left no question about their popularity, not just by the cheering crowd down in front, but the Latin/Pop rhythms that blew me away. It was go, go, go from La Vida Boheme's first song to the end of their set. Everybody was so excited and we could here the crowd chanting 'OTRA!'

Next up, and not surprisingly decked out for the event, was Son De Rey (http://www.sonderey.com/). Austins own Latin super group. A highly entertaining and charismatic front man leads this band with his moves and his voice. Not to downplay his female counter-part, this duo knows how to entertain. The music is a mix of covers and originals, and none of it disappoints as it all provided the fuel to bring in more of the crowd to the dance floor.









The great thing with Son de Rey, they are based here in Austin, Texas. So, if you live here in town and want a thrilling musical experience with your margaritas at happy hour or later, look them up. If you are from out of town and want that fun Latin vibe you can dance your drinks away to, look them up as well.

Known mostly by his first name, but loved infinitely by the country/Tejano legions of fans in the U.S. and Mexico...Emilio (https://www.facebook.com/EmilioNavairaMx) was the headlining act for Dia de los Muertos 2015. Oh, and now the crowds came out, moved forward, and there was lots of dancing! Emilio and his band started out just a little tame, with some slower Tejano songs. Then he rolled into his country music, building into his big upbeat Tejano hits. This seems to be what the crowd was dying for all day (get it dying for - Dia de los Muertos)!

Emilio proved to be the king of Tejano this night in Austin. What a great performance from a great entertainer.








Lets see what this next year brings!

Laters

5 days wasted

although I was invited to hang out. Some how the fact that I am NOT a rockstar, I do not sing in a band, play drums in a band, or play lead guitar, did not escape me. I seriously wanted to spend time with my friends from Chicago, but alas, work and family over rode the freelance will to go balls out. Instead I lived vicariously through the band Black4. For 5 glorious days of them recording in one of Austins newest studios (SkyAcre Labs - although I think The Spank Bank sounds cooler) and then watching them travel around Austin and enjoying our city. All while killing their livers...NICE!

To Bryan (Audrey), Brian, and Curtis...Thanks for making yourselves at home in Austin. We were happy you were here. Me personally, I can't wait to take my wife to Chicago and return the favor.

The Hole in the Wall (http://www.holeinthewallaustin.com/) on Guadalupe has been a mainstay and local college hang out in Austin, Texas for as long as I can remember. Punk, hip hop, rock...this place has seen it all. But alas, it seems it may have seen the end times as well. With developers doing their job to make a buck on the backs of the common man, it appears it may be going down for the count.

Located right where Dean Keeton dead ends into Guadalupe. If you miss it, it's cause you crashed into it. When you walk in the front door it opens to a small, dimly lit lounge are with a bar immediately on your right. Walking a little farther in you go past the bathrooms on your right, down some steps, and there you are by the stage. 

The stage is immediately on your right as you go down the steps and is located in the corner of the room. Housing a bar along the back wall in front of you and a pool table they have impossibly wedged in between the stage and the bar. There is an exit door to the back left, just in front of the bar that leads out to a very nice patio area.

Tonight was a list of 4 bands. With amazing tight set times, it kicked off just after 9:30 with Positive Disturbance (https://www.facebook.com/positivedisturbance). With their live hiphop stylings, Positive Disturbence was a nice, mellow way to open the evening. Easily in the top Five bands that has the balls to do hiphop with that jazzy type flair and do it live. The lyrics flowed well, the harmonies were dead on, and the lead guitar player was damn hot at what he was doing. It is impossible to not compare them to a couple of Austins great, live hiphop bands, and no doubt The GodFather of live hiphop music in Austin, MC Overlord, would be proud to share the stage with these cats. The place had a good crowd and all were grooving to the jams.

Hit By A Car hit the stage next (HA! - I made a funny). The one night only, reunion show, showed the ever growing crowed why this trio killed it back at the turn of the millennium. It was definitive, it was loud, and it was about as punk as it can be. Hit By A Car blasted through their set like there wasn't a stop sign in their way!

Black4 (http://black4band.com/) came all the way down from Chicago to have their sound permiate the every loving, ever living walls of The Hole In The Wall. In town to record some tracks for their upcoming album, Black4 used us as a practice mat for the musical assualt that is...well basically...Black4. This is how Rock-n- roll used to be and still should be. Not punk, not hardcore, not metal...just good old fashioned Rock and Roll.

This is what your daddy listened to and loved in the 70's and early 80's. Tight sound, but gritty and harsh. Shredding vocals that make you want to sing along at the top of your lungs, and lyrics you can hear and understand, amongst the kick you in your fucking balls sound! The crowd had swelled and it was fun watching folks throw their hands in the air.

SkyAcre (http://skyacremusic.com/) was the headliner. The hosts of the evening came out and did their thing well. The crowd was at capacity for this set. Blending the lines between that Black4 style of rock n roll I talked about and the Hit By A Car punk sound, SkyAcre is a smart blend. It was actually very cool watching those in the house break their necks to SkyAcre, and then smoothly drink a beer. The thing to watch out for with SkyAcre, is an amazing thing. How the hell does a 3 piece drop the big sound like these guys? Just watch'em!


Laters