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Seven the Hard Way

Charlie Belle SXSW showcase: Tue., March 15, 9:20pm, Maggie Mae’s “Man, I’m good,” says Gyasi Bonds, greeting me at a coffee shop just north of UT campus. “Tired though. I was up all night cramming for a math test. I hate math.” When he’s not skateboarding, Netflix bingeing, or studying for pre-AP algebra, the 15-year-old…

by Thomas Fawcett

Seven the Hard Way

Jonathan Terrell SXSW showcase: Sat., March 19, 7pm, Central Presbyterian Church Jonathan Terrell came into this world on the run. The fifth of seven children arrived to a trailer in the East Texas woods after his parents broke orbit from a cult in Europe called Children of God. They’d joined the religious group to play…

by Doug Freeman

Seven the Hard Way

Jackie Venson SXSW showcase: Fri., March 18, 1am, Saxon Pub “‘What am I going to do if I don’t have anything to talk about?'” asks Jackie Venson, still-blossoming singer-songwriter, when recalling closure of a particularly creative period early last year. “I was kinda feeling lost. I didn’t know what I was gonna talk about, or…

by Kahron Spearman

Seven the Hard Way

Tele Novella SXSW showcase: Sat., March 19, TBA, Bar 96 “Working on my tan in February,” purrs Tele Novella drummer Matt Simon, stretching. “He’s the only one who can handle the sun,” smirks keyboardist Sarah La Puerta. “The rest of us are vampires.” The fair bandmates, plus canine “mascot” Sandy, perch on Spider House’s patio,…

by Neph Basedow

Seven the Hard Way

Knifight SXSW showcase: Sat., March 19, 9pm, Voodoo Doughnut Knifight blew their first official SXSW showcase – literally. In 2011, the darkwave sextet found their way – last minute – onto a Polish showcase at what Patrick Marshall describes as a “tribal tattoo of a club” on Dirty Sixth. One song into the set, everything…

by Libby Webster

Seven the Hard Way

Charlie Faye & the Fayettes SXSW showcase: Sat., March 19, 8pm, Saxon Pub Is the world ready for more Sixties girl groups? That’s what Charlie Faye wonders with her upcoming album, her fourth since moving to Austin a decade ago. Backed by BettySoo and Akina Adderley, two talented locals with careers of their own who…

by Jim Caligiuri

Seven the Hard Way

Walker Lukens SXSW showcase: Thu., March 17, 11pm, Lamberts “Hey, Walter.” My first correspondence with a promising young songwriter and I’d blown it on the greeting. “It’s actually Walker,” he wrote back kindly. “This is a very common mistake. Feel free to now make a Walker, Texas Ranger joke.” Since then, Walker Lukens has released…

by Kevin Curtin

Music Venue Guide 2019

18th Over Austin 500 N. I-35 Restaurant space on the 18th floor of the Hilton Garden Inn, located within walking distance to the Austin Convention Center. 3TEN Austin City Limits 310 E. Willie Nelson Blvd. Ste. 1-A 512/656-0203 www.3tenaustin.com This sister venue to ACL Live at the Moody Theater has a 350-seat capacity and includes…

by Chronicle Staff

Sheriff: Hernandez Avoids Run-Off

The possibility of avoiding a run-off in the race for Travis County Sheriff kept the Sally Hernandez watch party buzzing all evening. After the early vote numbers came in around 7:30pm, the current Precinct 3 constable was receiving positive assurances from her campaign team that the 50% mark was within reach. Just blocks away from…

by Nina Hernandez

Indefinite Suspension

Police Chief Art Acevedo issued another indefinite suspension last Tuesday, terminating 18-year veteran officer Carlos Saldivar for insubordination, disobedience, and allegations of dishonesty. Saldivar’s suspension arrives nine years after a 90-day suspension he incurred (and agreed not to appeal) after Acevedo and an Internal Affairs investigation determined that Saldi­var was carrying on a sexual relationship…

by Chase Hoffberger

Quote of the Week

“Tell them they can go fuck themselves.” – Newly elected Travis County GOP chair and alternative hairstyle practitioner Robert Morrow, referring to the party establishment’s declared intention to have him removed (via the Texas Tribune)

by Chronicle Staff

Headlines

City Council meets today, March 3, with a relatively short, 44-Item agenda that includes: redirecting water utility fees for the Pilot Knob planned unit development; directing the city manager to do a “comprehensive review” of the city’s music scene; reappointing Philip P. Huang as the health authority for the Health & Human Services department; and…

by Chronicle Staff

Hornography

Welp. That was ugly. For the second time in two weeks, the Horns have beaten a top-10 team, only to lay ostrich eggs in the following matchup. Following up a dominating win over then third-ranked Oklahoma, they got absolutely demolished by No. 1 Kansas, 86-56, on Senior Night – the worst loss of the season,…

by Kahron Spearman

Soccer Watch

FIFA, the criminal organization that runs world football, elected a new president on Feb. 26, replacing the extremely disgraced Sepp Blatter. Although Gianni Infantino is another Swiss national, who grew up some five miles from Blatter, and is the protégé of the equally disgraced Euro federation boss Michel Platini, he was viewed as the reform…

by Nick Barbaro

District Attorney: Moore Takes All

At 9pm on election night, before the first set of Election Day numbers came in, Gary Cobb was still hopeful. When early voting numbers were released a couple hours prior, Cobb had learned Travis County Democrats were supporting his opponent Margaret Moore at a rate of 2-to-1. “It’s not what we expected,” Cobb said, still…

by Chase Hoffberger

Mr. Smarty Pants Knows

The oldest well in the Americas is in New Mexico, estimated at 13,500 years old. “Jim Crow” was a fictional character from the 1820s created by a white entertainer, inspired by a song sung by an elderly black man, “Jump Jim Crow.” According to a 2015 study at the University of Arizona, Native Americans drink…

by Mr. Smarty Pants

Pct. 1 Commissioner: On to Round Two

Sitting at a table at the Mueller Torchy’s Tacos Tuesday night, Jeff Travillion projected the confidence of a man whose polling numbers were more than twice that of his closest opponent. Travillion said that he believes that Precinct 1, which he seeks to represent as Travis County Commissioner, has deficiencies – in affordable housing, in…

by Amy Kamp

Oops

In the Feb. 26 print edition of “Texas Platters,” the Hallucinant Telepherique’s Absorbed by the Forest received two stars instead of the intended three. We, in fact, dug the locals’ prog rock! The Chronicle regrets the error.

by Chronicle Staff

Texas House: Establishment Rules

It was a big night for two establishments in House District 49 on Super Tuesday: Aus­tin’s center city Democrats and the state GOP leadership each got their preferred candidate. AISD trustee Gina Hinojosa beat the odds and avoided a run-off in the seven-way primary to replace retiring incumbent Rep. Elliott Naishtat. When early voting came…

by Richard Whittaker

The Disruptors

Public education has been possessed by the beast that is standardized testing, and student disengagement is at an all-time high as their academic careers have been reduced to bubble-filling. But there are many educators trying to disrupt the status quo, bringing unconventional and innovative techniques to the classroom. This SXSWedu, running March 7-10 at the…

by Richard Whittaker

March 1 Joint Primary Election

Includes all contested Democratic races, plus selected GOP races. Numbers accurate as of 12:30pm, March 2. Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding. Asterisk denotes incumbent, and boldface denotes winner, or entering run-off.

by Chronicle Staff

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