Dancing About Architecture

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Shout It Out Loud!

The public hearing for Austin's new sound ordinance is, as stated here last week, today, Thursday, 6pm, at the Austin City Council Chambers, 3701 Lake Austin Blvd. The scene there may not be as riotous as was expected, however, at least according to Stubb's Charles Attal. Attal's business would seem to be among those most severely affected by the city's proposals, but Attal says that having served on the committee for the ordinance and having peeked at the near-final draft, he's no longer fretting over its effects. For one thing, he explains, the permits mentioned in the ordinance are annual, with a two-violation rule leading to the loss of one's permit. "There's never been one conviction in Austin so far," he points out. Also, he says, sound limits would remain the same as they've always been, and he feels that Stubb's will have no trouble dealing with the earlier cutoff time in the new ordinance. Also notable, according to Attal, is that Sixth Street as a district isn't being focused on, so clubs there shouldn't be affected. In fact, says Attal, "I can't think of anyone I'm associated with who would be affected. And trust me, I have a lot to lose, so I dug deep into this!" He admits that late-night discos might be in trouble, but he assures that live music will barely be affected. We'll see if he's right in the next few days, with full details of the final draft provided in next week's Chronicle.

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When Planets Collide

Jupiter is currently rising (see box), but it looks like this is the final stretch for Mars Music, which has now escalated sale prices in their half-empty store to over 60% off in some cases, and are officially calling it quits Sunday. Ironically, Paul Minor used Mars as a way to get to Jupiter. The Superego man returned for a short while to his job at Mars and used the employee discount, along with the out-of-business discount, to get himself a hot new P.A. "I'll be showing it off at Jupiter," he says, as the soundman for their 24-hour Gloriathon, er, in-store. Minor hopes to then continue on as a soundman-for-hire. Elsewhere in music-store land, the tiny Happy Guitars, which lost its home a few months ago, has relocated to a far ritzier home at 3706 Speedway, where the guitar and amp repair service is snuggled in with a spate of other audio/visual services. The name is still up in the air, with the last one I heard being Electric Feather Studios. Let's hope they work on that a little more.

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Mixed Notes

If you wanna set a personal record for catching local bands live, why not go to the Jupiter in-store, and spend some time at Wheatsville this weekend? Starting early Saturday, their 2002 Arts Festival runs through the weekend at their 3101 Guadalupe location. Saturday look for the Telephone Company (10:15am), Natalie Withers (11am), Shoal Creek Mudstompers (12:30pm), Beecher (2pm), and Tumbleweed Racer (3:30pm). Sunday it's the Implications (10am), Boxcar Preachers (11am), ST 37 (12:30pm), White Ghost Shivers (2PM), and Ted Roddy & Friends (3:30pm)... The advance CD for Daniel Johnston's new album with Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse showed up in the office this week, though the actual release date for the album isn't until Feb. 18. As fans of the 'horse would expect, Fear Yourself is lush, with lots of Johnston's piano at the center and Linkous' synthetic strings filing things out... Those who attended the AHS Choir Holiday Caroling Program and Dessert Extravaganza on Tuesday just may have been entertained by the next American Idol. Among the performers was 16-year-old Joseph Mokarzel, the youngest of the 30 singers who'll be taking aim at the 2003 Idol prize come January. Mokarzel's mother will be accompanying him to L.A., where he'll receive tutoring to make up for the semester of school he's missing. With luck, Mokarzel will also find a decent stage name in that time... The Yuppie Pricks say they've been contacted by GQ magazine to provide photos for a February article. An editor from the magazine phoned Darin Murano, the band's hired drummer, and told him the pictures will be used in an already written article on punk bands in which the Pricks are featured. Says Pricks member Trevor Middleton, "The people that buy GQ want to learn how to look better, make more money, and score with hotter chicks. Who better to provide the tutelage than the boys in my band."... Notable visitors have been noted on an Internet Bob Schneider fan-site board, www.groups.yahoo.com/group/lonelyland. Among the name-drops regarding a recent L.A. gig are Monica Lewinsky, Gene Simmons, Minnie Driver, and Richard Greco. Check the site for the equally amusing contexts in which the stars are mentioned... Kelly Willis has two duets on Dwight Yoakam's new box set. Wanna know if they're any good? Read the review in this issue... The Texas Chapter of the Recording Academy hosts its fourth annual MusiCares Health Fair on Monday, Dec. 9, at Music Lab, 500 E. St. Elmo, 11am-3pm. The event is free for members of the music industry and their families. Services offered include blood pressure screening, cholesterol screening, hearing and vision testing, HIV, hepatitis C, and syphilis testing, flu immunizations, spinal exams, massage therapy, nutrition counseling, physical exams, mental health consultations, and alternative medicine. Mammograms are offered this year at a cost of $10. Women interested in receiving an exam are required to call 800/294-4923 as soon as possible for pre-exam screening to confirm qualifying criteria... Armadillo World Headquarters regulars Balcones Fault have decided, for only the second time since breaking up in 1978, to reassemble for a reunion at the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar on Saturday, Dec. 21 at the Austin Music Hall. Co-founder Jack Jacobs says, "We will put on a good show, 'cause we're assuming it'll be the last one." The Armadillo Bazaar, by the by, starts next week, Dec. 12, and runs through Dec. 24. We'll have the full music schedule in next week's "Dancing"... If your ears perked up at that, you'll probably also be overjoyed to learn of the Golden Dawn/Shiva's Headband reunion gig coming up on Dec. 29 at the Flamingo Cantina... Also note that upcoming this Sunday is a "Black Cat Uncle Smithee Night" reunion gig, in memory of the late, lamented venue. Former Black Cat residents the Ridgetop Syncopators will be joined by Dave Billers

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Les Nigols and hosts Shorty Long, who run the regular Sunday night stand at Flipnotics Coffeespace. The music starts at 8pm-ish... Launch.com reports that CMT's Most Wanted Live tour, starring Brad Paisley and a rotating crop of newcomers in country music has become quite the practical joke haven, and one act on the tour got Paisley pretty good. The site quotes the singer as saying "Down in Austin, Texas, [Tommy Shane Steiner] bought me a goat and stuck it in my dressing room with feed, a big, like, dog case -- you know, one of those travel cases -- and said, 'Here ya go, this is for you. Congratulations.'" The site adds that Paisley immediately got Steiner back by finding someone to skin and roast the goat, then fed it to the singer the next night for dinner. Good thing Steiner hadn't given Paisley a pony...