POSTED ON JUNE 14, 2021 BY LONG
From performing to advocating, today’s Mid-Week Intermission comes from our friend Nakia Reynoso. Not only is Nakia a creator — you might recognize his voice form our Good Vibes Only series or seen him on NBC’s “The Voice” — but he’s also a mover and shaker among Austin’s music community. Read on for more about his journey to the stage and the good work he and Austin Texas Musicians have done for this town.
Hey, y’all!
I’m Nakia.
ADVOCACY
I’m a working musician in Austin and the Board President of Austin Texas Musicians’ 501c4 nonprofit. We advocate for musicians on city, state, and federal policy, and work to serve musicians’ most basic needs. Our team is made up of musicians working for musicians, and we’re grateful to bring voices from all across our community to the table.
In the short time that Austin Texas Musicians has been in existence, we’ve been instrumental in getting the Live Music Fund, Austin’s first-ever sustainable public funding for music, on the table. As well, we rallied musicians to bring $5 Million in aid to Austin’s music venues until the lights came back on.
Our Musicians Advisory Panel members have registered over 700 voters in Travis County, brought issues of equity for all diverse musicians forward, and are now engaged in projects surrounding corporate relations, affordable housing, and life insurance/retirement plans for musicians. The work we are doing is truly groundbreaking stuff, and I’m humbled to serve alongside Board Members Sonya Jevette and Executive Director Pat Buchta.
LEGACY
I moved to Austin almost twenty years ago to begin my musical career and, besides marrying my wonderful husband Robert, this is the best decision I’ve ever made. In 2011 I was honored to be chosen to compete in the first season of NBC’s “The Voice,” when CeeLo Green turned his chair around in response to my bold cover of his hit song “Forget You.”
This proved to be a pivotal moment in my career, paving the way for many musical highlights to come.
And just as importantly, it opened me up to a world of music advocacy, as I served as the Chair of Austin’s Music Commission, a HAAM Advisory Board member, and a key figure in the creation of the 2015 Austin Music Census. Most recently, I was honored to be chosen as 2021 Texas Chapter Governor for the Recording Academy/Grammys.
It may seem like I”m all over the map with these projects and commitments, but in reality, I love being a homebody with my husband Robert and our big beautiful Bouvier De Flandres, Baker.
ART
At the beginning and end of the day, I’m an artist and I have to create. In addition to my acting and soundtrack work with three award-winning digital series, I was honored to partner with Savannah Welch’s 9-year-old son, Charlie, this year in creating “It’s Never Too Late,” an inspiring song about the importance of love, kindness, and mental health. Portions of the sales of the single via my Bandcamp page benefits our friends at the SIMS Foundation. I even taught myself how to animate the lovely Ben Wu illustrations for lyric video!
One of the things I really love about the Long Center is their commitment to serving the community at large, and the way in which they’ve leaned into booking more diverse talent that represents Austin’s rich musical heritage. It was an easy and emphatic “YES!” for me when the LC approached me to be the voice of their Good Vibes Only concert series, and I’m excited to see what exciting things lay ahead as we work together to create culture that serves all of Austin. A great way to check out how the Long Center is shining a light on local musicians is their outdoor concert series, The Drop-In, happening every Thursday this summer. Keep your eyes open to find out when I’ll be playing the series soon!
Catch Nakia at The Drop-In soon — you can find those updates Fridays on social media. And be sure to listen as his voice sets the scene for our next Good Vibes Only featuring Jake Lloyd, June 23rd at 8pm RSVP so you don’t forget!
POSTED ON MAY 21, 2021 BY LONG
That’s a wrap for the 2021 Heller Awards for Young Artists (HAYAs), and might we say it was probably the coolest awards yet! We always knew this program was something special. What we never imagined, is that it would be the leader in virtual theatrical production.
With…
- Performances featuring over 250 high school students
- Over 20 schools presented
- 40 students filmed at Austin’s Co-Production House using the same virtual production studio technology as The Mandalorian
- Video compilations showcasing ALL nominees
- 10 dynamic presenters
…and boundless amounts of heart and celebration, we could not be more proud.
A huge congratulations to all of our nominees who stayed creative, positive, and inspired through this year. And without further ado, here are your 2021 Award Recipients.
SOLO MUSICAL THEATRE
Senior Division
1ST PLACE
Cassandra Chapman ROUND ROCK
2ND PLACE
Grace Sheidow ROUND ROCK
3RD PLACE
Sareena Hampton ROUSE
SOLO MUSICAL THEATRE
Underclassmen Division
1ST PLACE
JP Lopez ROUSE
2ND PLACE
McKenlee Wilson WEISS
3RD PLACE
Scott Bratton ROUSE
GROUP MUSICAL THEATRE
1ST PLACE
The Plastics ROUND ROCK
2ND PLACE
On Our Way ROUND ROCK
3RD PLACE
Rouse Little Priest ROUSE
WILD CARD PERFORMANCE
1ST PLACE
LBJECHS Freshman Choir LBJ/LASA
2ND PLACE
Isabelle Saquing LBJ/LASA
3RD PLACE
Mackenzie Thornton VISTA RIDGE
ORIGINAL SONG
1ST PLACE
Gavin Rojas LEANDER
2ND PLACE
Augustus Cosby ST. STEPHEN’S
3RD PLACE
Jackson Urbach VISTA RIDGE
MUSICAL THEATRE INNOVATION
1ST PLACE
Lucy Sugawa LBJ/LASA
2ND PLACE
Rouse Never Know ROUSE
3RD PLACE
Rouse Girl Band ROUSE
TECHNICAL THEATRE DESIGN
1ST PLACE
Eli Patterson MARBLE FALLS
2ND PLACE
Eula Tomamao MARBLE FALLS
3RD PLACE
Taylor Gunter MARBLE FALLS
COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS
Abigail Bensman ROUND ROCK
Zayan Culberson LBJ Early College
Taylor Fambrough WESTLAKE
Grayson Gower ROUSE
Ashlen Herrin VISTA RIDGE
Ally McSorley LEANDER
Alisha Morejon LASA
Adam Romer LEANDER
Mackenzie Thornton VISTA RIDGE
SCHOOL GRANTS
CROCKETT
HAYS
LASA
LEHMAN
NYOS
REWATCH THE SHOW
That’s a wrap folks! Show your support for arts education by following @hellerawardsatx on your social media platform of choice, or take it one step further and make a donation to the Heller Awards for Young Artists today.
POSTED ON MAY 17, 2021 BY LONG
What happens when the show can’t go on? You create a virtual production, of course! This Mid-Week Intermission comes from friend Justin Kirchhoff who’s changing the virtual game as Co-Founder & CEO of Co-Production House. He and his team have been hard at work with the Heller Awards for Young Artists, making sure the show really can go on with their LED volume technology. Don’t know what that is? Read on and find out!
Hi there, I’m Justin Kirchhoff
Co-Founder & CEO of Co-Production House, a virtual production studio with Austin’s first LED volume technology.
The team at CPH includes my business partners, Kristina Smith (Co-Founder and President) and Keller Davis (Co-Owner), our Community Manager Alava Sim, and Kyle Kirchhoff, who rounds out the technical side of our team while also managing our studio. We are excited to be leading Austin’s film, commercial, and business markets into the world of virtual production and love the chance of explaining exactly what it is that we do.
We often get asked, “What is virtual production? What is a LED volume?” Our virtual production capabilities include producing media “virtually,” within the confines of a digital program, and projecting digital environments in a real physical world using our LED volume. An LED volume is quite literally a digital backdrop, not far off from how movies from the 1920s-1960s often used rear projection to showcase actors driving in a car, moving on a train, or even on the 100th floor of a skyscraper.
When the Long Center had announced they wouldn’t be hosting shows in Dell Hall just yet, Ginger Morris of the Heller Awards for Young Artists immediately came to us and asked what we were capable of in order to showcase these young performers doing what they do best. We quickly started putting the pieces together over the course of two and a half weeks, finding digital environments to help sell the idea these young performers were in location that could otherwise be difficult or expensive to produce.
We integrated our VOLUME stage, which includes a 20’x10′ LED wall, consisting of multiple panels, immersing the talent in the virtual environment. With the VOLUME you can produce content all over the world and more, in a single day. The HAYAs asked for over 25 environments in 4 production days, which is unheard of for a film production shoot. Normally, you would have to move your entire cast and crew to each location, which costs a lot of time and money, where the advantage of using our LED Volume allowed us to change locations in a few clicks of a button. It allowed us to focus on performances rather than the disturbances that come with shooting in uncontrolled locations.
The HAYA project was a fantastic experience for our team and also for the young performers. They were excited to be there, immersed in the world their characters lived in. There is always a tremendous payoff when a production is over. We saw the kids get so excited when they looked at our studio monitor. They instantly realized that the digital world behind them truly helped motivate their characters’ actions.
We were incredibly lucky to take part in this year’s Heller Awards for Young Artists. The opportunity to pull off this production in such a short amount of time really set in stone the capabilities of virtual production here at CPH.
We created CPH as a place where professionals can work and grow their businesses through collaboration with the added benefits of creative support, business development, and networking events designed to improve the growth of the creative film and media professionals in Austin, Texas.
We host monthly creative events, which include music from a local band or musician, an artist that showcases the work they’ve been producing, and a learning moment where we show a demonstration of virtual production practices in an everyday production environment.
We take each production that uses our services and provide them the best experience available. Teaming up with the HAYAs has been a grand experience, and we are looking forward to tuning into the livestream of the Awards on May 23rd. See you all then!
Sincerely,
Justin Kirchhoff
Co-Founder/CEO of Co-Production House
Countdown to the 8th Annual Heller Awards for Young Artists with us, streaming on YouTube Sunday night, May 23rd, at 7:30pm. This is one for the books, folks!
POSTED ON MAY 13, 2021 BY LONG
We think it’s safe to say that this past year has been unlike any other… but Austin’s students, teachers, and arts education programs have persevered! When we started the Heller Awards for Young Artists in 2013 (you know, way back in the GAHSMTA days) our goal was always arts education and community building over competition. What we never imagined, is that it would be the leader in virtual theatrical production.
Now that we’re coming up on the 8th Annual HAYA Awards Ceremony — don’t forget to tune in Sunday night at 7:30pm and cheer on our 2021 Nominees — we thought it was time to make sure everyone knew what this program was all about plus what has made this year so special, above it all.
The 2021 Awards Ceremony is unbelievable, to say the least — with performances featuring over 250 high school students, 40 students filmed at Austin’s Co-Production House using the same virtual production studio technology as The Mandalorian, and boundless amounts of heart and celebration — here’s a little rundown on what you might have missed this year.
So, what are the Heller Awards for Young Artists?
Each year, this program works with 30+ high schools and 4,500+ students from across Central Texas to provide resources and key support systems for musical theatre programs including professional training, mentorship, master classes, performance opportunities, and industry networking.
Culminating in a sold-out annual Awards Ceremony with uproarious cheers and lots of happy tears, these students have the opportunity to come together to perform at the Long Center, learn from one another’s experience, grow their artistic abilities, and build lasting connections.
Although this school year has been more than challenging, our commitment to arts education has not changed. Because the show must go on, and so the HAYAs made it so!
Theatre for the Digital World
Creativity was our priority this year, and to make sure students could continue to create, develop their own creativity, and feel inspired, we completely transformed the HAYAs for 2021. This mean forgoing the usual school-to-school competition that highlighted full-scale musical productions, and shifting our focus to digital theatre that could be created in any learning environment. And we heard it made quite the impact…
THIS INCLUDED
Providing 12 online workshops in digital theatre production
Creating 7 new digital award categories
Expanding the competition for original content creation and digital entries
Plus, our Education team has made some pretty cool digital productions along the way, like this opening number from the 2021 Nominations Event featuring our Select Ensemble.
We hope you’ll tune in with us and support this incredible program. We’re pretty sure Sunday night’s Awards Ceremony will be the most unique piece of digital filmmaking you’ve ever seen. Show your support for arts education by following @hellerawardsatx on your social media platform of choice, or take it one step further and make a donation to the Heller Awards for Young Artists today. The future of arts education is here, and you can make sure it continues.
POSTED ON MAY 4, 2021 BY LONG
We always love featuring our friends at Austin Asian American Film Festival, but this month we had a special excuse… Dive into Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month with Ray Loyd, AAAFF Aritstic Director, as he shares in this Mid-Week Intermission what the 13th annual fest is up to, other local fests you’ll want to check out, and his list of AAPI film recommendations you’re gonna want to marathon.
Hey! My name’s Ray.
I’m the Artistic Director of the Austin Asian American Film Festival (AAAFF), so I head up Creative and Marketing Operations for the fest. We’re a nonprofit organization with a small, passionate staff, an amazing group of volunteers, and a supportive board of directors. Our mission is to champion Asian and AAPI cinema by bringing it to the Austin community.
Before I was on staff, I attended an AAAFF screening of WHO KILLED VINCENT CHIN? as an audience member 4 years ago and was instantly inspired by the team and what they were doing. Soon after, I joined the programming team and eventually moved into my current role where I get to dive into design, video, content, and marketing strategy. Outside of the fest, I’m also a Video Producer at Alamo Drafthouse where I’ve gained a lot of my recent experience. It’s really a privilege to be able to say that celebrating movies is the core of my professional life these days.
This year, the 13th annual Austin Asian American Film Festival is a hybrid fest happening from June 4th to the 20th. Of course, we’re disappointed that it isn’t our typical in-person experience, but excited about the opportunities that a virtual festival can offer (example: all of Texas can access our films straight from their home!). But don’t worry, once we’re able to plan in-theater events again, we will (shout out to our usual home, AFS Cinema). As for the other part of the fest this June? We’ll be hosting a few safe, special outdoor events that will be announced very soon, so stay tuned…
Also, if you’re looking to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month this May, AAAFF has partnered with Visual Communications to help curate free films and conversations for the Asian Pacific Virtual Showcase. It’s a great program presented by AAPI film fests across the country.
The Long Center has played a part of my Austin moviegoing experience, too. I’ve sweated it out and had a blast at the popular Sound & Cinema series in past summers. But one of my fondest AAAFF memories there was the CRAZY RICH ASIANS Night Market event in 2018. It was great to see everyone’s excitement for the movie, but just as wonderful that AAAFF and so many local organizations and vendors came together to serve the AAPI community.
I know I’ve talked a lot about myself and AAAFF here, but I also want to plug some other great film festivals in town who always inspire and support us: aGLIFF, Cine Las Americas, Capital City Black Film Festival, OUTsider Fest, IndieMeme, and many more. They truly make the Austin film scene special.
Final cheeseball thought: Movies have the power to make us feel seen or to learn about the world through another lens. But that only happens when diverse stories are told!
AAPI Movies that I Love (and Hope that You’ll Love, too)
CHAN IS MISSING
BETTER LUCK TOMORROW
SAVING FACE
THE NAMESAKE
MINDING THE GAP
MINARI
JADDOLAND
For more info about AAAFF and the upcoming June festival head to aaafilmfest.org. To check out some of my work, head to raycloyd.com.
Lots going on in the Austin film scene — hope you get to tune in to one of the above film fests as you stay tuned for more live events from us and our partners around town.
POSTED ON APRIL 27, 2021 BY LONG
It’s no secret that our H-E-B Terrace has the best view for pictures — you just can’t beat the Austin skyline! From holidays and proposals to shows on the lawn, we love how loved this picture-perfect spot is. That’s why you’re in luck, because our H-E-B selfie frame is back for Mother’s Day!
Beginning Thursday, May 6th (yes, May is just around the corner!), for four days you and yours can come by Long Center’s H-E-B Terrace and snap your own socially-distanced photos in our life-size, not-your-grandma’s-picture frame. You’ll want to look sharp 
and don’t forget to mask-up!
And a special treat for First Responders & Frontline Healthcare Workers
H-E-B is also extending extra love to Austin’s healthcare & frontline workers with two days of professional Mother’s Day photos just for them. On April 30th and May 2nd, the frame will be closed to the public from 10am – 2pm to allow for a private photo opportunity for first responders and healthcare workers.
If you’re one of Austin’s healthcare and first responder community, SIGN UP here for a photo slot! Have one of these essential workers in your life? Spread the love and let them know! These complimentary professional photos will be sent via email and parking will also be available at the PEC Garage on these days.
And in case you missed it, here’s a peek at last December’s holiday fun 
And remember, please help us keep our neighbors safe by practicing social distancing and wearing a mask at all times on the Long Center grounds.
PUBLIC PHOTO-OP DAYS
May 6th – 9th | 10am to 4pm
FIRST RESPONDERS & FRONTLINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS
April 30th & May 2nd | 10am to 2pm
Sign up for a photo slot – we’ll send the digital photo straight to your inbox
Help us spread the word to the first responder or healthcare worker in your life! 
POSTED ON APRIL 6, 2021 BY LONG
2020 was a busy year for Scott Strickland, as we learned in this Mid-Week Intermission feature ahead of his Good Vibes Only performance, airing tonight at 8pm. Read all about how he reconfigured a record, got into community activism, and went through some big life changes. You can check out some of his newest tunes in tonight’s show, too!
I’m an entertainer/singer/songwriter based here in Austin, Texas. Since 2015, I’ve been in and out of local clubs getting my feet wet as a performer. In 2016, I released an EP Try This Love, and we basically started performing non-stop — anywhere anyone would have us. I landed a residency at the Four Seasons Hotels Austin, and this was the beginning of writing what was to become my first LP. At 37 years old.
It’s kind of wild to think about, but I’ve finally put all of those insecurities behind me, and started fully embracing my calling to share my gift of music with others. I’ve toured regionally, and before the pandemic, I was playing consistently in San Antonio and Dallas. Having a career in music in Austin — though definitely challenging at times — has been very, very good to me.
Since the quarantine, my team scrambled to figure out how to actually make the record happen. We were full-tilt in the studio February 28, 2020 with future dates scheduled to record. That all went to hell when the pandemic hit that very next week. The team recorded remotely and, needing a different direction, I reached out to Mike Ingber and Eric Harrisson of Studio 601 in South Austin.
Mike, Eric, and I recorded demos the year prior, in 2019. I went back to them to just see if we could make something work. It was the first song, the first take — Mike on drums, Eric on bass (and they were also engineering) — and I asked them if we could start over, and if together we could produce a record. That’s how these new songs came to be — how a lot of the ones showcased in my Good Vibes set came to be.
In between all of that — and after the death of George Floyd — I decided to get involved in community activism. I became a precinct chair in my district, which leads Get Out The Vote efforts in Travis County. I also joined the non-profit Austin Texas Musicians, where I sit on a few committees designed to engage City Council and the community in different efforts and agendas. That work has been extremely rewarding for my soul.
In between studio sessions, there was a change of biblical proportions happening in my life. My wife and I of 14 years decided to split. I moved into my own place, not even a month later, and had to pick up the pieces of my life. I unpacked from the day I moved in until about mid-January. I spent Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s completely alone, isolated because I was weary of getting my own family sick with my travels. My phone also barely rang, which — given the timing — was absolutely heartbreaking for me. In fact, my Good Vibes Only showcase for the Long Center happened the day before movers were scheduled to move me out of my home. It was an extremely nerve-racking time, to say the least.
Since then, I took up cooking, healthy eating, and spiritual healing. I’ve lost almost 40 pounds since my show in December, I got to see the beach, and I’m working on giving this album the best launch it could possibly have. I’ve also been reading Room to Dream by David Lynch, which is an absolutely fascinating book. So glad I stumbled upon it.
Support Scott and other local artists while live music is getting back on its feet by tuning into tonight’s Good Vibes Only episode, just one of a series of fully-produced performances recorded safely in our Rollins Studio Theatre that give musicians and music industry workers a place to work their magic. It airs free, tonight on Luck.Stream at 8pm.
POSTED ON MARCH 25, 2021 BY LONG
We’re super excited to cap off another round of Long Live Music, the socially-distant concert series inspired by the passion the Long Center and Luck Reunion share for Austin’s culture of live music, with a special Sunday Gospel Revival on April 4th. Read along to find out what makes this little-known family tradition so special.
The chapel at Willie Nelson’s “Luck, TX” — an old west town built as the set for Red Headed Stranger — is perhaps the most cherished building on the property. Long before it was a stage for the annual Luck Reunion music festival, the chapel hosted the weddings of family and friends (and Willie himself), local theater performances, trick-or-treaters, and Christmas Eve services.
But, to those in the know, the most special memories from the tiny church are of the annual Easter Service.
Left to Right: Willie Nelson and the Bells of Joy by Bridget karam Photography; Luck, TX Chapel by @emilyjaschke; Willie Nelson in the Luck, TX Chapel by Bridget Karam Photography
For years, residents of the Briarcliff corner of Spicewood clamored to Luck each Easter Sunday — their golf carts packed with picnic supplies, instruments, and Easter eggs — and crowded the small venue for the main event: Austin Gospel group, the Bells of Joy, often accompanied by a set from Willie and Bobbie, his sister and piano player.
While the Bells anchored the morning entertainment, it wouldn’t be Easter in Luck without at least a few spontaneous guest performances. People packed pews and hung through windows to catch the music. If you were lucky, you caught Dolly Parton’s appearance in 1991. Johnny Rodriguez was known to show up to play “Desperado.” Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and Kimmie Rhodes were all known to show up to sing a song or two.
The heart of the holiday was always the music, which echoed throughout the town as kids hunted eggs and neighbors danced side by side. It’s with this joy that we, as the Luck Team, are beyond excited to revive this tradition with a special performance from the legendary gospel group Blind Boys of Alabama. We think there’s no better way to open up this close-held, little-known Easter Sunday celebration than out on the lawn at the Long Center with all of you. We hope to revive this beloved tradition, and to share a truly soulful Sunday with our music community in the spirit of togetherness.
See you out on the lawn!
— The Luck Team
Tickets for Luck Reunion & Long Center’s Long Live Music’s Gospel Sunday Revival featuring Blind Boys of Alabama with Ray Prim are still available — 1 ticket is good for a pod of four people. Masks and health & wellness protocols are in effect so that we can safely enjoy live music together.
POSTED ON MARCH 23, 2021 BY LONG
Datura’s rotating backing band is explained in this week’s Mid-Week Intermission from Jessica Pyrdsa. See what Jessica’s been up to during the past year while unable to perform, plus meet the three musicians making Datura complete on tonight’s Good Vibes Only. It’s always a new sound to look forward to!
Hello!
What a blur of a year this has been. Datura is comprised of myself (Jessica Pyrdsa) and a rotating cast of stellar musicians. We felt so lucky to be invited to play at the Long Center, especially during a time when we were all craving live music and human interaction, and let me tell you — the human interaction received from the crew at the Long Center was like a drink of a tall, cold glass of water.
I was thankful for an excuse to get together for band practice, when otherwise my time has been spent riding my bike, doing yoga, discovering I can paint, and aimlessly buying things on Facebook Marketplace.
I also put out a couple of singles, “Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis” (a Tom Waits cover), and my original “Hotel Lobby” with an accompanying music video directed by Hollie Hart.
The band I put together for our recording for Good Vibes Only is some of my all-time favorites to play with.
On drums is Greggory Clifford. You have probably seen him before playing with Kalu & The Electric Joint or his project Slug, as well as touring nationally with a few others. He’s been teaching music lessons, producing music/beats, playing tennis, and being a dog dad (he’s a good one).
On horns is Paul Deemer, who also plays with Austin bands Calexico, The Polyphonic Spree and Gina Chavez. He’s been filling his time with teaching at UT, co-founding management company Loro with partner Cris Flores, as well as running his own business (PDE) which includes producing, consultation, music coaching, and remote recording.
And on bass is Sam Pankey. A crowd favorite. Sam plays with other bands such as Balmorhea, PR Newman, Marmalakes, and Mother Falcon. He’s been practicing, buying gear, running, and learning how to appreciate wine (getting pretty good at the drinking part already).
Looking forward to the world slowly coming back while keeping the mindfulness I’ve gained over the past year. Hope to see you out there soon.
Xoxo — Jessica
a.k.a. Datura
Sit back and enjoy a bluesy night — Datura’s performance on Good Vibes Only airs tonight at 8pm, streaming free on Luck.Stream.
POSTED ON MARCH 8, 2021 BY LONG
Sweet Spirit is our special guest on tonight’s episode of Good Vibes Only — and we’re pretty sure this is a performance for the books! Check in with each band member’s comings and goings during the pandemic in this Mid-Week intermission feature, narrated by Sabrina Ellis, and enjoy the ride.
If Sweet Spirit is known at all, we are known for being a LIVE band. We’ve had as weird a time as anyone, keeping it low-key during the pandemic, respecting lockdown protocols, and doing our part to keep our community safe. All six of us are on wait-lists or volunteering to be vaccinated, and you’d better believe — once the air is safe — we will be coming back to the live stage in the wildest way.
It was our privilege to play Good Vibes Only on the Rollins Theatre stage. We hadn’t gone all-out since our final pre-pandemic show, a sold-out event at 3TEN, January of 2020. That show, like every show, we played as though it was our last.
In May of 2020, we released our third studio album, Trinidad, under Merge Records. The album received no reviews or reaction. I’m not sure any of us even listened to it. It was a busy time of painting signs, marching, and dodging tear gas at protests to defend Black lives and Black trans lives. It was a time of protecting our loved ones, protecting our elderly, protecting our mental health, and standing up for social justice, informing ourselves to vote in local elections, and standing up for our public health ethics.
Our Good Vibes Only taping is the only complete live performance of the new album Trinidad. Lacking our tour stamina, we gave it our all, and then some, and some of that “all” ends up on the floor. (I vomited ’cause I was a little out-of-shape.)
Bass player Jon has been hard at work on a solo record, which often takes a backseat to divergent interests such as frisbee golf, carpetnry, and perhaps most concerning, a terrible fantasy sports gambling problem!
Josh, our blonde guitar player, has found a new outlet in sculpture/upholstery. He says: “In the beginning of lockdown, everyone was ordering everything through Amazon or grocery boxes and I had two roommates so after a couple months there was a giant pile of cardboard in my garage and I decided to make a giant 7 foot tall yeti out of it. After that, I had some fur leftover and made a buffalo and it sold on my Instagram in 20 minutes. So I’ve been making buffalo and other animals to keep busy and selling them on my Instagram ever since.” @neonhuckleberry
Keyboard player Jake is a cat dad. Here is a photo of Little Nuni keeping warm during February’s Arctic Blast.
Drummer Danny has been instructing young musicians at School of Rock. We hear he’s stern!
As for me and fearless collaborator Andrew, we’ve been working on A Giant Dog‘s 5th album. It’s a concept album, so we aren’t just writing songs, people! We’re creating an alternate reality. We rehearse with the band each Wednesday (yes, we will be tuning in to Luck.Stream right after practice), and we spend Sunday through Tuesday writing the “Story.” It’s a lot like Tenacious D around here, lately.
Check Out What Sweet Spirit’s in to Right Now
Bassist Jon Fichter’s band Hong Kong Wigs released an album in 2020, and we all adore this single, “Little Oceans.” It’s our collective jam.
We released our third album, Trinidad, in May 2020 under Merge Records. You can buy the LP, CD, or digital download through our Bandcamp.
We also listened to a sh*t ton of music to get us through. Here’s a playlist of our favorite songs released in 2020.
Tune in tonight to catch Sabrina and the gang back at it again with a full live set of their newest album, Trinidad, on Good Vibes Only. Catch you next time on Mid-Week Intermission!
POSTED ON MARCH 2, 2021 BY LONG
These last few weeks have reminded us that Austinites always come together in a crisis, and that’s why we’re so excited to kick off I Live Here I Give Here’s 24 hours of community giving through Amplify Austin to lift up our non-profit community. The need in Austin has never been greater, and at the Long Center, we haven’t let up on our work to support local artists and keep our musicians and industry workers employed and performing while venues are closed.
This year, we hope you’ll help us reach our Amplify Austin goal of $35,000 in support of Austin’s artists and creative community. So here are 5 reasons to donate and #AmplifyAustinArtists today.
Reason #1 //
Because we miss moments like this one.
Charlie Sexton with Nikki Lane and a host of other local musicians honor the work of late music legend Billy Joe Shaver at Long Live Music, November 2020.
There just isn’t anything quite like live music, and right now we need the thrill, the energy, and the community it brings more than ever. It’s no secret that the COVID crisis has taken a huge toll on Austin’s artists, stagehands, creatives, and music scene — estimates list that over 30% of Austin’s creative sector jobs were lost between April and July of 2020 and nearly 62% of venues are at risk of closing permanently.
We knew our arts community couldn’t struggle through this time alone, so that’s why we’ve made it our priority to help hundreds of artists, organizations, and venues continue creating throughout this pandemic. Because new ways to experience art and supporting the artists who create it is what makes this city tick, and our work through Good Vibes Only, Long Live Music, and with the City of Austin’s Live Music Venue Preservation Fund has done exactly that.
Reason #2 //
To keep our stages full — anywhere, any way.
Big Freedia and dancers headline the stage with Tank and the Bangas at Long Live Music, December 2020.
We’ve seen everything and anything turned into a stage while Austin’s venues have been shuttered. And last fall, we saw the return of live music out on our lawn with our friends at Luck Reunion for Long Live Music, an outdoor, socially-distanced concert series that proved Austin could celebrate live music again, safely and responsibly. Not just that — hearing it felt even better than we had imagined.
Reason #3 //
To get our creative sector back on its feet.
The string section of Montopolis brought the Good Vibes to their taping, which aired February 24, 2020.
Venue closures meant lots of jobs lost for Austin’s artists, creatives, and creative sector workers that have devoted their lives to the performances and shared experiences we love. So the Long Center created Good Vibes Only, our free, fully-produced virtual concert series spotlighting the diversity of Austin’s local music scene and the creativity of our production teams while safely providing performance space for groups that hadn’t played a real set together in over 8 months. That’s a really long time.
Reason #4 //
Because local music is an Austin tradition.
Austin isn’t called the Live Music Capital of the World for nothing — it’s the city’s bread & butter. But that also means we have to take special care of the venues across town that we rely on for a good show and a good time when they’re unable to host us. And with our partnership with the City of Austin’s Live Music Venue Preservation Fund, we’ve been able to distribute $1.48 million to 74 venues that faced imminent closure, with more critical funding, resources, and training on the way.
Reason #5 //
Because there’s an Austin artist in each of us.
Your gift to the Long Center during Amplify supports these programs and puts Austin artists first as we work towards the recovery of our creative sector. Thank you for your support as we work together to #AmplifyAustinArtists!
POSTED ON FEBRUARY 22, 2021 BY LONG
This week’s Mid-Week Intermission comes from Andy Beaudoin, drummer for Montopolis (get a taste of their sound here before tuning into also tonight’s Good Vibes Only). Between teaching percussion students over Zoom and helping his nieces navigate online school, Andy hasn’t let Covid slow him down.
Hi, everyone!
Andy Beaudoin here. I am a professional musician living in Austin, TX, and you can catch me playing drums with Montopolis on tonight’s Good Vibes Only stream. I’ve performed at the Rollins Theatre in the Long Center a number of times over the years. The first time was with a pit orchestra playing original music by Justin Sherburn (Montopolis’ music director) for a very unique and absolutely fantastic production of The Red Balloon.
In many ways, the complications of a Covid reality have led to a simplifying of my everyday routine. Last fall, I taught an online History of Jazz class. I also currently teach around 20 percussion students… all on Zoom.
Don’t forget — catch Laura and the rest of Sun June tonight on Good Vibes Only, streaming free at 8pm. Plus, you’ll hear some of their new tunes!
Other than that, I’ve been trying to stay creatively sharp and physically active on my own. After an initial bout of writer’s block in the early days of quarantine, I’ve broken through with composing a batch of songs for my band Nori. In lieu of pickup basketball at the Y, I’ve taken up running. I’m also about dive into the MasterClass online series. For my first class, I can’t decide between Herbie Hancock teaching jazz or Steph Curry teaching basketball. At that level of mastery, I imagine they’re one and the same.
I want to close with some encouraging words. The vaccine is here, we are on the verge of a music renaissance, and cedar season is almost over! And if you want to help out the Austin music community, the best thing you can do is support HAAM. I’ll also leave you with a drum solo I like to call “Drum Quarantine.”
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