Day: September 2, 2021

Umphrey’s McGee participates in Ten Bands One Cause

Umphrey’s McGee limited edition pink vinyl of 2009 studio album Mantis will be available on November 5, 2021. Photo: google

Umphrey’s McGee is pleased to announce their participation in Ten Bands One Cause, a limited edition vinyl rollout benefiting Red Door Community. Red Door’s mission is to provide welcoming communities for people who are diagnosed with cancer, as well as for caregivers and people who have lost someone to cancer. The limited edition pink vinyl of Umphrey’s Mantis (releasing via Nothing Too Fancy) will be available on November 5, 2021. Mantis, first released in 2009, is the band’s sixth studio album and is not currently available on vinyl. Please visit Ten Bands One Cause for more information on this release and the other limited edition vinyls. The band is pleased to join a whole host of other musicians teaming up to support Red Door Community’s mission—Bush, Grandaddy, Less Than Jake, Minus The Bear, Plain White T’s, Primal Scream, Allman Brothers Band, The Hold Steady, and Tom Tom Club are all participating in addition to Umphrey’s. (Umphrey’s McGee, 2021)

This vinyl announcement comes hot on the heels of Umphrey’s new album called You Walked Up Shaking In Your Boots But You Stood Tall And Left A Raging Bull, which was released earlier this month. Check out the name’s incredible origin story, animated by Pete Herzog, which is comprised of Umphrey’s McGee’s original, instrumental “walk-on music” compositions.

About You Walked Up Shaking In Your Boots But You Stood Tall And Left A Raging Bull: Since 2009, the Chicago-based improv-rock outfit has been using these intro pieces as a jumping-off point in their live shows, but with the studio development of these compositions, the band landed on something much broader than their original walk-on music concept. There is an ultra-thematic, driving energy in each song that reaches beyond just pre-show excitement. Fans can stream or purchase the new album right now at this link.

You Walked Up Shaking In Your Boots But You Stood Tall And Left A Raging Bull is the latest achievement in the career of Umphrey’s McGee, adding to 2,200+ gigs and 250 million+ tracks streamed. You-had-to-be-there moments include the band’s performance at the first-ever Bonnaroo and selling more CDs than any other act on the bill. A leader in the live music world, Umphrey’s McGee became the first group to launch its own single-artist streaming service with UMLive.net, which houses recordings of every gig since 2005. The service has since grown and now lives on through Nugs.net, which is used by the likes of Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, and more.

Beyond intimate backstage encounters and ski trips with their most diehard fans, Umphrey’s McGee instituted the groundbreaking “Headphones & Snowcones” program, granting fans access to professional headphones and a soundboard-quality mix to listen wirelessly at shows. At their UMBowl, they empowered the audience to vote on the setlist in real-time and choose favorite improv themes via text message. In 2017, they stepped into another realm altogether by integrating themselves into the VR Platform Endless Riff. The wonders, it seems, never cease. From their initial bar gigs in 1998 to repeatedly playing three-night runs to packed crowds at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre, the group has simultaneously remained intensely committed to their fans.

Message from the band (via website) regarding their upcoming tour schedule:
“We are saddened to share the news that due to COVID within the Umphrey’s team, the upcoming shows scheduled in California, Texas, and Oklahoma are being cancelled. All ticket purchasers will receive a full refund for tickets at the point of purchase. We were eagerly looking forward to the shows and despite our best efforts to keep everyone healthy, we have to do what is right. We hope to return to these cities sometime in 2022. Onward & upward.”

Circle Drive-In to host first annual Blood-O-Rama Shock Festival

The first annual Blood-O-Rama Shock Festival will take place on October 22, 2021 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Photo: Circle Drive-In, used with permission.

Calling all horror movie fans and drive-in movie enthusiasts. The Frankenstein Monster from 1971’s cult classic Dracula vs Frankenstein will be returning from the dead after a 50-year rest, courtesy of makeup effects artist Roy Knyrim of Sota FX Studio. The man-made monster will be making a live appearance as Sam Sherman’s Retro Road Show Drive-In Tour returns to the State of Pennsylvania with two back-to-back screenings of the Al Adamson cult classics, Dracula vs Frankenstein (1971) and Brain of Blood (1971). Both films will be celebrating their 50th Anniversary, on October 22, 2021 as part of the First Annual Blood-o-Rama Shock Festival at the Circle Drive-In in Scranton, PA. (Circle Drive-In, 2021)

Gates open at 4p.m. for this special event which will feature a local community blood drive and an opportunity to see the resurrected Frankenstein’s monster before the sun sets. The film festival begins at 6p.m. The night will also feature two other blood-soaked movies, The Mad Doctor of Blood Island and Beast of Blood, during the evening’s film program, as well as an opportunity to experience the Circle Drive-In’s spooky Halloween haunt, The Circle of Screams. Do not be surprised if another creature, The Beast of Blood, shows up to meet and greet fans during the evening’s drive-in festivities with free Zombie swizzle sticks. In addition, the first 100 cars that arrive at the drive-in will receive a free “Drac Pack,” which includes a plastic Dracula ring and plastic vampire fangs. (Note: One “Drac Pack” per car.)

The idea for the Circle Drive-In’s Blood-o-Rama Shock Festival, the drive-in blood drive and blood themed movie event was based on producer/distributor Sam Sherman’s packaging and marketing campaigns for Hemisphere Pictures during the early 1970s, entitled The Chiller Carnival of Blood and the Blood-O-Rama Shock Festival. A number of the films Mr. Sherman worked on emphasized the word “Blood” in the title to lure “blood-thirsty” horror and gore fans to seek the films out at their local theatre or drive-in. Some of the film campaigns and titles Sherman worked on include Blood Creature, The Blood Drinkers, Brides of Blood, Blood of Dracula’s Castle, Horror of the Blood Monsters, Hell’s Blood Devils, and Blood of Ghastly Horror. In fact, it was Mr. Sherman who was the brains behind the classic drive-in campaign and audience-participation gimmick called “The Oath of Green Blood” for the Tiki creature feature, The Mad Doctor of Blood Island (1968), which is part of the festival. Mr. Sherman, a drive-in movie pioneer, just completed his memoir “When Dracula Met Frankenstein,” (Murania Press) which will be available in limited supply at the Circle Drive-In.

Circle Drive-In Theatre has continually been running since September 10, 1949, making it one of the longest running drive-ins in America. The Circle Drive-In Theater operates from the spring to fall each year, showing first-run features and retro classics.

2021-10-22T11:24:00

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First Annual Blood-O-Rama Shock Festival

Austin Food + Wine Festival returns in November

The tenth annual festival returns November 5-7, 2021. Photo: google

Tickets are on sale now for the tenth annual Austin Food + Wine Festival taking place November 5-7, 2021. Presented by FOOD & WINE Magazine and C3 Presents, Austin Food + Wine Festival is proud to be the benefactor of the Austin Food & Wine Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to fostering awareness and innovation in the Central Texas food and wine community through grants, educational programming and events. To date, Austin Food + Wine Festival has contributed over $1.1 million to the Alliance. (Austin Food + Wine Festival, 2021)

The tenth annual festival will feature chefs, restaurants and wine and spirits experts over three days at Auditorium Shores and the newly refurbished Republic Square Park. Festival highlights include the return of Friday night’s Grillin’ and Chillin’ hands-on, interactive dinner party hosted by chef Tim Love; fan favorite Rock Your Taco competition on Saturday night featuring several first-time competitors and James Beard Foundation Award nominees and winners; engaging cooking demonstrations + conversations; pit masters and chefs cooking over interactive Fire Pits; samples of signature dishes from local chefs and restaurants; dynamic wine, beer & cocktail tastings; live music; book signings; and much more. Showcasing a dynamic roster of chefs and restaurants throughout the weekend, attendees can sample signature dishes from some of Austin’s most beloved spots. Additional programming announcements will be made over the course of the fall. All attendees must be 21 years of age or older.

Grillin’ and Chillin’, Tim Love’s ultimate hands-on grilling dinner party hosted at Auditorium Shores, kicks off the Festival on Friday, November 5. This interactive party offers All-In ticket holders the opportunity to sharpen their skills as they join chef Love for a fun and informative evening of hands-on grilling, drinks and dinner, all underneath the Austin skyline. Grillin’ and Chillin’ attendees will share a charcoal grill with a partner and prepare their own dinner as chef Love guides them through the menu while offering tips for how to become a grilling expert. Grillin’ and Chillin’ is exclusively included with the All-In ticket and will be the only time that the hands-on grilling demonstration will be offered throughout the weekend.

On Saturday, November 6 and Sunday, November 7, the festival grounds will come alive with cooking demonstrations, book signings and an interactive area where chefs and pit masters will cook over live fire pits and offer tastes to attendees throughout the weekend. The fire pits will showcase live fire cooking expertise from John Bates (InterStellar BBQ); Sonya Coté (Hillside Farmacy, Store House Market + Eatery); Lance Kirkpatrick (Stiles Switch BBQ); Tom Micklethwait & Ren Garcia (Micklethwait Craft Meats); Marco Oglesby (The Switch); and more pit masters and chefs to be announced.

Festival attendees keen on learning from the pros can listen in as a host of chefs and authors, including Dawn Burrell (Late August, Houston); Helene Henderson (Malibu Farm); Fermín Núñez (Suerte); Yoshi Okai (Otoko); and Jam Sanitchat share their tricks, tips and favorite recipes during Cooking Demos and conversations. A roster of sommeliers, wine, beer and spirits experts to be announced will help round out the Austin Food + Wine Festival line-up.

Rock Your Taco, Saturday evening’s signature tasting event, returns to a newly renovated Republic Square Park. Chefs will square off against one another to create the ultimate taco, as deemed by a People’s Choice award. Rock Your Taco competitors include: Tatsu Aikawa (Ramen Tatsu-Ya); Nicola Blaque (Mi Roti, The Jerk Shack, San Antonio); Dawn Burrell; Tyson Cole (Uchi); Diego Galicia & Rico Torres (Mixtli, San Antonio); Sarah Heard & Nathan Lemley (Foreign & Domestic); Helene Henderson; LeAnn Mueller (la Barbecue); Ryan Pera (Eight Row Flint, Houston); Jam Sanitchat; Charles Schlienger (Sway); and more chefs and restaurants to be announced.

Detailed health and entry policies will be released closer to the event. Please visit Vaccines for questions about the COVID-19 vaccines or resources to find a vaccination location.

Tickets:
All-In ($625/per person)
The All-In ticket includes Saturday and Sunday Festival access; interactive cooking demos & book signings; hands-on beer, wine and cocktail tasting sessions; wood-fired culinary creations from the Fire Pits; tastes from Austin’s best chefs & restaurants; Friday night’s Grillin’ and Chillin’ with Tim Love; Saturday night’s signature Rock Your Taco competition; and more.

Weekender ($250/per person)
The Weekender ticket includes Saturday and Sunday Festival access; interactive cooking demos & book signings; hands-on beer, wine and cocktail tasting sessions; wood-fired culinary creations from the Fire Pits; tastes from Austin’s best chefs & restaurants; and more.

The Austin Food + Wine Festival is generously sponsored by Toyota, HEB, Republic National Distributing Company, Angry Orchard Hard Cider and FOOD & WINE.

For more than 40 years, from classic to cutting-edge, FOOD & WINE has defined the American epicurean experience. With the confidence of undisputed global authority among consumers and the culinary trade, we inspire and empower our wine and food obsessed community to discover, create, and devour the best in food, drink, travel, and home.

2021-11-05T10:22:00

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Austin Food + Wine Festival

Bahnbrëcker launches world’s first Hefeweizen-style whiskey

Slow River Blend Whiskey will be available in bars and liquor stores throughout Texas and for nationwide shipping staring September 15, 2021. Photo: Bahnbrëcker, used with permission.

Country star Randy Rogers and co-founders Eric Chase, Cary Schindler, Ash Wineinger, Michael Devers along with spirits-industry veteran Steve Luttmann, are excited to announce the launch of their new spirits brand, Bahnbrëcker, based in New Braunfels, TX. Bahnbrëcker will enter the marketplace with Slow River Blend, the first-ever Hefeweizen-style whiskey. Slow River Blend will be available in bars, restaurants and liquor stores throughout Texas, as well as for nationwide shipping, starting September 15, 2021. (Bahnbrëcker, 2021)

Bahnbrëcker, derived from ‘trailblazer’ in German, is a nod to the company’s hometown of New Braunfels, TX, and to the spirit of ingenuity found in the early pioneers of Texas. Slow River Blend is a blend of Texas and Midwestern straight wheat whiskeys macerated with lemon peel and clove. The end product features notes of lemon, clove, caramel, and vanilla, making it reminiscent of a Hefeweizen-style beer. Inspired by an ideal Texas summer day spent floating down the river in New Braunfels, this unpretentious craft whiskey is designed for easy drinking and a smooth finish. Tastes great neat, on the rocks, or with your favorite mixer or soda. Bahnbrëcker is a truly craft spirit made with only real ingredients, and is completely “WONF-free” (i.e., no “With Other Natural Flavors”).

With two Top 10 hits and multiple albums hitting the country charts, Randy Rogers has already distinguished himself in his hometown of New Braunfels, but along with his fellow co-founders, the Texas musician decided the time was right to leave another legacy in the historic Hill Country city.

“We wanted to create something that the people who came before us in this great community of New Braunfels would be proud of. I think you’re going to find that this craft whiskey distinguishes itself from others. Slow River Blend gives you this aroma, it gives you this flavor of the lemon and the clove blended with your whiskey that creates this Hefeweizen taste, this Hefeweizen spirit that is the spirit of New Braunfels.” – Co-Founder Randy Rogers

Bahnbrëcker Slow River Blend will be available throughout Texas starting September 15, 2021, including top venues such as Pour Haus, Freiheit Country Store, Cheatham Street Warehouse, Nutty Brown Café, and Nickel City. The brand will also be available to purchase in 750 ml bottles throughout Texas at all Total Wine & Spirits and Skip’s locations, and other locations starting September 15, 2021 for a suggested retail price starting at $37.99 per bottle. RNDC is Bahnbrëcker’s exclusive distributor for the State of Texas. The whiskey will also be available for nationwide shipping starting September 15, 2021. While this marks the brand’s first and only product to date, Bahnbrëcker has plans to expand with additional spirits offerings in the future.

An eclectic group of New Braunfels friends wanted to pay tribute to their unique Texas town founded by German pioneers in 1845 where the Comal and Guadalupe rivers meet. What better way to capture the spirit of New Braunfels they thought, than with an easy drinking craft whiskey. They called it Bahnbrëcker, meaning ‘trailblazer’ in German, and like New Braunfels, it is a quirky combination of German engineering and Texan swagger. Slow River Blend, the first product to launch, is a smooth Hefeweizen-Style Whiskey distilled from Texan and Midwestern winter wheats with notes of lemon peel, clove, caramel, and vanilla. Co-founded by Randy Rogers, Eric Chase, Cary Schindler, Ash Wineinger, Michael Devers, and spirits-industry veteran Steve Luttmann.