#lazarus austin tx

[matthewkimamyx]

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT :

GODFLESH - PURGE (LP/CD/DIGITAL)

Worldwide street date : Jun 9th

Avalanche recordings. AREC066

Distribution :

UK/EU/ROW - Plastic Head

USA/CAN - AISA/The orchard

JAPAN - Daymare (2xCD w/ bonus 'NERO' EP)

Tape version being considered.

'NERO' EP digital only - APRIL 3RD

(4 ark EP ; Orig song + 3 alt versions)

Can be early pre-ordered from Plastic Head UK. JKB store will have very limited quantities plus Test Pressings in May.

https://www.plastichead.com/artist/godflesh

WORLDWIDE DATES / FESTS in support of album -

USA : OBLIVION FEST, Austin, TX, to be followed by mini tour of select US/Can cities in June. Sept more mostly East Coast (and CANADA)mini tour of very select cities.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to not wishing to invite negative criticisms and/or an overload of queries due to the affect that can have upon my personal well being/autism, comments have been turned off on this announcement.

Ink on sleeve is silver and not the pale grey as displayed in the example.

TRACKLISTING & MORE INFO :

PURGE TRACK LISTING:

01 - NERO

02 - LAND LORD

03 - ARMY OF NON

04 - LAZARUS LEPER

05 - PERMISSION

06 - THE FATHER

07 - MYTHOLOGY OF SELF

08 - YOU ARE THE JUDGE, THE JURY, AND THE EXECUTIONER

"With the highly anticipated new album PURGE, Godflesh revisits and updates the concepts of PURE (1992), as well as bringing a whole host of new dirges and laments. Amongst the many layers of dirt, PURGE mangles 90s hip hop grooves and puts them through the Godflesh filter to create something futuristic in style - and utterly unique.

Both minimal and maximal, Godflesh deliver alien grooves that swing whilst also retaining the psychedelic, bad trip edge with layer upon layer of filth and heaviness - that Godflesh have always been known for. This is, and always has been, feel-bad music.

The title alone - PURGE - references directly how songwriter and creator Justin K. Broadrick utilises Godflesh's music as a temporary relief from his diagnosed autism and PTSD. It's the next stage in a journey he has been on since he began creating music, feeling alone and like an outsider in any scene or group, from childhood through to adulthood.

The music of Godflesh gives Broadrick the means to express a lifetime of feeling misunderstood and overwhelmed by hyper-sensitivity. The band is the vehicle to provide some sense of catharsis and transcendence; a way of communicating overload, as well as the constant disenchantment at the human condition, and man's abuse of power and the systems that chain us.

PURGE references the cycle of horror that man always has and always will put us through; those in positions of power revel in the infliction of pain and horror upon individuals - in the name of their religion, their power, their money, their flags..."

[imperial-everything]

Walks on Water IPA, smooooooth with tropical tones but mainly a gorgeous balance of malt and hops. So good.

[austintxtexas]

(via Lazarus Brewing in Austin Tx Texas)  Visit and Check Out Lazarus Brewing- Your Best Local Partner in Austin Tx Texas Today! #texas #local #restoration #north #today #austintexas #south #checkout #visit #austin #austintx #food #restaurants

[kylersharp]

ON SALE TUESDAY, JULY 9TH MASTODON - 7-2-19 - Austin360 Amphitheater - Austin, TX. My Mastodon poster for the 7-2-19 show in Austin, TX. It was part of 'The Unheavenly Skye Tour' limited edition screen print series printed by Lady Lazarus. This poster was 25 of 26 in the entire series. It's a six color screen print that measures 21x33 inches. It has a one color "Certificate of Authenticity" print on the back with series info and embossed Lady Lazarus logo, bottom left corner of the print. 100# Cougar White Stock Paper. Limited edition run of 180. The concert edition sold out at the show, this past Tuesday! . Mastodon 'The Unheavenly Skye Tour' limited edition screen print: 25 of 26 - Austin, TX | 7/2 Artwork by: Kyler Sharp – Poster series produced by: Lady Lazarus @kylersharp @ladylazarustx #unheavenlyskyetour #mastodonrocks #limitededition #gigposters #ladylazarus #kylersharp #mastodon #cracktheskyetour #bountyhunter #texasgrimreaper #thestarsatnightarebigandbrightdeepintheheartoftexas #austin360 https://www.instagram.com/p/BzlzixJpSI2/?igshid=1mkwf9z3tksbf

[brandonraykirk]

Raising of #Lazarus by Joachim Wtewael (c.1600) #BlantonMuseumofArt #Austin #TX #photos #art #paintings (at The Blanton Museum of Art)

[yesborg9]

Austin, TX

The time had come once again for my wife to have a week off from work in February. We had some trouble deciding where we would go for this vacation; she wanted to go back to Europe or possibly Toronto while I wanted to go somewhere warmer. We ended up polling each other’s top 5 destinations, and only Austin was on both of our lists. She wanted to see the Lyndon B Johnson Presidential Library while I had heard about the craft beer culture there.

The first thing I noticed there was that they take their craft beer very seriously. We arrived Tuesday night and went to a semi-famous burger bar chain called Hopdoddy. They have 9 locations in Texas, one in Denver, two in the Phoenix area, and four in California. I was surprised to only recognize one tap: Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale. The waiter told us that they only had Austin beers on tap, which is a little amazing, but I countered that Oskar Blues is in Colorado. He confirmed that was true, but they contracted out brewing of Dale’s Pale Ale in Austin. I had a Pecan Porter by (512) Brewing Company, a hefeweizen by Live Oak Brewing, a Devil’s Backbone tripel by Real Ale Brewing, and a Thirsty Goat Amber by Thirsty Planet Brewing. All of these choices were excellent, my favorite being the Pecan Porter. I had the local staple pilsner recommended by several people that night called Pearl-Snap at the hotel bar, but I didn’t really like it. I find it odd that often the most popular beer in many cities is overrated. I finished off the night with a London Homesick Ale by Oasis Texas Brewing, making it six different beers by six different Austin breweries.

It was slightly disappointing that we were missing the great weather back home in Wisconsin; Madison broke an all-time February record high. I say slightly because the weather for us in Austin could not have been better. We saw highs in the 80’s and not a cloud in the sky all week. We took advantage of the weather by dining and drinking outside every chance we got. Every venue we visited, including breweries, had an outdoor dining/beergarden area.

Wednesday we had lunch at Torchy’s Tacos, which seemed to be a very popular place at all times of the day. If there are two things I saw the most of in Austin, it was taco bars and food trucks. Another peculiar thing about Austin was the lack of national brand names. When it came to ordering beers or soda, it was rare to see Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Miller Lite, or Budweiser on the menu. At Hopdoddy, if you didn’t want an Austin-brewed tap beer, your only other options were Lone Star (brewed in Fort Worth by Miller), Shiner Bock (about a 90 min drive SE of Austin in Shiner, TX), and Dos Equis (imported from Mexico). At Torchy’s Tacos, the fountain sodas are all from Maine Root, a handcrafted beverage company in Portland, ME that was selected as an exclusive supplier at Austin’s City Limits Music Festival for the last 4 years. I had something called Doppelganger which tasted just like Dr. Pepper.

We took a tour of the state capitol as well as the LBJ Presidential Library. After that, the first brewery I decided to visit was Zilker Brewing Co. They had a lot of hoppy selections as well as two coffee stouts. They also had one very good sour called Rare Candy. We moved on to Lazarus Brewing, which was only two blocks away. There we had some more tacos (I had some hot sauce that was very spicy even for me) and I sampled all of their beers. They had a double IPA I thought was amazing; I’d compare it to Dogfish Head’s 90 Minute.

We ventured back up north of the capitol to the Scholz Garten, which was described as a “historic German biergarten.” We arrived to find it was closed to the public for a private party. We decided to just head back toward the hotel and ate at Home Slice Pizza which served New York style pizza. It didn’t compare to the pizza we had in Brooklyn last month but it wasn’t bad especially after the last barleywine I drank at Lazarus.

On Thursday the high reached the upper 80’s, but the humidity was low and it was breezy so it didn’t feel bad at all. We had lunch at Uncle Billy’s Brew & Que, a brewery that specializes in BBQ meats. I sampled all of their beers, and while I really wasn’t blown away by any of them, some were very interesting. Their Brew Oyster Cult is an oyster stout, which is exactly what it sounds like, but it didn’t taste fishy or anything. They have a Dark Chocolate Russian Imperial Stout that the wife liked, and a pale ale I liked called Clusterf*#%.

We went for a walk around the Umlauf Sculpture Garden. I’m not an artsy person, but I seemed to interpret the sculptures as representing Christianity, family, and sexuality. There were sculptures of angels, families, naked women, naked couples embracing, and Christ on a cross. We continued on our walk, crossing Barton Creek and into the Austin City Limits Music Festival grounds, which was just a large park with sunbathers, dog walkers, and kite-flyers.

That night we were heading to the Rainey Street Historic District for food & fun, when I twisted my ankle walking downtown. We were learning that Austin is not a very pedestrian-friendly city, as many sidewalks were uneven, in very rough shape, or end without warning or a safe place to cross. I was able to hobble along to our destination, Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden. Boasting itself as a German-style biergarten, aside from having sausage on the menu there was very little German fare there. They have over 100 taps(!) but only one German import. They also had live country music, which I actually didn’t mind after a few beers. I took advantage of one of the few authentic German items on the menu, Currywurst, and it was good. I sampled several hefeweizens and wits that were very pleasing including (512) Wit, Harpoon UFO Twist (Boston, MA), and Wasatch Apricot Hefeweizen (Park City, UT).

The next day for lunch, my ankle was feeling better so we walked a while to catch a bus to the Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co. I had a five-beer flight and we both had delicious turkey sandwiches. I skipped the hoppiest beers and just stuck with lighter stuff as it was another beautiful day to eat & drink outdoors. I tried two more pints there, then the wife wanted to stop back along South Congress near our hotel to buy a top. It was my intention to visit at least two more breweries our last full day in Austin, so she obliged.

Our next stop was Hops & Grain Brewing. They did not offer samples, so I purchased five half-pours. I tried a very good alt, porter, sour, and German-style lager, but I didn’t care for the hoppy Pale Dog. Several blocks away, we found Blue Owl Brewing, which was the crown jewel of my Austin beer sampling experience for two reasons: 1. They were having a fundraiser for a dog shelter and there were 10 (well behaved) dogs running around the beer garden, 2. All 8 beers they brew are sours. Sour pale ale, cherry stout, raspberry strong ale, imperial oatmeal stout, session wheat, flanders brown, wee heavy, and chocolate/raspberry ale. They’re all as amazing as they sound if you like sour beers.

The weekend crowd in the city started increasing so we decided to avoid it by getting some pizza to-go and just watched Netflix the rest of the night in the hotel (because we’re old) as I finished off my six-pack of Black Thunder schwarzbier by Austin Beerworks.

The last thing I noticed about the beer culture in Austin was the irony that none of the restaurants we visited had domestic beers like Miller or Bud, nor even Corona or Samuel Adams, beers that you would find in just about any restaurant in most of the country. But in the Austin airport the only beers I saw on tap were Miller Lite, Bud Light, Sam Adams, and Stella Artois. We then arrived at O’Hare to find airport bars with Goose Island and Revolution on tap.

My overall thoughts of Austin are mostly positive. The service was excellent every place we visited. Sure, there were a lot of hipsters with man-buns and I don’t think I saw a single tattooless woman, but everyone was very friendly and polite, even on the Metro buses. I felt like an old person at some places because most of the people we saw were millennials. I can only take so much hip & trendy before I just want to go home and watch Star Trek on the couch. We did have a fun time and might go back if only to visit more breweries as I only visited 6 of the more than 30 in the city, which is more than double what is was in 2010. And if you love tacos, you’ll love Austin. My only other negative about the city besides the terrible sidewalks is that the water tastes bad. We noticed this at every venue. I have to wonder how much better the beer would be if they had better water.

[lifeofthefree]

1902 E. 6th Street, Austin Tx

I can’t get over how many awesome places there are to get coffee in Austin. No matter what the occasion is or what kind of mood you’re in, you kind find a coffee shop to suit your mood!

Today, Tiffany and I present to you Lazarus Brewing Company, a brand new brewery (and soon to be coffee roaster) in Austin, Texas. They opened up on December 24th, 2016 and have been doing great since then.

Upon arriving, I fell in love with the exterior design of the building, and walking in through the outdoor patio to the inside seating was just as lovely.

Staff

The first thing I noticed was the friendliness of the staff. One of the owners and a bartender greeted us happily as we walked in and were eager to chat with us. Not only did they treat us like family, they invited us to ask questions and gave us some inside scoops about Lazarus Brewing Co.

Atmosphere

Dog friendly patio

Plenty of bar seating, tables, and a comfy lounge area

Free WiFi

Books & Board games

Relaxing

The atmosphere was fantastic! The factory style building opens up into a nice outdoor patio, with beautiful lights strung about for a nice aesthetic touch. The outdoor patio is dog friendly as well, so that’s a plus for the dog lovers out there! Inside is just as nice, with plenty of bar seating, large tables, and a cozy lounging area (with an awesome orange couch) you won’t have a hard time finding a place to relax while you sip on your coffee or beer. They also have plenty of great books to read, as well as some board games if you came with some friends.

Menu

In-house brewery

Full bar with beer on tap

Coffee from Tiny House Coffee Roasters here in Austin

Soon to be roasting their own coffee beans

A specialty cup for $1000 and free beer for life! That’s right – if you’ve got $1000 to spare on a one of a kind cup, you’ll get a free beer (or coffee) every time you come in. That’s a great deal!

Tacos

Snacks, chips & salsa, etc

Tacos, coffee and beer… what more do you need! Their prices weren’t bad for the coffee and snacks. I ordered an almond milk cappuccino, and Tiffany ordered a soy milk cappuccino. We both enjoyed our drinks. I enjoyed the flavor of the coffee, although the almond milk was rather light and not as creamy as what I’m used to. However, since I typically drink black coffee, this worked out for me.

Final Thoughts

Although they do have good coffee, I’d recommend coming here here if you’re looking for a good local brewery to hang out at with your friends. I will come back here for sure, and next time I will bring my dog and try out some of their tacos! Yum!

We also want to give a HUGE shoutout to the friendliness of the owners and staff at Lazarus Brewing Company, who were more than glad to provide us with awesome drinks, chats, and content! Thank you!

Check out our video below for an insider-only chat with the owner!

*Photography: Sierra Lee Photography

*Videography: Tiffany Shim

Lazarus Brewing Co. | ATX Coffee Vibes 1902 E. 6th Street, Austin Tx I can't get over how many awesome places there are to get coffee in Austin.

[heywoodhotel]

Heywood Picks SXSW Edition: March 14, 2018

It’s time for this week’s #heywoodpicks, a special “SXSWalk from the Heywood” edition! All of these shows are open to the public and walkable from your favorite boutique hotel in Austin. We still have a couple of rooms left for the weekend. What better way to celebrate the indie roots of the festival than with a stay with at our indie hotel and some live indie music? Let's do this!

Wednesday, the Collide on Rainey day party has more than 15 bands including Porches and lovelytheband (pictured) . The fun is spread out across three Rainey Street venues: Lustre Pearl, Container Bar and Banger's Sausage House & Beer Garden. Great for hanging out in one spot and watching many fantastic bands for free! RSVP at https://culturecollide.com/collideonrainey/

Thursday, our Eastside friends at Lazarus Brewing Co. are throwing a party featuring 7 bands including our recommended act, venerable Brit rockers The Wedding Present (pictured) at 3pm. If you like The Fall - Music, Buzzcocks and Gang Of Four Official, be sure to check them out. FREE. Event Page - Music For Listeners/Nextbop at Lazarus Brewing Company

Friday, Lustre Pearl has a carefully curated lineup featuring five bands. Highlights include the beautifully written and arranged indie-Americana from former Austinites Okkervil River (pictured), the infectious guitar-driven pop of one-woman band Gothic Tropic, and the spaghetti western-inspired grandeur of Flint Eastwood. FREE. RSVP at: https://culturecollide.com/mms2018/

Saturday, keep it on the Eastside for the 10th Annual Brooklyn Country Cantina at Licha's Cantina. Catch a lot of badass female artists including Caroline Rose (pictured), Lauren Ruth Ward, Sarah Shook & The Disarmersplus more than 20 other Americana, country, bluegrass and rock ’n’ roll bands. FREE. RSVP at https://brooklyncountrycantina.com/rsvp/ Event Page - 10th Annual Brooklyn Country Cantina in Austin, TX (SXSW 2018)

Also on Saturday, Hotel Vegas has more than 100 bands spread across two days, including the infectious power pop of Nashville-based Pujol(pictured), and local dream pop collective TINNAROSE. Or just go take a chance on the unknown, you’ll likely discover your new favorite band! FREE. Event Page - Burgermania VII at Hotel Vegas (SXSW)

Sunday, Uncle Doug’s Chili Dog Fest at The Side Bar is where the locals go to relax, drink through their hangovers, and listen to some of the city’s best bands. You’re invited too! We recommend ’90s slowcore pioneers Knife in the Water (pictured). Definitely great hangover music! But things won’t get too quiet with punk from METZ, Think No Think and Pleasure Venom and rock from Amplified Heat. $10 suggested donation with all proceeds going to the @Central Texas Food Bank. Event Page - Chili Dog Fest #9

We've got a few rooms left for all of this fun! Book your room at the Heywood Hotel Austin! https://heywoodhotel.com

[justinplayscello]

Tour dates with Common Holly

Thrilled to announce that I’ll be joining Common Holly for a 3-week US tour in March! Here are the upcoming dates:

March 6, 2018 - Common Holly w/ Ought, La Sala Rossa, Montreal March 7, 2018 - Common Holly w/ Anemone, Monkey House, Winooski, VT March 8, 2018 - Common Holly w/ Anemone, The Sound Hole, Philadelphia, PA March 9, 2018 - Common Holly w/ Anemone, Charlie’s American Cafe, Norfolk, VA March 14, 2018 - Common Holly at Sports Day Records Showcase, Flitch Coffee, Austin, TX (SXSW) March 15, 2018 - Common Holly at Brooklyn Vegan Showcase, Austin TX (SXSW) March 16, 2018 - Common Holly at Music For Listeners Showcase, Lazarus Brewing, Austin TX (SXSW) March 16, 2018 - Common Holly at Good Relations House Showcase, Austin TX (SXSW) March 16, 2018 - Common Holly at Pop Montreal Showcase, Swan Dive, Austin TX (SXSW) March 17, 2018 - Common Holly at Top Shelf Records Showcase, Pearl Street Co-op, Austin TX (SXSW) March 17, 2018 - Common Holly at Biker Gang Booking Showcase, The Lovegoat, Austin TX (SXSW) March 19, 2018 - Common Holly w/ Gang of Youths, The Basement, Nashville, TN March 20, 2018 - Common Holly w/ Gang of Youths, The Earl, Atlanta, GA March 23, 2018 - Common Holly w/ Gang of Youths, Philadelphia, PA March 24, 2018 - Common Holly w/ Gang of Youths, Union Stage, Washington, DC March 25, 2018 - Common Holly w/ Gang of Youths, Bowery Ballroom, NYC March 28, 2018 - Common Holly w/ Gang of Youths, Velvet Underground, Toronto March 29, 2018 - Common Holly w/ Gang of Youths, The Loving Touch, Ferndale, MI March 30, 2018 - Common Holly w/ Gang of Youths, Subterranean, Chicago, IL March 31, 2018 - Common Holly w/ Gang of Youths, 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis, MN

[ragnarnetwork]

It is the perfect weather for a First Noël...an American Wild Ale Refermented With Figs... #ragnarnetwork #siptexas #community #education #technology #progress #hospitality #entrepreneur #txbreweries #taproom #texastaproom #txtaproom #boba #buildinganempire #texas #tx #february2018 #beer #craftbeer #texascraftbrewersguild #sharelife #lazarusbrewing #firstnoel #americanale #americanwildale #texas #austin #eastaustin (at Lazarus Brewing Co.)

[imperial-everything]

40 Days & 40 Nights at Lazarus Brewing in Austin, TX. Very, very good IPA. Bright and hoppy.

[nichemusicexploration-blog]

Genre of the Week: Shoegazing

Welcome back! Today our topic is Shoegazing.

Ahh, Shoegazing. A genre synonymous with hipster culture and holder of a bizzarely descriptive name. We touched on it ever so slightly last week with Dälek, but what exactly as it?

Shoegaze music is a subgenre of indie and neo-psychedelia that combines heavily distorted guitars and other instruments, often layered, with distant, borderline hard-to-hear lyrics. The term was coined in the UK back in 80′s where (and when) the genre started. “Shoegazing” was used to describe how the audiences and often the performers would look when listening/playing, since it can be a more contemplative and stand-offish kind of music genre.

So, what’s it sound like? Well, let’s get a good look at our kicks and find out.

1. CHAPTERHOUSE

Chapterhouse was formed in 1987 in the UK, making it one of the early forerunners of the genre. Like most forerunners of genres that we talk about, they split up (in 1994) and then briefly reformed (2008-2010) for a some reunion touring before splitting again. They toured with Spaceman 3, who had a cult following, and Chapterhouse ended up performing for a full year before ever recording a demo, which likely made their early sound better formed than a lot of groups.

Chapterhouse’s Breather certainly has a very 80′s feel to it, but the swirling, echoey vocals are about as Shoegazey as it comes. There’s a certain bounciness to it gives it a more upbeat feel than a lot of the genre does.

2. RINGO DEATHSTARR

Ringo Deathstarr formed in 2007 in Austin, TX, and, unlike Chapterhouse, released their first EP that year. Their sound is cited as being almost nostalgic for the original Shoegazing sound of the 80′s, and the strength of this influence is argued as both a positive and as making it almost derivational, but they’ve hit charts regardless, in the U.S. and in Japan. Japan, speaking of, has a surprisingly strong Shoegazing scene to this day, which we’ll be talking about more later on.

Rip, off of the album Mauve, is steady and slow but unrelenting. It’s a good toe dip into the genre and has some pretty solid drum work here. While whether or not Ringo’s a rip off, it certainly does a good job of codifying the genre without making it at all unpleasant to listen to.

3. THE BOO RADLEYS

Continuing our line-up of very well titled bands, the Boo Radleys were another early member of the original scene, starting in the UK in 1988 and breaking up in 1999. They even managed to earn themselves a place on the top ten singles with “Wake Up Boo!,” which can be a rare feat for the niche music we like to discuss here.

Lazarus, a slow and melodic song, has the occasional sudden pick up around a pretty sweet horn riff, of all things, but they make it work. Contemplative and sad it’s a song evocative of Boo Radley himself.

4. ALCIAN BLUE

Alcian Blue, which is also a very common type of dye which a confusing google search lead me to realize, formed in Maryland in 1998 and broke up in 2006, covering a period of high popularity of shoegazing in the U.S. They toured relentlessly after their drummer left to join the air force, replacing him with his wife, and ended up amassing a strong following that lasted after the group’s end.

Night Sky has a cinematic feel to it, layered in both layers of vocals and layers of sound. It’s almost like being under a series of blankets. And much like blankets it has a soothing feel to it, which, if nothing else, explains why audience goers aren’t known for their moshing.

5. DEEP DIVE: KINOKO TEIKOKU (きのこ帝国)

Kinoko Teikoku, which translates to Mushroom Kingdom, is part of the Japanese Shoegazing scene. Japan has an interestingly strong following of shoegazing, which I invite you to research on your own since I don’t have enough space to explore that here (though, I’d love to). Kinoko Teikoku’s sound leaks, at times, into the “dream pop” side of Shoegazing, with some of its more recent releases edging a bit away from pure Shoegazing, but the vast majority of sound still fits like a glove into the genre.

Whirlpool, which opens their first album, shares the cinematic sound of some of our previous picks, and the language barrier is almost a non-issue in Shoegazing as a rule: the ethereal and distant vocals seem more like a road in the middle of a peaceful storm than anything, making it surprisingly easy to hop into (Kinoko is, not surprisingly, oft cited as a spring board to Japanese Shoegazing as a whole).

Since know deep dive is complete without a live performance, Kokudou Slope includes a brief stage dive and a clear enthusiasm for the genre. Kinoko Teikoku is a fun stage presence and a great way to wrap up this week.

Well, that’ll do us for this week! Catch you next week for some new exploration!

[themusicenthusiast]

The Toadies Announce New Record, 'The Lower Side of Uptown' Out on September 8th with a U.S. Tour Planned in the Fall; 10th Annual Dia de los Toadies Festival to Return to Possum Kingdom Lake on September 16th

2017 is shaping up to be a great year for Toadies Fans. The North Texas legend that is revered nationwide will be releasing their new album this September, and for those who have caught a show recently and heard some samplings from it then you know it’s going to be incredible. Of course, a U.S. tour will follow in order to support the record; and their annual festival, Dia de los Toadies, will get moved back to the early fall after the previous installment happened in the summer of 2016. On that note, since this year will mark the tenth Dia it’s only fitting that they go back to where the first one was held, Possum Hollow at Possum Kingdom Lake set to host the event on September 16th. Seeing as that will be about a week after the release of The Lower Side Of Uptown, it’s safe to assume they’ll serve up plenty of new tracks along with all the classics and surely some deeper cuts. It will be legendary and something no Toadies fan will want to miss. Below is more info about their current goings on as stated in the press release...

Toadies will release their next album The Lower Side Of Uptown September 8th via Kirtland Records. This will be the band's seventh studio album and a 'return to form' as explained by frontman Vaden Todd Lewis: "This album is 'roots Toadies", full of riffs and time shifts.' The Lower Side Of Uptown is the follow up to 2015's Heretics which saw the band taking a change of pace with a stripped down sound and mostly acoustic. When they were preparing to enter the studio this time around there was no set idea for what was to come but, the process ultimately had the band going back to their signature sound: "I feel that subconsciously we thought that this record would have ended up incorporating some of that quieter sound, but that didn't happen. When we got to the studio with nothing more than a pile of riffs, what came out of the band was really loud and heavy music. So not only is this album louder than Heretics, I think it's louder and heavier than the last couple Toadies albums" guitarist Clark Vogeler said of the sessions, which were recorded Arlyn Studio, a favorite of the legendary Willie Nelson, and The Bubble in Austin.   Long time collaborators, producer Chris “Frenchie” Smith, along with mixer Rob Schnapf once again joined the band in the studio for the new set. Frenchie produced the last 'loud rock' album from the band: 2012's Play. Rock. Music., and Rob produced Heretics and Feeler, and co-producedRubberneck and Hell Below/Stars Above. Vogeler adds: "Recording with Frenchie is always an interesting experience. He brings such enthusiasm to the process that it's infectious. He's got a great ear for what makes a good rock 'n' roll record, and as much as anyone else, he put his heart and soul into this record." The cover imagery for The Lower Side of Uptown was done by renowned comic artist Michael Lark, the artist of the critically-acclaimed, Eisner-nominated series LAZARUS from Image Comics. Since 1992, Lark has provided artwork for a variety of comics including Daredevil, Captain Americaand Winter Soldier and books for Marvel and DC/Vertigo. He collaborated on the critically acclaimed, multiple-award-winning Gotham Central with Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka at DC Comics. Since reuniting in 2008, after disbanding in 2001 Toadies have released 4 albums, played hundreds of shows and festivals, released 4 signature craft beers, and have been featured in an X-Men comic. Last month they partnered with the Texas Rangers to release their own version of 'Take Me To The Ballgame.'  This year, the band continues that busy streak with The Lower Side Of Uptown showcased on a cross-country tour over two months along with Chicago's Local H. on the bill. The band are stoked to tour with an act they got to know at their own Dia De Los Toadies festival says drummer Mark 'Rez' Reznicek: "We're super excited to be going on tour with Local H, a band we've long been fans of. We've wanted to tour with them for years, and it's finally happening!" Toadies have also hosted and played nine Dia De Los Toadies festivals.This year's Dia De Los Toadies 10 will be returning to Possum Hollow at Possum Kingdom Lake. Tour Dates: September 6 --Denton, TX--Rockin Rodeo 7--Oklahoma City, OK--Diamond Ballroom 8--Kansas City, MO--KRBZ Beach Ball 9--St. Louis, MO--Delmar 10--Cincinnati, OH--Bogart's 12--Knoxville, TN--The Concourse 13--Nashville, TN--Exit In 14--Memphis, TN--New Daisy 16--Possum Kingdom Lake, TX--Possum Hollow 19--El Paso, TX--Tricky Falls 20--Tucson, AZ--Congress 21--Las Vegas, NV--Beauty Bar 22--Phoenix, AZ--Crescent 23--Solana Beach, CA--Belly Up 24--Los Angeles, CA--Troubadour 26--Anaheim, CA--House Of Blues 27--Berkeley, CA--UC Theater 29--Seattle, WA--The Crocodile 30--Portland, OR--Star Theater October 1--Boise, ID--Knitting Factory 3--Salt Lake City, UT--Metro Music Hall 4--Grand Junction, CO--Mesa Theatre 5--Denver, CO--Gothic 6--Omaha, NE--Waiting Room 7--Milwaukee, WI--Turner Hall 8--Minneapolis, MN--1st Ave. 10--Chicago, IL--Metro 11--Louisville, KY--Mercury 12--Indianapolis, IN--The Vogue 13--Detroit, MI--St. Andrews 14--Cleveland, OH--Grog Shop 15--Pittsburgh, PA--Rex 17--Washington DC--Black Cat 18--New York, NY--Gramercy Theater 19--Philadelphia, PA--TLA 20--Boston, MA--Brighton 21--Asbury Park, NJ--Stone Pony 22--Norfolk, VA--Norva 24--Durham, NC--Motorco 25--Wilmington, NC--The Muse 26--Atlanta, GA--Masquerade Hell 27--Orlando, FL--Plaza Live 28--Ft. Lauderdale, FL--Culture Room 29--Tampa/St. Pete, FL--Ritz 31--New Orleans, LA--Tipitinas November: 4--Carrolton, TX--Carrollton Festival at the Switchyard 10--Austin, TX--Stubbs BBQ      

[wnccumc2-blog]

A Q&A with UMC LEAD Director Brandon Lazarus

by Melissa McGill

UMC Lead is coming to Charlotte January 22-25 with the goal of creating a space for conversation for a new generation of leaders in the church.

Through TED talk-style presentations and local immersion experiences with Area 15, QQ Family Tree and Sharon UMC’s Dream Big South Park initiative, the organizers of UMC LEAD hope to point to the good already happening. Here’s what conference director Brandon Lazaurus had to say.

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER is January 15.

What is the vision of UMC LEAD?

The main vision of the conference has always been to create space for the sharing of ideas. There are plenty of conferences that bring in professional speakers, authors, theologians, mega-church pastors, and the like. This conference is not about who is speaking but what they are sharing. Rather than bring in a couple of people to give hour to two hour keynote speeches, we're bringing in 17 speakers who will speak anywhere from eight to eighteen minutes. The talks are then springboards into great conversations in the breakout groups, over lunch, and in between sessions.

The first conference was held in 2012 and you can find out more about the beginnings of UMC LEAD from Brandon Lazaurus, Rob Rynders and Justin Halbersma on the first episode of the UMC LEAD podcast.

Why Charlotte for the 2017 conference? How could people in our conference be involved this year and/or in the future?

The conference has been in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Austin, and Los Angeles. Bringing the conference to Charlotte is partially a selfish decision since I live here but it's also an opportunity to bring the LEAD conference to the Southeastern Jurisdiction. Charlotte also has a lot to offer so we'll be taking an afternoon to visit a little bit of Charlotte through our immersion experiences. We'll be visiting the small business incubator Area 15, the Dream Big Southpark project at Sharon UMC, the community development work at the Harvest Center and also QC Family Tree, and local community activist Steven Tilley will speak about his work combating homelessness and sex trafficking.

Folks can still register up until Jan 15th on the website. After that they won’t be able to register but they can still participate on our facebook page where we hope to stream the talks live. After the event we'll then be editing footage to release the talks sometime after the conference. We also hope to post the audio of the talks, as well as interviews on our podcast.

Who are your attendees, broadly speaking?

Most of the people who attend the conference are young adult clergy but we also get a mix of lay people, people over 40, and a few non-Methodists. People also come representing various conferences, boards, and agencies. Oftentimes they come to take notes and bring them back to their respective conferences and agencies. They come from a pretty good mix of rural, urban, and suburban settings.  

What are you most excited about for this year’s event?

What excites me most about the conference is the people. We always have great speakers, inspiring worship, and other interactive components to the weekend but it's really all 85 participants that excite me most. We try to leave spaces between the sessions and at the end of the night for people to hang out, reflect on what's been shared, and brainstorm together. Everyone on the team now for the conference are friends that I've made in those late night conversations. Each year I get to reconnect with old friends and meet new people.

If I have to pick a specific component of the conference this year though, it's the Monday night program. Dale Fredrickson who is an artist, poet, teacher, and pastor from Denver is coming in to give a poem show. Honestly, I don't know what all the night will include but there will be music, poetry, art and more. That session will be open to the public. Anyone can join us at 7:30 p.m. at Missiongathering at 420 E 15th St.

Tell me about a moment that really encapsulated what UMC LEAD is for you?

Jerry Herships, who planted After Hours Denver, is a regular participant in the conference. LEAD 2015 was held in Austin, TX. One night after the conference Jerry and a few of us went to a bar down the street from the hotel to continue our conversations over a pint of Guinness. The bar was closing but they agreed to hold it open for just a little bit longer. As the bartender poured our beers, we began chatting with him about who we were and why we were there. The bartender started opening up to us about his own struggles with the church, his exodus from the church, and then one radical Methodist preacher that eventually drew him back to the church. He talked about how that preacher would attend, and even lead protests for civil rights, would include the bartender in leadership in the church, and was not afraid of failure. That night we were all able to experience something together that you probably wouldn't experience at your typical church conference. That night, there in that bar, we caught a glimpse of perhaps what Jesus' ministry was like.

How would you like to see events like UMC LEAD impact the future of the church?

I would love to see UMC LEAD continue to grow to reach more people. Our blog has been on a bit of a hiatus but after the conference we hope to kick it back up. We've also recently launched a podcast. We hope that all of these outlets can help us magnify voices around our church that are doing great things. There are already amazing people out there impacting the future of the church, we just want to help magnify their voices.

Melissa McGill is the assistant director of communications at Myers Park UMC in Charlotte

[kylersharp]

Here's it is! My Mastodon poster for Tuesday's show in Austin, TX! Thanks to Mastodon and also Isaac and Aleisha and everyone at Lady Lazarus for tackling this tour series! It was a lot of hard work and we're ready to do it all over again! I'll be posting my sale details soon after the show on Tuesday. Stay tuned! . Mastodon 'The Unheavenly Skye Tour' limited edition screen print: 25 of 26 - Austin, TX | 7/2 Artwork by: Kyler Sharp – Poster series produced by: Lady Lazarus @kylersharp @ladylazarustx #unheavenlyskyetour #mastodonrocks #limitededition #gigposters #ladylazarus #kylersharp #mastodon #cracktheskyetour #bountyhunter #texasgrimreaper #thestarsatnightarebigandbrightdeepintheheartoftexas #austin360 (at Austin360 Amphitheater) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzYWhs1JlG1/?igshid=1uwiopfmzriya

[yesborg9]

2017 Beer in Review

To put it as nicely as possible, if you follow politics at all, 2017 was a year that encouraged drinking. Here are some of the beers that made 2017 a little more bearable for me:

I was saddened in 2016 when I found out that Leinenkugel’s Snowdrift Vanilla Porter was no longer available in 6 or 12 packs unless you bought a variety pack of Leinie’s. But in 2017, by popular demand, it’s BACK and just as good as I remembered it. In 2012 I hadn’t yet developed an appreciation for porters or stouts. Surprisingly, at Curly’s Pub inside Lambeau Field, the wife talked me into trying it for the first time and it’s still one of my favorites today.

Speaking of styles that I didn’t like so much just a few years ago and now I love, the first time I ever tried a bourbon barrel-aged beer was 2013, and I did not like them. I tried a few more in 2014 and still had little love. I remember saying to people, “if I want something that tastes like bourbon, I’ll just drink bourbon.” But times and tastes change and now the bourbon barrel-aged stout is now one of my favorite styles of beer. And the Citizen Kane of BBA stouts is Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout. I first tried this at a bar in Washington D.C. (The Exchange) just a couple blocks from the White House. I actually hated it because it was too strong (13.8%). I tried it again in March of 2017 (2016 vintage) and I loved it. It’s boozy, thick like molasses, and dark as night. It’s a very limited beer, so not only is it expensive but it’s hard to find. The 2017 vintage was released on Black Friday and I remember seeing on Twitter how long the lines were in Chicago to buy it. Many liquor stores sold out in hours. I happened to be at a bar in Plover watching the Badgers football game when I saw it on the menu, so I ordered it and took the bottle home. I drank it after a Packers win two weeks later.

Also only available on Black Friday, the Lakefront Black Friday Stout is known for [crazy] people lining up for miles around the brewery on the morning of Black Friday just to get a bottle. I was lucky enough to sample it at a warm indoor beerfest in Milwaukee. While it was absolutely amazing, I’m not sure any beer is worth waiting in line for hours in the cold.

Initially I wasn’t a huge fan of many Central Waters beers, but they rank up with Goose Island when it comes to bourbon barrel-aging. Over the Thanksgiving weekend in central Wisconsin we stopped at the brewery in Amherst. They had four different BBA beers on tap, but the winner by far for me and a friend was the Brewer’s Reserve BBA Scotch Ale. My friend probably had never even sampled a BBA beer, but after he did he wanted to take some of this stuff home.

Special shout-out to their Brewer’s Reserve BBA Cherry Stout, which wasn’t available at the brewery but I’d purchased a 4-pack of it earlier in the year and finished the last one off on New Year’s Eve.

In 2015 my favorite winter warmer was Lakefront’s Holiday Spice Lager. I was appalled when I found out that it was discontinued in 2016, to the point where I wrote the brewery to complain. They responded that it was replaced with Brandy Barrel-Aged Spiced Winter Lager. I sought out this beer, and it instantly became my new favorite warmer. Even smoother than the Holiday Spice (which the 2015 vintage is still available in 22oz bombers), the brandy flavor isn’t as strong as bourbon or whiskey-barrel aged beers...but it’s still very potent at 13.9%.

Southern Tier Brewing Co has been releasing 4-packs of dessert stouts (for a premium price). I tried a number of these, many being just too sweet for me to fully enjoy. But the Thick Mint is one that has me going back for more. It’s 10% ABV, very thick, and tastes just like a Thin Mint, which everyone knows is the best Girl Scout cookie (leave your incorrect opinion in the comments if you disagree).

We made two trips to NYC in 2017 and visiting Brooklyn Brewery were highlights of each trip for me. Very few beers by Brooklyn have disappointed me even just a little. My favorite was a R&D sour only available at the brewery called Funkmeiser. The fad of sour beers is still going strong, but noticeably ramping down (possibly giving way to the new fads of hazy IPAs and dessert/pastry stouts), at least for me. This beer, however, pleased me greatly as it seemed to get more and more sour the more I drank it. Sadly I couldn’t take any home with me.

One of our new favorite hangouts in the Milwaukee area is the Explorium Brewpub located at Southridge Mall. They have great food, an extensive taplist of their own brews, and bombers to go. The wife loves their Tiramisu Stout, while I’m partial to the Bourbon Barrel-Aged Barleywine, as well as the Cherry Chocolate Stout.

My favorite import I tried in 2017 was the Petrus Aged Red from Brouwerij De Brabandere in Belgium. Possibly the best fruit beer I’ve ever had not counting anything from New Glarus. It was purchased from a liquor store in Brookfield, so I imagine it’s not too difficult to find in Madison or Milwaukee. I’ve even had it on tap at World of Beer in Wauwatosa.

2017 will be remembered by me as the year New Glarus brought back a Cherry Stout. I bought some at the brewery and it was so good I later stocked up at the liquor store, knowing I’d miss it dearly when its availability ran out. This is easily my all-time favorite stout and my favorite beer of 2017. The cherry flavor is bold and tart while the beer is very dark and smooth. I hope they bring it back again soon, because I only have 8 left.

Other shout-outs from 2017 include a visit to O’so Brewing as well as an O’so tap takeover in Menominee Falls:

Fox River Brewing: Blu Bobber (blueberry ale)

O’so Tuppen’s Demise (wild ale)

O’so Rabbit Fighter (flanders red sour)

O’so Great Northern Dominator Doppelbock

O’so Tamarind Plum Sour

O’so Scarlet Letter

In 2017 I only attended two beerfests: Great Dane Bockfest for my 3rd straight year and Craft’s & Drafts in Milwaukee for the first time. C&D was an amazing fest but you have to pay additional money for the better quality pours.

2017 brewery visits:

Biloba (Brookfield, WI)

Angry Minnow (Hayward, WI)

Black Husky (Milwaukee, WI)

Central Waters (Amherst, WI)

Company (Milwaukee, WI)

Explorium (Greendale, WI)

Great Dane - Hilldale (Madison, WI)

Like Minds (Milwaukee, WI)

New Glarus (New Glarus, WI)

O’so (Plover, WI)

Viking Brewpub (Stoughton, WI)

350 Brewing (Tinley Park, IL)

Hailstorm (Tinley Park, IL)

Shoreline (Michigan City, IN)

City Built (Grand Rapids, MI)

Fireside (Holland, MI)

Greenbush (Sawyer, MI)

Greyline (Grand Rapids, MI)

Griffin Claw (Birmingham, MI)

Harmony Hall (Grand Rapids, MI)

New Holland - Knickerbocker (Grand Rapids, MI)

Roak (Royal Oak, MI)

Brooklyn (Brooklyn, NY)

Greenpoint (Brooklyn, NY)

Strong Rope (Brooklyn, NY)

Threes (Brooklyn, NY)

Folksbier (Brooklyn, NY)

Other Half (Brooklyn, NY)

Circa (Brooklyn, NY)

Heartland (New York, NY)

Cool Springs (Franklin, TN)

ABGB (Austin, TX)

Blue Owl (Austin, TX)

Hops & Grain (Austin, TX)

Lazarus (Austin, TX)

Uncle Billy’s Brew & Que (Austin, TX)

Zilker (Austin, TX)

Amsterdam Brewhouse (Toronto, Canada)

Goose Island Brewhouse (Toronto, Canada)

Mascot (Toronto, Canada)

Mill Street (Toronto, Canada)

The 3 Brewers (Toronto, Canada)

Erdinger (Erding, Germany)

Airbräu (Munich International Airport, Germany)

I feel like several beers I loved this year deserve an honorable mention:

Boulevard Whiskey Barrel Stout

Founders Rübæus

Founders Frootwood

Cool Springs Tennessee Black Hole

Vintage McLovin

And finally a solemn RIP to Leinenkugel’s “Big Eddy” line of beers. These were premium beers including Royal Nektar, Russian Imperial Stout, Über-Oktoberfest, and one of my perennial favorites, Cherry Doppelschwarz. Although I did hear from Dick Leinenkugel himself that there’s always the possibility of a return someday.

Also RIP to Karl Ratzsch, a downtown Milwaukee authentic German restaurant. I was only there once, but it was a great time with great food and great beer.