RTP-area local music and culture

[Christiane Voisin <voisc AT ils.unc.edu>]

On Fri, 11 Mar 2005, Lisa Bachelder wrote:

> Bars:

> Carousel Lounge:  1110 E 52nd St (just East of I-35) (512) 452-6790

i went there once when I lived in Austin (95/96) and there was a blind guy
playing the wurlitzer, not sure if that's still the vibe.

damn. my favorite neighborhood mexican place (Pato's on 38 1/2 St.)
apparently burned down... rose like a phoenix, and and now will be
replaced by a coffee shop. it was so cheap, convenient, best chicken mole
ever.

from
http://www.rogerwallace.com/ugly.html

 First, Quack's. Quackenbush's was a favorite college drag hangout in the
late-80's/90's coffee-shop boom, and has one other location in Hyde Park,
a typical cool-yet-froofy Austin neighborhood -- about a mile from my
apartment. And now, Quack's has taken over Pato's, about 4 blocks from my
apartment. Now, here's a quick history of Pato's: Pato's Taco's was a cool
Austin joint since the '70's, with cheap food & beer, pool tables, and a
hip-ass back patio, partially covered and made of natural stone. They used
to have live music, and had recently started trying to have it again. A
few years ago, Pato's business started falling a bit, and there was a
convenient giant fire, putting it out of commission for a couple of years.
Then, last year, it reopened, rebuilt, a bigger menu, new folks, live
music, and a big front patio that extended into the yard next door, which
had picnic tables. As it is right next door to my favorite corner store,
the Monarch Mart (Adeel rules!), I was there almost every day, and the
place was always packed. This is a great neighborhood for that sort of
thing -- lots of college kids and hardcore Austin ex-hippie old-timers,
ready and willing to support a local Austin institution. But, alas, as is
FAR too often the case, the new Pato's was run by a total knucklehead. At
first I was trying to get a solo gig there, but then I had a gig with Teri
Joyce that the guy cancelled at the last minute -- because of the weather
and a football game. Then came the trifecta of doom for all new
restaurants -- changing menu, new hours, and a partner buyout. Finally.
the pronouncement of death: "CLOSED FOR RENOVATION". Needless to say, cool
new gigs at a cool new/old Austin icon (not to mention 4 blocks from my
house) were now out of the question. And then came the news, by way of the
same sign out front: "COMING SOON! QUACKS!" My God.

christiane