As many of you know, in July I ventured back to my charmingly diverse hometown of Minneapolis. Though the goodbyes were hard and the transition has proven to be a bit more difficult then I was expecting, Minneapolis is a gem in the summer and I have taken advantage of my time off to do a bit of exploring with family, friends and loved ones.
It didn’t take me very long to leave again. At the beginning of July, I ventured out of the state to visit my friend Angela, who relocated to Austin some time ago. Though I was there for a week, we jam packed that week with as much Austin food, fun, and music as we stomach (and then some….). We even managed a trip to Houston in there. It was an exhausting, but fulfilling time spent exploring a city that my best friend has come to love so dearly.
While in Austin I had the chance to bask in many live music performances, and I love live music, so this was definitely one of the best things we had the chance to partake in. The night after I arrived we had the chance to enjoy some live music and local brews from a cozy picnic blanket at Unplugged at the Grove, where we swayed to the acoustic sounds of Jonathan Tyler. For my Milwaukee friends, think Jazz in the Park, but much more intimate and without sneaking in a bottle of wine. My favorite part was the twinkle lights hanging in the trees creating a rustic ambiance near the stage. But if I had to chose a favorite musical performance it would hands down be Tahoma with special guest Drew Davis.
If I thought Unplugged at the Grove had an intimate vibe, The Cactus Cafe was the definition of intimate. Cute tables meant for two to three people filled this 50 person cafe located on the University of Texas campus, and made for the perfect date night. Angela and I decided to take a trip back in time, and relive our college days, considering that Marquette never had anything nearly as cool as The Cactus Cafe (besides maybe the once a year concert that came to the AMU Ballroom). I stumbled upon this band called Tahoma on Spotify while exploring things to do in Austin and saw they were playing at a venue near where Angela lived, so it was must to check out. Tahoma captures tangy bluegrass with earthy sounds and Brandon Aguilar’s hip, laid back charm. Combine that with Sarah Oermann’s smooth harmonies and you have the perfect mix of Austin and Texas twang.
What came as a surprise though was jazzy blues singer, Drew Davis, coming along for the ride. She played a stripped down show, just her keyboard and two vocalists providing back up harmony. As much as I enjoyed Tahoma’s performance, Davis stole the night with her soulful voice and honest lyrics. It was quite obviously the girl was meant to be a songwriter, even displaying her skills by performing a song about a brick. Though the song may have been about an inanimate object, Davis brought life to the object with strong vocals and catchy chords. It almost was my favorite song out of her set, but it is hard to pick just one.
The evening was complete with a stroll through UT’s campus and walk back to the apartment. Nothing better then being able to rehash the night’s events with your bestie (and making a quick stop to grab a cinnamon roll at a local co-op).
Austin’s music scene will forever mystify me. How they manage to pack this city with so many new and talented artists, I will never understand. But I will most certainly continue to enjoy it.
