In the vein of popular walking tours, a new theatrical experience is coming to the State Theatre this October.
Called Art Heist, the immersive show explores the true-life — and still unsolved — case of the world's biggest art theft: when half a billion dollars in paintings disappeared from Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990.
Written by theater artist TJ Dawe, who also directed the show with Ming Hudson, the interactive experience recently premiered to sold-out crowds at the Vancouver Fringe Festival. It relies on a socially distanced, outdoor setting as a safe way to experience theater, and promises no two performances will be the same.
Small groups depart from the State Theatre and visit walkable locations throughout downtown Austin, gathering clues and interrogating suspects to try and determine whodunnit. Expect to meet several career criminals and con artists, including a possible inside man, a feared mastermind, and a gentle psychopath.
At the end, teams will submit their guesses for the robber and get to pose inside a giant art frame.
Each 90-minute performance promises to be unique, and start times staggered every 30 minutes help keep groups intimate.
Art Heist runs October 14-31, with tickets starting at $44.50. (Tickets are selling fast; as of press time, the first two dates were already sold out.)
Call the State Theatre box office at 512-474-1221 or visit the website to buy.
This year is a big one for Antone's, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. That means special events and initiatives across 2025, including releasing a special box set, starting a blues museum in the space upstairs, opening a satellite location at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, and of course, throwing a big party.
Antone's is doing 2025 in style; the year is even getting its own trailer.
A press release announcing the upcoming festivities included testimonials from publications and blues musicians including Austin's own Gary Clark Jr., who said, “Antone’s is my foundation. I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing if it hadn’t been for Antone’s." B.B. King also praised founder Clifford Antone as someone blues players owe much of their success.
Although most Austinies have some idea of how iconic the blues club is, they probably don't know the whole picture — 50 years is a lot to keep up with. A short version from the release explains that in 1975 it was the first live music venue on Sixth Street, but before that, Antone had opened a sandwich shop as part of his Lebanese-American family's business. (Yes, that does explain why there are Antone's sandwiches at H-E-B.)
However, as a Gulf Coast native, he'd toured around the area, including Louisiana, soaking up all the regional styles and realizing the pull to music was stronger than the duty to sandwiches. Having found his calling, Antone became known for treating musicians right and understanding the intricacies of the music he loved. Part of that included starting Antone’s Records as an outlet for new, local releases — an important resource for developing music careers outside of major labels.
Antone's claims some relevance in the careers of Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Doug Sahm, Charlie Sexton, Angela Strehli, Lou Ann Barton, Gary Clark Jr., Kam Franklin, Jackie Venson, McKinley James, and many others.
So, it's fitting that the first celebratory act listed is a box set featuring "rare, long-lost and new material." Antone's is making it happen with New West Records tying in performances from the venue itself as well as at Lincoln Center, South by Southwest, and the Austin Blues Festival. It will contain old live recordings, out-of-print catalog material, and new recordings.
In addition, Antone's is working on opening two new spaces for Austinites to visit. The first is a location at the airport, which will include a stage and some artifacts that represent the history of the club. Second, in a similar vein, is a museum upstairs at the existing venue, which the release says was a lifelong dream of Clifford Antone. So far, it's gathered items donated by Billy F Gibbons of ZZ Top, Willie Dixon, Susan Antone, and Clifton Chenier, among others.
That's not even close to all for Antone's this year, so here's a brief rundown. There will probably be more stories to come as each of these projects get fleshed out more:
An official panel and showcase at South by Southwest 2025
A special edition of the Austin Blues Festival on April 26 and 27
A trip to New York City in June to take part in Lincoln Center's Summer For The City series
An extended and updated version of the 2005 documentary Antone's: Home Of The Blues and of the 1985 Susan Antone photobook Picture The Blues, both made to celebrate anniversaries.
Austinites who want to join the party should mark their calendars for July 15, which is the actual anniversary of the first gig at Antone's. There will also be performances throughout July. So far, the venue hasn't released any details about the birthday bash, but if past lineups are any indication, it's going to be a good one.
