History on Discs

Austin blues club Antone's honors the genre with special box set

The Last Real Texas Blues Album will be celebrated with a launch party before the box set officially comes out.

Big Henry's Vinyl & Gifts and Antone's/Facebook

Austin's famous blues venue Antone's Nightclub has been promoting its 50th anniversary since the beginning of 2025, but one of the most collect-able pieces is finally ready to release this month. A five-disc vinyl box set with other historical materials will be released August 22.

The set, called Antone's: 50 Years Of The Blues, will contain 41 tracks that sketch a picture of why Antone's has become such a cultural touchstone in Austin and beyond. The set also comes with a 200-page hardcover photo book called Picture the Blues (a re-issue) by founder Clifford Antone's sister, Susan Antone; plus a bound book of liner notes and venue history by Joe Nick Patoski, a former reporter for Texas Monthly and the Austin American-Statesman.

As detailed in a press release, the discs will contain three full-length albums with different historical scopes:

The Last Real Texas Blues Album is the only album of the three with newly recorded music, all performed by artists who have had a major impact on the venue's past. That includes blues singer and guitarist Jimmie Vaughan, Vaughan's group The Fabulous Thunderbirds, producer and former Bob Dylan guitarist Charlie Sexton, folk-blues singer-songwriter Ruthie Foster, blues-rap-funk visionary Bobby Rush, accordionist C.J. Chenier (also the son of Clifton Chenier, the "King Of Zydeco"), and longtime Muddy Waters guitarist and bandleader John Primer. This album contains two LPs.
Tell Me One More Time features older material that the club has deemed "long-lost" among its Antone's Records collection, the club's in-house label. The label and this album prioritize female-fronted blues. Listeners will hear Lou Ann Barton, Angela Strehli, Lavelle White, Sue Foley, and Barbara Lynn.
We Went Live In '75 is similarly presented as a collection of rare live recordings, but this time from any part of Antone's history — not just the record label. Artists on this one include Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, and Gary Clark Jr.

That leaves one more disc that isn't an album: A single by iconic California rock group Los Lobos. They perform "Three Hundred Pounds of Joy," a cover of a track originally by blues legend Howlin' Wolf. It'll come on a 7-inch tri-color vinyl disc.

Antone's: 50 Years Of The Blues is still available for preorder ($200) via Antone's Record Shop and Big Henry's Vinyl & Gifts, the shop next door to the venue. A giveaway ending before 5 pm on August 18 will set someone up with an autographed copy.

The nightclub will also host a free listening party for The Last Real Texas Blues Album on August 18 at 6 pm. Some box sets will be available for purchase in-person, and there will be free drinks and special guests. (Listeners at home can also join in on Bandcamp, where there will be a live chat where listeners can ask questions.) Then on August 19, it's the "same deal" at Antone’s Record Shop at 2928 Guadalupe St. #101.

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Kicker

Christmas goes Celtic at Austin-area Renaissance fair grounds

Sherwood Forest Faire Yuletide Festival 2024

Photo courtesy of Sherwood Forest Faire

Participants at last year's inaugural Yuletide Festival.

This holiday season, the rolling woods of McDade will trade their usual medieval flair for something a little more jolly, and a lot more Celtic. The Sherwood Celtic Yuletide Festival will return December 12-14, transforming the grounds of the beloved Sherwood Forest Faire into a winter weekend of music, merriment, and holiday magic.

Just 35 miles east of Austin, Sherwood has long been a favorite getaway for Renaissance fans and families craving something immersive. But this special Yuletide event adds in a dash of holiday magic and the Scottish Highlands to the the already transportive atmosphere.

Guests can expect Highland Games like Scottish hammer swinging, shot put, and the legendary caber toss (a traditional Scottish game where competitors through giant tapered logs called "cabers" around), plus live falconry experiences and regular faire events like artisan shopping, archery, and live music.

To round it all out, Santa Claus will make a grand entrance by horse-drawn carriage, tossing candy to the crowd. He’ll also meet children with Mrs. Claus, while Sherwood photographers snap family portraits free of charge.

“It’s a really special event. We have about 80 artisans selling crafts, so it’s a really nice marketplace to buy Christmas presents," said Sherwood Forest Faire co-founder George Appling in a press release.

The lineup leans heavily into traditional Irish and Scottish music with one of the biggest draws being The Byrne Brothers, a high-energy Irish family band with a cult-like following. Killian's Angels, a Las Vegas-based Celtic band, will also take the stage with a blend of violin, tin whistle, guitar, and mandolin.

“The bands are amazing and are the kind of bands people in Texas won’t be able to see live anywhere else,” Appling added. And for those who want something seasonal to sip on while they listen, Sherwood has you covered.

“It's very rare to be able to go to a bar and buy warm, spiced Mead," said Appling, "but you can do that at this show.”

Sherwood Forest Faire launched its first Celtic music festival in 2011, but it was only decided last year to push it back from September to December and add in the "Yuletide" theme.

“For three years in a row, it was 103 degrees during the music festival, so it made sense to move it to December when it's cool, but not uncomfortable," Appling explained. "You can have your warm mead, you can wear your cloak if you want to. It's really nice."

Though it's only the second year, it's probably an easy adjustment for attendees: Crisp winter air, costumes, and a fairy-tale setting should make the whole place feel like a Celtic holiday village.

Tickets, including day passes, weekend passes, and camping, are available online starting at $12.50.

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