The music may soon be put on pause at a popular, decades-old karaoke bar in Downtown Austin.
On Sunday, Ego's posted an announcement to Instagram, stating its tentative last day is Sunday, August 11. Today, August 5, the team posted another update that some of the issues were being handled, and the bar would stay open until at least the end of the month.
The original post read: "We're gonna be real with you. It's not looking like Ego's is going to be open much longer," the post said. "Right now we're taking it day by day while we wait to see if the landlord is willing to fix all of the pipes that keep collapsing, but it's not looking good since they plan on demoing the building at some point anyway."
The bar is located inside a building at 510 South Congress Ave. Ego's said it is the only business left inside.
If it is unable to find a way forward, the bar plans to host "one last big hurrah" to celebrate 45 years in business.
"This is an extremely emotional and hard time for everyone who loves this bar, especially the staff," the Instagram post said.
Hidden behind a gas station, the garage-like dive bar first opened back in 1979. Since then, it has become a central spot for karaoke among Austinites and tourists alike.
Ego's said it eventually hopes to reopen in the same area.
"The owner still plans on being in the new build when it happens, but unfortunately, we won't be relocating until then," the bar said on Instagram.
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Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com. This version of the story has been adjusted by CultureMap to reflect an update from the bar since the publication of KVUE's article.
Neil Diamond — a member of both the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame with 10 No. 1 songs and over 56 million albums sold — is such a music legend that it would be easy to do a straight-up biopic of him. Instead, the new Song Sung Blue — named after Diamond’s 1972 hit song — serves as a shadow Diamond biopic, with his songs showcased through a real-life husband-and-wife tribute act known as Lightning & Thunder.
Based on the 2008 documentary of the same name, the film focuses on Mike Sardina (Hugh Jackman), who comes up with the idea for a Diamond-centric act when he meets Claire (Kate Hudson). The duo soon grows in popularity locally in Milwaukee, headlining not just restaurants and bars but also some larger venues. As their legend spreads, they even start to get the attention of the media and bigger names outside of Wisconsin.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a good biopic without a little turbulence, and — without spoiling things — Mike and Claire learn that good times never seemed so good when they face more than their fair share of troubles. The couple endures their ups and downs with the help of their combined family, including children Rachel (Ella Anderson) Angelina (King Princess), and Dana (Hudson Henley), as well as a community of fellow tribute acts.
Written and directed by Craig Brewer (Dolemite is My Name), the film’s appeal lies mainly in the irrepressible enthusiasm of Mike, a man born to entertain if ever there was one. Neither his long-dormant alcoholism nor health problems nor location in the Upper Midwest can stop Mike from demonstrating his showmanship skills. Of course, it helps that he’s portrayed by Jackman, who - despite getting a little long in the tooth — gives every performance his all.
What the story can never quite answer, though, is why this particular couple is worth an entire feature film. Sure, they have a somewhat interesting arc, especially when it coincides with a certain early ‘90s grunge band, but otherwise there’s little that separates them from other tribute acts toiling around the country. Brewer struggles to define them outside of their singing lives, and when things get really bad for them, the emotional connection is at a minimum.
Then there’s the aspect of incorporating Diamond’s music, some of which has endured across the decades more than others. Naturally, “Sweet Caroline” gets a notable showcase, but whither “America” or “Heartlight”? The title song is featured the most often, as Mike uses it to celebrate his yearly “sober birthday,” but it’s not a barnburner. Mike also has an obsession with the relatively obscure "Soolaimón," an odd choice both for him and for the movie to include so much.
Jackman and Hudson have good chemistry together, and when the film puts them together in singing scenes, their bond becomes infectious. Each of them has naturally melodic voices as well, lending an extra boost to that part of the film. Supporting actors like Anderson, King Princess, Michael Imperioli, and Fisher Stevens complement them well, but Jim Belushi, playing their promoter, gives a hammy performance that seems to be in a completely different movie.
While it’s unclear who the audience for Song Sung Blue might be other than hardcore Diamond fans, it has just enough crowd-pleasing moments to make for a solid watch. The entertainment factor of the film comes and goes, but Jackman using every ounce of his abilities mostly makes up for any deficiencies.
