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Willie Nelson's famous 4th of July picnic returns to Q2 Stadium for special 50th anniversary

One Nation under Willie

Photo by James Joiner

Anyone who pledges allegiance to Willie's red bandana will be excited to know they can count on their annual pilgrimage to celebrate the 4th of July with the Texas legend.

That's right, Nelson will bring his famous 4th of July picnic back to Austin this summer, returning to Q2 Stadium with all his friends and family.

While the celebration is always special this year marks 50 years since Nelson launched the first picnic in 1972 — accounting for 2020's cancelation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As always, the event will feature Willie Nelson & Family, plus special guests. Tyler Childers, who just played the inaugural Two Step Inn, will return to Austin to grace the lineup, which also includes Dwight Yoakam, Shakey Graves, Shane Smith & the Saints, Sierra Ferrell, Asleep at the Wheel, and Particle Kid.

Tickets will go on sale on Friday, April 28, at 10 am at Q2stadium.com.

In addition to great live music across two stages, fans can expect delicious food, drinks, and post-show fireworks to celebrate the national holiday.

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Courtesy of The Backyard

Willie Nelson's Luck Reunion announces all-star lineup for 11th annual festival

Lucky Austin

SXSW is fast approaching, and with it, one of the best excuses to get outside the Austin City Limits: Willie Nelson's Luck Reunion will take place the same week as SXSW out on his beloved ranch, Luck, TX. Taking place on Thursday, March 16, this year's festival features more than 35 acts — on top of the incredible culinary lineup already announced for the days surrounding the main event.

“Team Luck is thrilled to welcome a diverse lineup of performers to Willie’s backyard, including fresh new talent and some familiar faces who have been longtime members of the Luck Family,” said festival organizers, via release.

A longtime partner in promoting the iconic event Southwest Airlines celebrates the fourth year of the Artists On The Rise To Luck program which brings Angel White, Arcy Drive and Pearla to join the Luck family. Through the Artist On The Rise platform, Southwest supports up-and-coming talent to give them a lift in their careers.

A new addition to the festival this year is The Bread & Roses Community Conversations Stage, hosting three engaging discussions throughout the day. Moderated conversations between musicians, activists, chefs, and local family farmers will include Celebrating Indigenous Foodways and Food Sovereignty, The Role of the Artist in Advancing Social Justice, and Family Farmers: Leading the Way with Equity, Food, and Climate Solutions. With intentional learning and community engagement in mind, The Bread & Roses Community Conversations Stage embraces cultural exchanges across industries and alongside fans.

The full lineup for the 2023 Luck Reunion is below (** indicates a Southwest Airlines Artist On The Rise):

  • A Tribute to Doug Sahm & The Texas Tornados featuring Shawn Sahm and Friends
  • A Song for Leon: A Tribute to Leon Russell featuring Beau Bedford, Robert Ellis, and Special Guests
  • Angel White **
  • Arcy Drive **
  • Black Opry Revue featuring Sug Daniels, Aaron Vance, Nikki Morgan & Nicky Diamonds
  • BMI Songwriters Circle featuring John Baumann, Bella White and Poet Hawkins
  • Bob Schneider
  • Dallas Burrow
  • Devon Gilfillian
  • Drayton Farley
  • Elvie Shane
  • Eric D. Johnson
  • Ethel Cain
  • Guster
  • Hermanos Gutiérrez
  • J. Creek Cloggers
  • Jaime Wyatt
  • Jason Scott & The High Heat
  • Jimmie Dale Gilmore & The West Texas Exiles
  • Katie Pruitt
  • Matthew Logan Vasquez
  • Night Cap
  • Particle Kid
  • Pearla **
  • Peter One
  • Rattlesnake Milk
  • Sadurn
  • Shane Smith & The Saints
  • Sierra Ferrell
  • Sir Woman
  • Spoon
  • Terry Allen & The Panhandle Mystery Band
  • The Band of Heathens
  • the GOLDEN DREGS
  • The Heavy Heavy
  • The War and Treaty
  • Thee Sacred Souls
  • Wild Child
  • Willie Nelson & Family
  • Willis Alan Ramsey

Haven't been lucky enough to snag a ticket yet? Fans will have another chance to purchase tickets to the Reunion in-person at Lucky Draw Live, an event at Antone’s Nightclub in Austin thsi Saturday, February 25, at 8 pm. The event will feature performances by Beau Bedford and Robert Ellis & Friends.

Further chances to purchase tickets will be presented through the Lucky Draw as well as Luck Reunion sponsor pages, and fans are encouraged to subscribe to Luck Presents’ email list and follow Luck Reunion on social media to grab their opportunity to attend this unique event.

Courtesy of Soho House

Swanky South Congress hotspot spins open to the public, plus more top stories

Hot Headlines

Editor’s note: It’s that time again — time to check in with our top stories. Here are five articles that captured our collective attention over the past seven days.

1. Swanky South Congress vinyl bar spins open to the Austin public. You no longer need to be a Soho House Austin member to enjoy the vibes and the vinyl at Dante's HiFi.

2. Documentary Turn Every Page deep-dives into historic publishing partnership. Turn Every Page may be most interesting to those who have read and loved Robert Caro’s books over the past five decades, but there’s enough there to open the film wide for the uninitiated.

3. Hill Country town puts a Texas twist on Carnival season for 18th annual Cowboy Mardi Gras. Known as the "Cowboy Capital of the World," Bandera hosts a three-day Cowboy Mardi Gras that attracts over 15 thousand people from all over the world.

4. Willie Nelson bakes up more food and music than ever before at 2023 Luck Reunion. Taking place on the same week as SXSW, the smaller, more intimate festival has become a bit of a holy pilgrimage for Willie fans young and old.

5. Frontier Airlines clears unlimited travel pass for takeoff from Austin this summer. If blackout dates and traveling light sound doable, these Frontier travel passes could pay for themselves.

Photo by Heather Leah Kennedy

Willie Nelson bakes up more food and music than ever before at 2023 Luck Reunion

Feeling lucky

Willie says he's never been accused of being normal, and that's certainly true of his alternative music festival Luck Reunion. Taking place on the same week as SXSW, the smaller, more intimate festival has become a bit of a holy pilgrimage for Willie fans of all ages to gather at the legend's Spicewood ranch, "Luck, TX."

Returning for its 11th year, Luck Reunion is expanding from one day to three, featuring one of a kind culinary and music experiences from March 15 to 19.

Kicking off festivities on March 15, Luck Presents: Potluck 2023 - Three Sisters will feature an intimate "Three Sisters" themed evening paying homage to the main agricultural crops of indigenous cuisine: maize, squash and climbing Beans. The family-style seated dinner will be prepared by a diverse slate of esteemed chefs, followed by a live performance from Nelson under the Hill Country stars.

The host chef for this unique evening will be Brian Light of Ronin Farm and Restaurant near College Station, joined by Crystal Wahpepah (Wahpepah's Kitchen, Kickapoo Nation); Brit Reed (I-Collective, Choctaw tribe); Sewa Yuli (I-Collective, Yoeme tribe). Austin chefs Edgar Rico (Nixta Taqueria) and Mariela Camacho (Comadre Panadería) will participate in the welcome bites and cocktail hour, presented by the Texas Wine and Food Alliance, and celebrity chefs Rick Bayless (Frontera Grill) and Michel Nischan (Wholeome Wave) will also lend their support.

The dinner will start at 5 pm, and tickets will go on sale Monday, February 13 at 12 pm CST. As always, proceeds from Potluck benefit the Luck Family Foundation who will make direct grants to some of Nelson's longtime charity partners, including Farm Aid, Wholesome Wave, and The Texas Food & Wine Alliance.

The main music event will take place on March 16, with a full lineup yet to be announced.

Then, at noon on March 18, the Big Easy will invade Luck, TX for Luck Origins: New Orleans Takeover, a multi-performer show drawn from the spirit and deep influence of the Birthplace of Jazz. The event will feature a chef-curated food experience presented by the Texas Food and Wine Alliance as well as food vendors from across Texas and Louisiana. So far, the lineup includes Cha Wa; Ivan Neville & Friends; The Soul Rebels; and more. Tickets go on sale Monday, February 13, at 12 pm CST.

Capping off events, a thoughtful and artist-packed tribute to the legendary Sister Rosetta Tharpe will take place at 11 am on March 19. Luck, Antone’s and Gibson Presents: Strange Things Happening: A Tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, 1917-1973 will feature a Gospel Brunch like no other, celebrating the original "Soul Sister" who made an indelible impact on gospel and soul music. The lineup features the Binky Griptite Orchestra, as well as special guests Abraham Alexander, Ruthie Foster, Valerie June, and many more. Tickets go on sale Monday, February 13, at 12 pm CST.

Courtesy of The Backyard

Willie Nelson joins Beto O'Rourke for voting rally in Austin

Get out the Vote

Willie Nelson is no (red-headed) stranger to politics, and while his heroes have always been cowboys, his support for gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke is no less genial. The duo will take the stage together this weekend at a Vote 'Em Out Rally in Austin on Sunday, October 2.

The rally's title no doubt comes from Nelson's 2018 song, "Vote 'Em Out," where Nelson writes:

"If you don't like who's in there, vote 'em out
That's what Election Day is all about
The biggest gun we've got
is called the ballot box
So if you don't like who's in there, vote 'em out."

The country music legend debuted the song at a previous rally in support of O'Rourk'e 2018 run for governor, but Nelson's support of the El Paso candidate goes back even further, when he invited O'Rourke on stage during his 2018 Fourth of July Picnic. Nelson drew criticism for the endorsement from more conservative fans, but that doesn't seem to have riled the octogenarian musician, who has never shied from sharing his personal beliefs.

In the midst of his second gubernatorial campaign, O'Rourke joined Nelson again for the 2022 Fourth of July Picnic at Austin's new Q2 Stadium — this time with guitar in hand and his son by his side.

This Sunday's rally will take place at 2 pm at Moontower Saloon in South Austin, and the event is free and open to the public. Nelson will both perform and share a few words in support of the campaign. According to a release, O'Rourke will in turn lay out his vision for "bringing Texans together to deliver great jobs, world class public schools, reproductive freedom, and the ability to see a doctor."

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Property Showcase

Austin earned top 10 rank for highest number of build-to-rent homes last year

THE RISE OF THE RENTAL

With the increasing demand for housing and rising popularity of constructing homes for rent, Austin has earned a top 10 position in a new analysis of American metro areas with the highest number of single-family rentals built for all of 2022.

A total of 324 build-to-rent homes were completed in Austin in 2022, which is a 10-year high, according to the study by RentCafe. The newest findings put the Texas Capital three places higher than in 2021, when the city ranked No. 13 in the nation.

"Austin was named the second fastest growing city in the U.S. by the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise," the study's author wrote. "That came after the city recorded a 4.3 percent rise in its GDP in 2022 to $216 billion, following the Bay Area."

The study analyzed build-to-rent data from RentCafe's sister site, Yardi Matrix, for communities that had at least 50 single-family rental units.

Dallas nailed the rankings this year by earning the top spot with nearly 2,800 single-family rental units completed last year. Phoenix (which outpaced Dallas last year) ranked No. 2 with only 1,527 units completed. After Phoenix, single-family rentals in other American metro areas only went into the triple digits, with Atlanta, Georgia (No. 3) at 808, Greenville, South Carolina (No. 4) at 584, and Charlotte, North Carolina rounding out the top five with 475 units completed.

The metro areas that complete the top 10 for the most build-to-rent homes in 2022 include:

  • No. 6 – Detroit, Michigan
  • No. 7 – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
  • No. 8 – Panama City, Florida
  • No. 9 – Charleston, South Carolina
  • No. 10 – Austin, Texas

Austin had the seventh highest number of single-family rentals completed in the country within the last five years, totaling 1,096 units. The Texas cities that ranked higher were Dallas (No. 2) and Houston (No. 4). San Antonio ranked below Austin at No. 8. Phoenix took the No. 1 spot with over 6,000 build-to-rent homes completed in the same time period.

The study's findings support a growing demand for flexibility among renters who may not want the high cost and maintenance associated with home ownership, RentCafe says.

“More and more people are deciding they want the best of both worlds: the flexible lifestyle of the renter, with no maintenance commitments and costs, and the comfort and privacy offered by living in a house,” the study’s author wrote. “In this case, build-to-rent homes check all of the boxes, while high home prices and rising interest rates make them even more appealing.”

The number of single-family rentals is expected to continue rising dramatically in 2023. Currently, 945 units are under construction in Austin. Overall, there are 44,700 build-to-rent homes being built this year throughout the nation; three times more than the number of completed homes in all of 2022, the study says.

Shuttered Salvation Army shelter in downtown Austin will get new life

Salvation Army

When the Salvation Army shelter on East Eighth Street shut its doors back in April, Austin City Council member Zohaib "Zo" Qadri (District 9) said it was unfortunate to see as an Austin resident and leader.

"The Salvation Army kind of abruptly stated that they were pulling out without much of a notice to the residents of the shelter in the district – a shelter that largely houses or housed women and children," Qadri said. "So, you know, that was a huge disappointment for us."

Now the City of Austin has reached a compromise and solution that Qadri believes will help those experiencing homelessness. The Austin City Council on Thursday, June 8, approved a 12-month lease agreement for the former Salvation Army shelter that will cost more than $1 million.

The site will be operated by California-based nonprofit Urban Alchemy, which also provides services at the ARCH, or the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless. The council also approved a contract for Urban Alchemy to add more funding, extend the ARCH program and run the former Salvation Army shelter, providing 150 beds.

Urban Alchemy will get more than $4 million.

Later this summer, City leaders will also consider a temporary emergency shelter that will provide around 300 more beds for people experiencing homelessness.

ECHO, or the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, estimates there are thousands of people experiencing homelessness in Austin. Since the city's camping ban was reinstated in May 2021, many of these individuals have spread out throughout the city or gone into hiding, making it harder to connect them with services.

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Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

Tenacious D will play the best song in the world in Austin this fall

Spicy Meatball

America's favorite (only?) comedy rock duo is back on tour, and lucky for Austinites, they've announced the addition of three Texas dates this fall. Of course, we're talking about none other than Tenacious D, comprised of Jack Black and Kyle Glass.

The duo's Spicy Meatball Tour is currently underway this month in Europe, with newly extended dates including Houston (September 13), Grand Prairie (September 14), and Austin (September 15).

Supporting acts are yet to be announced, but tickets are on sale as of Friday, June 9, at 10 am. Fans can purchase tickets HERE.

According to a release, the tour dates come on the heels of the recently-released recorded version of Tenacious D’s viral, fan-favorite live cover of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game.” The single is accompanied by a video directed by longtime D collaborator Taylor Stephens, and features our dynamic duo in a glorious, romantic romp by the sea. Last month, they released their first new song in five years, “Video Games,” which has been streamed over 18 million times across all platforms in less than a month. The animated music video, created by Oney Plays, brings video game-ified versions of Black and Glass to life in classic and hilarious ways.

In addition to the single releases, Tenacious D will be the special guest at this year’s Video Game Awards, happening on June 25 at the Hollywood Bowl, where they will perform their new single.

But of course the burning question remains: Will Black perform his equally viral "Peaches" from the recent Super Mario Bros. movie? There's only one way to find out.

Full Tour Dates are below (new dates in bold font):
6/7/23 Berlin, Germany @ Zitadelle
6/8/23 Nickelsdorf, Austria @ Nova Rock Festival
6/10/23 Milan, Italy @ Carroponte
6/12/23 Zurich, Switzerland @ The Hall
6/13/23 Brussels, Belgium @ Forest National
6/14/23 Rotterdam, Netherlands @ Ahoy
6/16/23 London, England @ O2 Arena
6/18/23 Clisson, France @ Hellfest Open Air Festival
6/25/23 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl (Video Game Awards)
9/6/23 Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion
9/7/23 Franklin, TN @ Firstbank Amphitheater
9/9/23 Indianapolis, IN @ All IN Music Festival
9/11/23 Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP
9/13/23 Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
9/14/23 Grand Prairie, TX @ Texas Trust CU Theatre
9/15/23 Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater

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