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#294 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Tue Mar 17, 2009 1:58 am
Subject: St. Paddy's, Musicians Marching for Peace and more 		guitarfrog59
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Thanks to all who made my return to the New World Deli a night to remember and a night to reminisce. There will be more Deli shows upcoming. In the meantime, if you're looking for a show this week where you can actually find a chair, you can hear me two different evenings at Mesa Ranch. If you're looking to hoist a pint for St. Patrick's Day, I'll be singing some Irish favorites on Tuesday, alongside my usual Texas and South Austin fare. Saturday, I'll be backing up Paula Held on the Mesa stage.

 

In-between, on Saturday morning, I'll be joining the fourth annual Million Musicians March for Peace - marking the sixth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, and reminding our new president to make good on his promises to pull us out. Musicians - and fans - will gather in front of the State Capitol from noon to 1. At 1, we'll parade to City Hall, where a rally and concert will run from 1:45 to 4 p.m. I'm hoping Bill Oliver brings his portable PA in a shopping cart, so we can plug in and provide some rolling thunder through the streets of SXSW.

 

If you'd like to get a taste of last year's march, you can check out a video at http://instrumentsforpeace.org/blog/, where I'm performing "What Would Molly Do?"

 

Steve

 

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Happy Hour show)

SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Happy Hour show)

STEVE BROOKS

MESA RANCH SOUTH @ THE CLARION INN

2200 S I H 35, 916-8787

www.mesaranchaustin .com

Directions: From I-35, exit at Oltorf and head West on Oltorf. Once you cross I-35, take a immediate right onto Live Oak. Mesa Ranch is on your right, next to the hotel. If youʼre coming East on Oltorf, take the last left turn

 

SATURDAY, MARCH 21

MILLION MUSICIANS MARCH FOR PEACE

Noon to 1 - State Capitol

1 to 1:45 - March to City Hall

1:45 to 4 - Rally and Concert at City Hall


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#293 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Thu Mar 12, 2009 4:54 am
Subject: New World Deli Friday and More 		guitarfrog59
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When it rains, it pours - there are some words we haven't heard in these parts for awhile. I'm looking forward to Friday's what-goes-around-comes-around return to the New World Deli in Hyde Park, and to chowing down on one of their big fat Reubens. Then I have some more casual shows down South. Here's the skinny, even though I won't be.
 
Steve
 
FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 7 to 10 p.m.
STEVE BROOKS w PAULA HELD
NEW WORLD DELI
4101 Guadalupe (Corner of 41st of Guadalupe)
451-7170
 
SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 11 a.m. to Noon

STEVE BROOKS

Sunset Valley Farmer's Market

Saturday, Aug. 4, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Toney Burger Center

3200 Jones Road

on 290 West between Brodie Lane and Westgate Blvd in Sunset Valley, Texas.

 

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Happy Hour show)

STEVE BROOKS

MESA RANCH SOUTH @ THE CLARION INN

2200 S I H 35, 916-8787

www.mesaranchaustin .com

Directions: From I-35, exit at Oltorf and head West on Oltorf. Once you cross I-35, take a immediate right onto Live Oak. Mesa Ranch is on your right, next to the hotel. If youʼre coming East on Oltorf, take the last left turn before you hit I-35, which puts you on Live Oak.

 


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#292 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Fri Mar 6, 2009 8:36 pm
Subject: Party Like it's 1999, as Steve Brooks returns to the New World Deli! 		guitarfrog59
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Yes, it's true. Ten years ago, when I started this email list, I was writing songs for Jim Hightower's radio show and hosting Hyde Park Unplugged, a weekly show in which I got to share the stage with an astonishing array of songwriters and poets, many of them still good friends of mine. I especially cherish the memories of the late Glen Alyn, who started HPU with me in 1996, and Al Grierson, the late poet laureate of Luckenbach.
 
A decade later, both me and the Deli are still around and still thriving. What's changed is that Greg and Sarah Bontempo have started serving dinner, on top of the best Reubens in town, and gotten a liquor license - and as a result, they're bringing live music back to Central Austin, Thursday through Saturday every week. Oh, yeah, and now they have a sound system, so for a change, I'll be plugged.
 
So I'll be making a grand return to the New World Deli next Friday night, March 13. Paula Held will be playing with me, and we'll be playing many of the songs from my upcoming CD, which is tentatively titled, "Chasing Grace." As always, you can help the process along and get the record several months ahead of the general public by clicking here to pre-order. This will be a special show for me - I look forward to reliving old times and new music with some of you who used to be regulars. Call it Hyde Park Replugged.
 
Peace through Music,
Steve
 
FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 7 to 10 p.m.
STEVE BROOKS w PAULA HELD
NEW WORLD DELI
4101 Guadalupe (Corner of 41st of Guadalupe)
451-7170
 
 
 
 
 
 

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#291 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Mon Feb 9, 2009 6:32 pm
Subject: Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch this Tuesday Happy Hour 		guitarfrog59
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Somehow, I've missed using this joke during the several months I've been playing at Mesa Ranch. I'll be there again this Tuesday and the 24th, offering shelter, good songs and cheap eats to weary commuters.

 

On the recording front, I just got rough mixes of all 12 songs from Chris. I'll be listening with an eagle ear all week, and then we'll add and subtract a few tracks and polish the rest. Our goal is to have final mixes ready for mastering by the end of the month. As always, you can help the process along and get the record several months ahead of the general public by clicking here to pre-order.

 

I also want to put in a plug for the Tuesdays when I don't play at Mesa Ranch, because I switch off the happy hours with Dave Hooper, a longtime co-writer of mine and a wonderfully unsung Austin songwriter. Think the songs of Gordon Lightfoot and the voice of Johnny Cash, and check him out.

 

Steve

 

TUESDAY, FEB. 10, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Happy Hour show)

TUESDAY, FEB. 24, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Happy Hour show)

STEVE BROOKS

MESA RANCH SOUTH @ THE CLARION INN

2200 S I H 35, 916-8787

www.mesaranchaustin .com

Directions: From I-35, exit at Oltorf and head West on Oltorf. Once you cross I-35, take a immediate right onto Live Oak. Mesa Ranch is on your right, next to the hotel. If youʼre coming East on Oltorf, take the last left turn before you hit I-35, which puts you on Live Oak.

 


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#290 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Tue Jan 27, 2009 6:43 pm
Subject: Happy Hour Tonight and Helping Artz Info 		guitarfrog59
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Here's a reminder that I'll be playing a happy hour set tonight at Mesa Ranch. If you're looking to postpone a cold, icy commute until traffic dies down, it's a tasty place to stop, for both food and music.
 
On a less happy note, many of you have heard by now that Artz Rib House on South Lamar is in danger of closing its doors, due in part to the sudden illness of Art's wife Zee. Artz has supported folk music longer than just about any other venue in town, and Monday nights there are like a songwriters' front porch. Those of us who play there are encouraging acoustic music fans to help out - either by stopping in for a plate of ribs or South Austin tacos, or by mailing a contribution. Every bit helps, and helps to Keep Austin Weird. Checks can be sent to Art Blondin, C/O Rene Britt, P O Box 91092, Austin, TX 78709.
 
Steve
 
 

TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Happy Hour show)

STEVE BROOKS

MESA RANCH SOUTH @ THE CLARION INN

2200 S I H 35, 916-8787

www.mesaranchaustin.com

Directions: From I-35, exit at Oltorf and head West on Oltorf. Once you cross I-35, take a immediate right onto Live Oak. Mesa Ranch is on your right, next to the hotel. If you’re coming East on Oltorf, take the last left turn before you hit I-35, which puts you on Live Oak.


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#289 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Wed Jan 21, 2009 9:51 pm
Subject: House Concert Sunday, Happy Hour Tuesday 		guitarfrog59
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Where were you Tuesday morning? For a lot of us, it was one of those moments you never forget, like your first kiss, your first shot of tequila or your first Black president. Me, I was over in Westlake Hills, watching TV with Liz Carpenter and friends. The moment had an extra layer of meaning, since Liz worked for LBJ in the days of the Voting Rights Act. Four decades later, the circle was complete.
 
I won't be making that kind of history Sunday evening, but I will be playing my first Austin house concert in a year and a half. And for those who aren't familiar with all the songs on my upcoming CD, this concert in South Austin will be a preview, with a lot of songs I don't do in my bar gigs. To make things even more entertaining, Paula Held will be opening, with a batch of new songs that I think are among her best. Feel free to bring a guitar for a song circle afterwards. Or, you can pre-order the CD by clicking here.
 
Of course, if you prefer to catch a bar gig, you can head on down to Mesa Ranch next Tuesday and request "Amarillo By Morning." Yep, this Tuesday morning, I'll bet there were even folks celebrating in Amarillo.
 
Steve
 

SUNDAY, JAN 25, 4 to 8 p.m.

STEVE BROOKS

WEBB HOUSE CONCERTS

Suggested Donation $10-15

Song circle afterwards

South Austin, near William Cannon and South First

For reservations and map, email webbhouseconcerts@...

www.myspace.com/webbhouseconcerts

 

TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Happy Hour show)

STEVE BROOKS

MESA RANCH SOUTH @ THE CLARION INN

2200 S I H 35, 916-8787

www.mesaranchaustin.com

Directions: From I-35, exit at Oltorf and head West on Oltorf. Once you cross I-35, take a immediate right onto Live Oak. Mesa Ranch is on your right, next to the hotel. If you’re coming East on Oltorf, take the last left turn before you hit I-35, which puts you on Live Oak.


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#288 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Wed Jan 7, 2009 5:49 pm
Subject: First Two Shows of '09, this Thurs. and Jan. 25 		guitarfrog59
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I kicked off the New Year with two more days in the studio. More overdubs from Chris, and harmony vocals on four songs from Paula Held. And Tom Pittman of the Austin Lounge Lizards dropped in to lay down banjo on "One More Shot of Whiskey." We're shooting to have the album mixed by the end of the month. If one of your New Years' resolutions is to support Austin music, you can stay on track by clicking here to pre-order.
 
You can hear many of the songs from the new record at my next couple of gigs. Mesa Ranch may be yanking music from its weekday happy hours, so this Thursday might be your last chance to check South Austin music mixed with deep-fried nopalitos. Later this month, you can mark your calendars for my first Austin house concert in years, at Webb House Concerts near William Cannon and Emerald Forest. They're one of the few local concert series that features South Austin artists rather than touring folkies, in an atmosphere that's a lot more listener-friendly than Artz or Threadgill's. Details below.
 
It's a New Year for me in more ways than one. As my family's been dwindling the past couple of years, I decided to become a single dad in December, by adopting a puppy. Or she had me, as John Lennon might say. I think of it as my personal Christmas story. She was found wandering stray in a field, a fuzzy little piece of coyote bait. Now she's wandering in my living room and backyard, chowing down on unspeakable objects and expressing her opinions on my music. Every dog's a critic. Or every critic's a dog, I can't remember which. Because she's a tough broad, and because she delights in afflicting the comfortable, I named her Molly, after our late, great Molly Ivins. Alright, now for the collective AWWWWW...
 
Pros-Perro Ano Nuevo,
Steve
 
THURSDAY, JAN. 8, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Happy Hour show)

STEVE BROOKS

MESA RANCH SOUTH @ THE CLARION INN

2200 S I H 35, 916-8787

www.mesaranchaustin.com

Directions: From I-35, exit at Oltorf and head West on Oltorf. Once you cross I-35, take a immediate right onto Live Oak. Mesa Ranch is on your right, next to the hotel. If you’re coming East on Oltorf, take the last left turn before you hit I-35, which puts you on Live Oak.

 

SUNDAY, JAN 25, 4 p.m.

STEVE BROOKS

WEBB HOUSE CONCERTS

South Austin, near William Cannon and Emerald Forest

For reservations and map, email webbhouseconcerts@...

www.myspace.com/webbhouseconcerts

 
 
.


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#287 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Sun Dec 21, 2008 8:30 pm
Subject: Happy Holidays Happy Hour Tuesday at Mesa Ranch 		guitarfrog59
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Three more days in the studio the past two weeks, and we're closing in on the finish line. I finished my vocals (thanks to Brenda Freed for some great vocal coaching), and Chris has been steadily adding instrumental overdubs. Jeff Tveraas stopped in to sing some harmony parts on "One Good Year," "The Other Shoe" and "One More Shot of Whiskey." If you've been meaning to pre-order your copy, and you haven't maxxed out your credit cards pre-holiday, you can still order it by clicking here.
 
What a amazing year! It gives new meaning to Charles Dickens' classic line about the best of times and worst of times. For me, personally, it's been great to get back out on the road, to be putting out a real studio CD and helping to run my local Unitarian church. For our nation, well, I was one of the millions who cried tears on Election night, tears of sorrow for how we got here and tears of joy for a new beginning. I hope we can all contribute to the American Phoenix that will rise from the ashes of the last eight years.
 
My last gig of the year will be Tuesday, on the eve of Xmas Eve. I'll be singing The Grinch and other alterative Christmas favorites, along with the best in South Austin folk. Then it's off to hit a few more parties, catch the 37th Street lights and fry a turkey for Xmas dinner.
 
Hoppy Holidays,
Steve
 
TUESDAY, DEC. 23 , 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Happy Hour show)

STEVE BROOKS

MESA RANCH SOUTH @ THE CLARION INN

2200 S I H 35, 916-8787

www.mesaranchaustin.com

Directions: From I-35, exit at Oltorf and head West on Oltorf. Once you cross I-35, take a immediate right onto Live Oak. Mesa Ranch is on your right, next to the hotel. If you’re coming East on Oltorf, take the last left turn before you hit I-35, which puts you on Live Oak.


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#286 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Thu Nov 20, 2008 6:39 pm
Subject: At Mesa Ranch Next Tuesday 		guitarfrog59
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Before I head to Houston and Galveston for the weekend, here's a note on my next show here in Austin. The last Tuesday evening I played at Mesa Ranch, Barack Obama was elected President of the United States. Who knows what could happen this Tuesday?
 
Latest album update: I spent two more great days with in the studio with Chris this week. We finished laying down my vocals and guitar tracks. We also put down some impromptu rhythm tracks on a new song, "Iowa Wind." On bass was Freebo, who used to play with Bonnie Raitt, with percussion from Courtney Audain, a veteran of Timbuk 3.
 
"Iowa Wind" will replace the half-recorded song "Johnny and June," a lovely waltz inspired by the love story of Johnny Cash and June Carter. Problem is, a gal from Nashville hit the country charts a couple of months ago with song also inspired by the famous couple, and also titled - you guessed it - "Johnny and June." That's showbiz. If you'd like to help me finish the record before someone has a big hit with another one of my song titles, you can click here.
 
Proud Citizen of the Obama-Nation,
Steve
 
TUESDAY, NOV. 25, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Happy Hour show)

STEVE BROOKS

MESA RANCH SOUTH @ THE CLARION INN

2200 S I H 35, 916-8787

www.mesaranchaustin.com

Directions: From I-35, exit at Oltorf and head West on Oltorf. Once you cross I-35, take a immediate right onto Live Oak. Mesa Ranch is on your right, next to the hotel. If you’re coming East on Oltorf, take the last left turn before you hit I-35, which puts you on Live Oak.


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#285 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Fri Nov 14, 2008 3:57 am
Subject: Big Saturday ahead at Sunset Valley Farmer's Market and B.B. Rover's 		guitarfrog59
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I'll be on the move all day Saturday. I'll play the morning at the Sunset Valley Farmer's Market and the evening at B.B. Rover's. Depending on the temperature, the Rover's show may be outside on the patio or indoors. Joining me at B.B.'s will be my old musical compadre and dear friend Mandy Mercier. If you've never heard Mandy, well, she can sing more emotion into one line than most of us can sing into a whole album. We'll undoubtedly do some of the songs of our mutual friend, the late, great Al Grierson, along with some Gram Parsons tunes and plenty of orginals. I'm looking forward to rocking out on guitar on some of Mandy's songs.
 
Here's the latest on the new album: I spent Tuesday in the studio with Chris Gage, laying down vocals on four songs: Will I Ever Love That Way Again, Riding Out the Storm, Love is a House and Walking With the Elders. I'll be back in the studio next Tuesday and Wednesday, and them I'm off to play in Houston and Galveston. I'll reappear in Austin just before Thanksgiving for a Mesa Ranch happy hour.
 
Thanks, as always, to those of you who have supported the album by pre-ordering it. If you haven't ordered your copy yet, you can click here to be magically transported to my online store.
 
A Proud Citizen of the Obama-Nation,
Steve
 
SATURDAY, NOV. 15, 11 a.m. to noon,
Sunset Valley Farmer's Market
Toney Burger Center

3200 Jones Road at Pillow, or on 290 West between Brodie Lane and Westgate Blvd in Sunset Valley.
 
SATURDAY, NOV. 15, 9 to Midnight
STEVE BROOKS & MANDY MERCIER
B.B. Rover's Pub
12101 Jollyville Rd., 335-9504
Between Oak Knoll and Spicewood Springs exits for 183, just north of Krispy Kreme, next to the Mongolian BBQ
 
TUESDAY, NOV. 25, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Happy Hour show)

MESA RANCH SOUTH @ THE CLARION INN

2200 S I H 35, 916-8787

www.mesaranchaustin.com

Directions: From I-35, exit at Oltorf and head West on Oltorf. Once you cross I-35, take a immediate right onto Live Oak. Mesa Ranch is on your right, next to the hotel. If you’re coming East on Oltorf, take the last left turn before you hit I-35, which puts you on Live Oak.



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#284 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Fri Oct 31, 2008 3:51 am
Subject: Celebrate after voting: Hear Steve Sunday and Tuesday 		guitarfrog59
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I picked my time carefully for early voting - I was one of the few residents of Travis County who didn't have to wait in line. Oh, what a feeling! But I've got a couple more gigs this weekend, before time and American voters sweep the Bush administration into the dustbin of history.

 

I've spared y'all a lot of politics this election season, but I gotta say: I'm dreaming about waking up Wednesday morning and realizing that a black man has been elected President. After all the slime has been washed off this campaign, and after the dark night of the past eight years, Nov. 4 will be remembered as a transformational event in American history. It's the redemption of America's original sin. And we all get to be part of it.

 

That is, if we get out and vote. See you Tuesday night with that little sticker on your lapel.

 

Steve

 

SUNDAY, NOV. 2, 5 to 7 p.m.

The South Congress Salon

With Special Guest STEVE BROOKS

BOTTICELLI’S

1321 South Congress , 916-1315

(next  to The Continental Club)

hosted by Jena Gessaman is a round table discussion between writers and patrons. Each Sunday from 5-7 pm on Botticelli's beautiful patio selected guests will lead political, social and literary conversations. Writers are encouraged to share written works for constructive critique.

More info: www.digthatnoise.com

 

TUESDAY, NOV. 4, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

STEVE BROOKS

MESA RANCH SOUTH @ THE CLARION INN

2200 S I H 35, 916-8787

www.mesaranchaustin.com

Directions: From I-35, exit at Oltorf and head West on Oltorf. Once you cross I-35, take a immediate right onto Live Oak. Mesa Ranch is on your right, next to the hotel. If you’re coming East on Oltorf, take the last left turn before you hit I-35, which puts you on Live Oak.

 


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#283 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Sun Oct 26, 2008 10:03 pm
Subject: Mesa Ranch Happy Hour This Tuesday, Oct. 28 		guitarfrog59
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Doing my bit to make Happy Hours a little happier, I'll be back at Mesa Ranch this coming Tuesday. When you get sick of sitting in traffic on I-35, pull off the Oltorf Exit and stop on in. Or go and do your early voting, and then come celebrate with a Shiner.
 
In other news, I'll be returning to the studio with Chris Gage in November, and been doing some co-writing with Chris and Christine - I suspect you'll be hearing more about this song. If you'd like to help me get the record recorded and be one of the first to hear the finished product, you can place a pre-order by clicking here.

 

Frog Bless,

Steve

 

 

TUESDAY, OCT. 28, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Happy Hour show)

STEVE BROOKS

MESA RANCH SOUTH @ THE CLARION INN

2200 S I H 35, 916-8787

www.mesaranchaustin.com

Directions: From I-35, exit at Oltorf and head West on Oltorf. Once you cross I-35, take a immediate right onto Live Oak. Mesa Ranch is on your right, next to the hotel. If you’re coming East on Oltorf, take the last left turn before you hit I-35, which puts you on Live Oak.


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#282 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Sun Oct 12, 2008 8:43 pm
Subject: Mesa Ranch Tuesday Happy Hours Oct. 14 & 28 		guitarfrog59
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My Austin shows this month will be a couple of solo happy hours at Mesa Ranch at Oltorf and I-35, well-placed for those of you who live South or those who want to get the hell off I-35 till rush hour dies down.

 

If you don't have a chance to hear either of those shows, you can always pre-order a copy of my upcoming CD. Two weeks ago, I laid down guitar tracks in Chris Gage's studio, and they're sounding great. You can place a pre-order by clicking here.

 

Frog Bless,

Steve

 

 

TUESDAY, OCT. 14, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Happy Hour show)

and TUESDAY, OCT. 28, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Happy Hour show)

STEVE BROOKS

MESA RANCH SOUTH @ THE CLARION INN

2200 S I H 35, 916-8787

www.mesaranchaustin.com

Directions: From I-35, exit at Oltorf and head West on Oltorf. Once you cross I-35, take a immediate right onto Live Oak. Mesa Ranch is on your right, next to the hotel. If you’re coming East on Oltorf, take the last left turn before you hit I-35, which puts you on Live Oak.


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#281 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:30 pm
Subject: Longhorn Cavens Show Cancelled; Where I'll Be Instead 		guitarfrog59
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If you were thinking of heading up to Longhorn Caverns this Saturday, I'm afraid my show there has been cancelled, due to a shortfall in reservations. That's showbiz, especially in a recession.
 
I'll put in a plug for a local show that I'll be attending instead. Lisa Markely and Bruce Ballmer are a pair of Dallas songwriters who share smoky, jazzy melodies with literary lyrics and Bruce's fiery guitar work. My favorite song of Lisa's is inspired by "Candide." Bruce tours as a sideman with the legendary Jack Hardy. Of course, I know 'em both from the Kerrville Folk Fest. If I'm not playing myself, the next best thing is to hear them together. You can listen to a few of their songs at http://www.myspace.com/markleyandbalmer. Contact info below for reservations and directions.
 
Next week, it will be two days in the studio with Chris Gage (Did I mention, you can pre-order the CD by clicking here). Then, it's off to a whirlwind tour in New Mexico. My next Austin-area gigs will be Tuesday Happy Hours at Mesa Ranch, Oct. 14 and 28.
 
Peace through Music,
Steve
 

Saturday, Sept. 20, 8 p.m. 
Markley & Balmer
House Concert in Lakeway
RSVP and get directions: ljones37@austin.rr.com
"...the Tuck and Patti of the singer-songwriter world."  --Tom Prasada-Rao
"The real deal."  --Terri Hendrix


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#280 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Tue Sep 9, 2008 4:53 pm
Subject: Artz Rib House Thursday, Rover's Saturday and More! 		guitarfrog59
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Wow. It's been awhile since I've played this much around Austin. But this week and next, I go both ways - that is, South and North. Thursday, I'll be rockin' the ribs with Paula and Seymour. Saturday, I'll be up at my favorite beer joint, the home of a hundred brews. Joining me at Rover's will be special guest Mark Viator. Mark's an old friend who plays wicked slide guitar and has a strong Cajun influence in his songwriting. We'll have some great songs and some great guitar jams.
 
Next week, I'll return to Mesa Ranch at Oltorf and I-35 for a solo Happy Hour show. And next Saturday, I'll be headed up to legendary Longhorn Caverns in Burnet.
You get a brief tour of this beautiful, spacious limestone cave on your way to the concert chamber, where the acoustics are stunning and we don't need no stinkin' sound system. Bring a jacket! You can make a full evening of it and have dinner before the concert, or just come for the concert. The park has a new policy requiring 20 reservations by the Wednesday before the show, for the show to go on. So if you've been wanting to check out my concerts in the cave, now's the time to call. All the info's below. See you above ground and below.
 
Peace through Music,
Steve
 
 
THURSDAY, SEPT. 11, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
THE BROKEN ARTZ (Paula Held, Steve Brooks & Seymour Guenther)
ARTZ RIB HOUSE
2330 South Lamar
 
SATURDAY, SEPT. 13, 9 to Midnight
STEVE BROOKS
B.B. ROVER'S
12101 Jollyville Rd., 335-9504
Between Oak Knoll and Spicewood Springs exits for 183, just north of Krispy Kreme, next to the Mongolian BBQ
No cover. Tips gratefully accepted.
 

TUESDAY, SEPT. 16, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Happy Hour show)

STEVE BROOKS

MESA RANCH SOUTH @ THE CLARION INN

2200 S I H 35, 916-8787

www.mesaranchaustin.com

Directions: From I-35, exit at Oltorf and head West on Oltorf. Once you cross I-35, take a immediate right onto Live Oak. Mesa Ranch is on your right, next to the hotel. If you’re coming East on Oltorf, take the last left turn before you hit I-35, which puts you on Live Oak.

 
SATURDAY, SEPT. 20, 5:45 to 8 p.m.
STEVE BROOKS
LONGHORN CAVERNS STATE PARK
Park Rd. 4, Burnet
Reservations: 512-756-4680 or 877-441-CAVE
Concert $17, Dinner & Concert $27
Directions: Longhorn Caverns State Park is located on Park Road 4 in Burnet, Texas. You can access Park Road 4 by two different routes. You can take HWY 29 between Llano and Burnet & exit south on Park Road 4. The park will be 10 miles on your right. Or you can take HWY 281 between Burnet & Marble Falls, Texas and exit west on  Park Road 4. The park's about five miles in on your left.
 
 

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#279 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Mon Sep 8, 2008 4:34 am
Subject: Now Accepting Pre-Orders for the New Steve Brooks CD! 		guitarfrog59
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Be The First On Your Block
To Pre-Order the New Steve Brooks CD

Be the first on your block to get a copy of Steve Brooks’

first studio CD in a dozen years! Think you know him as

jester and political satirist? Get ready for another side of

Steve Brooks: from poetic love songs to toe-tapping

two-steppers. With producer Chris Gage, hear Steve as

you’ve never heard him before:

 

• Bottomless Love 

• Dark Side of the Heart 

• Johnny and June 

• Love is a House 

• One Good Year 

• One More Shot of Whiskey 

• The Other Shoe 

• Paradise 

• Precious 

• Riding Out the Storm 

• Walking With the Elders 

• Will I Ever Love That Way Again? 

For only $25, you can be shipped a signed CD, long before

it’s released to the general public. You'll be thanked by name

in the credits. Your pre-order will help Steve finish recording

the album.  As a valued supporter, you’ll also get password-protected

access to a members-only area on Steve’s website, featuring rough

mixes for the CD and other songs, photos and writings available

only to pre-buyers.

 

Click here to pre-order. For a little bit more, you can get more exclusive goodies,

like limited-edition T-shirts, backstage passes and even your own private concert.

At his swanky new online store, you can also order copies of Steve's existing CDs.

 

And here's the ultimate fan's dream: Want to earn a return on investment while

supporting Austin music? Steve will be taking on a limited number of investors for

amounts of $1,000 or more. To review a business plan, contact steve@....

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#278 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Thu Sep 4, 2008 10:16 pm
Subject: Gigs Galore This Weekend and Beyond 		guitarfrog59
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It's a busy weekend and a busy week ahead for El Frog. You can sip wine and listen to me on a sunny fall afternoon in peach country, hear me at a poetry reading, or catch me up north on Research Blvd. or down on South Lamar. Below is the lowdown.
 
Looking ahead, a lot of you have asked when I'll be playing again in the cave, scenic Longhorn Caverns State Park. I'll play my once-a-year show there on Saturday, Sept. 20. They have a new policy of requiring at least 20 reservations for the show to go on, so if you'd like to have this unique experience, I encourage you to call or email ahead and reserve your seats. Info below, and see you in the pond.
 
Steve
 
SATURDAY, SEPT. 6, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
STEVE BROOKS solo
Woodrose Winery
662 Woodrose Lane
Stonewall, Texas 78671
830-644-2539
 
SATURDAY, SEPT. 6, 7 to 10 p.m.
EXPRESSIONS POETRY READING, featuring
STEVE BROOKS and other songwriters
AUSTIN BAHAI CENTER
2215 E.M Franklin Ave., just south of the old Mueller airport
 
THURSDAY, SEPT. 11, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
THE BROKEN ARTZ (Paula Held, Steve Brooks & Seymour Guenther)
ARTZ RIB HOUSE
2330 South Lamar
 
SATURDAY, SEPT. 13, 9 to Midnight
STEVE BROOKS
B.B. ROVER'S
12101 Jollyville Rd., 335-9504
Between Oak Knoll and Spicewood Springs exits for 183, just north of Krispy Kreme, next to the Mongolian BBQ
No cover. Tips gratefully accepted.
 
SATURDAY, SEPT. 20, 5:45 to 8 p.m.
STEVE BROOKS
LONGHORN CAVERN STATE PARK
Park Rd. 4, Burnet
Reservations: 512-756-4680 or 877-441-CAVE
Concert $17, Dinner & Concert $27
 
 


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#277 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Thu Aug 21, 2008 10:15 pm
Subject: Solo South Austin show at Mesa Ranch next Tues., Aug. 26 		guitarfrog59
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It's been years since I've played a solo show down here in beautiful South Austin. Tuesday, my fellow Bubbas and Bubbettes can hear one without having to stay out late. Fact is, you can catch it on your way home from work - and catch a drink or dinner, too. Mesa Ranch is a new restaurant/bar with plenty of Texas decor and Texas cooking. They're having Happy Hour Music every weeknight, and Jon Emery is booking a bunch of the best Austin talent, so you can hear something good on any evening. And this coming Tuesday, you can catch two hours of whatever I feel like playing and whatever you feel like requesting.

 

In the meantime, keep your ears open for news on my new CD. I'm heading back into the studio with Chris Gage in Sept., and it will soon be available for pre-ordering.

 

Steve

 

TUESDAY, AUG. 26, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Happy Hour show)

STEVE BROOKS

MESA RANCH SOUTH @ THE CLARION INN

2200 S I H 35, 916-8787

www.mesaranchaustin.com

Directions: From I-35, exit at Oltorf and head West on Oltorf. Once you cross I-35, take a immediate right onto Live Oak. Mesa Ranch is on your right, next to the hotel. If you’re coming East on Oltorf, take the last left turn before you hit I-35, which puts you on Live Oak.


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#276 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Sat Aug 2, 2008 4:35 pm
Subject: Gittin' That Old-Time Religion This Sunday: Steve speaks on being a Born-Again Pagan 		guitarfrog59
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Yup, I'll be mounting the Unitarian pulpit again this Sunday morning to talk on a topic close to my heart: what it means to be a Pagan, which has been my religious ID for the past couple of decades. Hint: it ain't what they taught you in Sunday School. The sermon coincides with the August festival of Lammas, one of the eight Celtic holy days and the date halfway between the summer solstice and the autumn equinox. I'll be singing my song of the same name, as well as Pete Seeger's version of "Old-Time Religion," backed by the Wildflower Pagan Choir. Here's a teaser for the service:

 

Pagans have gotten a bum rap. The worship of nature is our oldest spiritual impulse, and these days, it might be just what we need to save our planet. Austin folksinger and UU Steve Brooks talks and sings about the Wiccan and Native American paths, and how he found out he was a Born-Again Pagan. Learn about the real old-time religion, and help God get in touch with his feminine side.

 

BTW, if you happen to be flying in or out of Austin, next Thursday afternoon, you can hear me at the Earl Campbell Sports Bar at the airport, from 3:30 to 5:30. If you're not flying, though, the cover charge is kinda steep.

 

Steve

 

SUNDAY, AUGUST 3, 10:30 a.m.

"BORN-AGAIN PAGAN" service with

STEVE BROOKS

WILDFLOWER UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH

@ SOUTH AUSTIN SENIOR ACTIVITIES CENTER

3911 MANCHACA RD. (between Ben White and Lamar)

 


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#275 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:30 pm
Subject: All Over Austin this Week at Artz, Sunset Valley Farmers Market and B.B. Rover's 		guitarfrog59
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Howdy, Austin,
 
There's no place like home, said Dorothy, and after seeing a good bit of Kansas the past few weeks, I couldn't agree with her more. After 3,000 miles dodging floods and twisters across the flatlands. I'm loving Austin, in all its sweaty, skin-scorching summertime glory. And you can hear me all over town this week. Paula and I will harmonize up a storm at Artz Rib House and the Sunset Valley Farmers Market, with bass ace Seymour showing how low he can go. Saturday, I'll head north to B.B. Rover's with special guest Andy Corwin. Andy transplanted here from Southern Cal a few years ago, but don't hold that against him. His rib-tickling songs like "Cowboy By Day, Ballerina By Night" have won him a Kerrville New Folk award and a spot in the classic folk trio The Limeliters. And in his spare time, he's becoming an avid 42 player.
 
And, of course, I might be trying out a couple of new songs from a month behind the wheel. Looking forward to catching up with y'all.
 
Steve
 
THURSDAY, JULY 24, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
PAULA HELD with STEVE BROOKS & SEYMOUR GUENTHER
ARTZ RIB HOUSE
2330 S. Lamar @ Bluebonnet Lane, 442-8283
 

SATURDAY, JULY 26, 9 a.m. to 1

STEVE BROOKS & PAULA HELD

SUNSET VALLEY FARMERS MARKET

Toney Burger Center

3200 Jones Road at Pillow, or

on 290 West between Brodie Lane and Westgate Blvd in Sunset Valley.

 
SATURDAY, JULY 26, 9 to Midnight
STEVE BROOKS and ANDY CORWIN
B.B. ROVER'S PUB
12636 Research Blvd., 335-9504
Don't let the address fool you. Rover's faces Jollyville Rd., just north of Kerbey Lane Cafe and Krispy Kreme, next to the Mongolian BBQ
No cover. Tips gratefully accepted.

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#274 From: Steve Brooks <steve@...>
Date: Sun Jul 13, 2008 4:57 am
Subject: Wed. Nite: Political Songs with The Therapy Sisters & More 		guitarfrog59
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I'm on the last weekend of my summer tour, which has been about the
smoothest and most profitable I can remember. I just came off two days
at the Woody Guthrie Folk Fest in Woody's hometown of Okemah, Oklahoma
and have my last gig Sunday morning at the Unitarian church in Lawton.
But I'm writing to let you know about my first gig back in town.

For those of you who are political junkies (like me): you'll be in hog
heaven Wed. nite at The Hideout. The occasion is Netroots Nation, a
nationwide convention of progressive bloggers. They're meeting here in
Austin, and I'll be joining forces with The Therapy Sisters and Jan
Seides to welcome them with a Wed. night concert. Details below.

Steve
I've never been to Heaven, but I've been to Oklahoma

Concert for NETROOTS NATION
@
The Hideout Coffee House
Wednesday, July 16th, 9 - 11 pm.
617 Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78703
(512) 476-0473
Steve Brooks, Bill Colbert, The Therapy Sisters and Jan Seides

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#273 From: Steve Brooks <steve@...>
Date: Thu Jun 26, 2008 8:12 pm
Subject: Howdy from Kansas - Recording News and Summer Tour 		guitarfrog59
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Howdy, Austin,

For the moment, I can't say I'm not in Kansas. I'm off to parts North
on my summer tour. Already did a church service in Denison, Texas and
three days of old folks' homes in Coffeyville, Kansas. Today, I'm
hanging out in Topeka with former Austin friends Elaine O'Gara and Bob
Shapiro. Tomorrow I head for Davenport, Iowa. So far, my new Saturn
station wagon is running great, and getting much better gas mileage
than I got with my minivan. Maybe I can afford to stay in this
business, after all.

Some of you have asked where I'm playing on this trip, so I'm attaching
my schedule below. If you have friends in any of those cities who would
enjoy some witty Austin folk music, feel free to forward the info to
them. Word-of-Mouth is always the best marketing for folk music.

Lastly, I'm excited to report that I just spent three days in Chris
Gage's studio, laying down the first tracks for a new CD. Courtney
Audain added bass and percussion tracks, and Eddie Cantu banged the
skins on five songs that will rock. This album will be a change of pace
from my recent political CDs. It's going to tap into the more poetic
and personal side of my songwriting, and with Chris at the helm, I'm
expecting glorious results. I will soon be pre-selling copies of the
album to help raise money for the recording - watch this space for more
info. And stay cool.

Steve
If it's Thursday, this must be Topeka

STEVE BROOKS 2008 SUMMER TOUR

6/28 - Davenport Public Library, 321 Main Street, Davenport, IA. (563)
326.7832. Childrens’ Concert, 2 p.m.

6/ 29 - Quad Cities UU, 3707 Eastern Avenue, Davenport IA. (563)
359-0816. 9:15 Coffee House, 10 a.m. Service, For the Sake of the Song.

6/30 -  Bedlam Theater, 1501 South 6th St., Minneapolis, MN. 7:00p.m.
Openers: Ken Schaffer & Carl Franzen

7/1 - Hartley Public Library, 91 1st St SE, Hartley, IA. (712)
928-2080. Children’s Concert, 3 p.m.

7/2 - Sioux City Public Library, 529 Pierce St., Sioux City, IA. (712)
255-2933. Children’s Concert, 2 p.m.

7/5 – Folkommotion Concert Series @ Californos, 4124 Pennsylvania,
Kansas City, MO. 8 p.m.

7/ 9 - U.S. Pizza, 202 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville AR. (479) 582-4808.
6 to 9 p.m., with Effron White

7/13, Unitarian Universalist Church of Lawton, 701 B Avenue, Lawton,
OK. (580) 248-1755. 10:30 a.m. Service, For the Sake of the Song

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#272 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Fri May 16, 2008 6:33 am
Subject: Pun-Off Saturday, Utah Phillips Tribute Sunday 		guitarfrog59
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Yes, it's that time of year. Time to bar the door, or open the door to the
bar. Time to run screaming for the hills or run cheering to the corner of
5th and Neches, for one of those annual events that Keeps Austin Weird. Now
that Spamarama has succumbed to a hostile corporate takeover, the O.Henry
Pun-Off becomes even more precious, even more, dare I say, sacred? I dare
not? Okay.

Nonetheless, if you take guilty pleasure in the humble pun (You know who you
are!), you can pun out of the closet this Saturday and join hundreds of
others who are proud to wave their geek flags. Since the organizers talked
me into retiring from competition, I'll be helping to emcee the contests,
while singing a few of my punnier songs in-between.

Sunday afternoon, at Jovita's on South 1st, I'll be joining a stellar Austin
lineup to raise funds for one of folk music's elderly icons: Utah Phillips.
He's a contemporary of Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Al Grierson who is
suffering from congestive heart failure in Nevada City, CA. Folksingers are
staging benefits for Utah all over the country. After a 30 minute warm-up of
his music, you'll hear songs from myself, as well as Bob Cheevers, Bill
Passalacqua, Tim Henderson, Edge City, The Ginn Sisters, Michael Fracasso
and Shelley King. There will be a Silent Auction, with a few items donated
by Ani DiFranco, who did an album with Utah that snagged a Grammy
nomination. I'll be up around 6:45, but you'll be glad you stayed for the
whole show.

SATURDAY, MAY 17, noon to 5
O.HENRY PUN-OFF
O.Henry Museum
409 East 5th St. @ Neches
Bring lawn chair, blanket, sunscreen and sense of humor
www.punpunpun.com

SUNDAY, MAY 18, 5 to 9 p.m.
UTAH PHILLIPS BENEFIT
JOVITA'S, 1619 South First St.
447-7825
www.jovitas.com
www.utahphillips.com

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#271 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Wed Apr 30, 2008 4:06 am
Subject: Seeger Sermon this Sunday; Pun-Off Approacheth 		guitarfrog59
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Yup, I'm still around. If you haven't heard from me for awhile, it's because I've been sucking down $3.60 gas and doing the Panhandle Tour, from the one in Florida to the one in Texas.
 
But this weekend, I touch down in Austin before I hit the road to Kansas City. Sunday morning, I'll be presenting another musical service at Wildflower Unitarian Church, in concert with our tattooed preacher, Rev. Eliza Galaher. Our topic is near and dear to my heart. We'll be celebrating the 89th birthday of Pete Seeger, the dean of American folksingers and a great American story of personal courage and artistic integrity. Pete created much of the soundtrack of the 'Sixties, from writing songs like "If I Had a Hammer" and "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" to discovering songs like "We Shall Overcome." But his songs speak just as eloquently to the tragedies and struggles of our current decade. I'll be speaking about Pete and singing half a dozen of Pete's songs, with harmonic assistance from Paula Held.
 
Did I mention that I learned to play guitar from a Pete Seeger record? And that a few years later, I played onstage with him, on the first anniversary of Three Mile Island? Or that his birthday is May 3, the day after mine?
 
In the "Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid" category, the O.Henry Pun-Off will return on Saturday, May 17. I'm still in retirement from competition and will again be helping to emcee the mangling of the language, the lashing of the mother tongue. If you're interested in competing, you can sign up by gong to www.punpunpun.com and clicking through to the contestant registration link on the Pun-Off 2008 page (At the top of the blue column on the left.)
 
Steve
 
SUNDAY, MAY 4, 10:30 a.m.
WILDFLOWER UNITARIAN CHURCH
"FOR PETE'S SAKE: THE LIFE AND SONGS OF PETE SEEGER"
South Austin Senior Activity Center
3911 Manchaca Rd.
 
SATURDAY, MAY 17, noon to 5
O.HENRY PUN-OFF
O.Henry Museum
409 East 5th St. @ Neches
Bring lawn chair, blanket, sunscreen and sense of humor
 
 
 
 

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#270 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:27 am
Subject: Austin Java Thursday with Third Coast Music, Rover's next Saturday with Donna Frost 		guitarfrog59
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Still feeling pretty energized from the Million Musician March, after all the energy the rest of SXSW took out of me. I'll be putting that energy to good use this Thursday night and next Saturday. Thursday night, I'll join some of the funniest songwriters around for a songswap at Austin Java. The following Saturday, I'll join forces with Nashville songwriter Donna Frost, who's co-written several tunes with me, like "Cry Just A Little Bit More" and the recent "Johnny and June."
 
THURSDAY MARCH 20, 8:00 - 10:00 pm
THIRD COAST MUSIC SONGWRITER SHOWCASE
Hosted by Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus
with
Claude "Butch" Morgan
Steve Brooks
Lisa Rogers
AUSTIN JAVA
1206 Parkway (Near 12th and Lamar)
Austin, Texas, 78703
$5.00
 
SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 9 to Midnight
STEVE BROOKS and DONNA FROST
B.B. ROVER'S PUB
12636 Research Blvd., 335-9504
Just north of Kerbey Lane North and Krispy Kreme, next to the Mongolian BBQ
No cover.

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#269 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Tue Mar 11, 2008 6:44 pm
Subject: It's that time again: The Million Musician March & Third Coast Music 		guitarfrog59
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I'm writing to let you know of two public performances in town this week and next, at very different kinds of events:
 
This Saturday, March 15, I'll be marching and singing at the Million Musicians March for Peace. This will be the third year of the march, as only Austin can do it, and, tragically, will mark the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. March starts at noon at the South Gate of the State Capitol, at 11th and Congress, and wends its way through downtown's entertainment districts to City Hall, where a rally will start at 1:30. If you stick around the rally, you can hear my Molly
Ivins song. More info at www.instrumentsforpeace.org.
 
Speaking of Molly, I invite you to bring some pots and pans or other kitchen percussion to the march. There will be a pots & pans brigade, courtesy of the "Raise Hell for Molly Ivins" campaign. They're carrying out Molly's last wish - in final column, she encouraged people to take to the streets, banging pots and pans, until we bring our troops home. I'll also have a banner for the campaign, and am trying to recruit a couple of folks to carry it proudly through the streets of Austin. Of course, if you play a non-percussion instrument, it's great to bring that, as well. Last year, Bill Oliver brought a PA in a shopping cart, and we awakened the bleary-eyed masses on Sixth Street.
 
The following Thursday, March 20, I'll join my friends Edge City, Butch Morgan and Therapy Sister Lisa Rogers for the 3rd Coast Music Songwriter Showcase, sponsored by 3rd Coast Music magazine. We'll be sharing the hilarity from 8 to 10 p.m. at Austin Java Co., by 12th and North Lamar.
 
Steve
 
THE MILLION MUSICIANS MARCH FOR PEACE
SATURDAY, MARCH 15
Noon: March from State Capitol, 11th & Congress
1:30: Rally, City Hall, Cesar Chavez & Guadalupe
 
3RD COAST MUSIC SONGWRITER SHOWCASE
THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 8 to 10 p.m.
AUSTIN JAVA CO.
1206 Parkway (near 12 & North Lamar across from the Tavern).
$5 cover
 
 

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#268 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:26 am
Subject: Artz this Thursday with Dave Hooper, and Showing my Primary Colors 		guitarfrog59
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If you're one of the 46,000 who wanted to see the debate this Thursday, but not among the 100 who got tickets, here's another entertaining way to spend Thursday night. I'll be backing up songwriter extraordinaire Dave Hooper at Artz Rib House on South Lamar. Think Johnny Cash singing Gordon Lightfoot, and you have an idea of Dave, who lends his deep voice to simple but tuneful melodies. Several are songs I've written with Dave over the years. It will be a treat to back them up with lead guitar and mandolin. And if anyone's gonna tape the debate, please let me know...
 
THURSDAY, FEB. 21, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
DAVE HOOPER
w STEVE BROOKS, guitar and mandolin
ARTZ RIB HOUSE
2330 S. Lamar @ Bluebonnet Lane, 442-8283
 
Speaking of the debate, I'm feeling a patriotic obligation to do something I've never done before to my email list. I've ripped apart a few politicians, but I don't think I've ever endorsed one. This extraordinary year, I'm going to show my primary colors. Caution: Political content ahead.
 
It starts with the war. Barack Obama looked at the facts and spoke out against the invasion of Iraq, when it not politically safe to do so. Hillary Clinton looked at the polls and voted to give Dubya a blank check. These days, Clinton is promising to bring our boys and girls home, but she's a little late. If she's nominated, John McCain will paint her as a flip-flopper, as the reincarnation of John Kerry. And he'll be right.
 
I'm not going to get deep into Hillary-bashing. I have sympathy for the slings and arrows she's endured from good ol' boys who tore her down to get at her husband. I'm way past ready for a woman in the White House. But I don't think she's that woman. I don't think her "experience" is much more than an advertising slogan. In 15 years of public service, I search her record in vain for a single major bill or policy accomplishment. The "experience" she touts seems to be in running for office, not in doing constructive things once she got there. I ask myself: If she cosied up to the war, what other misguided lessons has she learned from her experience?
 
At first glance, Obama's mantra of "change" sounds as empty as Clinton's "experience." The difference is that when I look at Obama, I actually see him making change happen. I see majorities of white folks in southern states voting for a black candidate. I see kids getting excited about politics. I see him reaching outside the Democratic base and bringing in independent voters. And I see him raising most of his cash in tens and twenties instead of $2,000 donations from fat cats. When I first heard Obama last year, at Auditorium Shores in the rain, I found him a wooden speaker. No more. When I watch his recent speeches I get goosebumps. At last, it feels great to be an American again. I leave you with two quotes from the fateful fall of 2002:
 

"If left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons...I will take the President at his word that he will try hard to pass a UN resolution and will seek to avoid war, if at all possible."

    - Hillary Clinton, Oct. 10, 2002

 

"I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world, and strengthen the recruitment arm of Al Qaeda. I am not opposed to all wars. I'm opposed to dumb wars."

    - Barack Obama, Oct. 2, 2002

 


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#267 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Mon Feb 11, 2008 7:45 pm
Subject: Winning a Molly Ivins songwriting contest 		guitarfrog59
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Thought y'all might be interested in the news below. Being recognized in connection with one of my heroes puts a big lump in my throat, especially when the judges were also heroes. Utah Phillips is an icon of labor singers, and a mutual friend of the late Al Grierson. Ronnie Gilbert was one of the original Weavers, alongside Pete Seeger. As for Kinky and Country Joe, well, gimme an F...

 

Steve

 

 

 

Monday, Feb. 11, 2008            For more information, contact:           

For Immediate Release            Bill McCarthy, RHFMI, (310) 425-6134

                                                Steve Brooks, (512) 440-7668, steve@...

 

AUSTIN FOLKSINGER WINS MOLLY IVINS SONGWRITING CONTEST

 

            Raise Hell For Molly Ivins, a grassroots campaign devoted to carrying on the spirit and work of the late Austin political columnist, has chosen Austin folksinger Steve Brooks as the winner of its Molly Ivins songwriting contest. The announcement was made at a gala in San Francisco on January 31, the first anniversary of Ivin’s passing in 2007.

            The song “What Would Molly Do?” was chosen by a panel of judges that included music icons Utah Phillips, Kinky Friedman, Ronnie Gilbert and Country Joe McDonald, as well as Ivins colleagues Dave Richards and Charlotte McCann, publisher of the Texas Observer.

            A requirement of the contest was that all recordings include pots and pans, in tribute to Ivin’s final column, in which she wrote, "Every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war. Raise hell... We need people in the streets, banging pots and pans and demanding, stop it now!" The group has been staging pots-and-pans protests at congressional offices around the country on the third Friday of every month.

            “We are looking for a ballad that is fun, irreverent, uses powerful words and satire to speak truth to power with wit and style,” writes the group in its contest announcement. “Something Molly would have liked. Something simple that people can sing on picket lines and at Texas bonfires for the next hundred years…to join the community of great popular songs such as the Ballad of Joe Hill and the Ballad of John & Yoko, honoring world-class hell raisers.”

            Brooks is known in Austin for his musical work with another world-class hell raiser, Jim Hightower. In 1998 and 1999, he wrote a song-a-week about current events for Hightower’s radio talk show, broadcast from Threadgill’s World Headquarters. He’s released several albums of topical songs, including “Sex, Lies and Videotape” (1999), “Fever” (2003) and “Bushwhacked” (2004). In 2003, he made headlines by serenading 13 Texas state senators who had fled to Albuquerque, with a song about the state’s redistricting battle. In 2006, his song “Deadeye Dick” won a contest at the North American Folk Alliance conference for impromptu songs about vice-president Dick Cheney’s hunting accident.

            His non-topical songs have been recorded by artists like Slaid Cleaves and Russell Crowe. He’s also six-time winner of Austin’s O.Henry Pun-Off.

            “What Would Molly Do?” along with several other contest entries, can be heard at http://www.myspace.com/mollyivinssongcontest1. A recording without pots and pans can be heard and downloaded at www.stevebrooks.net. The lyrics are attached. More information about RHFMI can be found at www.raisehellformollyivins.org.

           

 

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#266 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:33 am
Subject: Steve & Wildflower Church in the Statesman, & Ken Gaines & Karen Mal in House Concert 		guitarfrog59
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   "I don't want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member" - Groucho Marx
   For those of you who wonder what misadventures I get into when I'm not playing music, and those who have scratched their heads at my occasional notices about giving Sunday morning sermons, Tuesday morning's Statesman provides some answers. On the front page of the Metro section, you'll find a profile of Wildflower Unitarian Church, our new minister Eliza, and her collection of tattoos. And you can read some quotes from yours truly, in his role as vice president of the board.
   If you've already tossed Tuesday's paper, you can read the story online at: http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/01/15/0115galaher.html
   And you don't even have to be a Unitarian to enjoy our church's first Wildflower House Concert, this coming Sunday, which is my newest pet project. You can hear Kerrville Folk Festival favorites Ken Gaines & Karen Mal up close, in the comfort of a mission-style Dripping Springs living room. For reservations, tickets and directions, contact Louise Messano at 512-288-4013 or louisemessano@.... More info below.
 
Peace through Music,
Steve
 

Please join us for an afternoon of great folk music
from Ken Gaines and Karen Mal 
  
When: Sunday, January 20, 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.
 
Where: At Louise Messano/Kenneth Kern's home
400 Pemberton Way, Austin, TX 78737
(directions attached)
 
Phone: 512-288-4013
 
Donation: $15
 
Bring: A favorite beverage if you desire; beverages and edibles also provided 
 
About Ken Gaines: 

"A singer/songwriter with a beautifully clear voice and articulate guitar accompaniment, Ken has played and studied a lot of music, but it's obvious that he's also studied himself and his craft and is committed to finding what's original and at the same time, universal in his experiences."
— Max Biedenharn
Mississippi Coast Magazine

"He is incredible. I don't mean, 'gosh, he's pretty good'…I mean he's INCREDIBLE. When you hear his buttery voice slide through song after song of the most original stuff you've laid ears on, you'll thank us for the turn-on."

— Jinelle Boyd
founder, MyTexasMusic.com

"I've said this before and I'll say it again and I'll keep saying it until someone who can do something hears me. Ken Gaines is the best ballad writer in Texas today! And when you hear him perform with Wayne Wilkerson on guitar and harmony vocals, it hits you right in the heart...You'll see...you'll see.
— Darrell Harkins
Dateline Texas for the Roots Music Report

"Ken's music brings an audience up…Strong guitar playing and overflowing charisma allow Gaines to own the stage and he shares himself with his audience…I went away singing…"
— Kathleen Hudson
"Texas Heritage Music Series", Kerrville Daily Times

"If the world had any inkling of how good Ken Gaines really is, he would be playing the big places and we wouldn't be able to have him here. So we keep him our secret and get him up here as often as possible.
Take a big bunch of powerful and compelling original songs, (we're talkin' high protein stuff) add a big soaring tenor that raises goose bumps, then blend in his strong and supple guitar work. Finally, mix in a big helping of the great Wayne Wilkerson's truly amazing lead guitar,
and you will not want these guys to ever stop."
—Tom Noe
Acoustic Concert Tours

"Imagine the voices of Bing Crosby and Jim Morrison; imagine their voices singing as one, Then imagine that voice in one body. Your imagination has just created Ken Gaines"
— John Davis
Walden Coffee House, San Antonio

About Karen Mal:
"I am in awe of Karen's singing. Her voice is one of those rare gifts that make singing seem effortless"   - Slaid Cleaves, Rounder recording artist

"Karen Mal is a breath of fresh air in the crowded world of Austin music"   - Paul Barker, Barker House concerts

"One of Austin's fastest rising stars"  - Austin Kessler, Live Oak Coffeehouse Concerts

"Outstanding! Karen Mal is riding a musical high"   - Sing Out! Magazine

Karen Mal 's songs are like the old time remedy that mixed honey and lemon....They are sweet without being precious and have a lasting bite to them that makes them both memorable and good for you. Add a voice to match, and you have a musical panacea, curing our ills and adding to the grace of living.    - Michael Jaworek, The Birchmere

For more information, go to:
www.kengaines.com or www.karenmal.com
 

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#265 From: "Steve Brooks" <steve@...>
Date: Fri Jan 4, 2008 9:51 pm
Subject: Sunset Valley Farmers Market Update 		guitarfrog59
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Here's a quick update on the Farmer's Market this Saturday morning. Paula got herself a better-paying gig (go figger) and bowed out. Filling her boots will be my old vato, Danny Santos, fresh from Switzerland and a brand new South Austinite. As it starts to warm up outside, here's the revised schedule:
 

SATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 9 a.m. to 1

STEVE BROOKS

SUNSET VALLEY FARMERS MARKET

Toney Burger Center

3200 Jones Road at Pillow, or

on 290 West between Brodie Lane and Westgate Blvd in Sunset Valley.

SPECIAL GUESTS: DANNY SANTOS, 10 to 11

                                  DAVE HOOPER, 11 to noon


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