This year’s scheduled lineup covers the musical spectrum from Dylan to Bjork to Wilco and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and it’s time to be making your plans to head for Texas to see them and scores of other groups at Austin City Limits.
www.aclfestival.com
You’ve likely seen the weekly Austin City Limits on your local PBS station schedule. But this year’s annual live version lasts three days, Sept. 14-16, with 130 bands on eight stages. You haven’t seen the PBS program? Click on “ACL TV Show” to see who has been on recent shows, with video clips of their performances (turn up the sound on your computer; this is good stuff). Then it’s time to click on “Lineup” to see who is coming this year, with individual sound clips, and “Schedule” to see when they’re appearing. You’ll need to check out ticket prices, “General Info” with everything from wheelchair-accessibility to parking, and “More Stuff” with autograph info, kids’ events and more.
www.austintexas.org
Besides being the Texas capital and a college town, the city of Austin calls itself with Texas modesty the “live music capital of the world.” Get an idea of what they mean by clicking on “Live Music” for a sampling of places to hear live performances, a description of the city’s three entertainment districts, musical attractions including the Austin City Limits Tour, Threadgill’s and the Stevie Ray Vaughan Memorial, plus an interactive map. And don’t pass up that section’s “Click to Listen,” where you can scroll through tracks by several local artists.
www.nps.gov/lyjo
Next, click on “Visit Austin” to see what else the city has to offer. Dip into “Performing Arts” for a taste of things other than country and rock, including the Mozart Festival, the Austin Symphony and the Austin Lyric Opera. “Shopping” directs you to spots such as Allen’s Boots, home of authentic Western wear, and “Attractions” has links to everything from the Lyndon Baines Johnson National Historical Park in nearby Johnson City to the sprawling Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort. And for just wandering around, they have suggestions for walking tours and day trips around the area.
www.austinsinger.com
www.musictexas.com
Heard about an Austin group you want to check out? Go to Austin Music Resources and see if they’re listed in “Austin Area Bands.” And jot down some of the entries under “Live Music Venues” for places to visit when you get there. You can also browse through “Band List” at Music Texas, and if you’re really serious about digging into Texas sounds, try their big “Links” library.
tinyurl.com/2ub9tp
www.frommers.com/destinations/austin
Learn some more about Austin from the travel guide people at Fodors, especially their “Side Trip to LBJ Country.” Start with “Introduction” at Frommer’s, and then see what’s available under “Active Pursuits,” ranging from ballooning to spelunking.
www.hill-country-visitor.com
Austin is a handy starting point for an exploration of the Texas Hill Country, full of interesting towns and places to shop for antiques, hunt and fish, hike and bike, or just wander around and relax. And if Austin got your musical juices flowing, there are more places to listen scattered through the region. But remember that parts of the Hill Country had serious flooding in June, so be flexible with your plans.
Roger Petterson, Associated Press
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