Happy Happy Birthday to Me!

"Happy Happy Birthday to Me" happens to be a great little indie record label out of Athens, GA, but it's also my self-promoting manifesto for the coming week. I'll be entering a new decade on Thursday: the dirty thirties. I like what Fitzgerald's narrator of The Great Gatsby has to say about turning 30--

I was thirty. Before me stretched the portentous menacing road of a new decade...Thirty--the promise of a decade of loneliness, a thinning list of single men to know, a thinning brief-case of enthusiasm, thinning hair.

To ease the pain, I'm throwing (or rather, my friends are throwing) a hellacious party in my honor. Chances are you already received an evite invitation informing you of said party, but it's possible that I missed some of you. If that's you, and you aren't terribly offended and would like to attend, then leave a comment, I'll shoot you the details, along with a groveling apology.

Events for the Freakin' Weeken'

Sorry for not posting activities for this week. (Johnny, I hope you've found other Internet fodder to feed yourself with.) I'm house/dog-sitting in Lorena for the folks this week, and I didn't really want to look at all the fun stuff I'd miss out on. But here are some things for the weekend. I'll be able to join starting Saturday evening.

THURSDAY (which isn't exactly the weekend unless you live in Austin)

Spider House Cafe 2908 Fruth. 512.480.9562.

pinkslipfestival.com

Pink Slip Festival

The Pink Slip Festival is an “Austin-style” response to the economic downturn where one person can help another in a fun, casual, family-friendly setting. This event will be a "shot in the arm" for job seekers and their families affected by job losses. Enjoy 25 cent hot dogs, 50 cent beer/soda and 10 cent snowcones!

FRIDAY
Sullivan’s Steakhouse
300 Colorado. 512.495.6504.
sullivansteakhouse.com
Reverse Happy Hour/Summer of $69
Sullivan's Steakhouse is now hosting Reverse Happy Hour from 9pm til 12am seven days a week! During this time they feature half-priced bar entrees, $5 featured martinis and selected wines by the glass. Join them for their signature Knock Out Martini and the Best Burger in Town! Or enjoy a three course dinner for two people for only $69 in their dining room. Summertime, and the livin’s easy…

SATURDAY
Magnolia Electric Co., Loxsly at The Mohawk

Cookie Lounge 22 ½ Between Pearl and Rio Grande. 512.478.BAKE.
austincookielounge.com
Late Night Snack
Open late on the fun days. Everything you ever wanted in a cookie from 11am 'til 2:30am.

SUNDAY
Go to church and repent of your heathenish ways.
Brunch: at like 64 different restaurants around town.

Dirty Projectors @ Red 7 Tonight

Firstly, Summer Weed apologizes for shirking his duties as of late. He lost hope, and then focus, and ultimately his mind. But he's good now. Resuming summer-tainment responsibilities as of now.

This is pretty late notice, but there is an excellent band playing tonight (Wednesday) at Red 7. The Dirty Projectors (funny name, serious music) hail from Brooklyn, are fronted by a Yale dropout, and specialize in frenetic yet whimsical freak-folk-rock for the ADHD. That probably doesn't sound too appealing, so check out their myspace page and watch the video below.

It's also birthday party central tonight. Parties for Meredith C. and Weston W. If you know either or both of them, but don't know about their parties, then I recommend calling them up (or Facebooking them) and, firstly, telling them happy birthday, and then, secondly, asking them where and when said parties will be.

Dirty Projectors - "Knotty Pine" [Song begins at 2:06]

Summer Fun Schedule (7/6-7/12)

This Week
Monday 7/6
-- The Lovely Houses, The Lennings, Kacy Crowley, Drew Smith @ The Mohawk

Tuesday 7/7
-- Trivia night @ The Flying Saucer

Wednesday 7/8
-- Summer Hallmark's birthday [What'll it be, sir?]
-- Cool Hand Luke @ The Paramount

Thursday 7/9
-- Deer Tick @ Waterloo Records [5 pm], Emo's [9 pm]
-- Balmorhea @ Cactus Cafe [8:30 pm]
-- Spoon @ Stubb's

Friday 7/10
-- Spoon @ Stubb's

Saturday 7/11
-- Spoon @ Stubb's

Sunday 7/12
-- Go to church and repent of your heathenish ways.

SPOON!!!

When: Saturday, July 11th
Where: Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheatre
Cost: $28 (individual) or $20 (if purchased in a 4-pack)
Opening bands: Atlas Sound, The Strange Boys
Confirmed attendees: Summer Weed, Party Boy

It's Spoon. Need I say more? They're playing 3 nights at Stubb's--Thursday, Friday, and Saturday--but Johnny can only make the Saturday show (right, Johnny?). As noted above, tickets are $28 unless you buy a 4-pack, in which case tickets are $20 a piece. Assuming Johnny's in, we only need two more folks in order to get a 4-pack. (Although, more are certainly welcome.) So, as soon as I have two more confirmed attendees, I'll buy a 4-pack. Hopefully this one won't sell out on me like the crappy Iron & Wine concert.

You probably don't need any motivation for this one, but just in case, here is a kick-ass video that should push you over the edge.

Spoon - "The Underdog"

Summer Fun Schedule (6/29-7/5)

This Week
Monday 6/29
-- Brice's last-day-of-work, last-night-with-tonsils Extravaganza [Postponed and likely to be renamed]

Tuesday 6/30
-- $1 Tecates @ Lavaca St. Bar
-- Trivia night @ The Flying Saucer

Wednesday 7/1
-- Last day of summer school [Where do you summer school teachers want to get befuddled?]

Thursday 7/2
*Emily Schmidt's half-birthday [Emily, how do you want to celebrate your half-birthday?]

Friday 7/3
-- Jenny & The Corn Ponies @ Ginny's Little Longhorn [Summer Hallmark (and anyone else interested in attending this event), I'll be meeting my family for barbecue in Cyclone, Tx, where my sister will be announcing to our grandparents that she has been knocked up (nobody tell them before Friday), so if I attend Jenny at Ginny's, I will be getting there late.]

Saturday 7/4
-- Celebrate America responsibly. [If you have a party you'd like me to advertise, let me know.]

Sunday 7/5
-- Go to church and repent of your heathenish ways.
-- Brunch @ Sagra [$.75 Mimosas & Bellinis]

Next Week
Monday 7/6
-- The Lovely Houses, The Lennings, Kacy Crowley, Drew Smith @ The Mohawk

Tuesday 7/7
-- Trivia night @ The Flying Saucer

Wednesday 7/8
-- Summer Hallmark's birthday [What'll it be, sir?]
-- Cool Hand Luke @ The Paramount

Thursday 7/9
-- Deer Tick @ Waterloo Records [5 pm], Emo's [9 pm]
-- Balmorhea @ Cactus Cafe [8:30 pm]
-- Spoon @ Stubb's

Friday 7/10
-- Spoon @ Stubb's

Saturday 7/11
-- Spoon @ Stubb's

Sunday 7/12
-- Go to church and repent of your heathenish ways.

Jenny & The Corn Ponies

You have two chances this week to catch Jenny & The Corn Ponies (myspace) at two pretty great venues. The first chance is today from 3 to 7 at Uncle Billy's Brew & Que. The second is Friday night at Ginny's Little Longhorn from 9 to 1. You can also listen to them live on the rade-yo Thursday morning on the KOOP 91.7 at 9 am.

Jenny & The Corn Ponies are steeped in old timey material. Heck, they're silly with it. Their self-reported influences include Loretta Lynn, Bob Wills, Buck Owens, and Patsy Cline. And they are good. You must see them.

Check out the below video. The breaking beer bottles at the 24-second mark means it's authentic.

Jenny w/ The Horton Brothers at Ginny's Little Longhorn