Pachanga is a Latin-themed music, cultural arts and food festival dedicated to showcasing the vibrant blend of Latino-created music and art along with the impact it has on American culture today. In Spanish, its translation is literally “a lively party,” and that’s exactly what it is.

The Pachanga Festival — voted “Best of the Fests” by the Austin Chronicle – is Austin’s first Latin-themed music, arts and food festival and has closed out Austin Latino Music Month every May for the past 4 years. In its 5^rd year, Pachanga is destined for success.

This year’s festival features 4 stages and over 20 acts from around the world, including Calle 13, Los Lonely Boys, Peligrosa, Chingo Bling, Ana Tijoux, and La Santa Cecilia. The music kicks off on Friday evening at 6:30pm at Fiesta Gardens. It will end on Friday evening around 10:30, and run all all day on Saturday from 1pm to 10:30pm.

Tickets, including single day, two-day passes, and VIP passes,  can be purchased online here. Children 12 and under are admitted free with a ticketed adult. A portion of all proceeds will benefit the FuturoFund Austin, a collective effort to engage the community through philanthropy and leadership.

Check out the full line-up below!

2012 Pachanga Artists

Friday, May 11th

Calle 13 
Chingo Bling 
Peligrosa
Outernational

Saturday, May 12th

Los Lonely Boys
Chico Trujillo
Alejandro Escovedo
Ana Tijoux
Girl In A Coma
Brownout
Forro in The Dark
Ruben Ramos & The Mexican Revolution
La Santa Cecilia
Davíd Garza
Gustavo Galindo
Outernational
GOBI
Patricia Vonne
Maneja Beto
Umano Ache
El Dusty
POLITICS
Los Bandidos Cosmicos
Anthropos Musicians Collective

Art festival meets block party in Art Alliance‘s oldest festival, Art City Austin. Bring friends and family to this cultural event that includes art, local food vendors, live music, and activities in one of the most beautiful spots in all of downtown Austin.

Invigorating the streets, plazas, and open spaces with art of all kinds, Cesar Chavez Street and the 2ND Street District will host this one-of-a-kind, weekend-long cultural celebration. Part art festival, part block party, Art City Austin features nationally recognized artists, local food and musicians, kids’ activities, and art installations that bring the community together to enjoy great art for the entire family smack dab in the middle of downtown Austin.

Art City Austin will transform Cesar Chavez St., the S. 1st Street bridge, and the 2ND Street District surrounding Austin City Hall into a car-free hub for the two-day festival and community-wide celebration.  Activating streets by opening them to people and creating an environment of culture and fun is central to the mission of Art Alliance Austin.

The festival will take place on Saturday, April 14 from 10 am to 6 pm, and Sunday, April 15 from 11 am to 6 pm. Admission for adults consists of an $8 contribution at the gate, and is free for kids 12 and under.  Art City Austin encourages attendees to explore the city and walk, bike, or park and ride to the festival, and admission is free  if you park your bike at the Mellow Johnny’s Bike Valet at 1st Street Bridge and Lavaca at 2nd, or show your Capital Metro Pass.

If you want to volunteer, juts work for three hours and you get in free to enjoy art, live music, and more before or after your shift!

Or, treat yourself to the full VIP experience and celebrate in style in the Collector’s Lounge. From the mezzanine of Austin City Hall overlooking Lady Bird Lake, enjoy complimentary bites by Cain’s Fine Catering and sip cocktails from the open bar. The Collector’s Lounge will also host a series of meet & greet events with artists, musicians and other VIPs throughout the weekend. Collector’s will also enjoy complimentary beer, wine, and margaritas at the beverage bars located on the festival grounds.

The festival takes place at Cesar Chavez Street at Austin City Hall with entrances on the Guadalupe and First Street Bridge. Take advantage of free parking and shuttle service from MLK and Congress Avenue.

Fun, whimsy, and excitement are paramount to this decades old festival. A cultural phenomenon with a contemporary twist, Art City Austin is Austin at its finest.

Spring is in the air, and it’s time to break out the sandals and travel to the coast – figuratively, of course! – with Sullivan’s Steak & Cake. This incredible deal features a delicious four-ounce crab cake and a tender eight-ounce filet mignon accompanied by Sullivan’s blue cheese iceberg wedge or caesar salad for only $39. Executive Chef Carlos Garcia of Sullivan’s Steakhouse in Austin is pleased to announce that the restaurant will offer the “Steak & Cake” feature throughout the month of April.

“If it’s your first Sullivan’s experience or you dine with us regularly and want to shake things up, Steak & Cake is the perfect way to savor two of our best flavors for a fantastic value – and a have a great night out,” said Chef Garcia.

With their Prohibition-era vibe, Sullivan’s is the perfect destination for patrons to have a real night out on the town, complete with food, drinks, and entertainment all under one roof.  Besides the amazing cuisine, Sullivan’s Steakhouse features live jazz in the bar, hand-crafted cocktails, and an exceptional wine list.

Sullivan's Steak & Cake Special Throughout April

Founded in Austin, Texas in 1996, Sullivan’s Steakhouse is known for its cuts of steak and is equally well known for its fresh seafood, delectable side dishes, mouth-watering desserts and award-winning wine list.

Sullivan’s packs their crab cake literally to the gills with delicious crab meat, using very minimal filler. The cake is always baked and never fried. This decadent mound of succulent lump crab meat gets spiced up with red pepper and onions, and finished with a sassy sauce made of cream, Cajun spices and Tabasco. The eight-ounce filet at Sullivan’s is wet-aged for 28 days to make the steak more tender and flavorful. The filet is then seasoned simply with salt and pepper and broiled so the juices flow from the top of the steak, allowing it to self-baste.  The seared crust on the meat seals in the juices, creating an outstanding steak.  Guests can choose from a delicious array of sauces and butters to top their steaks, with favorites like Madeira Mushroom Sauce and Cabernet Goat Cheese Butter.

For the perfect complement to Steak & Cake, sip on one of the featured wines, hand-selected by Wine Director David O’Day. La Marca Prosecco, Flora Springs Chardonnay and Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon will be featured by the bottle and glass throughout April.

Don’t miss out on this extraordinary spring deal in downtown Austin! Call (512) 495-6504 for reservations and more information.

Hometown favorites Electric Touch, who made true believers of last year’s audiences at SXSW and Austin City Limits, seem to be intent on following their own advice — gaining momentum at radio with “Don’t Stop,” the first single from their debut album, NEVER LOOK BACK, while traveling the country on tour with Hot Chelle Rae, the five-man band doesn’t show any signs of easing up.

After returning to their home-base of Austin for this year’s SXSW, Electric Touch has been steadily making their presence felt with appearances and performances all over town, culminating with a high-energy concert as they opened for Hot Chelle Rae at La Zona Rosa last Thursday night.

Electric Touch – made up of Nottingham, England’s Shane Lawlor on lead vocals, Texas-born Christopher Leigh on guitar and his fraternal twin brother Louis Messina, Jr. on drums, and newest members Isaac Strycker (keyboards and vocals), and Portland Musser (on bass) –  combines the rock passions of its British and American bandmates with a garage-rock pulse that explores the highest highs of love and the lowest lows of heartbreak.

We caught up with Shane and Christopher en route to Houston last Friday, as they were prepping for a big show at House of Blues, for a quick Q&A.

How has it been touring with Hot Chelle Rae?

Chris: Ridiculous. Hot Chelle Rae welcomed us with open arm. They gave us an unbelievable opportunity to share our music with their audiences. And then we get to share our audiences with Hot Chelle Rae. It’s unbelievable. We’re pretty happy right here, right now. There’s no worries about yesterday – it’s all about tonight.

Shane:  They’re lovely people, and really sweet. They have wonderful audiences. We’re spending over two hours signing autographs and taking pics after the shows. It’s brilliant.

After your breakout performance on the opening day of last summer’s ACL, Austin has really been your home base. What’s your favorite part of playing music in Austin?

Chris: Well Austin’s just a great place. We all come from not as interesting places, and Austin is a sanctuary for musicians.  You can do whatever you want and listen to whoever you want here. That’s how Shane and I met – he’s from England, and was listening to American music, and I was listening to UK music. In Austin, there are so many outstanding musicians to come home to. It’s grounding coming back home, and the audiences just love music. That’s why Austin is so great.

The single “Don’t Stop” from your debut album Never Look Back is getting some great radio time! 

Shane: We’re really excited. We wrote that song in NYC a few years ago. We just started playing it, really, and then the record came out, and now you hear it back on the radio in the car as you’re driving down the street. It’s pretty wild. But you know, I think that album is ten great songs. We wrote many songs, but we wanted to find the ten that were best. We think we found found them – they’re really honest performances by the group.

Is it too soon to start thinking about the next album?

Shane: It’s never too soon!  When you’re a musician, there’s a switch you can’t turn off in your head. Even if you’re not trying it just takes over. We’re chomping at the bit ready to put another album out, though we wouldn’t be surprised if it’s another year. We always said we wanted to put an album out every year. Its not easy to do that, but that’s what we’re aiming for.

What’s your message to your fans?

Shane: It always come back to – Never Look Back. Say goodbye to things, and look forward. Be who you are or who you want to be. Don’t let the haters drag you down, because you’re beautiful. That whole message runs through all of our music. It’s about honesty, love, and happiness. We want you to have a good time, we want people to feel good about themselves. That’s what we tell people – you can do anything you want to do. Your dreams will come true if you believe in them hard enough.

Before heading back on tour (next up: Charlotte, SC and then the East Coast!), Electric Touch will be back in Austin for a performance at Waterloo Records on Friday, April 6 from 5-5:30. Free Shiner will be on hand, and the guys will be sticking around to sign autographs after the show.

Head on over to iTunes to purchase NEVER LOOK BACK on Island Records, and encourage your favorite local DJ to keep spinning “Magnetic” and “Don’t Stop“!

Five x Seven SPLURGE is an art sale and exhibition featuring hundreds of recognized contemporary artists with strong Texas ties, who create unique works of art on identical 5” x 7” boards. Each 5×7-inch piece of artwork benefits Arthouse exhibitions and educational programs, and will be sold for only $150 or $100 for Arthouse members. Just another great reason to become an Arthouse member today!

By attending Five x Seven SPLURGE on April 4,  you will have first pick of over 1,000 original 5×7-inch works of art by emerging and established contemporary artists. The sale begins at 8:30pm with the blow of a whistle.
With hundreds of works to choose from, this is your chance to have your first pick of an original piece of art with which to begin or add to your art collection. All pieces are displayed anonymously – only when you purchase a work of art will you discover who created it. This is one of Austin’s most unique artistic events you can’t afford to miss.

The event takes place at the Jones Center at 700 Congress Avenue from 7 to 10 pm. Light bites will be provided by Ranch 616, Trace and sugarPOP sweetshop alongside beverages from Cinco, Pedernales Cellars and Shiner. Each SPLURGE ticket entitles you to a $25 credit toward the purchase of one Five x Seven piece of art. Click here to purchase your ticket.

Cut to night two of the annual Five by Seven exhibition, which will continue the sale of original works at the Art SOCIAL. Join with the artists in celebrating the talent by which this exhibition has received its name and reputation. This event will also be held at the Jones Center from 7 to 10 pm, and will feature music by DJ Peytonius with food and drink by Crave, Bombay Sapphire, Pedernales Cellars, Real Ale and more, to ensure another festive night.. Buy tickets singly or in a five-pack for a discount here.

AMOA-Arthouse provides rich environments for a wide range of audiences to investigate and experience excellence in modern and contemporary art. The museum accomplishes this through innovative exhibitions, education, interpretative programs and direct access to the creative process.

If wine, an outdoor patio, and live music make up your recipe for the perfect evening, go ahead and grab your calendar and pencil. The Wine Down returns to ACL Live this evening, and will run every Wednesday through the end of May.

Each week, The Wine Down will host a new musician and local caterer on the ACL Live Front Porch. Happy-hour priced wines will be provided by  The Dreaming Tree, as well giveaways for merchandise from businesses around the 2nd Street neighborhood.

Tonight will kick off  the wine and music series with a performance by Wild Child and food by Cantina Laredo.

A 14-track CD released by the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau during South by Southwest features all of the Austin-based artists set to perform at The Wine Down. Accompanied by a 40-page guide to Austin’s music scene, the CD highlights both up-and-coming and well-known musicians.

The Wine Down series is free and open to the public, and will run from 5 – 7pm through May 30. Check out the complete music line-up below!

3/28: Wild Child

4/4: Mike Flanigan

4/11: Speak

4/18: Ariel Abshire

4/25: Candace Bellamy

5/2: Lex Land

5/9: La Guerilla

5/16: Soldier Thread

5/23: Hudson Moore

5/30: Nakia

Channing Tatum at 21 Jump Street premiere

SXSW came even bigger and better this year. Critics have even said the SXSW Film Festival has even stolen some thunder from the famed Sundance Film Festival. Actor Channing Tatum graced Austin’s red carpet for the 21 Jump Street premiere. Even Austin’s most notorious bongo-player Matthew McConaughey showed up to premiere his latest movie, Killer Joe.

Anthony Bourdain

Perhaps too risque for the show, Travel Channel host and food raconteur Anthony Bourdain filmed a “Digital Debauchery” expressly for the SXSW festival. Bourdain was sighted at JMueller BBQ, Contigo, Quality Seafood, Barley Swine, and La Condesa. Bravo host Andy Cohen was additionally spotted at La Condesa.

Austin saw its fair share of headliners play this SXSW for the music festival. ACL Live hosted Jay-Z, Norah Jones, Lionel Richie, Lil Wayne, the Shins, and even more all showed up. After years in reclusion, Fiona Apple even came out to start her new tour with Austin for its starting point. The collaboration between Bruce Springstein and Arcade Fire will go down as one of SXSW 2012′s most epic moments.

FIona Apple at Stubb's Bar-B-Que

Beyond the music and film portion of the festival, the interactive section had its own benefits as well. So maybe the next Twitter might not have been discovered, but Tabbed Out made its presence known around town with multiple parties. An app to cure forgotten credit cards, Tabbed Out made the list for the top ten technologies to watch.

SXSW even saw a movement toward conscious cuisine. An Applegate Farms spokesperson at gastro-pub Haddington’s stressed the importance for the tech industry to get behind the food movement.

Other countries and states came to promote their own cuisine as well. Parkside hosted a German Wunderbar party in hopes of changing people’s ideas on German food. The France Rocks party featured fine wine from France, brie and baguette-style sandwiches in tandem with contemporary French music. The Canadian Blast party even tipped their hat to Texas by serving up some delicious local BBQ.

It pays to be local for SXSW.  Even if you don’t have a pass, an RSVP will get you into a ton of parties and shows. Without an RSVP, just walking around can be a blast listening to new music, seeing the sights and the city alive with the festival spirit.

Home Slice Pizza  is hosting its own (unofficial) SXSW event, Music by the Slice 2012 — a glorious day-long party full of music, pizza, drinks, and more.

As always, the party is free (that’s right — no rsvp, no badge required!) All proceeds from concession sales will be donated to charity.  This year’s charity of choice is Urban Roots – a sustainable farming program for young Austinites. Interested in volunteering for the event? Hit up the folks at Home Slice at PieClub@homeslicepizza.com.

Meanwhile, over on the Home Slice blog, Open Your Pie Hole, the music lineup for the day has excitedly been announced:

• The Belle Brigade (8:20 PM)
• Radiation City (7:45)
• Great Lake Swimmers (7:10)
• Mother Falcon (6:35)
• Dan Mangan (6:00)
• Family of the Year (5:25)
• Dark Dark Dark (4:50)
• Performances by Adam Arcuragi between sets (3-5pm)
• Yellow Ostrich (4:15)
• Hospitality (3:40)
• Typhoon (3:05)
• Performances by Little Stolen Moments between sets (2-3pm)
• Strand of Oaks (2:30)
• Husky (AU) (1:55)
• Lost Lander (1:20)
• The Darcys (12:45)
• Yukon Blonde (12:10)
• Imperial Teen (11:35 AM)

Be sure to check out the bands on the MXTS 2012 Spotify Playlist, and RSVP and invite your pals to MXTS on Facebook.

Austin's Jonathas Ojeda and Lex Land

Some home-grown Austin talent are generating national buzz as contestants on this season of NBC’s singing competition, The Voice. R&B artist Jonathas Ojeda and rock/jazz/folk phenom Lex Land both think they have what it takes to go all the way.

The show began in February with the Blind Auditions. Here’s the concept. Judges Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine, and Blake Shelton face away from the stage toward a live audience, forced to make their judges on solely aural cues – this is a singing competition, after all. If and when a voice strikes their fancy, the judge pushes a button on their chair, activating a swivel-function that propels their judge-thrones toward the stage, and simultaneously lighting up a sign that says “I Want You!”  With the performance complete, the singer – given the option – syncs up with a mentor-judge, effectively joining their “team.”

The competition has now entered its second phase, the Battle Rounds, which will last through the month. In this stage of the game, performers on the same team go head-to-head in a sing-off, with the team leader ultimately deciding who goes home and who gets to stick around for the Live Rounds.

We caught up with Jonathas and Lex to discuss the road to The Voice, what it’s been like working with their mentors, and what to expect from the Battle Rounds.

First up, Jonathas.  An aspring R&B musician, the Brazilian born singer turned the heads of the judges – and many screaming fans – at his audition with his performance of Usher’s “U Got It Bad,” In fact, performance was so on-point that the judges thought they had been punked - ”I thought that was a prank,” exclaimed Cee Lo, “I thought that was actually Usher.”

With Cee Lo and Christina battling it out over him, Jonathas ultimately chose Team Christina.

This whole journey started back for you in August, when you auditioned for the show in Houston. What made you decide to go out for The Voice?

Jonathas: It’s actually funny. I did American Idol last season, and I was kinda hesitant about doing another reality show. But my buddy was auditioning, so I decided to go along with him. I thought, if I make it I make; if not, no biggie.

The judges really loved your audition performance – Cee-Lo and Christina really duked it out over you, and you went Team Christina. How has it been working with her?

Jonathas: It’s been a dream come true working with one of the best female vocalists in the world. She’s been doing this for a long time, she’s very experienced and has the Grammys to prove it! I’ve been having a great time and learning a lot with her. It was crazy how the whole thing came about. I had my eyes on Team Cee Lo, because I watched the first season and she had all female vocalists and I wasn’t sure if she wanted to do the same thing again. I was really iffy about going to Team Christina, since I had my mind set for Cee Lo, but when they were battling over me, Christina seemed like she wanted me a whole lot! (Laughs.)

Tonight begins the first of the Battle Rounds. What has that been like?

Jonathas: The battle rounds is a tough round, much tougher than blind auditions You spend so much time with these great singers, artists, and musicians, and things happen you don’t expect. You don’t expect to create great bonds with these people. But they become your close friends – I’m spending some of the the toughest times of my life with these people. But it’s a competition, so that’s  something we have to get past. I had a great time though, I love the song and we had a blast going at it.

 What’s been the most exciting aspect of this process for you so far?

Jonathas: Probably when I actually did the Blind Auditions and knew for sure that I made a team. Also being able to meet with Christina and have dinner with her – and this is Christina Aguilera we’re talking about here! She’s a phenomenal singer, and for her to tell me I have a beautiful voice and that she wants wants to mold it and make this happen…that’s something that’s a little surreal in my mind. I’ve always dreamed about it, but for it to be happening now…I’m having a great time.

Has Christina given you a particular piece of advice that’s really stuck?

Jonathas: Absolutely. When me and Christina first got together, one of the main things she told me was that I need to stay true to myself as an artist and my voice, to make sure that’s something I never lose. I don’t know if it’s that she saw something in me from the beginning that she thinks is really different, but she really wants me to stay true to myself.

How has your life changed since you’ve made it this far?

Jonathas: It’s great. My family is a lot happier. My kids are just really happy right now. There’s a lot of support that we’re getting, from LA to Austin to Brazil, with all the fans that are joining up. It’s like a dream come true, it really is. For me to come all the way from Brazil to the states and make something of myself…We’re all just very happy right now, and want to keep pushing, keep going, keep the energy up. We just want more.

What are your days like when you’re back in Austin?

I like to stay busy and work a lot. When it comes to the music, I like to be in the studio  - I want to grow more, and there’s a lot for me to learn. I don’t just want to be a singer, but start producing a little bit. So more songwriting and engineering, and just learning the craft. I also definitely spend time with my family, wife and kids. Sometimes it’s just music music music, and you have to go out and have a good time, get with some friends over dinner of couple drinks.

Even before The Voice, Lex Land was an established singer-songwriter, whose original songs have appeared on television shows such as Private Practice, One Tree Hill, and Castle, among others. Her sultry rendition of Bonnie Rait’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” earned praise from the judges for its crossing genres between jazz, rock, and folk.

Faced with a decision between Adam, Cee Lo, and Blake, Lex finally sided with Team Blake.

Tell me a little about your road to being on The Voice.

Lex: Well I auditioned in Houston. You know, there was a little bit of recruitment for The Voice. Someone suggested I do it, and I was a little reluctant because I’m  kind of afraid of cameras! (Laughts) But I did I mostly because I thought –  worst case scenario, it would be good exposure and would help a few more people know bout the career I’ve already worked hard at, and best case scenario, it would propel my career even further.

So how has it been going with your camera phobia?

Lex: It’s gotten easier and easier. After I got off the stage at Blind Auditions, I felt like a totally different person. It’s still nerve-wracking for me because it’s just not in my nature. It’s one thing to be on stage and command the attention of an audience…but to do that in front of the camera is just strange, and takes getting used to.

The judges really loved your audition performance! Adam, Cee-Lo, and Blake really fought over you, and you went Team Blake. How has it been working with him?

Lex: Before going into it, you hypothetically go through all scenarios, and I thought that, given the choice, I’d like to have Blake as my coach. He’s really down to earth and just a really great guy, and he seemed like a great coach last season. I thought that was a person I’d want on my side, regardless of whether I made it through to the end or not. It was really difficult to say no to Cee Lo and Adam, because I respect them so much and grew up listening to them, and I wouldn’t push that decision on anyone. But I decided to go with my instincts at that moment.

What was your experience like competing against your fellow Team Blake people in the Battle Rounds?

Lex: We’re close friends and become like family and spend so much time together. You really bond with the people on your team, and it’s strange that we’re getting pitted against in each other in this strange, cannibalistic way. But we all know we’re in the same boat, so we’re pretty supportive of one another.

With you both being from Austin, have you and Jonathas become close?

Yeah absolutely, we’ve become really close, not only being out there but we get to take flights back and forth and sit next to each other. We’ve done a lot of things here together. We met out there, but there’s lots of Austin pride! And the fortunate thing is that you don’t have to compete with anyone who isn’t on your team until you’re the final four!

What’s been the most exciting aspect of this process for you so far?

Working with Blake is really exciting. And even though I’m uncomfortable in front of cameras, it’s been media boot camp for me, which has been something I’ve always been really uncomfortable doing now I just have to do it and suck it up. Forcing yourself out of your comfort zone is really good. But the most exciting thing I alluded to previously, it’s the new fans and new attention I’m getting, especially pointed at the career I’ve already worked so hard to establish.

The Voice airs on Mondays at 8/7c. Be sure to check out Jonathas and Lex at SXSW in the coming weeks. Lex will be playing with her band on Tuesday, March 13 at 11pm at the Parish. Jonathas’ full SXSW schedule here.

Line Up:
12:00- 12:45: The Other Side of Morning
1:00- 1:45: Enemies
2:00- 2:45: Dad Rocks!
3:00-3:45: Everyday Animals
4:00-4:45: Stephen Smartt
5:00-5:45: The Ray Johnston Band
6:00-7:00: Wooster

With John Jackson and friends during set changes and much more!

Complimentary Dos XX while it lasts – so get here early!

$10 Suggested Donation to Students of the World | Professionals.

RSVP

Facebook