Austin, TX

Olivia Rodrigo sells out Austin tickets, plays Traitor, Good 4 U, more

Published

3 years ago

May 14, 2022

Olivia Rodrigo sells out Austin tickets, plays Traitor, Good 4 U, more

Sunday is for church. Friday is for teen idols. Thank goodness pop celebrity Olivia Rodrigo introduced her Bitter Tour to Austin’s Moody Amphitheater in Waterloo Park, in order that hundreds of Austinites — these with drivers licenses, and people who relied upon their mother’s — might begin their weekend at an altar to angst and aux-cord singalongs.

The chart-topping singer-songwriter simply swung by means of city final 12 months for an “Austin Metropolis Limits” taping, newly coronated as a mainstream breakout recent from the Disney manufacturing facility. Only some months later, and her first correct tour cease was a royal go to. You costume up when the queen comes over. Princesses of the Home of Rodrigo, and never a small quantity of princes, milled by means of the park in tiaras and knee-length promenade couture. Tens of hundreds of butterflies stored vigil, clinging to braids of hair.

And the sticker business is doing simply nice, judging by the faces of younger followers recreating the “Bitter” album artwork.

Even earlier than the solar set, the night time started to resemble Billie Eilish’s landmark Austin Metropolis Limits Music Competition 2021 set. Followers, principally younger, stretched down fifteenth Road and wrapped down Trinity Road. If you happen to might maintain your self from getting swept up within the buzz of followers adjusting their poster boards indicators and evaluating merch hauls, you would possibly look towards the again of the park, the place each degree of a parking storage began to fill with our bodies peering out into the sold-out venue under, F.O.M.O. be darned.

Extra Austin music:Lil Nas X, The Chicks, Pink to play Austin Metropolis Limits Music Competition

Holly Humberstone opens for Olivia Rodrigo at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on Friday, May 13, 2022.

Holly Humberstone, the British singer-songwriter opening the present, ritually slipped Rodrigo’s identify in between her numbers, like a city crier. She ready the best way for a night of leaving each emotion on the ground, with an on-trend catalog of synthy confessionals. “Please Do not Go away Simply But” and “Scarlett” simmered with heartbreak and want. The pot’s gotta bubble earlier than it boils over.

Quickly after dusk, a purple curtain stretched throughout the amphitheater stage. A guitar drove by means of the audio system like a diesel truck. Strobes would possibly’ve fooled you into considering it was about to storm, besides they have been on beat to the staccato snippets of Rodrigo’s album-opening “Brutal,” every of which sharply frayed into shopping-mall-rebellion static.

Olivia Rodrigo performs at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on Friday, May 13, 2022.

The enormous purple petals peeled again, and Rodrigo bloomed underneath a disco ball.

5 thousand voices and a few change rang out: “I am so insecure, I feel/ That I will die earlier than I drink.”

Rodrigo wore an enormous purple coronary heart to cover her actual one, which beats to the rhythm of streamable teen anthems. She sang about how she’s not cool and she or he’s not good, and she will’t even parallel park. The best way this present labored, that meant that the viewers sang about these issues, too.

She grabbed the mic stand with fishnet gloves and leaned on it, and smiled, and waved. Onerous to say if the shrieks ever stopped.

Extra by Eric Webb:Kathleen Hanna slams abortion restrictions throughout Bikini Kill present in Austin

Then after a sternum-shaking “Jealousy, Jealousy,” Rodrigo took a beat.

“I wrote this subsequent music about my first heartbreak,” she mentioned. In a Pavlovian response, everybody heard the sound of automobile keys of their heads. The primary time she performed the subsequent music for her finest buddy, Rodrigo mentioned, the particular person to which she’d informed each harm lastly understood the depth of her disappointment.

“Music captures emotions higher than phrases,” she mentioned, and that is why “Drivers License” was the No. 1 music within the nation.

“Guess you did not imply what you wrote in that music about me/ ‘Trigger you mentioned eternally, now I drive alone previous your road,” Rodrigo sang into honey, as her viewers screamed the identical phrases like a soccer discipline of Pop Rocks poured into an ocean of Coke.

Behind Rodrigo, silvery streamers swayed within the wind like in addition they appreciated an excellent music of the summer time. The singer let the viewers take the final couple strains, after which she introduced it residence. Everybody ought to be so fortunate, to have the depths of their teenage despair changed into mass euphoria by 19.

After all, Rodrigo is not the primary singer to seize a era’s emotional consideration, and she or he will not be the final. She is aware of that, too, and her setlist saluted the ladies who kicked open the pop-rock doorways.

The millennials at Waterloo Park obtained their early fowl particular from the seniors menu proper after “Drivers License” — a canopy of “Difficult” by Avril Lavigne, the godmother of pop-punk dissatisfaction. “She’s the best,” Rodrigo mentioned.

Later within the night time, the singer conjured Gwen Stefani (additionally one of many coolest, in keeping with Rodrigo) for a rousing “Only a Lady.” It actually hit, even when it did reveal Rodrigo’s room for development within the grit division. However Stefani put out “Tragic Kingdom” in her mid-20s; we’ll get there.

An Olivia Rodrigo music could be like a one-act play, which is one method to keep away from the cliché of calling her a storyteller. There is a theater to her stagecraft, although, an experience in conveying emotions on her options, along with her physique language, with the best way she zeroes in on faces within the crowd to carry one thing quadruple-platinum again to the bottom. A youth spent on tv is nice coaching for that, little doubt. (Heh.) However no quantity of mouse cash can create that expertise.

Extra by Eric Webb:What it was like when masked cowboy Orville Peck rode right into a sold-out Stubb’s in Austin

Tearing down the wall between artist and fan is a part of being a pop star job description right this moment. Generally that entails somewhat social media mischief. At an enormous outside live performance, it’d contain giving each attendee a colourful paper flower to position over their telephone’s flashlight for a DIY mild set up throughout a music just like the LGBTQ outreach ballad “Hope Ur OK.” It is an odd duck on an album of breakup anthems, however hey, a few of us prefer it.

Rodrigo mentioned whats up to the parking storage individuals. She slapped a “Preserve Austin Bizarre” sticker on the entrance facet of her platform stage. Who needs to inform her we now have an Hermés retailer, a few of our homosexual bars are being displaced by improvement and nobody bizarre can afford to stay right here anymore?

On the Alanis-worthy “Traitor,” the present reached an emotional excessive and low level on the identical time. “Ain’t it humorous? Keep in mind I introduced her up/ And also you informed me I used to be paranoid?” the entire park sang. Rodrigo excavated deep emotions of betrayal, which does not sound too enjoyable, however she mentioned it is her favourite to sing stay.

It is smart — what number of of our favourite pop songs are literally in regards to the arduous stuff we want somewhat assist sweating out? Two of Rodrigo’s greatest hits (properly, they’re all the largest) are pure catharsis, which is how she ended Friday night time.

On “Deja Vu,” Austin cried out the phrases “strawberry ice cream” and “Billy Joel” like warfare cries. And on the Paramore-parallel “Good 4 U,” teenagers, mothers, dads, individuals who listened to Avril Lavigne of their childhood bedrooms and children who aren’t tall sufficient to get on a curler coaster all referred to as out that rattling sociopath who wronged their most important attraction: “You’ll by no means have to harm the best way that I do.”

A boy as soon as made Olivia Rodrigo sadder than she’d ever been. Simply a few years later, that made hundreds of individuals in Austin about as blissful as they may very well be.

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Austin, TX

Best Mexican Restaurants in Cedar Park TX

Published

3 hours ago

December 29, 2024

Press Room

Best Mexican Restaurants in Cedar Park, TX

Best Mexican Restaurants in Cedar Park TX

Tacos

Margaritas & More

Other Favorites

From authentic Mexican flavors to unique Tex-Mex fusions, there’s something to satisfy every palate with the best Mexican restaurants in Cedar Park TX. Tacos Las Mamis, is known for its incredible birria tacos and authentic Mexican home cooking while Mama Betty’s Tex-Mex y Cantina, offering a lively atmosphere and delicious Mexican martini. There’s also Fogonero Restaurant, a haven for South American flavors with its delectable empandas.

Editor’s Note: Our staff works hard to bring you the latest information. However, all information mentioned in this article is subject to change. As always, please confirm before heading out.

Also, remember to check out our articles on Austin Restaurants Open Christmas Day, Stores Open on Christmas Day Austin, and Austin Christmas Lights!

Mexican Restaurants in Cedar Park, TX – Tacos

El Patron Tacos & More

Check out El Patron Tacos & More, one of your new go-to on the list of best Mexican restaurants in Cedar Park TX for a taste of authentic Mexican street food. Enjoy flavorful breakfast tacos and a variety of other Mexican specialties without breaking the bank.

Tacos Las Mamis

Image credit: Tacos las Mamis

Tacos Las Mamis in Cedar Park is a local gem serving up delicious and authentic Mexican home cooking at budget-friendly prices. Don’t miss their incredible birria tacos!

The Best Mexican Restaurants in Cedar Park TX – Best Mexican Martinis and Margaritas

Blue Corn Harvest Bar & Grill

Discover Blue Corn Harvest, one of the best Mexican restaurants in Cedar Park TX known for its Southwestern-inspired menu. Savor the flavors of the region while enjoying fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Don’t miss the patio, which is perfect for enjoying cornbread and a margarita under the sun.

Jardin Corona Cedar Park

Image credit: Jardin Corona

Discover Jardin Corona, a hidden gem in Cedar Park offering a taste of Mexico. Indulge in delicious authentic dishes, sip on refreshing margaritas, and soak in the vibrant ambiance while enjoying an enchilada!

Specialty: Margaritas, Enchiladas
Where: 600 S Bell Blvd, Cedar Park, TX 78613
Hours: Monday – Thursday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm | Friday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm | Saturday 8:00 am – 10:00 pm | Sunday 8:00 am – 9:00 pm

Mama Betty’s Tex-Mex y Cantina

Get ready for a fiesta at Mama Betty’s Tex-Mex y Cantina in Cedar Park! This lively spot offers a fun and festive atmosphere with a menu of delicious Tex-Mex favorites. Don’t miss the chile relleno and a refreshing Mexican martini, all at budget-friendly prices.

Specialty: Mexican martini, Chile relleno
Where: 9900 W Parmer Ln #220, Austin, TX 78717
Hours: Monday – Thursday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm | Friday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm | Saturday 10:00 am – 11:00 pm | Sunday 10:00 am – 9:00 pm

Dos Salsas

Image credit: Dos Salsas

Dos Salsas, a family-owned Tex-Mex restaurant group with a long history of serving delicious food and providing excellent service, one of the best Mexican restaurants in Cedar Park TX that opened in 2012. Enjoy a warm and welcoming atmosphere while sipping on a Mexican martini!

Specialty: Mexican martini, Charro beans
Where: 1600 E Whitestone Blvd, Cedar Park, TX 78613
Hours: Tuesday – Thursday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm | Friday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm | Saturday 8:00 am – 10:00 pm | Sunday 8:00 am – 9:00 pm

Santa Catarina Mexican Restaurant

Santa Catarina brings the farm and ocean to your table, offering authentic Mexican cuisine with fresh ingredients and a cozy atmosphere. Enjoy classic and new recipes and make sure to try the Mexican martini, ceviche, or black beans!

Texican Cafe

Texican Cafe is one of the delicious and best Mexican restaurants in Cedar Park TX that offers a unique blend of Texas comfort food and authentic Mexican flavors. Enjoy a relaxed atmosphere and a menu featuring delicious, creative but simple dishes like the tortilla soup!

Specialty: Happy hour drinks, Tortilla soup
Where: 11066 Pecan Park Blvd, Cedar Park, TX 78613
Hours: Monday – Thursday 11:00 am – 9:30 pm | Friday – Saturday 11:00 am – 10:000 pm | Sunday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm

Best Mexican Restaurants in Cedar Park TX – Empanadas, Cachapas and more

Aleida’s Restaurant

Image credit: Aleida’s Restaurant

Aleida’s Restaurant in Cedar Park is another one of the best Mexican restaurants in Cedar Park TX to do to for authentic Venezuelan cuisine. Enjoy flavorful dishes at budget-friendly prices, and be sure to try their delectable cachapas.

Fogonero Restaurant

Discover the vibrant flavors of South America at Fogonero Restaurant. This local gem offers a diverse menu of delicious and affordable empanadas, and ceviche, and pabellon criollo perfect for a quick bite or a satisfying meal.

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Lacey is a freelancer and Austin local who’s always on the hunt for new restaurants to try, fun activities to do, and local events to attend. She loves sharing her discoveries with others through her writing and hopes her work encourages both visitors and locals to be active in the community. When she’s not writing, you can find her exploring one of the city’s many hiking trails with her Blue Heeler, Oreo, getting lost in a good book, or dancing the night away to some house or techno beats at one of her favorite rave spots.

Austin, TX

Texas vs Arizona State: Ex-Longhorn Xavion Alford leads Sun Devils against his former team

Published

12 hours ago

December 29, 2024

Press Room

Texas vs Arizona State: Ex-Longhorn Xavion Alford leads Sun Devils against his former team

When Arizona State faces Texas in the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff on Wednesday afternoon, some Sun Devils will experience a full-circle moment at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Arizona State receiver Troy Omeire started his collegiate career at Texas. So did defensive linemen Prince Dorbah and Zac Swanson. Texas fans, do you remember Jake Smith? The receiver who originally signed with Texas during the 2019 recruiting cycle is now a Sun Devil senior.

The most notable of Arizona State’s Texas Exes is Xavion Alford. A junior safety, Alford spent the 2020 season at Texas. Four years and two transfers later, he is Arizona State’s second-leading tackler.

“Now getting to play against (Texas) somewhere else, it’s kind of like the best of both worlds. I played with them, and now I get to play against them,” Alford said on Friday.

Alford’s journey to Arizona State includes stops in Austin, Los Angeles

Alford is a Texas kid. Once a four-star prospect out of Pearland’s Shadow Creek High, Alford was a member of UT’s Class of 2020. Since his last name begins with an “A,” Alford was actually the first recruit that former Texas coach Tom Herman spoke about at his signing day press conference on Dec. 18, 2019. “(He’s) physical, athletic,” Herman said that day.

As a true freshman, Alford appeared in four games during the 2020 season. That December, he elected to transfer.

“It was great, my time there. I had to move on, better things for my future and things of that nature,” Alford reflected.

Alford spent the next two years at USC and then moved to Arizona State. Due to injuries that cost him the 2022 season and an NCAA rule that forced him to sit out the 2023 season because of his second transfer, Alford did not play football for two years.

But this season, he has made an immediate impact for the Sun Devils. A 13-time starter, Alford’s 82 tackles rank behind fellow safety Myles Rowser’s 93 stops on the Arizona State roster. Alford earned a first-team nod on the Big 12’s all-conference team this season, and he has also recorded two interceptions and four pass breakups.

“When he set foot on this campus, he was on a mission, and I think a lot of it had to do with his time at Texas and at USC,” Arizona State defensive coordinator Brian Ward said. “He felt like, hey, this was his last opportunity to really get this done and to make ASU the place that he was going to be the very best he could be, and that’s really all he is.”

Any hard feelings between Alford, Texas?

While speaking with media members over Zoom, Alford didn’t appear to harbor any ill will towards his former team. Four members of a 2020 recruiting class that also included Dorbah and Omeire are still on the Texas roster, and Alford remains close with Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron. Alford added that he is also friends with UT defensive back Jaylon Guilbeau, who joined the Longhorns after Alford left.

“That’s my brother,” Barron said of Alford. “Throughout the whole season we chat literally every week, except this week. But, nah, we’re always chatting. I’m always reaching out to him; he’s always reaching out to me and things like that. Just motivation to keep us going.

“He’s been through so much. I’ve been through so much. We started here together as a brother, and that’s always going to be my brother. I’m just proud of him and how far he’s came. He’s dealt with a lot of issues, just injuries and having to sit out. So I’m just proud that he has an opportunity to showcase the gift that God gave him. So it’s always good to see that out of him.”

Had Arizona State earned a quarterfinal matchup with Oregon, Georgia or any of the other teams still alive in the College Football Playoff, Alford would have heard from plenty of family and friends back home. But Arizona State drew Texas, his former team and the flagship university of the state he grew up in. For his part, Alford isn’t trying to view the Peach Bowl as the site of a reunion.

“I just view it as another game. I went there, signed there, it is what it is. I knew there was a possibility we could play each other in CFP, and obviously here we are a couple days out,” Alford said. “Not really focused on the outside factors, just focus on what I can control, focus on doing my job each and every day and getting prepared for the game.”

Alford, Texas reunion not an anomaly during transfer portal’s new era

Will it be weird for Texas to see its former players on the Arizona State sideline? Texas coach Steve Sarkisian doesn’t think so. It’s just a sign of the times and the transfer portal, UT’s fourth-year coach argued this week.

Besides, Texas has an ex-Arizona State player on its roster. Defensive lineman Jermayne Lole played at Arizona State from 2018-21. Lole transferred to Louisville for the 2023 season, and he has accumulated 20 tackles and three quarterback hurries during his lone year on the Texas defensive line.

“I think this is college football in 2024 and moving forward. It’s almost got a little bit of an NFL feel that way,” Sarkisian said. “I do think that’s the era of college football where we’re at right now. It’s 2024, the portal is alive and well, and 2025 is going to roll around and there will be more faces moving around.”

Most of Arizona State’s ex-Longhorns have contributed to the Sun Devils’ run to an 11-1 record and a Big 12 championship. Alford, Dorbah, Omeire, Smith and Swanson have all appeared in at least 10 games this season. Former Texas defensive lineman J’Mond Tapp was also on Arizona State’s roster this season, but he announced this month that he is entering the transfer portal after not receiving any playing time in 2024.

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Austin, TX

Mack Brown eyes Austin return: Could Texas or TV be next?

Published

20 hours ago

December 28, 2024

Press Room

Mack Brown eyes Austin return: Could Texas or TV be next?

Brown was recently dismissed by North Carolina after expressing his intention to remain with the program another season. His 16-year tenure at Texas remains legendary, featuring a 158-48 record, nine consecutive 10-win seasons, and 11 bowl victories. Now, as he heads back to the city where he enjoyed his greatest success, questions swirl about his next move.

What’s Next for Mack Brown?

Social media has floated various possibilities for Brown’s next chapter, including speculation that he might take on a role addressing major issues like NIL reform and the transfer portal. However, the likelihood of Brown spearheading such efforts seems slim. The complexities of leading NCAA reforms might be too daunting, even for someone with his experience.

Instead, two more realistic paths stand out:

A Return to TV: ESPN, where Brown worked as an analyst before his return to coaching, could be a natural landing spot. With his wealth of knowledge and charisma, he remains a valuable voice in college football commentary.
A Role at Texas: Athletic Director Chris Del Conte has a history of bringing legendary coaches back into the fold. Gary Patterson, for example, joined the Longhorns in 2022 as a special assistant after stepping down at TCU. Brown could find himself in a similar position, serving as an ambassador or advisor to the program.

Coach Mack Brown just said that he is moving back to Austin after the first of the year.
One of three things will happen for Coach in his next chapter in life.
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1. Work with UT football in some capacity, perhaps as an offensive analyst. Special advisor to CDC?
2. Go back to TV…
— Tim Samuels (@Horns63) December 28, 2024

Brown’s Texas Legacy

Brown’s impact on Texas football cannot be overstated. Under his leadership, the Longhorns became a national powerhouse, culminating in the unforgettable 2005 national title. His success was supported by then-Athletic Director DeLoss Dodds, who now serves as a special assistant to the university president. The partnership between Dodds and Brown laid the foundation for one of the most successful eras in Longhorn athletics.

After stepping down as head coach in 2013, Brown briefly served as a special advisor at Texas, a role that allowed him to act as an ambassador for the program. A return to such a position could benefit both Brown and the university, strengthening ties with boosters, alumni, and fans.

My Prediction

While a consulting role at Texas is certainly on the table, my bet is that ESPN will come calling once again. Brown’s expertise and charisma make him an ideal fit for television, where he could continue to shape the narrative of college football. However, if Chris Del Conte offers a special role within the Texas athletic department, don’t be surprised to see Brown back on the Forty Acres.

For Mack Brown, this next chapter offers a chance to reconnect with the sport and community he loves, whether from the sidelines or the studio. His return to Austin is a homecoming Longhorn Nation will surely embrace.