Austin, TX

RealMusic Events 7th Seismic Dance Event Is In Austin November 15-17

Published

3 weeks ago

October 28, 2024

Press Room

RealMusic Events 7th Seismic Dance Event Is In Austin November 15-17

The Concourse Project in Austin, TX

Bryan Gonzalez

Kelly Gray and Andrew Parsons founded RealMusic Events. Like many entrepreneurs, they set up in their town, in this case Austin, Texas. They began as promoters, putting acts into other people’s venues and built from there. This is the essence of how to build a business. Find a niche, build a community and establish trust with both your suppliers and your consumers. Kelly and Andrew have been at this for 15 years now, since 2009. They started with small events of 100 or so in attendance and built it to the point where their 3 day Seismic Dance Event is now drawing thousands and could soon max out The Concourse Project, their own venue with the capacity to hold 10,000 in attendance.

Theirs is an unusual partnership in that Kelly and Andrew are building this business together as a married couple in an industry which is an ongoing 24/7 commitment. Their task list is long between booking artists, hosting shows and handling the myriad details which lie between success and calamity on any given night.

2024 Seismic Dance Event lineup

RealMusic Eventw

In the crazy world of live entertainment, the flywheel spins fastest around two axes: your history of successful shows and whether you control a venue or are always working in someone else’s room.

Slowly, and perhaps in retrospect very slowly, Kelly and Andrew worked up to having The Concourse Project which is their own 18,000 square foot warehouse which can be configured as a modular venue. The Concourse Project sits on 15 acres and is home to what will be the 7^th annual Seismic Dance Event this November 15^th-17^th.

Seismic Dance Event is their festival brand. It is a house and techno boutique festival. Kelly describes it this way: “it is electronic dance music, but even more narrowed down to the house music and techno subculture, kind of like a lifestyle and music festival.” This year’s event includes such acts as Disclosure playing a DJ set, Eric Prydz, Gesaffelstein, Carl Cox and a long list of other interesting players. Link to tickets is below:

Seismic Dance EventSEISMIC DANCE EVENT | AUSTIN, TEXAS

I had such a fun conversation with Kelly and Andrew. They have such a comfortable way of interacting with each other. They’ve clearly mastered how to contain the frenzy of putting on shows and festivals while maintaining a normalized home life. Part of that comes from the way they’ve divided responsibilities between themselves, and part comes from the way in which they’ve honed their partnership so each focuses on what they are responsible to do.

The Concourse Project is interesting because it was such a risky undertaking. Kelly and Andrew have David Brinkley as the third partner in The Concourse Project. David’s role is CFO in addition to input related to design elements of the facility.

Their venue is near Austin’s airport which although it is not far from the heart of Austin, it is also not downtown. Locating an event center away from the city core adds complication to attracting audiences. A second challenge for The Concourse Project team is the lack of parking at their location. That is in part offset by the ever growing use of rideshare apps by music fans who would like to party without having to think about how to get home.

The list of events which Kelly and Andrew take on is long. In addition to Seismic, they host Boiler Room, ACL (Austin City Limits) after parties, events which occur alongside the F1 race when it runs in Austin, and a full calendar of stand-alone live music events throughout the year.

When I asked Kelly to explain how they managed so many events she said: “RealMusic Events started as just a promo company. We would produce shows at other venues, and it was basically just Andrew and I for many of those years, and it was kind of like a side hustle and just like a hobby that became our full time passion and job. And we have a big list of promoters, so a lot of the promoters help promote the shows, and there’s like 80 or so of those. When it comes to the actual working team, we started having full time team members once we were able to open the venue, which is The Concourse Project. There are about ten or so full time employees, but when we talk about part time employees and contractors, it gets up to more like 100.”

I only had one significant question for Andrew: “Which of you is in charge and why is it Kelly?” He was good natured in his answer: “She is the boss, but I guess it depends on how you look at it, too. I do all the talent buying and all the bookings, She’s definitely more of operations. She also comes more from the corporate world so she’s just better at that kind of stuff. I’m just kind of like, do what you do best, you know?” (edited for brevity)

Kelly further clarified: “I couldn’t tell you what exactly is in the future, but it’s always just about growth momentum and what feels like the natural next step. And I feel like one is maybe expanding upon our land, whether that is at our current property or an additional property, so that we can have larger festivals with a little bit more area, room to breathe and play with infrastructure and parking and all of that.”

The RealMusic Events team specializes in electronic dance music. It’s their specialty. Austin is known as one of the live music centers of the world. Formerly, Austin was more traditionally known for traditional live music with guitar, drums and a singer. The world has shifted in favor of EDM music. It is core music in Europe and around the world. And, it is blowing up in the US as well.

Kelly also said: “Fundamentally, the culture of enjoying electronic dance music is a journey and a progression. So the music itself, if you’re talking about one specific track it builds. So even throughout the night whether it’s a show or a festival, you’re building from one DJ to the next. And we always prefer when they mix into each other and it’s like a seamless transition versus a stop and start.”

The entire experience of discussing the Austin EDM scene with Kelly and Andrew was enlightening. Their long residence in Austin and the roots they’ve established have made them expert in their field and with their audience. They are succeeding as promoters and venue operators because they are well established in their field and with their audience.

Kelly’s summary to me of her core ethic was particularly on point: “Southern hospitality really is a thing. I mean, I always go back to that, but, I mean, it really is.”Go see The Concourse Project when in Austin, get a taste of that Southern Hospitality, and get your tickets to the Seismic Dance Event while they’re still available.

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Related Topics:Austin concert EDM Featured Jelly Roll money RealMusic Experience Seismic Dance Event taylor swift ticketmaster tickets

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Austin, TX

Bread winners: 10 Austin bakeries you'll love

Published

4 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Bread winners: 10 Austin bakeries you'll love

Craving something sweet? Maybe something flaky? Austin may be known for tacos and barbecue, but its bakeries are the unsung heroes of the local food scene. We think it’s time to give them the spotlight they deserve.

Whether you’re looking for pastries by day or celebratory cakes by night, these locally owned bakeries are proof that life is butter with carbs.

Comadre Panadería, 1204 Cedar Ave. | Try something new at this Mexican-American bakery (which is a two-time James Beard semi-finalist) like the highly raved-about concha and pink cake.

La Pâtisserie, multiple locations | A case full of colorful macarons is the main attraction at this French bakery, which also offers pastries, cake, scones, buns, croissants, and wine.

If you’re lucky (like City Editor Morgan was), you may be able to find a frowning gingerbread man at Quack’s 43rd Street Bakery.

Quack’s Bakery, multiple locations | Keeping Austin sweet since 1983, these beloved bakeries make pies, cakes, pastries, and more from scratch with no additives. Be sure to check out seasonal offerings like Pride, Halloween, and Christmas-themed cookies.

Rockman Coffee + Bakeshop, 2400 E. Cesar Chavez St., Ste. #200 | Owned by award-winning pastry chef Amanda Rockman, this newly opened bakeshop is all about caffeine, gluten, butter, sugar, and booze. Grab a rip ‘n’ dip bagel, strawberry cheesecake croissant, or focaccia sandwich.

Sour Duck Market, 1814 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. | The neighborhood bakery within this American restaurant + beer garden is not to be missed. Snag a traditional bite like a savory Danish pastry or a creative concoction like the sweet potato-chai bearclaw.

Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop, 1905 S. 1st St. | Desserts are king at this sugary locale that offers classic cupcakes, cookies, lemon + pecan bars, cakes, and mini-pies in-store, with custom offerings available for larger orders.

Texas French Bread, 2900 Rio Grande St. | Currently housed in an Airstream trailer, this small but mighty bakery (serving Austinites since 1981) sells goods on a first-come, first-served basis. You’ll have to visit in person to see the full menu of bread, pastries, and sweets available each day.

Upper Crust Bakery, 4508 Burnet Rd. | This family-owned scratch bakery has it all, whether you want a cup of coffee and a pastry, a smoked turkey sandwich for lunch, or a layered cake to take home and enjoy.

Walton’s Fancy & Staple, 609 W. 6th St. | Amid a cluster of bars on West 6th Street, this bakery + deli owned by Sandra Bullock is a beacon of sweetness. Its pastries and sweet treats are made daily, but you can also order custom cakes.

Zucchini Kill Bakery, multiple locations | Calling all vegan, gluten, and soy-free folks with a sweet tooth. This woman-owned bakery is a haven for those with dietary restrictions and incorporates the spirit of punk music into its delicacies.

What’s your favorite bakery in Austin? Let us know and we might add it to this list in the future.

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Austin, TX

Texas Longhorns Release First Injury Report vs. Kentucky Wildcats

Published

12 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Texas Longhorns Release First Injury Report vs. Kentucky Wildcats

AUSTIN — The Texas Longhorns and Kentucky Wildcats have released their initial student-athlete availability report ahead of Saturday’s meeting in Austin.

Texas is listing receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. as questionable due to a foot injury while linebacker Morice Blackwell Jr. is questionable after sitting out for the 20-10 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks last week.

“He’s progressing this week,” Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said of Moore Jr. during Wednesday’s SEC Weekly Teleconference. “We’ll see if he’ll be ready to go here Saturday, but we’re surely a better team when he’s out there.”

Fortunately for Texas, running back Jaydon Blue was not listed on the report after being seen in a sling following the Arkansas game.

Here’s the full report for both teams:

Texas vs. Kentucky injury report / secsports.com

Sarkisian provided an injury update on Moore Jr., Blue and Blackwell Jr. on Monday during his weekly press conference.

“I think Blue’s good,” Sarkisian said. “Like I said, he went with us today and worked this morning. So we’ll see how it goes. … Mo Blackwell was out last week. … I’m hopeful we can get him back this week. We’ll see how it goes. … DeAndre got nicked up during the game with a foot injury. Again, those two guys (Blackwell) are integral parts to our program, not only on offense and defense, but on special teams. They’re critical. So hopefully we get both those guys back.”

No. 3 Texas and Kentucky will kick off from DKR on Saturday at

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Austin, TX

UT Energy Expertise To Guide New Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub, Bolster U.S. Energy Supply

Published

19 hours ago

November 20, 2024

Press Room

UT Energy Expertise To Guide New Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub, Bolster U.S. Energy Supply

AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin will partner with industry and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations to build and expand a hub for hydrogen energy production along the Texas Gulf Coast that will help increase and diversify the nation’s energy supply. UT serves as founding member and lead academic organization.

The HyVelocity Hub (HyV), a regional energy consortium, aims to become the largest hydrogen hub in the nation. It will leverage the region’s high concentration of existing hydrogen production and end-use assets to develop low-carbon intensity hydrogen that can power trucks, industrial processes, ammonia production, refining and petrochemical production, and marine shipping fuel.

“Texas is the nation’s energy capital, and UT is the energy university, and we are no stranger to playing a leading role in America’s energy innovation,” said UT President Jay Hartzell. “The success of the HyVelocity Hydrogen Hub is critical to our nation’s future energy security. We are excited to work with our industry partners and apply our vast energy, business and policy expertise to develop the hydrogen workforce and accelerate production along the Gulf Coast.”

UT will provide expertise to support community benefits activities and hydrogen workforce development efforts. UT, through the IC2 Institute and the RESET lab in the Cockrell School of Engineering, has a significant track record of working with over 80 communities in Texas and bordering states to understand community needs and connect these to economic development initiatives to improve the lives of all community members. The hydrogen proto-hub demonstration facility at the Center for Electromechanics will serve as a key resource for hands-on workforce training activities. UT researchers will also conduct life-cycle and techno-economic analyses for the projects. For example, they will provide the analyses required for meeting emissions criteria, clean hydrogen standards, and cost benchmarks, and will report these data to the Department of Energy.

“UT Austin’s role in the HyVelocity Hydrogen Hub will be vital to both providing the research and expertise needed to accelerate the global market for hydrogen, and to developing the workforce needed to support the industry’s advancement over the long term in Texas and the Gulf Coast,” said Brian Korgel, the Rashid Engineering Regents Chair Professor in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering and the director of the UT Energy Institute. “We are proud to be part of this important project that will advance secure and sustainable energy in the U.S. and all over the world.”

HyV’s work will be at the forefront of maintaining and expanding Texas as a global leader in hydrogen energy development. With $22 million in the first tranche of funding, HyVelocity is expected to create up to 45,000 well-paying jobs over its lifetime and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 7 million metric tons per year — equivalent to the annual emissions of more than 1.5 million gasoline-powered cars. The Department of Energy is investing $1.2 billion in the project.

As the nation’s premier university for energy innovation and excellence, UT brings an unmatched scale, depth and breadth of expertise and a pragmatic approach to advancing solutions across the full spectrum of energy. Situated in the heart of Texas, UT is in the center of the energy capital of the world. The University boasts numerous top-10 academic programs and a vast community of minds spanning a multitude of energy departments, centers and institutes. UT’s extensive industry partnerships and field research extend from the oil fields of West Texas to the other side of the world, with faculty, students and staff engaged in applied research in hydrogen, carbon capture, wind, solar, batteries and more.

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