The Yellow Jacket Social Club is a secluded venue down in a “cut” on an alley-like stretch of East 5th in East Austin, across the railroad tracks from the graffiti wall. March 15, 2012
SXSW
This graffiti wall on East Austin’s 5th Street is a well-known neighborhood landmark, SXSW, March 15, 2012
East Austin, SXSW, Thursday, March 15, 2012
Founded on the perception that SXSW did little to include the unique African-American music styles of East Austin, East By Northeast (EXNE) was a free mini-festival of legendary East Austin musical acts that took place on the parking lot behind the Texas Music Museum on East 11th. Attendees got to hear blues legends like the Texas Eastside Kings and gospel groups like the Bells of Joy.Â
Brightly-colored murals and monuments are everywhere in East Austin, SXSW, Thursday, March 15, 2012
The Historic Victory Grill, East Austin
The Victory Grill is one of the oldest African-American nightclubs in the country, and one of only a select few stops on the “chitlin’ circuit” to still be functioning in 2012. Of course it sometimes books rock bands these days, and the front has become an excellent coffee bar called the Purple Bean. But it is very much still in operation, and during SXSW sponsored a daylong tribute to the memory of Miles Davis.Â
The Blue Dahlia, East 11th Street, East Austin, Thursday, March 15, 2012
Cincinnati’s The Lions Rampant perform at the cool outdoor venue in East Austin known as Kenny Dorham’s Backyard, next door to the historic Victory Grill. Jazz trumpeter Kenny Dorham was a native Texan, and spent time in East Austin when he was young. Thursday, March 15, 2012
East Austin scenes, SXSW, Thursday, March 15, 2012
Directly across the street from the Carver Museum is Trailer Space Records and East Side Pies pizza. Trailer Space is a performance venue, and was featuring a girl band called the High Class Hillbillies when I visited. I had always thought of Trailer Space Records as more of a punk-rock store, but they had an amazing selection of avant-garde jazz, including the latest CD from the group Yells at Eels, which features my friend Alvin Fielder on drums.Â