Category Archives: austin city limits

Rockettes strike a pose on ACL stage

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KLRU gets lots of visitors to our Austin City Limits studio 6A each week during our 10:30 am Friday tours. Occasionally we have special guests during the week who want to see the legendary studio as well including Gina Pero and Audrey Douglass of the Radio City Rockettes.

The Radio City Rockettes are in town for a performance of Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Presented by Broadway Across America Austin and Texas Performing Arts, the 2010 edition of The Christmas Spectacular will play the Bass Concert Hall from December 17–26. Tickets are available at the Bass Concert Hall box office, all Texas Box Office Outlets, by phone at (512) 477-6060 or online at texasperformingarts.org

Opening Night features Steve Miller Band 2/24

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KLRU-TV, AUSTIN PBS, ANNOUNCES OPENING NIGHT AN EVENING OF MUSIC & FOOD TO BENEFIT PUBLIC TELEVISION & AUSTIN CITY LIMITS

EVENT CELEBRATES COMPLETION OF MOODY THEATER & UNVEILING OF NEW STAGE & BACKDROP FOR ICONIC AUSTIN CITY LIMITS TV SERIES

STEVE MILLER BAND HEADLINES EVENING

Austin, TX — KLRU invites Austin to a world-class celebration on Thursday, February 24, 2011 for the grand opening of the Moody Theater’s AUSTIN CITY LIMITS Stage. City leaders, cultural icons, community philanthropists, business executives and music fans, will join together as the legendary KLRU-produced, PBS series moves to a new state-of-the-art venue.

Opening Night ushers the legendary show to its new stage with a special performance by Steve Miller Band and the unveiling of a newly created Austin city skyline backdrop.

Lauded rock guitarist Steve Miller and his band have been inspiring fans for more than four decades with Miller’s unique brand of rousing American rock ‘n’ roll. His catalog includes 17 studio albums and multiple hit singles including “The Joker,” “Take The Money and Run,” “Jet Airliner,” “Abracadabra” and more.

The new stage backdrop is a much-anticipated modernized rendition of the television series’ previous backdrop which brought the Austin skyline into viewers’ homes since its adoption in 1981. According to series Executive Producer Terry Lickona, the new backdrop represents Austin’s current skyline while still highlighting the celebrated University of Texas tower and Texas State Capitol that have always been integral to the show’s look. It was designed and constructed by a host of Austin-based craftsmen: artist Ellen Lampl, Custom Creation, set painter Tim Dingle, and Olden Lighting, alongside series production company LickonaVision.

The evening will kickoff with a performance by Austin’s own Carolyn Wonderland, representing the new generation of Texas blues-rock guitar slingers. Wonderland made her national television debut on the show in 2008.

Accomplishing what no other show has done in the history of American television, AUSTIN CITY LIMITS has presented audiences with the most diverse, original, cutting-edge talent music has to offer. The series will take this same spirit of creativity into the new venue giving more of Austin a seat to the next stage of legendary performances.

The Moody Theater is a state-of-the-art live music venue.   Developed by Stratus Properties, the new home of AUSTIN CITY LIMITS will enable more fans to watch future live tapings and provide an enhanced experience while maintaining the intimacy, character and integrity that have been the hallmark of AUSTIN CITY LIMITS for more than three decades. In addition to ACL tapings, it will host 60-100 concerts a year as ACL Live at The Moody Theater.  Nestled next to the W Austin Hotel & Residences™, it is the premier destination in Austin for live performances as well as private events and only one of two dedicated live music venues in the country built to USGBC LEED rated standards.

In 2009, the Moody Foundation of Galveston, Texas gave KLRU a $2.5 million contribution to help equip the new state of the art AUSTIN CITY LIMITS production facility.

Two levels of tickets are still available to this special night:

Dinner-By-The-Bite + Performance Tickets – $500 per ticket
Arrive early and enjoy cocktails and amazing cuisine provided by W Austin on the Gallery of the Mezzanine Level. Take your reserved seat on the Mezzanine Level for the show after the reception.

Performance Tickets – $150 per ticket
Performance tickets include Balcony Level reserved seats to the show

Following the performance, the entire theater will open up for the Encore Reception with sweet & savory snacks and your chance to tour every seat in the house.

For more information or to purchase tickets go to www.klru.org/openingnight.

KLRU’s Opening Night committee is chaired by Berry Crowley.  Honorary Chairs are Bobbi and Mort Topfer.  Committee includes Linda Benge, Laura Beuerlein. Susie Dudley, Mary Margaret Farabee, Jordan Herman, Mary Herman, Cindy Hill, W Austin, Carrie Holt, AMLI, Jenny Miller, Ross Moody, Elizabeth Nash, Claire Pinkerton,  Laurie Swan, Stratus Properties,  Dwight Thompson, Trisa Thompson, Tomi Winstead, Sandy Youman.
KLRU’s Opening Night is made possible by the generous support of our lead sponsors: The Moody Foundation, W Austin, and Stratus Properties.
About KLRU:
KLRU-TV, Austin PBS, reflects, celebrates and inspires Central Texas through creative excellence, community engagement and lifelong learning. In addition to providing locally produced and quality national television programming, KLRU is also a non-profit organization helping to build a stronger community through educational workshops, community engagement projects and public events. Known as the producing station of the longest running live music television show AUSTIN CITY LIMITS, KLRU has also worked on several other national productions including the documentaries Tattooed Under Fire and Citizen Architect. Get more information about KLRU at klru.org.

Saturday & Sunday live in the studio

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Fun in the studio continued all weekend long as Central Texans showed their support for Austin City Limits and Masterpiece Mystery.

Saturday night KLRU aired the Pearl Jam episode in the regular time slot with special guests ACL producer Terry Lickona and photographer Scott Newton. We heard great behind-the-scenes stories of their many years with the show. Phone volunteers for the evening were veteran ACL volunteers. No one needed to tell them where the restrooms were located, they know their way around the studio as well as we do!

Show your support for Austin City Limits and receive an autographed copy of “Austin City Limits: 35 Years in Photographs.”

Sunday in the studio revolved around “A Study in Pink,” the Masterpiece Mystery episode voted for by KLRU viewers. Members of the Sherlock Holmes Society of Austin (aka Waterloo Station) and the Sisters in Crime Heart of Texas Chapter graciously answered phones and helped us with Sherlock trivia. Artist and Sherlock Society member Trish McCracken brought a beautiful print reproduction of Sherlock Holmes’ residence at 221B Baker Street, London which was included in the 2009 book “The Sherlock Holmes Companion: An Elementary Guide.” One lucky viewer who knew their Sherlock trivia was able to take home the print after answer a trivia question correctly. Thank you Trish! Austin mystery writer Janice Hamrick shared information with viewers on her upcoming book and why supporting KLRU is important to the Austin community.

It’s not too late for you to donate to KLRU for Masterpiece Mystery, thanks for your support.

A big thank you goes to local writer and actor Owen Egerton who had us laughing all night long. To see more of Owen, catch his Master Pancake Christmas show happening the next couple of weekends at different Alamo Drafthouses.

Tickets for Opening Night available now

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KLRU invites Austin to a world-class celebration for the grand opening of the Moody Theater’s Austin City Limits Stage. Opening Night celebrates Austin City Limits’ move to a new studio located in downtown Austin. The new Austin City Limits studio, developed by Stratus Properties as part of the Block 21 development project, will enable more fans to watch future live tapings and provide an enhanced experience while maintaining the intimacy, character and integrity that have been the hallmark of Austin City Limits for more than three decades.

Individuals can enjoy this once in a lifetime evening by purchasing tickets to KLRU’s Opening Night at klru.org/openingnight

Austin City Limits: 35 Years in Photographs

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Although Austin City Limits: 35 Years in Photographs isn’t officially released until September 14th, you may have seen it popping up at various places around Austin (including for sale at recent ACL tapings!). This substantial coffee-table book features hundreds of stunning photographs by long-time ACL photographer Scott Newton. Edited by Newton and Executive Producer Terry Lickona, the photographs have been carefully curated and presented with memories and quotes about ACL from the artists who have performed on the show. The book is currently available for sale through KLRU’s website as well as most major booksellers. More information about the book itself:

Austin City Limits is the best of the best: the best moments from some of the most brilliant, mesmerizing, quirky, esoteric, and unforgettable performances on the longest-running popular music series in American television history.

Austin City Limits

35 Years in Photographs

Photographs by Scott Newton

Edited by Terry Lickona and Scott Newton

Foreword by John Mayer

September 2010

$40.00 hardcover, ISBN 978-0-292-72311-5

10.5 x 11 inches, 204 pages, 294 color and b&w photos

Brad and Michele Moore Roots Music Series


Honored as a “historic rock and roll landmark” by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Austin City Limits is the longest-running popular music series in American television history. Austin City Limits began in 1974 by featuring original Texas music that ran the gamut from western swing and Texas blues to Tejano, progressive country, and rock and roll. By the time the show celebrated its thirty-fifth anniversary in 2009, its coverage encompassed unique regional, national, and even international performers in an eclectic, ever-expanding range of genres. Austin City Limits has also broadened its live audience beyond its iconic studio on the University of Texas campus with the annual Austin City Limits Music Festival, a three-day extravaganza that spotlights some 150 bands and attracts more than 200,000 fans.

Austin City Limits captures the excitement and energy of the show in photographs by Austin City Limit’s longtime still photographer, Scott Newton. The images span Austin City Limit’s first thirty-five years, with special emphasis on legendary artists such as Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Leonard Cohen, and Willie Nelson, and the most compelling contemporary performers and bands from the past ten to fifteen years, including Coldplay, John Mayer, Elvis Costello, Pearl Jam, David Byrne, The Flaming Lips, Wilco, Lucinda Williams, and Norah Jones. Proving that he has few peers among photographers of live music, Newton’s images deliver amazing glimpses into the intimate, revealing, and powerful moments in each artist’s performance. They also depict the direct and potent connection between performer and audience that has always been a hallmark of Austin City Limits.

SCOTT NEWTON has been the house photographer for Austin City Limits since 1979. His work has been published on numerous album covers and in many magazines and books, including three books illustrated entirely by his work: two about Austin City Limits (the most recent being Austin City Limits: 25 Years of American Music) and The Improbable Rise of Redneck Rock: New Edition.

TERRY LICKONA has been the producer of Austin City Limits since 1978. He served as chairman of the board of trustees of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences from 2005–2007 and was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Americana Music Association in 2009.

For more information from University of Texas Press please contact Andrea Prestridge at 512.232.7633 or aprestridge@utpress.utexas.edu.