Celebrating the Long Center

 

I took this photo in 2009 when our skyline was just beginning to bud out.

These entertainers were part of the opening of the Long Center. 

Carrie Rodriguez sings and plays

Local entertainer Carrie Rodriguez did a concert at the Long Center's Rollins Theater the other night. On the right, playing guitar, is her husband. The bass player is a stellar musician who was in Leonard Cohen's backup band for many years.

A sweeping view

We attended a concert at the Long Center on a recent afternoon and I took this photo from the donor's lounge. My city didn't look like this when I was growing up!

Yehudi Goes to Texas!

Ruby Jane Smith and her band showed a different side of the fiddle during this free event during the Menuhin Violin competition earlier this month. This was on the ever versatile Long Center porch.

Souvenirs for Violin Competitors

As a souvenir of their visit to Austin for the Menuhin Violin competition all the competitors received a custom-fitted cowboy hat. Our friends Andrew and Mary Ann Heller provided this great remembrance and the kids (some shown here) were very pleased.

Juggling

This juggler was doing his thing on the Long Center porch during Yehudi Goes to Texas, a free event during the Menuhin Violin competition. That's our home in the background, of course.

The Aliens Have Landed

Too bad the Nissan got in the picture. Otherwise this might look otherworldly with the Long Center ring and the Palmer Events roof and this temporary Architects of Air thing where you can go through a sort of light show.

Another great quote

Here is another quote from a great Texas songwriter named Doug Sahm who left this world far too soon.

Quote from O. Henry

This pithy quote is on one of the rocks outside of The Long Center. O. Henry was a famous Austinite who wrote some of the most memorable short stories in history.

Purple!

We attended the Purple Party to benefit the Long Center a couple of weeks ago. Purple is the logo color of the nonprofit performing arts center and that color has been the theme of their parties since the grand opening. (See here and here.) This lady had purple nails for the occasion.

Amplify Austin!

We went to the rally for Amplify Austin a couple of days ago-- a high-tech method of maximizing gifts for many of the non-profits in town. Our friend Sara Hickman sang some songs at The Long Center to warm up the crowd.  Sara is one of the most public-spirited people we know.

Weirdly Beautiful

Here's another picture from the Keep Austin Weird Festival. These women look pretty striking (and attractive) in their costumes. That's our building emerging from the cape and the W Hotel on the right.

Super Heroes Preserving Austin's Weirdness

This family, decked out as super heroes, were preserving Austin's Weird Cred at the Keep Austin Weird Festival.

Purple Party

Last weekend we attended the Long Center Purple Party. It's a multilevel, multifaceted party held around the non-profit public center's anniversary with a VIP dinner, a performance (this year it was an Elton John cover group backed by a symphony and choir) and an after party on the City View Terrace. I shot this there with the ring lit for the occasion and the lights of some food trucks that provided refreshments for youngsters (and some oldsters) dancing to music I couldn't classify. It was a lively benefit gala.

Luminarium

Jackie shot a picture of what looks like a group of kids' bouncy castles but was really an installation that visitors walked through to see the play of natural light coming through various colored panels. None of your reporters saw it. There were long lines (see picture) and it sold out every day it visited the lawn at the Long Center. The group is called "Architects of Air." Reader Billy P. posted some inside shots on facebook.

Eye Cowumba

This gal was 'sighted' at the Long Center (parking garage in background). Yeah, Eye Cowumba.

South From the W Residences

This is the view south from the W Residences. City Hall in foreground, South First (Drake) Bridge stretching across Lady Bird Lake, Auditorium Shores and Long Center in right corner.

Holiday View from The Long Center

I was backstage at The Long Center last night for The Nutcracker. On the way out, I used my iPhone to snap this view of a girl playing on the City Terrace. You can see the vertical lights of our home across the lake in the background.

Big Yellow Buses

I went out onto my balcony to get a breath of fresh air yesterday and saw this long line of buses at The Long Center for the Performing Arts across the lake. Obviously, some type of performance for school kids from around the area was happening.

Long Center Buckled Up

This picture was taken out of the triangular window at the end of our hallway in the 360 condos so excuse the reflection. I wanted to show you that the Long Center was buckled up Saturday to promote the 'Click It Or Ticket' safety program. There was also an inflatable Big Tex to the left. Since I usually shoot the Long Center from our balcony it surprised me to see the how clear the main building at St. Ed's was from this angle when I zoomed in on the Long Center. You see why their sports moniker is 'Hilltoppers.'