Its happening (stadium renovations)

[Armybrat 40,822]

4 minutes ago, ImissWallyPryor said:

I think it’s still open because people are still giving it one star reviews. 

You mean to say even the tourists have finally wised up?

[ImissWallyPryor 9,046]

Just now, Armybrat said:

You mean to say even the tourists have finally wised up?

The reviews are revealing. Besides the occasional complaint of rats and such, most of the bad reviews include the bitch owner(manager?) and her even bitchier daughter who gives dance “lessons.”

[Pato del Muerto 52,486]

1 minute ago, ImissWallyPryor said:

The reviews are revealing. Besides the occasional complaint of rats and such, most of the bad reviews include the bitch owner(manager?) and her even bitchier daughter who gives dance “lessons.”

She was featured on queer eye so they probably got more attention than they should have, and visitors aren’t shy about opining. 

[The Ace of Aces 5,175]

Went to the state basketball tournament every year between 1986-1999. Some great games and talent came through the Drum, and the bats making in-game appearances was always a treat to young Ace. 

[Wishbone 4,759]

I have a lot of memories tied to the Drum. The one that surfaces first when I think about it is a Bruce Springsteen concert (he had many) at Christmas time in the early 80’s (yeah, I know) where he played for 4 hours. They venue management tried to get him off the stage several times, even dousing the lights in the place but he kept coming out over and over again and telling the crowd how much of his success he owed to Austin and they’d have to physically remove him before he was ready. It was almost surreal to a bunch of college kids like us that were all in on the moment. RIP Erwin Center.

Anyone else in here old enough to recall making that show?

Edited March 10 by Wishbone

[ImissWallyPryor 9,046]

52 minutes ago, Wishbone said:

telling the crowd how much of his success he owed to Austin

And you bought every word of it. 

[BachelorTrek 2,967]

On 3/7/2024 at 9:42 AM, Earl Haffler said:

Where do I go now for Adds and Drops?

Your Obi-Wan Kenobi is now only "departmentals." 

"Good bye and Good luck!"

[BachelorTrek 2,967]

13 hours ago, ImissWallyPryor said:

Now that Purgatory is being demolished,  probably Hell. 

Hell, aka "departmentals."  Lulz.

[Wishbone 4,759]

14 hours ago, ImissWallyPryor said:

And you bought every word of it. 

Haha! Yeah, everyone there did.

[ChickenNuggets 1,623]

On 3/6/2024 at 2:52 PM, PTINS said:

Mom's still kicking at 94. Kicking be the operative word, so be nice!

She took us to see the Batman World Premier at the Paramount in 1966, and to see Led Zeppelin in '69 for my 13th birthday. 

Sleepy little town getting a bit older? Let's see ... The Paramount, Municipal Auditorium, The Teen Club at Bergstrom AFB, City Coliseum, Kings Village, Antone's, The Armadillo,  DKR-TMS, Mother Earth, Austin Opry House, The Back Room, The Armadillo, Continental Club, Soap Creek Saloon, Silver Dollar, Broken Spoke, Rauls >> ???, Club Foot, 3rd Coast, Super Drum >> Erwin Center, C-Boys, COTA, Moody Center, 

No restaurant list is complete without mention of Dart Bowl, Players, Huts, and a lesser-known gem, the Filling Station where you could get deep fried tortilla wrapped hotdogs called tailpipes with cheesy fries - assuming you had line of site to a bathroom about 20 min after eating.

 

[Lat22 4,010]

On 3/9/2024 at 10:51 AM, ImissWallyPryor said:

bitchier daughter who gives dance “lessons.

I used to fire on Terri every Wednesday night in the mid 80s. I should have been studying. 

[PTINS 3,465]

On 3/7/2024 at 9:28 AM, 83Horn said:

You said The Armadillo twice...also forgot the Vulcan Gas Company.

Vulcan was before I was a teenager. Closed before I came of age.  

"You said rape The Armadillo twice."  I liked The Armadillo!!!

My favorite music venue ever, nothing else even comes close. Saw so many bands and groups there, perfecting their craft, on their way to bigger things. Austin was a laid back, comfortable, Willie & Waylon and the boys kinda town. But the energy in Austin was different. And the Armadillo, on those hot steamy nights, was off the charts.  Musicians bouncing around the stage, sweat running down their faces, with that glaze in their eyes, "They want more, ... I have to give them more!"   

The Armadillo was small, everyone was close to the stage. They sold more beer than the Astrodome.  KLBJ night for $.94 and their 3 for a $1 nacho's makes me smile every time I think about it.

Re; Springsteens love of Austin;  The raw, high energy Boss at the Armadillo was magical. He was not alone. I saw Tom Petty at the Austin Opry House in '79, and again at the Erwin Center in 2017. He expressed similar sentiments of Austin. No comparison to seeing those shows in the smaller, more personal venues.   

I probably saw Freddie King at the Armadillo more there than any other musician. I'm not sure if this is the same painting from the Armadillo, and later, Threadgills, bit it captures the feeling between musicians and the Armadillo, and Austin.

 

 

 

On 3/8/2024 at 8:42 PM, Armybrat said:

Also The New Orleans Club, The Id, Louie’s Lounge, and Charlie’s Playhouse.

I listed mostly '69-'79 venue's, as that was my golden age of seeing quality live music in and around Austin. I lived elsewhere from mid '79 til 2015.  

On 3/9/2024 at 7:00 AM, Sabalo said:

When did the Broken Spoke close?

My Bad. Still there. My neighbor and coach took me there after an American Legion baseball game. I was 15. Not the same as it was, but its still there, at least. "I dance country at the Broken Spoke". Still got he bumper sticker. I wish!

[83Horn 1,640]

My time in Austin was from autumn of 1979 through summer 1983.  Vulcan Gas Company was long gone by then, but was still one of those places you heard about from "the good ol' days".  The Armadillo was still open when I arrived, but closed while I was still there, and I am still kicking myself for never going to see a show there.  I did have tickets once to see Johnny Winter in spring of 1980, but the show was cancelled due to some "injury" to Johnny, which I took to mean he had OD'd or something.  I did see him later that summer in Houston, so all was well, but back to the Armadillo.  Although I never went there myself, I do miss it, as it was one of those places that perfectly embodied Austin at its peak.  There was no other venue in any other city that could host the likes of Willie and Waylon, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Johnny Winter and Frank Zappa, and have pretty much the same crowd every night...and everyone got along, just there having a good time to good vibes.  Austin used to be like that.  Differences in opinion didn't make one an enemy who must be avoided and/or silenced.  Dammit, I'm old, and I miss my youth.

[utee94 15,808]

The Stallion chicken fried steak and yeller gravy.

I too have a lot of memories at the Drum and will miss it. 

 

 

[BachelorTrek 2,967]

On 3/6/2024 at 6:45 PM, ChickenNuggets said:

Damn, i was hoping for at least a massive explosion with I35 cars dodging hurled bricks and maybe winging 1 or 2 of the more modern high rises with some steel beams... 

Stripping her down like that seems cheap and tawdry. 

My Dad didn't know Frank Erwin, but what he heard about his personality was that if he was still alive and active, he'd have the heads of anyone on a platter for demolishing anything with his name on it, much less in that open-wound fashion.

Such was the gravitas of one Frank Erwin in Austin during his time.

[closetojumping 62,565]

5 hours ago, BachelorTrek said:

My Dad didn't know Frank Erwin, but what he heard about his personality was that if he was still alive and active, he'd have the heads of anyone on a platter for demolishing anything with his name on it, much less in that open-wound fashion.

Such was the gravitas of one Frank Erwin in Austin during his time.

Good. Fuck him. Hope he’s rolling over in it. If memory serves, he didn’t handle DKR well and that’s enough to not give a shit. Even if he and DKR were simpatico, still don’t give a shit. The Drum has been a trash venue for sports for decades and no amount of nostalgia from old Austin music lovers here is going to change that. It was an eyesore and an AD problem for like half a century. Don’t care one bit if Frank Erwin or his kin are mad. See ya. Hope you enjoyed all of the well wishes. 

[MuellerHorn 4,228]

55 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

Good. Fuck him. Hope he’s rolling over in it. If memory serves, he didn’t handle DKR well and that’s enough to not give a shit. Even if he and DKR were simpatico, still don’t give a shit. The Drum has been a trash venue for sports for decades and no amount of nostalgia from old Austin music lovers here is going to change that. It was an eyesore and an AD problem for like half a century. Don’t care one bit if Frank Erwin or his kin are mad. See ya. Hope you enjoyed all of the well wishes. 

It’s also just not the way the world works. Naming rights eventually expire (whether by expiration of contract terms or the allure of greater economic opportunity) and asset lifecycles/usefulness are not just theories. He should have had his name on something more protected if that was his legacy concern. 

Edited March 16 by MuellerHorn

[TrashMaster G 17,547]

6 hours ago, BachelorTrek said:

My Dad didn't know Frank Erwin, but what he heard about his personality was that if he was still alive and active, he'd have the heads of anyone on a platter for demolishing anything with his name on it, much less in that open-wound fashion.

Such was the gravitas of one Frank Erwin in Austin during his time.

Well, I guess it's good he's dead then.

[Armybrat 40,822]

On 3/11/2024 at 11:21 AM, 83Horn said:

My time in Austin was from autumn of 1979 through summer 1983.  Vulcan Gas Company was long gone by then, but was still one of those places you heard about from "the good ol' days".  The Armadillo was still open when I arrived, but closed while I was still there, and I am still kicking myself for never going to see a show there.  I did have tickets once to see Johnny Winter in spring of 1980, but the show was cancelled due to some "injury" to Johnny, which I took to mean he had OD'd or something.  I did see him later that summer in Houston, so all was well, but back to the Armadillo.  Although I never went there myself, I do miss it, as it was one of those places that perfectly embodied Austin at its peak.  There was no other venue in any other city that could host the likes of Willie and Waylon, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Johnny Winter and Frank Zappa, and have pretty much the same crowd every night...and everyone got along, just there having a good time to good vibes.  Austin used to be like that.  Differences in opinion didn't make one an enemy who must be avoided and/or silenced.  Dammit, I'm old, and I miss my youth.

I was disappointed when the Armadillo WH took over the old rollerskating rink (which originally was a National Guard atmory).

Had a few good times skating around in there back in my high school days in the early 1960s. 
Never went to the AWH after it cranked up as a music venue… was married with kids and working.

Never had any opinion of the Drum - only went to one BB game there 50 years ago and that BeeGees concert to appease my oldest son. 
The Austin Longhorn Club lunches downstairs with Mackovic got old pretty quick.

 

Edited March 16 by Armybrat

[NeverMarryAStripper 21,875]

13 hours ago, closetojumping said:

Good. Fuck him. Hope he’s rolling over in it. If memory serves, he didn’t handle DKR well and that’s enough to not give a shit. Even if he and DKR were simpatico, still don’t give a shit. The Drum has been a trash venue for sports for decades and no amount of nostalgia from old Austin music lovers here is going to change that. It was an eyesore and an AD problem for like half a century. Don’t care one bit if Frank Erwin or his kin are mad. See ya. Hope you enjoyed all of the well wishes. 

I don’t think anyone was arguing that it wasn’t time for a new facility.  However, that doesn’t change any of the fond memories that many UT alums had there. Apparently Frank Erwin must have molested you there and for that I’m sorry.

[hookem48 4,687]

Front row for Tesla/Def Leppard there in '87, didn't know who Tesla was, watching that fucker for Leppard playing the drums with one hand was pretty cool. That's all I got.

[Ignatius 4,017]

2 hours ago, hookem48 said:

Front row for Tesla/Def Leppard there in '87, didn't know who Tesla was, watching that fucker for Leppard playing the drums with one hand was pretty cool. That's all I got.

That was an epic week of national tours; within an 8-day span you had that show, U2, and two consecutive nights of Pink Floyd. The 2nd of those Floyd shows is when I definitively answered the question “Is it possible to die from an overdose of LSD?” (shockingly, no!)

The FEC was a shit venue for music and basketball, but for better or for worse it was what we had. Probably my worst experience there was paying $29 (a lot of fucking money for me back then) to see a Tyson fight on closed-circuit and being in the pisser when he knocked out Michael Spinx in the first 35 seconds or some such shit…

[closetojumping 62,565]

5 hours ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

I don’t think anyone was arguing that it wasn’t time for a new facility.  However, that doesn’t change any of the fond memories that many UT alums had there. Apparently Frank Erwin must have molested you there and for that I’m sorry.

Nothing is more hilarious, yet also effective at cutting to the quick, than a good molestation joke. Those are always fresh and belly busting. 

My comments were about the dumb “Frank Erwin would have had none of this!” silliness more so than your old guy nostalgia. Have at it. 

[Armybrat 40,822]

Old Frank certainly wouldn’t take any guff from the “dirty nothings”, especially those in the trees by Waller Creek. 😂 

He had a hair trigger for sure….

https://jimnicar.com/2013/11/11/the-battle-of-waller-creek/

[mr. sunshine 2,824]

On 3/11/2024 at 11:21 AM, 83Horn said:

My time in Austin was from autumn of 1979 through summer 1983.  Vulcan Gas Company was long gone by then, but was still one of those places you heard about from "the good ol' days".  The Armadillo was still open when I arrived, but closed while I was still there, and I am still kicking myself for never going to see a show there.  I did have tickets once to see Johnny Winter in spring of 1980, but the show was cancelled due to some "injury" to Johnny, which I took to mean he had OD'd or something.  I did see him later that summer in Houston, so all was well, but back to the Armadillo.  Although I never went there myself, I do miss it, as it was one of those places that perfectly embodied Austin at its peak.  There was no other venue in any other city that could host the likes of Willie and Waylon, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Johnny Winter and Frank Zappa, and have pretty much the same crowd every night...and everyone got along, just there having a good time to good vibes.  Austin used to be like that.  Differences in opinion didn't make one an enemy who must be avoided and/or silenced.  Dammit, I'm old, and I miss my youth.

I enrolled in '82 and graduated in '86. I'm from a small town in Southeast TX so I told myself I'd soak up everything Austin had to offer. Missed shows by the Clash, REM and the Pixies, et al, all or most at Liberty Lunch but at the Erwin Center caught the Van Halen 1984 show, U2 on the Unforgettable Fire Tour (not the biggest U2 fan but the Unforgettable Fire slams hard) and Blind Melon and the Smashing Pumpkins in '91 at Southpark Meadows

[6th Street 6,390]

Surprised nobody mentioned College of Engineering career fairs on the FEC concourse and floor. And of course graduation ceremony. 
 

Other highlights: Foo Fighters, Rush, Incubus. Rushing the floor after finally beating OU after like 6 straight losses.  Beating Jamaal Tinsley ISU team and Chris Paul wake team. Upsetting Kansas a few times.

[Jiggy-Z 3,432]

21 hours ago, Armybrat said:

I was disappointed when the Armadillo WH took over the old rollerskating rink (which originally was a National Guard atmory).

Had a few good times skating around in there back in my high school days in the early 1960s. 
Never went to the AWH after it cranked up as a music venue… was married with kids and working.

Never had any opinion of the Drum - only went to one BB game there 50 years ago and that BeeGees concert to appease my oldest son. 
The Austin Longhorn Club lunches downstairs with Mackovic got old pretty quick.

 

Speaking of skating rinks...I was disappointed when one day I was riding my bike over the vacant lot where the trucks would illegally dump construction fill which was honed into ramps and curves and other cool 1970's bike stunt shit, and the next day, was stripped clean in preparation for Playland Skating Rink which I think opened in 1974.

We called the vacant lot the "Humpities" . Humpities you had a good run  RIP 1974-1974.

[Treefidy 1,463]

How about Black Cat Lounge.  Their restroom was something to behold, single stall in the middle of the bar without a door…

 

[PTINS 3,465]

On 3/15/2024 at 4:45 PM, BachelorTrek said:

My Dad didn't know Frank Erwin, but what he heard about his personality was that if he was still alive and active, he'd have the heads of anyone on a platter for demolishing anything with his name on it, much less in that open-wound fashion.

Whatever Frank Erwin was, I don't recall that his demeanor was driven by his ego. He was a hard ass SOB, like pretty most every Texan in power in that era.  He was behind the building boom of the 60's & 70's, good or bad. Good, in that the growth was needed, Disch-Falk, Upper Deck & Belmont, Super Drum, bad, in that open space gave way to buildings, and Jester was butt ugly. Function over form was the mantra.

IMO, his polarizing personality did as much to effect changes at The University of Texas as anybody before, or after him.

More about this in a second.

On 3/15/2024 at 10:17 PM, closetojumping said:

Good. Fuck him. Hope he’s rolling over in it...

If memory serves, he didn’t handle DKR well and that’s enough to not give a shit.

The Drum has been a trash venue for sports for decades and no amount of nostalgia from old Austin music lovers here is going to change that. 

Really wish you would clearly articulate what you really think! (just kidding 🙂 )

DKR wouldn't get in the mud w/ Barry Switzer. That helped OU, and hurt Texas. FE literally moved the earth for UT. He was never about feelings.

Looking at the Super Drum from 2024 is a far cry from 1974. Gregory Gym was a cool place for intramural sports and pick-up BBall games, and for some bad Texas Basketball. I don't remember if I ever saw a musical act there, but there's a lot of things I don't remember, even 2 days after I did them.

The Super Drum was infinitely better than Gregory Gym for Basketball Ball. A/C and Floor Seats. End of argument.

The birth of NCAA Women's Basketball, and sports, was cradled in the Super Drum. 

Before the SD, Austin's "larger" concert venues were the Municipal Auditorium, City Coliseum, DKR (only once, "ZZ Top's Rompin', Stompin' Barn Dance and BBQ").  There were a number of quality small places and any number of out-in-the-country places that came and went.  The SD may have been an acoustic train wreck, but it was much better than anything before it.

Ironically, the SD enabled bigger crowds at Austin concerts, which was a contributing factor to the Armadillo's demise. 

On 3/16/2024 at 10:40 AM, Armybrat said:

I was disappointed when the Armadillo WH took over the old rollerskating rink (which originally was a National Guard atmory).

Never went to the AWH after it cranked up as a music venue… was married with kids and working.

Never had any opinion of the Drum - 

"... was married with kids and working..."

Mr. Brat, you're one my Surly heroes, but your doing it wrong.

My son bought me a new set of golf clubs for my 1st Fathers Day, when he was 9 months old. Even my wife laughed. 

My son "played" a '68 Gold Top w/ my brother when he was a toddler and grew up with an admirable appreciation for music, the kind of music I grew up with.  Nothing brings me more joy than watching him playing music around town.  His playing a tribute to Roky Erickson on his passing was special. 

On 3/16/2024 at 12:05 PM, NeverMarryAStripper said:

I don’t think anyone was arguing that it wasn’t time for a new facility.  However, that doesn’t change any of the fond memories that many UT alums had there. Apparently Frank Erwin must have molested you there and for that I’m sorry.

17 hours ago, Armybrat said:

Old Frank certainly wouldn’t take any guff from the “dirty nothings”, especially those in the trees by Waller Creek. 😂 

He had a hair trigger for sure….

https://jimnicar.com/2013/11/11/the-battle-of-waller-creek/

 

Mr. Brat, thanks for posting that story.

This was my coming of age, growing up in Austin/Bergstrom, w/ a strict military Brat upbringing, w/ a guitar playing older brother and a varsity cheerleader older sister. I always got to hang out with the older, cool kids. Had friends w/ older brothers & sister at UT. Hippie chicks and VW buses. New teachers every year from UT and San Marcos. Music, and everything that went with it, was everywhere. 

I remember the "Battle of Waller Creek", think about it every time I'm on campus, or at Crown & Anchor. The original tree-huggers. The first time I saw the open defiance of authority, the news of kids being pulled from the trees. That spark lit a firestorm in Austin that ... changed the world. It certainly my world.

When I was 13, we went to the pregame pep rally before the 69' Texas-Arkansas game, and later played some football with the bigger kids south of Taylor Hall. I remember walking along the Belmont construction, through the mud along Waller Creek. Euphoria over the football team, and nothing but a sense of hostility towards the administration, any administration, for Frank Erwin, for LBJ.

"Joined" the Student Mobilization Committee, because my Young Life mentor from UT, Bev, was the coolest person ever.  Told me I was "a Head"; not sure what that meant, but I knew it was better than being a tail. Damn, I was so naive!

Frank Erwin led UT through a dramatic growth spurt, capitalizing on the success of Texas Football. His funding efforts built, DKR's Upper Deck & Bellmont Hall, Disch-Falk Field (opened my freshman year with the '75 National Championship Team), the Texas Swimming Center, and the Super Drum. His efforts also led to The Humanities Research Center, Jester, Burdine Hall, PMA, the PCL, and numerous other buildings, along with the expansion of the 40 acres east of I-35.

But Frank Erwin's polarizing antics did not sit well with many people, and UT changed because of that, for the better. The Good Ole Boy network of Texas Politics was forever changed. Once the gates were open, there was no going back.

Shortly after, UT made a concerted effort to change the demographics of the campus, to more closely mirror the population of Texas. Myself, and others, were given, and earned, academic scholarships based on a combination of being "disadvantaged" educationally, socially, and economically, and coincidentally, minorities.

Frank Erwin, by influencing and changing those around me, changed and influenced me. Because of him, and like minded souls, I grew up idolizing those who stood up for their beliefs, and went against the mainstream.  

1 hour ago, Treefidy said:

How about Black Cat Lounge.  Their restroom was something to behold, single stall in the middle of the bar without a door…

Won't repost your picture, that's nasty!

Made me think about The Classic Cat; my belt w/ my Father's Longhorn buckle got taken out of my car one night...

Now the bathroom at the Armadillo,... there was one stall with ~ 2" diameter hole in the floor, no fixture, just a hole... before their time in conserving water. If I recall, the Guacamole Queen was a painting of a beefy, butch biker chic ...

[Tex Pete 20,336]

On 3/16/2024 at 12:05 PM, NeverMarryAStripper said:

I don’t think anyone was arguing that it wasn’t time for a new facility.  However, that doesn’t change any of the fond memories that many UT alums had there. Apparently Frank Erwin must have molested you there and for that I’m sorry.

Yeah, man. I went to some good events there and a handful of rocking basketball games, but I’m glad we’ve moved on. Wish it would have happened sooner. 

[Revolution512 1,487]

18 hours ago, 6th Street said:

Surprised nobody mentioned College of Engineering career fairs on the FEC concourse and floor. And of course graduation ceremony. 
 

Other highlights: Foo Fighters, Rush, Incubus. Rushing the floor after finally beating OU after like 6 straight losses.  Beating Jamaal Tinsley ISU team and Chris Paul wake team. Upsetting Kansas a few times.

We didn’t beat Chris Paul in Austin. 

[Revolution512 1,487]

Never mind I’m dumb. We lost the next year at Wake. And I was at the game in Austin lol.

[Deej 76,755]

23 hours ago, Jiggy-Z said:

Speaking of skating rinks...I was disappointed when one day I was riding my bike over the vacant lot where the trucks would illegally dump construction fill which was honed into ramps and curves and other cool 1970's bike stunt shit, and the next day, was stripped clean in preparation for Playland Skating Rink which I think opened in 1974.

We called the vacant lot the "Humpities" . Humpities you had a good run  RIP 1974-1974.

FYI, the antique mall closed and they are reopening that side of Playland for skating again.

[utee94 15,808]

On 3/17/2024 at 8:29 AM, Jiggy-Z said:

Speaking of skating rinks...I was disappointed when one day I was riding my bike over the vacant lot where the trucks would illegally dump construction fill which was honed into ramps and curves and other cool 1970's bike stunt shit, and the next day, was stripped clean in preparation for Playland Skating Rink which I think opened in 1974.

We called the vacant lot the "Humpities" . Humpities you had a good run  RIP 1974-1974.

I think you and I have talked about this before, I grew up about a block away from Playland (my parents still live in the same house), and although it was always Playland for me, there was still "The Field" in between those two old sections of the "Shoal Creek North/Northwest Terrace" neighborhood, where Benbrook and Thrushwood dead-ended.  The Field had a lot of trails cut through it, with a lot of built-up bicycle jumps, that we thought were just totally awesome in 1980.  It also had a big brushy tree-lined area at the south end where I can only imagine the older kids went and smoked weed.  

[Native Horn 3,499]

On 3/11/2024 at 12:20 PM, utee94 said:

The Stallion chicken fried steak and yeller gravy.

Used to walk to the Stallion for lunch with my high school buddies.  Always ordered fries (we were cheap) and then played Joust and Defender upstairs.  #csb

[Jiggy-Z 3,432]

1 hour ago, utee94 said:

I think you and I have talked about this before, I grew up about a block away from Playland (my parents still live in the same house), and although it was always Playland for me, there was still "The Field" in between those two old sections of the "Shoal Creek North/Northwest Terrace" neighborhood, where Benbrook and Thrushwood dead-ended.  The Field had a lot of trails cut through it, with a lot of built-up bicycle jumps, that we thought were just totally awesome in 1980.  It also had a big brushy tree-lined area at the south end where I can only imagine the older kids went and smoked weed.  

We lived on Melshire and bugged out to even farther north Austin in 1975.

There was a big field behind our house that had killer bluebonnets and hundreds of horny toads. It had a track like trail around it and found quite a few meteorite fragments in it.

Thin Treeline to the south where I found lots of skin mag "remnants". I was only 7 so not too impressed.

Hung out a little bit with older dirt bikers who were probably all of 12 or 13 who smoked and I thought were sooooo cool.

Good times.

[Tyrone Krivacs 50]

On 3/6/2024 at 3:20 PM, Davis Lane said:

I got my fair share of contact highs attending concerts and graduations there.

The highlight will always be seeing Metallica when they toured with Ozzy.

I was never so scared and so happy to be at a concert in my life.

Contact highs? Did Reefer Madness teach you that? LOL!!!

Edited March 19 by Tyrone Krivacs

[Dnaguy 11,920]

19 hours ago, Jiggy-Z said:

We lived on Melshire and bugged out to even farther north Austin in 1975.

There was a big field behind our house that had killer bluebonnets and hundreds of horny toads. It had a track like trail around it and found quite a few meteorite fragments in it.

Thin Treeline to the south where I found lots of skin mag "remnants". I was only 7 so not too impressed.

Hung out a little bit with older dirt bikers who were probably all of 12 or 13 who smoked and I thought were sooooo cool.

Good times.

All right, All right, All right.

[utee94 15,808]

21 hours ago, Jiggy-Z said:

We lived on Melshire and bugged out to even farther north Austin in 1975.

There was a big field behind our house that had killer bluebonnets and hundreds of horny toads. It had a track like trail around it and found quite a few meteorite fragments in it.

Thin Treeline to the south where I found lots of skin mag "remnants". I was only 7 so not too impressed.

Hung out a little bit with older dirt bikers who were probably all of 12 or 13 who smoked and I thought were sooooo cool.

Good times.

Yup that was what we called "The Field."  I had a friend on Melshire as well, we dug a complete tunnel under his fence and covered the yard-side of it with some scrap plywood and branches.  We'd tell his folks we were playing in the backyard but then we'd go escape into The Field.  We thought we were living some real-life prison movie escape drama.  Turns out his parents knew the whole time and just played along for fun.

Good times.

 

Edited March 19 by utee94

[Jiggy-Z 3,432]

4 hours ago, utee94 said:

Yup that was what we called "The Field."  I had a friend on Melshire as well, we dug a complete tunnel under his fence and covered the yard-side of it with some scrap plywood and branches.  We'd tell his folks we were playing in the backyard but then we'd go escape into The Field.  We thought we were living some real-life prison movie escape drama.  Turns out his parents knew the whole time and just played along for fun.

Good times.

 

The more things change... 

There was a lot of home construction going on when I lived there and we would dig tunnels through the dirt piles that were out in the front yards. We had lanterns and everything. The party came to an end when one of the tunnels collapsed on my friend and we had to dig him out before he suffocated. No harm done, but his mom got wise during nightly clean up and he squealed, so we got a safety lecture about construction sites and all got grounded for being stupid.

Clearly some kid statute of limitations expired by the time you got around to your tunneling.

[Mittens 8,258]

 

[Pato del Muerto 52,486]

So aggy was just copying us 90 years later?

[Red Five 40,846]

That's amazing. Looks like everyone is standing in a forest out in the middle of nowhere. 

[YGIFS 19,449]

UT Club (from ClubCorp/Dedman's Group/InvitedClub) shutting down for a new athletics-dept. run venue on the East side of the stadium.  

[someguy 1,508]

isn't it now going to be run by the 1883 Provision Company?

[mwaadeeb 1,209]

On 3/15/2024 at 11:13 PM, MuellerHorn said:

It’s also just not the way the world works. Naming rights eventually expire (whether by expiration of contract terms or the allure of greater economic opportunity) and asset lifecycles/usefulness are not just theories. He should have had his name on something more protected if that was his legacy concern. 

Yup. My great grandfather's name was on the Alabama library until it wasn't. Didn't help that he was a Jew. Though he did start the football program.

[Zeus 6,015]

On 3/17/2024 at 6:48 AM, 6th Street said:

Surprised nobody mentioned College of Engineering career fairs on the FEC concourse and floor. And of course graduation ceremony. 
 

Other highlights: Foo Fighters, Rush, Incubus. Rushing the floor after finally beating OU after like 6 straight losses.  Beating Jamaal Tinsley ISU team and Chris Paul wake team. Upsetting Kansas a few times.

Yup fuck that place for those two things lol. 
 

Our school had the worst architecture by far and to top it off they give us that shithole to career fair and graduate in? Fuck off Ernest Cockrell

 

i did get to work on the new EERC so at least that side of campus is headed in the right direction. All those brutalist ugly shit buildings and that crappy orange steel beam “art” sculpture need to head to the dump ASAP. 

[utee94 15,808]

14 minutes ago, Zeus said:

Yup fuck that place for those two things lol. 
 

Our school had the worst architecture by far and to top it off they give us that shithole to career fair and graduate in? Fuck off Ernest Cockrell

 

i did get to work on the new EERC so at least that side of campus is headed in the right direction. All those brutalist ugly shit buildings and that crappy orange steel beam “art” sculpture need to head to the dump ASAP. 

We referred to ENS as "The Toilet" because the halls were all lined with those little bathroom tiles.  Man what a piece of shit.  And don't even get me started on "The Penthouse" and the smells coming from those microwaves.

[6th Street 6,390]

The blue tiles, the ghetto ass lab equipment that was always broken, those fish and curry smells from the 6th floor microwave. ENS was such a dump.  

[CycleTex87 2,967]

On 3/17/2024 at 3:36 PM, PTINS said:

Whatever Frank Erwin was, I don't recall that his demeanor was driven by his ego. He was a hard ass SOB, like pretty most every Texan in power in that era.  He was behind the building boom of the 60's & 70's, good or bad. Good, in that the growth was needed, Disch-Falk, Upper Deck & Belmont, Super Drum, bad, in that open space gave way to buildings, and Jester was butt ugly. Function over form was the mantra.

IMO, his polarizing personality did as much to effect changes at The University of Texas as anybody before, or after him.

More about this in a second.

Really wish you would clearly articulate what you really think! (just kidding 🙂 )

DKR wouldn't get in the mud w/ Barry Switzer. That helped OU, and hurt Texas. FE literally moved the earth for UT. He was never about feelings.

Looking at the Super Drum from 2024 is a far cry from 1974. Gregory Gym was a cool place for intramural sports and pick-up BBall games, and for some bad Texas Basketball. I don't remember if I ever saw a musical act there, but there's a lot of things I don't remember, even 2 days after I did them.

The Super Drum was infinitely better than Gregory Gym for Basketball Ball. A/C and Floor Seats. End of argument.

The birth of NCAA Women's Basketball, and sports, was cradled in the Super Drum. 

Before the SD, Austin's "larger" concert venues were the Municipal Auditorium, City Coliseum, DKR (only once, "ZZ Top's Rompin', Stompin' Barn Dance and BBQ").  There were a number of quality small places and any number of out-in-the-country places that came and went.  The SD may have been an acoustic train wreck, but it was much better than anything before it.

Ironically, the SD enabled bigger crowds at Austin concerts, which was a contributing factor to the Armadillo's demise. 

"... was married with kids and working..."

Mr. Brat, you're one my Surly heroes, but your doing it wrong.

My son bought me a new set of golf clubs for my 1st Fathers Day, when he was 9 months old. Even my wife laughed. 

My son "played" a '68 Gold Top w/ my brother when he was a toddler and grew up with an admirable appreciation for music, the kind of music I grew up with.  Nothing brings me more joy than watching him playing music around town.  His playing a tribute to Roky Erickson on his passing was special. 

 

Mr. Brat, thanks for posting that story.

This was my coming of age, growing up in Austin/Bergstrom, w/ a strict military Brat upbringing, w/ a guitar playing older brother and a varsity cheerleader older sister. I always got to hang out with the older, cool kids. Had friends w/ older brothers & sister at UT. Hippie chicks and VW buses. New teachers every year from UT and San Marcos. Music, and everything that went with it, was everywhere. 

I remember the "Battle of Waller Creek", think about it every time I'm on campus, or at Crown & Anchor. The original tree-huggers. The first time I saw the open defiance of authority, the news of kids being pulled from the trees. That spark lit a firestorm in Austin that ... changed the world. It certainly my world.

When I was 13, we went to the pregame pep rally before the 69' Texas-Arkansas game, and later played some football with the bigger kids south of Taylor Hall. I remember walking along the Belmont construction, through the mud along Waller Creek. Euphoria over the football team, and nothing but a sense of hostility towards the administration, any administration, for Frank Erwin, for LBJ.

"Joined" the Student Mobilization Committee, because my Young Life mentor from UT, Bev, was the coolest person ever.  Told me I was "a Head"; not sure what that meant, but I knew it was better than being a tail. Damn, I was so naive!

Frank Erwin led UT through a dramatic growth spurt, capitalizing on the success of Texas Football. His funding efforts built, DKR's Upper Deck & Bellmont Hall, Disch-Falk Field (opened my freshman year with the '75 National Championship Team), the Texas Swimming Center, and the Super Drum. His efforts also led to The Humanities Research Center, Jester, Burdine Hall, PMA, the PCL, and numerous other buildings, along with the expansion of the 40 acres east of I-35.

But Frank Erwin's polarizing antics did not sit well with many people, and UT changed because of that, for the better. The Good Ole Boy network of Texas Politics was forever changed. Once the gates were open, there was no going back.

Shortly after, UT made a concerted effort to change the demographics of the campus, to more closely mirror the population of Texas. Myself, and others, were given, and earned, academic scholarships based on a combination of being "disadvantaged" educationally, socially, and economically, and coincidentally, minorities.

Frank Erwin, by influencing and changing those around me, changed and influenced me. Because of him, and like minded souls, I grew up idolizing those who stood up for their beliefs, and went against the mainstream.  

Won't repost your picture, that's nasty!

Made me think about The Classic Cat; my belt w/ my Father's Longhorn buckle got taken out of my car one night...

Now the bathroom at the Armadillo,... there was one stall with ~ 2" diameter hole in the floor, no fixture, just a hole... before their time in conserving water. If I recall, the Guacamole Queen was a painting of a beefy, butch biker chic ...

This may be one of the best posts I’ve ever read on Surly