Brooklyn-based Xylos plays Hyde Park Bar & Grill south on Thurs, 3/18 at 6:30, and The Daily Texan thinks you oughta know about it — click for article and a sample song.

They say Brooklyn has an amazingly active music scene. This is their first trip to Austin.   Come on and make them feel welcome!

Brooklyn quintet Xylos knows how to mix colorful electronic beats and ethereal pop melodies into slightly gloomy songs, creating an introspective — but also danceable — atmosphere.

Online buzz about bands that will be at our showcases….

Charlene Kaye will be at Hyde Park Bar & Grill South on 3/18

Press Wolf PR wants you to know that Charlene Kaye will be at Hyde Park Bar & Grill on 3/18, while the Houston Press wants you to know that New Wave / Post punk / Zouk band, Art Institute from the Bayou City is one of just several Houston imports that are invading Austin (and establishing a beachhead?) this week.

Art Institute, from Houston, kicks it off on Wed at 5:45pm

Bluesday Tuesday tonight kicked off the week with a huge bang tonight — the patio was hoppin’ and the stage was full of some of the best players in town.

Come enjoy the bands.  Have some meatloaf, or mac and cheese.  A glass of wine.   And trust us, you’ll want fries with that.

Wanted to point out a cool site called Live Like A Local — an especially good reference for those visiting Austin during SXSW / Rodeo / B’ball March Madness.

Live Like a Local likes our Fried Chicken (only avail Mon & Tues nites)

We do this partly out of a sincere interest in helping everyone enjoy the best of Austin, and partly out of …you guessed it….shameless self-promotion.

They have wisely included Hyde Park Bar & Grill’s infamous  Tony’s Southern Comfort Fried Chicken under the Best Chicken category.

Chef Tony Herring and his Famous Chicken

This is the chicken that Texas Monthly, the arbiter of all things truly Texan, called “tender, with outrageously crisp, well- battered skin, Monday’s bone-in chicken alone is worth a trip.” It’s the chicken that’s so popular, and so labor-intensive to properly prepare, we have to treat it like a controlled substance.  It’s only available on Monday and Tuesday evenings.

So if you’re in town on a Monday or Tuesday, you’ll have the opportunity to eat it.  And if you’re carrying a SXSW badge or wristband, you’ll get 10% off during SXSW week 2011.

Live Like a Local lists some other handy categories, such as Best BBQ and Best Tex-Mex, two highly competitive categories in a town with a BBQ joint or a Tex-Mex restaurant behind every tree.  (We don’t have a dog in those fights, as they say in Texas.)  They don’t list a few of our favorites such as the enchiladas at Dart Bowl, which were, last time we checked, about as good as bowling-alley enchiladas can ever hope to be.

By the way, we ask for your consideration for more of Live Like a Local’s categories such as:

• Best Burgers
• Best Fries (we made that category up)
• Best Vegetarian (we don’t specialize in it, but we have enough selection that you happily can dine in mixed company)
• Best Late-Night Dining (til midnight at our Central location)
• Best Brunch
• Best Healthy Food (the Horseshoe notwithstanding — all our food is handmade from fresh ingredients)
• Best Coffee
• Best Wi-Fi
• Best Live Music at our South location
• Best Margaritas
• Best Outdoor Dining at our South location.

So, make your Monday / Tuesday dinner plans now and check out Live Like a Local to enjoy the best of Austin!

This Drama, punk rock band from the Canary Islands will be at Hyde Park Bar & Grill South Showcase, powered by BalconyTV Austin and Nov.us.
This Drama – 127 La Brea from This Drama on Vimeo.

We will rawk!

SXSW is known for its contribution to music, film and technology. Hyde Park Bar & Grill is known for its contribution to upscale comfort food and its appreciation for local art and music. What happens when you put the two together?

Discounts!

SXSW badge and wristband holders get 10% off at both Hyde Park Bar & Grill locations, Mar 11 – 20.

Hyde Park Bar & Grill South at 4521 Westgate is showcasing live music Tuesday through Sunday with bands from around the world. Enjoy the music while you have a bite and take in the display of music-themed paintings and photography by more than 15 regional artists.

The Hyde Park Bar & Grill Central location at 4206 Duval is a favorite getaway for SXSW attendees and locals alike. With cozy tables, free WiFi and no live music, it’s the perfect spot to recharge with a meal and a beverage. The Central location is home to the famous giant fork which stands outside the restaurant, an Austin landmark and favorite photo-op since 1982. During the week of SXSW, photographic portraits of musicians and music-themed art is on display. Just blocks away is Hyde Park Theatre, where the popular play, St. Nicholas, runs through Saturday, March 12.

For those SXSW attendees visiting Austin for the first time, here are a few more reasons why you’ll want to experience Hyde Park Bar & Grill:

• Hyde Park Bar & Grill fries have consistently been voted “Best French Fries in Austin.” It’s a big platter of hand-cut Idaho potatoes, dipped in creamy buttermilk, rolled in seasoned flour and lightly fried. Served with our special Hyde Park Sauce.
• The restaurant holds the record for most Groupons sold in Austin at 7,000.

Both locations are easily accessible via Capital Metro from downtown Austin.

• Hyde Park Bar & Grill Central is 4 miles from downtown Austin. Take the #7 Capital Metro bus at 101 Congress Ave. & 2nd Street.
• Hyde Park Bar & Grill South is 7 miles from downtown Austin. Take the #5 or the #30 Capital Metro bus from Congress Ave. & Cesar Chavez St.

The menu is eclectic and includes upscale comfort food favorites such as mac and cheese, great burgers, chicken fried steak as well as pasta, steaks, and vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices.

So, whether you live in Austin or just visiting for SXSW, you are hereby invited to come enjoy yourself at Hyde Park Bar & Grill to experience an awesome trifecta of food, art and music.

For more information, please call either location:

Central: 512-458-3168

South: 512-899-2700

The third week of March is known as “March Madness” in Austin for not one, but three major events.

You’ve got your Rodeo, March 11 – 26.

You’ve got UIL basketball, March 3 – 12.

And you’ve got SXSW.

So … where are you going to eat when you want a great chicken fried steak, a great burger and Austin’s favorite fries, or a vegetarian dish like our Eggplant Fettuccine with Vodka Sauce?

And what if you want a cozy table with Wi-Fi where you can actually hear your dining companions?

(You probably see where this is going, don’t you? )

We’re going to recommend Hyde Park Bar & Grill Central (on Duval) as your go-to March Madness / Rodeo / SXSW Sanctuary.   Your place to slip away from the madding crowd for nourishment, a glass of wine or your favorite beverage, and re-charge.

You won’t be completely away from the scene.   Our Duval-street location is just north of downtown, right on Capital Metro’s route — try the 7-DUVAL / DOVE SPRINGS-NB line.

And we’re celebrating the music madness with a fabulous display of music-themed photography & art.

Steven Hopsons' portraits of musicians on display at HPB&G Central (on Duval).

Come see us.  You can even reserve a table.

Last year’s unofficial SXSW music showcases were SO much fun, we’re doing it again!

NYC’s Black Taxi tore it up at our showcase last year — click here to Watch!

Here’s how this year’s line up is shaping up:

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Tuesday, Mar 15 – 7 to 9pm or whenever they feel like stoppin’ — BluesDay Tuesday Preview with Jimi Lee and a cast of thousands of Special Guests.  (Ok, not thousands, but a LOT.)

Phoebe Hunt (The Belleville Outfit, The Hudsons)  – Steve Carter (The Lotions, Stop the Truck, Mau Mau Chaplins, upcoming Badfinger tribute)  – Ulrich Ellison (3 time DownBeat Guitar winner)  – Steve Bernstein (Townes Van Zandt) – Dale Spalding (Canned Heat)  – Whitey Conwell – Mark Epstein – Brannon Lane!

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Wednesday, Mar 16 – 5:45 – 10pm – Hyde Park Bar & Grill Showcase, powered by BalconyTV Austin & Novus Applications– Bands from Nashville, Chicago, and points beyond!

Art Institute  — Union Pulse — John McLaughlin & the Rogues — Lucas Cook — The Orange-Acoustic — Royal Treatment Plant

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Thursday, Mar 17 – 5:45 – 10pm – Hyde Park Bar & Grill Showcase, powered by BalconyTV Austin & Novus Applications — Bands from Nashville, Chicago, and points beyond!

Brontosaurus — Xylos — Gabrahm Vitek — Little Hurricane — Danielle Antonio — Great Divide

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Friday, Mar 18 – 2:oopm – 12am – Hyde Park Bar & Grill Showcase, powered by BalconyTV Austin & Novus Applications — Bands from Matthew O’Brien Booking

The Sudden Lovely’s — The Color Pharmacy — 4onthefloor – The Foreign Resort (Denmark) — Charlene Kaye — Eliza Rickman — This Is The Kit (UK) — The Orange-full band — LZ LOVE — Baby Baby — This Drama — Electric Attitude

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Saturday, Mar 19 – 2:oopm – 12am – Coast to Coast Talent & Events Showcase (Duggan Flanakin)

Ruby Jane & Max Frost (Austin) — Kink Ador (Nashville) — Whistle Pigs (Nashville) — Chad Pope (Austin) — MilkDrive (Austin) — Deuce Coupe (Austin) — Great Divide (Chicago) — How Far to Austin (Chicago) — The Wandas (Boston) — Sons of the West (Chicago) — Patrick Jerome — The Down Feathers (Chicago) — Midwest Hype (Chicago)

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Sunday, Mar 20 – 7 to 9pm — Sunday Soul of the City with Much Love

Watch their BalconyTV Austin performance HERE.

Our Bluesday Tuesdays are a crowd pleaser.   It’s your chance to meet some of Austin’s finests artists up close and personal, in a song swap and fun fest hosted by harmonica great Jimi Lee, with a different Guest each week.

To kick off the music season, Jimi’s invited lots of our most favorite guests to showcase a song or two, as a preview of what’s coming up this season.

The line up includes:

Miss Phoebe Hunt on vocals and fiddle.   You can hear a preview here.

the phenomenal Phoebe Hunt brings her phiddle to Hyde Park Bar and Grill on Tues, Mar 15! Photo by dowellshots

NOTE:  the phenomenal Phoebe photo above by Don Dowell of dowellshots.

DALE SPALDING will also be there.   Unless you’re up on late on Monday nights and hanging out at TC’s Lounge, you don’t get the chance to hear Dale in Austin very often because he’s usually on the road.    He’s got the voice and the harmonica chops to be the front man of Canned Heat as well as his own Little Elmore Reed Blues Band.

STEVE CARTER, another Austin favorite, will be stopping by.  Steve just wrapped up a Bob Wills / Willie Nelson / Will Taylory and Strings Attached project called House of Wills and is looking forward to the Badfinger tribute show he’s put together for April at Momo’s.

ULRICH ELLISON, 3-time winner of Downbeat’s guitar awards, is an Austrian transplant who’s fallen in love with Austin, and the feeling is mutual.   Tasty guitar, Nordic good looks, and smooth vocals.  What’s not to like?

STEVE BERNSTEIN will bring his wailin’ sax, WHITEY CONWELL will rock the blues for you, and with MARK EPSTEIN on bass and BRANNON LANE on skins, we’ve got ourselves a supernaturally gifted band!

Bluesday Tuesday Preview Showcase w Jimi Lee & Very Special Guests!

Mar 15, 7 – 9pm

Hyde Park Bar & Grill, south, 4521 Westgate

No formal cover, please give a love offering to the band!

It’s been a great week at both locations so far.

At Westgate we’ve hosted 3 incredible nights of music & entertainment, with 3 more to come.

Check out Black Taxi from last night’s “Best of NYC in ATX,” hosted by The Deli Magazine & Citizen Music.  These guys are full throttle all the time!

Black Taxi @ Hyde Park Bar & Grill