GRANDMASTER’S FLASH Grandmaster’s Instagram Account Austin’s scene is about the blend, the mix that creates something new, and performance art’s always been part of that groove. Which is why we find Grandmaster so fascinating. This 10-person troupe, whose members are drawn from a dozen different bands, mine one set of references visually and another sonically. Listen and you’ll hear a little Steely Dan, a little funk, a hint of Giorgio Moroder. Look and they bring to mind Prince, Devo…Golden Dawn Arkestra and The Uranium Savages. More on that in a moment, but first Faith Vivian walks us through the Grandmaster experience with bandleader Nick Leon, as they prep for a sold out show Saturday night at The State Theatre .  “Do not sleep on the wisdom of the Grandmaster, and do not sleep on the Super Party tonight, you know what to do!” courtesy Grandmaster. Intrigued? Go to Grandmaster's Instagram for videos and news about upcoming shows, exclusive parties, music releases, and other things related to the tribe. It’s fun to ponder where all this might go, especially when you look at our history. WHEN NEW ECHOES OLD In 1974, Austin artist Jim Franklin challenged fellow Armadillo Art Squad member Kerry Awn to a battle of the bands, which Margaret Moser lays out in her wonderful turn-of-the-century profile in the Austin Chronicle. “The gauntlet having been thrown down, Awn and roommate Sonny Carl Davis from the Sons of Coyote joined forces with Pat Reynolds and Dave Arnsberger of the Uranium Clods and some friends called the Gypsy Savages. The amalgam band was called the Sons of Uranium Savage, and the record-breaking 14 guitars plugged in onstage during their deafening debut were no accident.” Margaret Moser, The Austin Chronicle, Dec 10, 1999. Kerry Awn & Michael Priest, courtesy Austin Museum of Popular Culture . Of the group mentioned above, David Arnsberger went on to start Spamorama. Sonny Carl Davis moved into film, starring in legendary indie The Whole Shootin’ Match.   The Whole Shootin’ Match , 1978. A few years later, Davis stole a scene in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Fast Times at Ridgemont High , 1982. In Richard Linklater’s Bernie, Sonny Carl explained Texas to the world . Linklater and Davis revived the character in 2018 to mock Ted Cruz.  Kerry Awn’s most famous as an original member of the Armadillo Art Squad. He also spent three decades in the cast of Esther’s Follies, and was voted the city’s funniest person ten consecutive years by The Austin Chronicle. The Chronicle also bestowed a special award on the Savages in 2000 as “The Best Proof That Drugs Don’t Kill You!”. The Uranium Savages still gig occasionally, but Awn’s moved to Alpine and Sonny Carl mostly acts. They’ve marked the city in unique ways, including how Halloween’s celebrated on 6th Street. On Sixth Street in 1982, we were doing Jim Franklin's Pumpkin Stomp, his tradition since the Sixties. He'd chant "Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater,' etc., and smash a pumpkin. So that year we decided to throw pumpkins off the top of the Ritz marquee. It was cool -- there were like 30 people up there smoking joints, having a good time. Franklin took a bullhorn and started the "Peter, Peter' chant and throwing the pumpkins into the street. Well, the people started throwing them back. Then they started throwing bottles and shit at us, so to retaliate, someone in the band brought up an Army-issue smoke bomb or something powerful like that. He set it off and it was real dense. Smoke descended down into the street and got sucked into the theatre." Someone started yelling "fire,' and called the fire department, one block away. The fire department couldn't get through the crowd, there were so many people in the street. When they found out it was a smoke bomb, not a fire, they were really pissed and threatened to fine us." "The next year? Barricades and walking in circles." Kerry Awn, The Austin Chronicle, Dec, 1999, as told to Margaret Moser. A CALIFORNIA TRANSPLANT WE LOVE Cinco de Mayo. Who knew? “Jessica Lavariega Monforti, the vice provost at California State University, Channel Islands, said that Cinco de Mayo had been celebrated in California every year since its inception in 1863. Those early celebrations , Dr. Lavariega Monforti said, were mostly about fighting for democracy and freedom against white supremacists and other oppressors — both in Mexico and in Civil War-era California, where Latinos mostly favored a Union victory over the Confederacy.” New York Times, May 5, 2022. The article continues. "The celebration gradually became a festival for Mexicans and Mexican Americans across the country, as well as part of a developing Mexican-American civil rights movement that started in the 1940s. Over time , however, that message of cultural pride seemed to get lost. ‘By the 1990s, most of the public discourse about the day had been refocused on it as a time to consume imported beer, tequila and Mexican food,’ Dr. Lavariega Monforti said.” New York Times, May 5, 2022 . Now, there’s a reason for that, right? It’s fun to celebrate, especially here in Austin, as this is party season. Which is why Michelle Avila’s gonna share her own Cinco de Mayo drink recipe. First, though, let’s check in with UT alum and Rio Grande Valley native Carlos Garcia, who serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (NIPNLG) and as the Vice-Chair of the Texas Civil Rights Project (TCRP). Garcia shared a few thoughts on community during these times when his hometown’s become a pawn in various political power plays, the challenges notwithstanding. “Far right and far left politics don't help us on the border because its just not our reality. Progressives can be conservative and conservatives can be progressive. We don't have to agree with each other but we have to live next to each other , and raise our kids with each other, and go to church with each other. My republican neighbors’ family values are the same as mine and I know this because when we're watching our kids play on the street we're not talking about politics, but rather how the kids' games went, or what show we've watched. The criticism around this type of conversation is that I'm in an extremely privileged position to where I don't have to be looking over my shoulder to see if border patrol is coming down the street to lock me up. True, but along the border, we've managed to co-exist for hundreds of years . And we're not always in a state of panic. ” Carlos Garcia, Attorney and University of Texas alumnus. We’ll note the Texas Civil Rights Project this week filed a supplemental complaint urging the U.S. Department of Justice to formally investigate Operation Lone Star, alleging a series of abuses caused by Governor Abbott’s expanding border militarization. You can view the supplemental complaint here , and previous filings here . You can learn more about The Texas Civil Rights Project here. SITTING AND THINKING WHILE SMOKING AND DRINKING That’s Ray Benson’s line, and here’s hoping he follows through with the podcast of said name. Meanwhile, in that spirit Michelle Avila’s got a great new drink recipe to share for Cinco de Mayo. MORE THIS WEEKEND AFS DOC DAYS FESTIVAL - 05/01 - 05/03 : Austin Film Society 4 days of non-fiction cinema, featuring outstanding new documentary work from around the world with filmmakers in attendance. VINYL BEAUTY BAR GRAND OPENING - 05/03 : Vinyl Beauty Bar from 8 - 10PM East Austin gem, Vinyl Beauty Bar is moving to 2400 E Cesar Chavez St, Unit 312.  Come celebrate the move this Friday night with complimentary services from the spa, healthy appetizers from Simons Eats, as well as live music from Jake Garcia of The Black Angels, Pussy Gillette, and Rod Gator. Grab presale tickets here for $15 or at the door for $20. A portion of proceeds will benefit Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) PECAN STREET FESTIVAL - 05/04 - 05/05 : 6th Street 11AM - 10PM The Pecan Street Festival is one of the largest, and longest-running, arts/crafts and music festivals in the nation. Come out and enjoy over 300 craft artisans, food concessions, and live music. Free entry and kid friendly! CINCO DE MAYO - 05/05 : At Hotel Vegas from 11AM - 2PM Selena drag tribute by the Vixens of Volstead. Free tacos at 11am from Las Brasas, and again at 2PM from UloveI. Djs UloveI, Rapid Ric, and Zetroc spinning all afternoon! Free admission. 21+ Go see something, tell us about it, we’ll share more stories next week. Let’s build something together. We’d be forever grateful for your help, and an easy way to do so is by subscribing to the Happy Heat Substack. What comes in goes right back out in artist commissions and live shows. To which you’ll get to come! For the first 100 subscribers, we are offering 20% off forever. Get 20% off forever