Brandon Watson’s Austin Chronicle article May 3 about two Austin lesbians was both heartfelt and heart-breaking. Annanda Barclay (Central Presbyterian) and Mary Ann Kaiser (University United Methodist) will soon be ordained to the ministry in their faiths and also marry in Now OK Maryland.

Sadly – their denominations will not recognize their union.

St. David’s Episcopal in downtown Austin performed the first Episcopal Church Witnessing & Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant in the State of Texas February 23.

I was honored to photograph the Cosmic Joy blessing of Anthony Dale Chapple & Dennis Glenn Driskell and write about the best experience I have had in a church.

See photos and read words in the next post.

Thanks
Bob

Brandon Watson’s Austin Chronicle Article

First Episcopal Church Gay Wedding (aka Witnessing & Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant) in State of Texas celebrated at St. David’s in Austin

Anthony & Dennis

Bob Kinney Words & Photos

It was a delightful honor and a Cosmic joy to photograph the first Episcopal Church gay wedding (aka “The Witnessing and Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant”) in the State of Texas at St. David’s Church in downtown Austin on February 23, 2013.

Nicole and Nathan flank their Dad Dennis

The entire Wedding Party

Anthony Dale Chapple and Dennis Glenn Driskell – biracial partners of 23 years who were recently married in New York City – repeated vows to each other as hundreds of St. David’s parishioners and other friends gathered in the church’s historic sanctuary.

 

Rev. Beth Magill preaching on The Beatitudes and Anthony & Dennis

Anthony and Dennis chose the Beatitudes reading for the service and the Rev. Beth Magill – missioner of the Episcopal Student Center at the University of Texas and a former St. David’s priest – preached a sermon that brought both laughs and tears. Link to her sermon coming soon.

Rev. David Boyd begins Lifelong Covenant Blessing

Some of the liturgy read – Each member of the couple, in turn, takes the hand of the other and says – “In the name of God, I, Dennis/Anthony, give myself to you Anthony/Dennis. I will support and care for you: enduring all things, bearing all things. I will hold and cherish you: in times of plenty, in times of want. I will honor and love you: forsaking all others, as long as we both shall live. This is my solemn vow.”

Bob Kinney Words & Photos

Blessing at the altar

 

Dennis’ sister Jeannie Benskin and his son Nathan Driskell were presenters. The Rev. David Boyd, Rector of St. David’s, presided at the one-hour service. St. David’s is one of two churches in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas that can conduct such a service.  Anthony and Dennis were the Eucharistic Ministers during their service’s Communion.

Couple flank Rev. Cathy Boyd during Consecration

It was fun to share this historic moment with many of my old friends from St. David’s and the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest where I was communications director for 24 years. I was recommended as a photographer to Anthony and Dennis and I am very grateful to have recorded such an uplifting and beautiful service.

Anthony & Dennis begin the Second 23 years

Simply put – this service was the most stunningly spiritual experience I have had in a church throughout my 66 years. Nothing else comes close.

Bob Kinney Words & Photos

Death Penalty Trial of Jesus of Nazareth in Austin

Senior Pastor Dr. Roger Paynter

Welcome to the courtroom in the sanctuary of the historically progressive First Baptist Church in downtown Austin on Maundy Thursday 2013 where The State of Texas versus Jesus of Nazareth trial was in its sentencing stage and the folks who were watching the play were the jurors.

Jesus with his defense team

Dressed in a tee shirt, cuffed up jeans and wearing sandals, Jesus of Nazareth (played by Dan Barrett) sat in between his defense attorneys. Two prosecutors were at the table to their left. Behind all of them sat the trial judge and the witness box was stage right.

Bob Kinney Words & Photos

Prosecutor Mark Osler

Titled “The Trial of Jesus – Will a jury sentence Jesus to death under Texas Law?” the two-hour powerful enactment of the sentencing of Christ is the creation of Mark Osler – a former federal prosecutor in Detroit, professor at the University of St. Thomas Law School in Minneapolis and author of the book “Jesus on Death Row: The Trial of Jesus and American Capital Punishment” – played the prosecutor and argued that Jesus should be sentenced to death.

Defense Attorney Jeanne Bishop

Jeanne Bishop – a veteran public defender in Chicago and adjunct professor teaching in the trial advocacy program at Northwestern University School of Law – advocated for Jesus’ right to live. Bishop knows murder – her sister Nancy, husband and unborn child were killed in the invasion of their Chicago suburb home in 1990.

Bob Kinney Words & Photos

The Rich Young Ruler performed by Joe Bumbulis

Peter the Apostle performed by Joe Grady Moore

The attorneys questioned four witnesses – The Rich Young Ruler (played by Joe Bumbulis) – Peter the Apostle (Joe Grady Moore) – A Centurion (Patrick Torres) – and Susanna Jerusalem The Woman Caught in Adultery (Ann Pittman).

Prosecutor questions Peter about a biblical passage about him

The Young Ruler – owner of a profitable construction company – was the Biblical One who asked Jesus “How Can I Enter Heaven?” Peter testified he had seen Jesus walk on water, cast demons out, bring Lazarus back from the dead and rid the soiled temple of moneychangers – and sadly admitted that he had denied knowing Jesus three times in the Last Supper garden. The Roman Centurion told how Jesus cured his valued servant from afar. The adulterous woman – to me the most stunning segment – said she was making love with her fiancée in her home when “religious leaders” broke into her home and took her to jail where she was naked before everyone until Jesus asked the iconic question – “He who is without sin should cast the first stone.”

The Roman Centurion performed by Patrick Torres

Jesus rescued Susanna Jerusalem (Ann Pittman) from the Death Penalty

Bob Kinney Words & Photos

After closing arguments, those in the First Baptist audience were sworn in as jurors and given two questions to deliberate on – “Is there a probability that, if not executed, Jesus would commit criminal acts that would constitute a continuing threat to society?” – and – “In light of all mitigation, is a death sentence warranted?” Jurors formed groups within pews and discussed the verdict for thirty minutes. Trial judge – Andy Hathcock, Associate Civil District Judge of Travis County – then asked for each group’s verdict. Jurors were split somewhat on the first question but most chose life in prison without parole.
In his thoughtful article about the play, Austin American Statesman faith writer Juan Castillo notes that Osler created the play in 2001 when he taught law at Baylor University. The presentation is only meant to challenge Christians to think about the death penalty in the context of their faith, Osler told the reporter. “For Christians, part of that context is the trial and execution of Jesus,” he said.

Travis County District Judge Andy Hathcock

Castillo continues that Osler contacted First Baptist Church Senior Pastor Dr. Roger Paynter after he read Roger’s passionate sermon on the Newton Slaughter of Children. “If your church is open to preaching what you said, maybe they’d be open to this event,” Paynter recalled. “It’s Holy Week – what better time to engage this historic trial and re-examine it through the fresh eyes of the penal code?” The Austin performance on February 28 was the twelfth time it has been presented throughout the country – mostly in churches and universities.

But no state can come close to Texas’ rate of executions since the Supreme Court okayed the death penalty in 1976. Six executions are slated to take place just in the month of April in the Death House in Huntsville. A group of folks – including me – gather at the south entrance to the State Capitol whenever the State of Texas kills someone – usually around 6pm.

Jurors begin deliberating

Jury captain announces verdict of his group

The rate of state executions has slowed somewhat thanks to the lobbying efforts of Suzii Paynter. Husband Roger proudly points out she did much to make the option of Life Without Parole available to Texas jurors through legislative action. As Director of Christian Life Commission, Baptist General Convention of Texas, she directs all public policy initiatives for state and federal issues.

Thursday’s stunning performance was a nifty segway into First Baptist’s wonderful Good Friday liturgy featuring Pastor Paynter’s sermon – this year on The Hands of Jesus – followed by the stripping of the altar, dimming of lights and extinguishing of candles into sanctuary darkness and the sound of large nails being dropped into a metal bucket by each person leaving.

First Baptist Sanctuary after stunning Good Friday service

Bob Kinney Words & Photos

Finally … Peace in the Middle East … if all will follow the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra Path

I was driving around suburban Denver look-alike streets conducting the orchestra with one dancing arm as I listened to Colorado Public Radio Feb 3 Carnegie Hall Live broadcast of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra.

Being a fan of its music – infused with its mission of promoting peaceful co-existence in the ever-saddening Middle East – it was fun hearing the orchestra performing on the Big Stage. Acclaimed Israeli pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim and Palestinian-American scholar and activist the late Edward Said founded the Divan Orchestra 13 years ago to bring together musicians from the Israel and Arab world.

Bob Kinney Words

The mid-teens to mid-thirties musicians – sadly – can only be a touring orchestra because the bitter mood of the Mid-East precludes them from yet to play compelling music in their homeland and most other parts of the  Middle-East. Their early 2013 concerts in Boston Symphony Hall, Carnegie Hall and at Brown and Columbia universities marked only the second time the group has performed in the US.

Back home in Austin two evenings after that, the exemplary journalists of PBS News Hour had a moving feature story on the Divan Orchestra. Experience Mary Jo Brooks worthy journalism coupled with a few minutes of the orchestra’s powerful music –

on the PBS website page

 Bob Kinney Words

Tibetan Buddhist Monks Create Sand Mandala in Austin

Having experienced the University of Texas Blanton Museum exhibit of Tibetan Art twice – I was looking forward to five days of Cosmic Bliss as ten Buddhist monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery in Tibet came to the Blanton to create and then disassemble an exquisite 5-foot-by-5-foot Buddhist sand Mandala atop a wooden table at the bottom of the museum’s large two-story atrium.

Bob Kinney Words & Photos

The wonderous event concluded the Tibetan art exhibit in a perfect way – though Perfect is Not Possible (as Leonard Cohen sings “There is a Crack in Everything – That’s How the Light Gets In”) –

but you have to hold out for the infrequent moments of The Perfect – like monks creating Mandalas.

First experienced the Mandala on Thursday and returned the next day to photograph the wonder of it all. Noticed that it was half larger than it was 24 hours ago.

I had not seen a Mandala actually being created and it still brings smiles two weeks after the 13th day of January.

Bob Kinney Words & Photos

Returned to the Mandala on Sunday afternoon along with an estimated 1,000 of my closet friends to witness the Closing Ceremony.

Museum space was so tight you stood in line and waited for someone to leave the Blanton so you could enter. Folks comfortably crowded the first and second floors and the connecting stairs filled up as well.

Dressed formally in their robes and headdresses – the monks chanted and performed meditative songs as they began to take apart the Mandala.

Half of the Mandala’s multi-colored and millions of its grains of sand were placed in tiny plastic baggies and given out to all of us who waited patiently in line.

The other half of the Mandala sand was placed in a ceremonial urn and taken through the UT campus to Waller Creek, just west across the street from the UT football stadium.

 Not only was I fortunate to get a baggie (and share some of it with two of favorite friends who could not be there) – I took part in a heartfelt procession of the monks with one of those friends, Olivia – and about one thousand of  other blissful folks –

to Waller Creek. The water did turn to blue – green – red – and other Mandala colors as the monks slipped the sand into the Waller Waters to launch and prove its Impermanence.

Bob Kinney Words & Photos

HONK TX Austin 2013 March 22-24

Music – Movement – Merriment

Honk Hoops

Bob Kinney Photos & Words

HONK TX is coming back to Austin for three lively outside performances throughout Central and Near South Austin March 22-25.

As the Fest website  proclaims  – “Throughout the world, a new type of street band is emerging…” and you can experience it this weekend w/o the SXSW MegaCrowds from last weekend.

Austin’s Minor Mishap Marching Band backs that up as the band describes itself as “Bourbon Street Meets Budapest.”

HONK – staged in some other US cities  – is Free and Very Family Friendly.

 

Friday March 22 – Jo’s Coffee on South Congress  6 to 10p

Saturday March 23 – Adams and Hemphill Parks and Spider House Ballroom 11a to 8pm – two blocks south-east of Wheatsville Co-op

Sunday March 24 – Street Parade from and back to Pan-Am Park noon to 5p

HONK TX 2013 –23 Unique Nationwide Bands

Austin Schedule of Bands March 22-25

Austin Bands

Minor Mishap Marching Band

Dead Music Capital Band

Yes, Ma’am! Brass Band (All Woman)

Maracatu Austin   and  facebook

The Hey Lolly Brass Band

Bob Kinney Photos & Words

Welcome to Austin, Honks

Austin Alternative to SXSW

You can experience great music shows and other delights without being surrounded by SXSW hipsters clogging up downtown Austin streets that are covered in corporate slime while bumping into you because they are looking at their hands.

Launched some years ago by John Conquest – perceptive music writer and editor of Third Coast music magazine here in Austin – NotSXSW is held each March during the same time SXSW is doing its thing north of Lady Bird Lake. Held in South and now East Austin as well, NotSXSW has the same vibe SXSW had in its early years before the record companies, other corporations and C3 booking turned it into what it is now.

Below are my day-to-day recommendations for you, complete lists of NotSXSW shows (thanks, John) and other musical line-ups from Ginny’s Little Longhorn honky-tonk, Jo’s on South Congress and even the one-year-old creative art and performance space – Wardenclyffe Gallery.

All shows are free and – like the NotSXSW iconic slogan proclaims – “You Don’t Need a Stinkin’ Wristband.”

Please check back often for daily updates.

Enjoy!

Bob

Best Bob Shows

Peelander Family Fest in Springdale Farm 2012

Peelander- Z with Minor Mishap Marching Band and Octopus Project opening at Springdale Farm in East Austin – 755 Springdale Road – Sunday 1 to 5p with Peelander on stage at 4 – Family Friendly as Bob Kinney Photos show –

Bob Kinney Words and Photos

Peelander is Fun

Chicken House Records Mike (Peelander’s Best Fan & Agent) with son

Emmy Lou Harris and Rodney Crowell

Waterloo Records – 6th & Lamar parking lot – Friday 15 @ 6p

Emmy Lou with her Hot Band including Rodney Crowell – left – Columbus Ohio 1976

Bob Kinney Words and Photos

same 1976 Columbus show – one of Bob’s Best Shots

Hell’s Belles AC/DC Tribute Band –

five kick-ass women musicians (including Austin’s Adrian Connor – aka Angus). “Hell’s Belles is the best AC/DC Tribute Band I have heard,” says Angus.

Wednesday 13 7p free & all ages show at Metropolis Bug C Bug Fest 2013 @ 2200 S Pleasant Valley Road

Thursday 14 1op free at Key Bar @ 6th and Rio Grande

Real Women Play at 11

Coming Right At You

Bob Kinney Words and Photos

Thanks, John Conquest … for staging NotSXSW every March and keeping Real Country Music alive in Austin throughout each year

John Conquest’s 3rd Annual NotSXSW Tribute to Woman Musicians  – All Women All Day and Night – Thursday 14 @ G&S Lounge, Amelia’s Retrovogue & Relics Bungalow (just south of End of an Ear Records on South First Street) and Giddy Up’s on Manchaca in Far South Austin (smoking no longer allowed inside). Listings below …

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More NotSXSW Free Shows 4 U –

Bob’s Favorite Fun Band – Peelander-Z plays 5 shows

Check out Chicken Ranch Records Posters  and details of each show

Wednesday 13 – Hickory Street Bar & Grill with The Starlings at 1am

Thursday 14 - Hole in the Wall at 6p

 Friday 15 - Roky Erickson Fest at Threadgill’s South at 5:40p

 Saturday 16 - The Grackle at 5-ish

Sunday 17 - Peelander Annual Family Fest 2013 from 1 to 5p with Peelander taking the stage at 4

Austin’s Minor Mishap Marching Band and Octopus Project opens – WOW – Very Family Friendly

right inside the Springdale Farm in East Austin

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Day-by-Day Recommendations from Bob

Wednesday 13

Ray Bonneville – Amelia’s – noon

Bob Livingston – Amelia’s 4 and G&S Lounge 6:30

South by San Jose at Jo’s Coffee — Tribute to Armadillo World Headquarters — check Jo’s website for times — Mother Falcon  … Shooter Jennings … Jimmie Dale Gilmore … Asleep at the Wheel … Roky Erickson

Hell’s Belles — Bug Fest 2013 @ 2200 S Pleasant Valley Rd 7p – free all ages

Amanda Pearcy – G&S – midnight

Austin’s Roky Erickson plays during Wednesday’s South by San Jose Tribute to the Armadillo World Headquarters

Thursday 14

Alan Haynes (plays like Stevie Ray and spot-on Hendrix with a guitar he bought from Stevie) – Ginny’s Little Longhorn 9p

Alan Haynes plays electric blues in the best country honky tonk in Austin – love the Big Music Tent

Fingers on Wire and Wood

Hank and Shaidri Alrich – Amelia’s – noon

Six great shows at G&S Lounge:

Chip Taylor 11:30am

Slaid Cleaves 1p

Ray Bonneville 2

Jimmy LaFave 3

Hank & Shaidri Alrich 4

Rick Broussard’s Two Hoots & A Holler – G&S Lounge – midnight

South by San Jose at Jo’s Coffee — Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison — Billy Joe Shaver — Sergio Mendoza y La Orkestra

 

The Austin Steamers – Earl Scruggs Smiles

Friday 15

South by San Jose at Jo’s Coffee — Amy Cook … Buddy Miller & Jim Lauderdale … The James Hunter Six … Diamond Rugs … North Mississippi Allstars … Alejandro Escovedo & The Sensitive Boy

BettySoo – G&S 11:30a

Jo Carol Pierce – G&S 1p

Carper Family – G&S 2p

Austin Steamers – White Horse 7 to 9p

Mike Stinson – Ginny’s Little Longhorn 9p

Mike is a Real Country Singer-Songwriter. Experience “Ain’t Got No One To Drink With Anymore” duet with Brennen Leigh on your favorite video site

Jim Stringer and the AM Band – Real Country

Saturday 16

Alan Haynes – Ginny’s Little Longhorn 6p

Sarah Gayle Meech w/ Terry Joyce – Ginny’s 9p

T Jarrod Bonta & The AM Band – G&S 6p

Jim Stringer & The AM Band – G&S 7p

Bill Kirchen – G&S 9p

Slaid Cleaves – G&S 5:30p

Gurf Morlix – G&S 7p

Blaze Foley: Duct Tape Messiah Film – G&S 8p

Bill Kirchen – Master of the Telecaster

Sunday 17 (Happy St Pat’s Day)

Amanda Pearcy – Amelia’s noon

Peelander Family Fest w/ Minor Mishap Marching Band opening – Springdale Farm @ 755 Springdale Road.

Chicken Shit Bingo w/ Dale Watson – Ginny’s Little Longhorn 4p

Roy Heinrich & The Pickups – G&S 8:30p

Dog & Duck Annual St Patrick’s Day Music Celebration @ 406 W 17th – 11am till dark

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Music and Art at Wardenclyffe Gallery – 1101 Springdale Road

Help celebrate the First Year Birthday of the creative Wardenclyffe Family … one of Bob’s favorite places in Austin – Stop By & Refill Your Creative Well.

March 10 we are happy to announce the release of 787xx, a new magazine dedicated to distribution and discussion by and for everyone in the Austin area. Music. Chess. Coffee. Food. Celebration.

Then, SXSW. Brace your fine selves.

March 12 is a split showcase from Haute Magie, Sole-glow, and Wardenclyffe. Odd-folk and mellow-experimental and intelligent beat-based electronic. 2 pm to 2 am.

• March 13 we host print-media behemoths Rawpaw with their SXSW showcase of mostly locals and all awesome.

• March 14  Texas is Funny Records takes over the yard for a day of country-punk and desert screamin’.

• March 15 is headed by Vulcan Army Booking. Clever and thoughtful indie, modern blues, and electrified folk.
•  March 16  finds itself split by Jinks Spring, Austere Magazine, Dallas Distortion Music. Kind of like the day before but a little louder and slightly stranger.

• March 17 – we host our annual tradition of a SXSW detox day. All ambient, drone, and mellow. Inside only, and we’re gonna bring some pillows for floor laying. Plus; we are rumored to have snagged Kosmic Kombucha as a detox-slinging sponsor.

Did we mention that there was going to be art up the entire time? Yeah, seriously! All of SXSW! Those comic geniuses Liverspots are going to be papering the walls with their particular form of dark and divine humor. The show will be running from March 11 to March 22, with a closing reception and comic book release on the 22 from 8p – 12a

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Ginny’s Little Longhorn 5434 Burnet Road – best country honky tonk in Central Texas

Wednesday 13

Nate Boff 6p & Alan Haynes 9p

Thursday 14

Wyldwood Four 6p & Alvin Crow 9p

Friday 15

Dane Sterling 6p & Mike Stinson 9p

Saturday 16

Alan Haynes 6p & Sarah Gayle Meech w/Terry Joyce 9p

 Sunday 17

Chicken Shit Bingo with Dale Watson 4p

Ginny and daughter Sharon flank James Intveld with Dale Watson at right

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Jo’s South by San Jose @ 1300 South Congress – you won’t find the American-Statesman spawned Not-Austin destination word “SoCo”on this website – we ain’t New York City

WEDNESDAY 13 LINEUP – Music starts at Noon
Shiner Premium Presents: A Tribute to the Armadillo World Headquarters
A Benefit for The Waylon Jennings Fund

Mother Falcon
Jenny O.
Wild Child
Shooter Jennings
Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Asleep at the Wheel
Roky Erickson

God Bless Billy Joe

THURSDAY 14 LINEUP – Music begins at noon
Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside
Hayden
Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers
Tom O’Dell
Diego Garcia
Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison
Billy Joe Shaver
Sergio Mendoza y La Orkestra

FRIDAY 15 LINEUP – Music starts at noon
Max Gomez
Rayland Baxter
Night Beds
Amy Cook
Buddy Miller & Jim Lauderdale
The James Hunter Six
Diamond Rugs
North Mississippi Allstars
Alejandro Escovedo & The Sensitive Boys

SATURDAY 16 LINEUP – Music starts at noon
Luella and the Sun
Shakey Graves
Allah Las
Lucius
Foxygen
Lissie
Phosphorescent
Heartless Bastards
Dawes

SUNDAY 16 LINEUP – Music starts at noon
Jo’s House Band
Charlie Terrell & The Murdered Johns
The Wyldz
My Golden Calf

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 Maria’s Taco Express at 2529 S Lamar

Thursday 14 – 11a – 9p

11:00 Ronee Blakley (solo) 11:40 Jon Byrd (solo) 12:20 The Carper Family 1:00 Jimbo Mathus & The Tri-State Coalition 1:40 Chris Shiflett and The Dead Peasants 2:20 Brennen Leigh & Noel McKay 3:00 Jesse & Noah 3:40 Rod Melancon 4:20 Otis Gibbs (solo) 5:00 Ted Russell Kamp 5:40 Kevin Gordon (solo) 6:20 The Record Company 7:00 TBC 7:40 Mike and the Moonpies 8:20 John Evans Band

Friday 15 Noon – 9p

Noon * The Mercy Brothers (S. Louisiana) 12:40 * So Long Problems (Austin) 1:20 * Rod Melancon (Los Angeles) 2:00 * Chelle Rose (Nashville) 2:40 * Israel Nash Gripka (Austin) 3:20 * Deadman (Austin) 3:45 * Deadstring Brothers (Detroit) 4:25 * Shurman (Austin) 5:05 * Out of Our Tree (Feat. Tim Easton & Megan Palmer) 5:45 * Elijah Ford & The Bloom (Austin) 6:20 * Mike Stinson (Houston) 6:55 * Ian Moore & The Lossy Coils (Seattle) 7:40 * Jesse Dayton (Austin) 8:30 * Two Hoots & A Holler (Austin)

 Saturday 16 Noon

Alejandro Escovedo

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John Conquest’s NotSXSW full listing of shows at

Amelia’s Retrovogue & Relics

G&S Lounge Bar and Music Room

and Giddy Up’s

schedule deleted March 21 . 2013