August 2015: TRIBEZA Talk
TRIBEZA Talk: An Insider’s Guide to Austin’s Hidden Gems
MADE FOR THE WEEKEND
“I think anything we can get that’s really personal to the maker becomes personal to yourself,” says Laura Davis Berryman. The owner of Newton Supply Co., Berryman studied architecture and handcrafts, receiving her MFA from Savannah College of Art and Design before launching her own venture in September 2014. While Newton Supply Co. focuses on creating goods made with sustainably and locally-sourced materials, items like their popular Waxed Canvas Weekender bags are designed with travel in mind. Says Berryman, “Any chance that you get you should just be able to take off on a road trip and go on an adventure.”
PLAYER’S PICK
Ask Dave Barry of Moniker Guitars about one of his favorite projects and he’ll tell you about creating a 2001: A Space Odyssey-themed guitar for metal band The Sword’s Kyle Shutt. “It had moon-shaped sound holes and I designed a circuit that had a noise sensitive LED trigger to it so if he played harder the lights would blink more brightly,” Barry says. Along with Kevin Tully, Barry started Moniker in 2012 with the aim to put custom design in the hands of the customer through their online configurator. Passionate axe players can choose all the elements from the body shape down to the knobs. “We’ve seen some absolutely outrageous designs, in a good way,” Barry says. Recently creating custom guitars for Lord Huron’s Strange Trails tour, Moniker’s instruments are as beautiful as they are unique. “If you can dream it, within the context and confines of our website,” explains Barry, “we can build it.”
MOTHER FALCON’S GOOD LUCK
To craft some of the songs on Mother Falcon’s third studio album, Good Luck Have Fun (being released August 14), Nick Gregg asked his band mates to re-create electronic video game music with their traditional acoustic instruments. “It was a really different way to approach songwriting,” says cellist Diana Burgess. Part of a commission for the documentary Star Nation, the all-instrumental songs are paired with vocally driven indie pop songs to round out the new disc. “It’s kind of a split album — it has two different personalities,” says Burgess. For a large band, whose current lineup includes 12 musicians with a variety of training in classical, jazz, and rock, getting to play songs on both ends of the spectrum is a thrill. “It’s cool to have an album that embraces everyone’s backgrounds,” Burgess says. “It really shows our abilities as a band.” See for yourself when Mother Falcon plays Empire Control Room August 21 and 22.
FRESH BATCH OF LOCAL GOODS
Working to spread the word about locally made goods,Batch Austin specializes in curated gift and monthly subscription boxes. Here Batch Austin’s Director, Courtney Bianchi, shares some of her local favorites.
- Hops & Grain Brew Biscuits — Hops and Grain are known for their fantastic beer but most people don’t know they also make dog-friendly treats.
- Luna Tigre Bluebonnet Scented Candle — I’m a huge fan of this candle by owner Jill Smallman. It is the perfect combination of clean and floral with just a hint of that magical state flower fragrance.
- Yellowbird Hot Sauce — This stuff is so yummy on breakfast tacos, mixed in your scrambled eggs, or basically in any dish where you want a kick of heat and spice.
- The Barton Table Chocolate Sauce — This is incredibly delicious spooned right out of the jar, mixed with peanut butter, or poured over a bowl of ice cream. Mary-Wommack Barton makes the sauce from scratch.
- Latika Soap — Husband and wife owners, Erez and Mazzi Peled, hand-make and hand-pour their lotions and soaps. For men, their charcoal line is great. Not only is the scent wonderful, but also charcoal offers many health benefits, especially for the skin.