Choir at the Cactus

Think you can’t sing beyond your shower? Always sitting out karaoke nights? KUTX & Rock It Choir‘s Choir at the Cactus is a new monthly event designed to prove you wrong!

Spend an afternoon at the Cactus finding your voice (and some bonus confidence) with a rock sing-along and fun group voice lesson from Rock It Choir’s Julie Blake (who trained with Seth Riggs, vocal coach to Stevie Wonder, the late Prince, Madonna, and more.) Each month, you’ll learn a song in 3-part harmony, from an artist pulled right from KUTX’s playlist. Even cooler – your ticket will help raise some extra funds for an Austin music non-profit.

No rehearsals! No auditions! No singing experience necessary! Just a sense of adventure and a little courage. (And if you’re over 21, the Cactus’ bar will be open to assist with the courage part.)

(Check out footage of August’s event here.)

 

Choir at the Cactus: Where the audience is the choir!
Tickets are $10, and can be purchased in advance here the 1st each month.
50% of each ticket sold benefits a different Austin music non-profit each month.

DATE/TIME ARTIST/SONG BENEFITING
Sat., Nov 16; 3-5 p.m. Radiohead / “Creep” Swan Songs
Sat., Dec 7; 3-5 p.m. TBA 12/1 SIMS Foundation
December date postponed. 2020 dates TBD

 

Choir at the Cactus FAQ:

What if I don’t know the song well? Will lyrics be available?
Yes! Song lyrics will be displayed on a screen, and we’ll run through the melody at least once before learning harmonies. You can familiarize yourself with the song ahead of time if you’d like, but bear in mind that the arrangement may be a little different from what you’re familiar with.

Is Choir at the Cactus a family-friendly event?
Choir at the Cactus is an all-ages event. However, it’s probably more appropriate for people 12 and up, due to the attention required during vocal instruction, as well as the line-of-sight (though we try our best to make sure everyone can see the lyrics.)

Where can I park?
Metered parking is available around campus, and we recommend using the City of Austin’s Park ATX App. If you don’t want to worry about meters, paid parking is also available in the San Antonio Garage, located at 2420 San Antonio Street. Parking in the garage for the duration of Choir at the Cactus will run you $9 (remember that carpooling makes it feel cheaper!) To reach the Cactus from the garage, head east to Guadalupe, cross to the other side, then head south on Guadalupe to 22nd St. The Cactus is at 22nd and Guadalupe on the first floor of the Texan Union building on campus.

We also recommend taking a taxi or using a rideshare service like Lyft or Uber, particularly if you plan to drink at this event (because, let’s face it – some of us need a few drinks before we can sing in public.)

Why does only half of my ticket benefit that month’s chosen non-profit?
Here at KUTX, it’s important to us that artists are paid for their time and work. Choir at the Cactus involves not only day-of work, but time spent arranging the songs we’ll sing. 50% of ticket sales go to the working artists from Rock It Choir that produce this event, and the remaining 50% go to that month’s selected Austin music non-profit. (Our hope is that by hosting this event monthly, it will grow into something that can benefit our non-profit partners in an even bigger way.)

Will tickets be available at the door? 
If any tickets are left by the event date, they’ll be available for purchase at the door. However, we recommend purchasing them ahead of time. The Cactus is a relatively intimate room with a capacity of 140.

Have a question not answered here? Holler.

 

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