Threadgill’s South set to ride into sunset with concert, auction

From Austin360.com

The end is finally arriving for Threadgill’s World Headquarters. Rumors of the storied restaurant and music venue’s demise have often been exaggerated, exacerbated, reconstituted and recalculated, but it’s for real this time, with a big farewell bash on Saturday, Dec. 1, to be followed by an auction of memorabilia the following Saturday, Dec. 8.

“Threadgill’s Last Rodeo” will be an all-day affair, with popular local band Shinyribs play the final show in the beer garden at 7:30 p.m. (It’s the second time band leader Kevin Russell has had a big farewell at TWHQ; his previous band, the Gourds, played their final show there in 2013. Music starts at noon with performances by Fastball, Cotton Mather, Van Wilks, Monte Warden, Sarah Sharp, Guy Forsyth and Michael Fracasso. Tickets are $20 for the afternoon portion, with a separate $20 ticket for the evening Shinyribs show.

On Sunday, Jon Emery will play the 11 a.m. gospel brunch as Threadgill’s South serves up its final chicken-fried steaks, meatloaves and more. Take note, though: The original location, on North Lamar Boulevard, isn’t closing, and they have live music regularly there as well.

Then comes the auction. It’s set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, at the restaurant, with Burley Auction selling off owner Eddie Wilson’s memorabilia from both Threadgill’s and the storied Armadillo World Headquarters, which occupied approximately the same plot of land in the 1970s.

According a press release announcing the auction, items will include “a large collection of AWHQ concert posters featuring Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Doug Sahm and many more; rare Willie Nelson 4th of July posters; original paintings by Jim Franklin, Sam Yates, Danny Garrett, Guy Juke, and the late Micael Priest; original Burton Wilson AWHQ photographs; Kenneth Threadgill and Janis Joplin posters and original photographs; original Lone Star Beer paintings; Texas beer signs; Austin signs; historic Austin items; and much more.”

An auction preview will be held at the restaurant on Friday, Dec. 7, from noon to 6 p.m.