Beastie Boys

Friday, October 22

Beastie Boys Bring “Boroughs” to Austin

After years of being on hiatus, the Beastie Boys once again come out and speak their minds. The Boys Entering Anarchistic State Towards Internal Excellence or as we all know them, The Beastie Boys, began their journey in 1981 in New York City. They started as a punk band that did the underground NYC club scene.

In early 1984, all of that changed. The Beastie Boys turned the focus of their music from punk to rap. They joined forces with Def Jam producer Rick Rubin in 1985 and had a hit single. That year the Beasties saw more success and gained national exposure as the opening act for Madonna.

Their next step was producing the best selling rap album of the 1980s, Licensed to Ill. Although their record had much success, their lyrics and image caused much conflict with the critics as well as the fans. Some people perceived their lyrics as violent and sexist, which caused uproar. During their tour in 1987 they were caught in the middle of arrests and lawsuits. They were seen as stirring up conflict and crimes. Later in 1992, after their release of Paul’s Boutique, the Beastie Boys founded their own record label Grand Royal. The Beastie Boys followed Paul’s Boutique with Check Your Head. Once again they morphed into a new sound; Check Your Head was a mixture of old-school hip-hop, punk and funk.

In 1994 they followed with the Ill Communication. This record debuted at number one and the singles “Sabotage” and “Sure Shot” helped the album achieve double platinum status. The Beastie Boys took four years to come out with their next record. In 1998, the world was introduced to Hello Nasty. It sold 680,000 copies in the first week; more than any other record that year. In 1999, The Beastie Boys were nominated for an American Music Award, won 2 Grammy Awards for Best Alternative Music Performance (Hello Nasty) and Best Rap Performance by a group (Intergalactic). They also won a Blockbuster Award for Favorite Group and won a MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip Hop Video (Intergalactic).

In June, after a six year break, the Beastie Boys released their next record, To the 5 Boroughs which sold over 360,000 copies in the US its first week, and in July was certified platinum. The Beastie Boys latest tour started on September 9 in Morrison, Colorado and they will rock the Frank Erwin Center on October 22.

Tickets for the Beastie Boys at the Frank Erwin Center Friday, October 22 at 8PM are $30.50, $36 and $41 General Admission floor tickets are ON SALE NOW at all Texas Box Office Outlets (includes H-E-B stores in Austin, Bastrop, Bee Caves, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Pflugerville, Round Rock, and San Marcos; Ft. Hood Bldg. #136 and Renaissance Records in Killeen), charge-by-phone at 512/477-6060 or 1-800-982-2386 or order on-line at TexasBoxOffice.com. Convenience charges may apply. All information subject to change. The Frank Erwin Center is a smoke-free facility. Convenient parking is available within walking distance in nearby state and University lots. For more information, call 512/471-7744. uterwincenter.com