If you happened to be downtown two weekends ago, you might have found yourself startled, amused, or even aroused (it’s okay, you’ll be totally accepted at some clubs in Japan) by the sight of four human forms wandering the streets in golden, skin-tight zentai suits. There must be something in the way head-to-toe spandex outfits cling to one’s body, because clubbers all over downtown were completely enamored with the mysterious beings - perhaps it was all in their shining strut. Sightings first occurred at The Beauty Bar on 7th St and Club De Ville on Red River. They continued on the sidelines of Mohawk's Spoon show, at Oilcan Harry's on 4th, even on stage with The Scabs at Antone's. Some passers-by marveled at the group and courteously screamed, "Welcome to Earth! Come party with us!" Others took a more direct approach at showing their fascination with the golden enigmas by attempting to grope them while yelling, "I want to have your baby!" Who were these people gaining interest all at once from the hipsters, the gays, the goths, the frat boys, the musicians, etc.? It was all very cryptic. However, if you were lucky enough to get a Polaroid with the group or a sticker (gold, of course) that they were passing out freely, you found that it came with an answer as to what the whole phenomenon was about.

The Gold Show, an event presented by The United States Art Authority that is billed as a “free display of art, music and film,” takes place on August 11th (yeah, you missed that one) and August 18th (you can still catch it). Has anyone noticed how the decrepit building next to Spider House suddenly became occupied and is now sporting a classy USAA sign? That’s where the event will go down – 510 W. 29th St. If you don’t like art, music, or film, you still have reason to attend – a full bar accompanies all of the artistic expression.

The show is the work of USAA members Nikolai Haas, Simon Haas (if you’re big on trivia - yes, they are the twin brothers of actor Lukas Haas), Tara Tressel, and Tyler Cannan. It begins with a set from The Bob Dey Band. This is followed by a short film by Carleton Ranney that stars Simon Haas. Ranney has already received praise in both Austin and New York for his work. He has been labeled as a “Moviemaker to Watch” by the Austin Chronicle. In this article, they described his short film Save Manson as “a masterfully shot and edited depiction of every young male’s sporadic obsession with death and the grotesque.” We like the sound of that. But we're a young male…maybe we're biased. Anyway, the show leads up to an acoustic set by Nikolai Haas – an accomplished musician who has already shared the stage with the likes of PJ Harvey, Yoko Ono, and Peaches at the ATP Festival, a concert that was organized by 2005 curator Vincent Gallo.

If you missed out on the first show, do not fret. We will unveil a few more details to entice you without giving away all the goods so you can catch the FINAL show this Saturday, August 18th. Overall, the USAA manages to live up to the amazing hype created by its zentai PR campaign. You are guaranteed young, rising talent willing to go against the grain. They are fiercely experimental and it works. The Bob Dey band starts things off with a fresh take on surround sound in the form of creatively placed band members. There is definitely not a lack of artistic expression in any of the performances – the lighting and the stages themselves were assembled and built specifically for this performance/screening. Ranney’s film, although incredibly short, provides enough evidence to support the honors he has received and Simon Haas’ performance hints at a screen presence that could rival his Hollywood brother. Keep an eye out for some lovely shots by Ranney and a creeptastically wonderful closing effect. In the end, though, Nikolai Haas demonstrates exactly why he is what you’ve been waiting for the whole night. He has been compared to Nick Drake and you will hear the similarities. They share a soothing, emotional quality. We personally find Nikolai’s work more interesting in that there is a haunting, darker quality to his music. It’s all kind of…sexy. Not that Drake couldn’t be.

And “sexy” brings us right back to the zentai suits – full circle, guys! The suits make a final appearance in case you didn’t get in enough groping on the late night Austin streets two weeks ago. If you find yourself around Spider House on Saturday night, wander on over to The Gold Show. It’s a great chance to see young, emerging, homegrown talent that is promising to the point that it might not be as “free” a couple of years from now. Get it while you can!

The United States Art Authority Presents: The Gold Show
Saturday, August 18th
510 W. 29th Street (right behind the Spider House parking lot)
9pm, Free(!)
The Gold Show on MySpace