One big, serious film; one adventure doc; a couple soft life-changers; a Steve Carell comedy. All in all, a fine mix for the first real weekend of fall. Reservation Road: Mark Ruffalo and Joaquin Phoenix star as a man who hits a boy with his car, and the father of that boy. Ruffalo's character feels the guilt grow as Phoenix slowly freaks out. Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox are winning the World Series and the... more ›

Artists need plenty of space to think, build, paint and flex their creative muscles. One such place is the new Pump Project Art Complex in East Austin, where 39 local artists fit under one roof to work, play, and create. “Being in this environment, there is always a great support system for your creativity,” said Pump Project artist Debra Broz. “Being around other artists, you can really feed off that.” Formerly Shady Tree Studios, the... more ›

As far as ghosts and ghoulies go, we know that Austin has spooky entertainment options coming out the yin-yang, not to mention the standard trick-or-treating action. However, it has been brought to our attention that it is no longer socially acceptable for 20 to 30-somethings to beg candy off their neighbors (we have no shame), and our sexy bumblebee/sexy heart surgeon/sexy bottle of pepto bismol costumes are looking a little shabby this season. So... more ›

Hand food: it's almost as awesome as food on sticks, but boasts the added bonus of carbohydrates! Food that comes in its own container is perfect for busy Fall days at work and school. Austin offers some great options for sandwich-y goodness on the go, so jump in your preferred mode of transport and grab some grub that requires little else than a hungry stomach, and perhaps a napkin or three. Hog Island Italian Deli... more ›

If you comb through news aggregate websites every morning waiting for your coffee to kick in like I do, you may have come across an odd little story about the recent demise of OiNK, an invite-only torrent site that put links to thousands of music files at one’s fingertips. It was a sprawling, cluttered site that demanded small download-to-upload ratios (1:1 was emphasized) and gave special privileges to users who donated to the site’s administrator,... more ›

The Fiery Furnaces--they of the Friday and Saturday night headlines at Emo's Inside--have an unmistakable sound and an unmistakable presence. Between mastermind Matthew Friedberger's pounding around on three different keyboards, to sister Eleanor's ultra-intense vocals, The Fiery Furnaces are a band who's crafted quite a unique little niche in the psyche of music lovers all round that big ol' world. With their two-night to-do at Emo's coming less than a month after the release of... more ›

Lucero played to a packed and rowdy crowd at Emo's Wednesday night. Bobby Bare, Jr. and Whiskey & Co. opened up. Photos courtesy Keith Gaddis... more ›

Montreal based outfit Stars has managed to capture our heart every time we take in their pop melodies and poignant lyricism. Amy Millan and Torquil Compbell are true stars, countering each other perfectly with crisp vocal delivery, while crystal clear production on the band’s recordings complemented by immaculate instrumentation make for a mighty fine final product. The band has two releases to be proud of this year -- Stars released In Our Bedroom After The... more ›

The SMART car, one of Europe's most eye-catching two-seaters, is finally coming to the states next year. If you can't wait to get behind the wheel of this fuel-sipping sub-$12k urban commuter, head over to Bookpeople post-haste. As part of its pre-US-launch promotional push, SMART is taking the European version of its "fortwo" vehicle on a 50-city road show. Austin is the final leg in its Central Tour, which started in Minneapolis back in June.... more ›

Five years ago you never would have believed it, but it’s true: the harp is so in. And evidence of that is most acute in that elfin goddess of harpsterism, Joanna Newsom, who will be toting her really big harp—and the lilting wordplay that comes along with it—right on down to Austin this Saturday night. And no, it won’t just be her alone lighting up the stage and the eyes of adoring boys at Riverbend Centre, but also our own internationally acclaimed Austin Symphony Orchestra. more ›

We remember Austin Tinius over a year ago, peddling his Burger and Friends line at Circa 77, a boutique in Denton, Texas. Everything was made with a light-hearted, punk-rock sense of humor—from acid colored T-shirts silkscreened with line-drawings of Playboy models posing with a grizzly bear, to Star Wars-inspired wallets and purses. We knew he was on to something. Sure enough, Burger and Friends (finally) got some attention shortly after last year's Stitch. Austin... more ›

Robert Stikmanz, AKA Jackanapes Plenty, AKA fully human Austin author Robert Lewis, will appear in one of his many guises to preview his new book, Nod’s Way, at BookPeople this Saturday. Nod’s Way is part fantasy, part I Ching manual from another dimension, so if you have any burning questions that Dr. Laura or George Noory can’t answer, here’s your chance to consult a real live ancient oracle. Nod’s Way is a follow-up to Stikmanz’s... more ›

Normally we're wary of anything that hints of the pejorative chick-lit (or related single-twentysomething-hipster-trying-to- get-lucky-with-the-opposite-sex genre) as it's about as wispy-thin and over-played as emo haircuts. But Diane Vadino, whose debut novel is entitled Smart Girls Like Me, had credentials enough for us to take a closer look. Vadino was an original staff member of that magnetic bastion of literary cool, McSweeney's, who churn out more high-minded humor and literature than you could shake a... more ›

The University of Texas received a grade of B-minus on The College Sustainability Report Card, published Wednesday by the Sustainable Endowments Institute. According to the institute, the report card is the only independent sustainability assessment of campus operations and endowment investments. It grades universities with the 200 largest endowments in the areas of administration, climate change and energy, food and recycling, green building, transportation, endowment transparency, investment priorities and shareholder engagement. “The overall grade... more ›

Named after a pancake-like delicacy, everything about the band Pikelet seethes with cuteness. From aw-shucks song titles like “They Call it Love?…Wow” to lead singer Evelyn Morris’ sweet timbre, this is a project as twee as a soft sweater and geeky glasses. Morris hails from Melbourne, Australia, home to pop charmers The Lucksmiths and presumably many other goodwill-laden indie groups who haven’t exactly made it huge here in the States. Before, Morris was a... more ›

#17 Texas (6-2) vs. Nebraska (4-4) Time: 2:30 pm, Saturday, Oct. 27 Location: Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium TV: ABC Radio: KVET (98.1 FM, 1300 AM) The Texas-Nebraska game on Saturday highlights the clash of history and reality. Historically, both are among the premier programs in college football, and the numbers prove it. The schools have combined for more than 1,600 victories, nine national championships, 90 bowl appearances, and five Heisman Trophy winners. But in... more ›

"Tales Of Mere Existence" By Levni R. Yilmaz Esq more ›

UN issues their Global Environmental Outlook report, GEO-4, while population blogs about Britney Spears' new tattoo. The U.S. dollar continues its downward spiral. Wildfires continue in California, but firefighters say they are gaining ground. Iran remains defiant in the face of new U.S. imposed sanctions to prevent their nuclear dream. Supreme Court of Georgia frees teen in controversial sex case. Texas gas prices are up for the second week in a row. Astronauts begin... more ›

Le Loup will just have to quell the audience’s hunger for Friday night indie pop with their ever-expanding experimentalism, as Saddle Creek’s Georgie James have canceled due to illness. But, any void caused by a lack of shimmering girl/guy harmonies at Mohawk will be quickly filled with handfuls of banjo, keyboards, toy instrument sounds and digital assistance. Echoey and breathy vocals entwine as hand claps overlap and the computer age openly embraces the simple, earthly... more ›

• Watch the northeastern sky at 7:06pm tonight for the shuttle.
• Austin ad firm GSD&M loses part of the AT&T account.
• Statesman has a story on the split between LBJ High School and the magnet school housed therein.

Dr. Dog has pawing at indie-stardom for quite some time now, although you may not have noticed. You've definitely heard them popping up on friends' badass mix cds, playing wistfully in the groggy mornings after one night stands, and blaring at house parties. Nonetheless, they have somehow escaped popularity on a larger scale which, in our opinion, is long overdue. Need your memory jogged? Think of a supergroup of reincarnated Flower-Power badasses effortlessly combining the wild, impish yaw of Wayne Coyne's vocals - except in pitch - and the brass balls of a group of musicians that blissfully blow-off sonic constrictions, they fearlessly radiate a sound that is both joyful and rueful in equal parts. Pick up a copy of their newest swansong We All Belong and get an earful. Everyone in the Austinist Music offices has been wagging their tails and slobbering on the editor in anticipation of their appearance this evening at the Parish, so this preview comes with a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED in capital letters. more ›

We haven't made it to Project Runway at Moxie and the Compound, yet, but we've heard it's fun. Last week's winner Malissa Long sent us a picture of her creation (see right); the challenge was to design a piece only using a white knit fabric. This week the challenge is to design a dress for the Shiki customer. The Moxie version of Project Runway is similar to the Bravo show, although there's a local twist... more ›

Local author Sarah Bird (The Yokota Officers Club, Virgin of the Rodeo, The Mommy Club, The Boyfriend School, and Alamo House) doesn't know how to just sit down and write a book. For her, research for a novel—say, one about flamenco music and dance—means picking up and moving to New Mexico for a summer to take flamenco dance lessons at The University of New Mexico. This may sound a little extreme when she could've hacked... more ›

We’ll admit it. We love Girl Talk. The sight of some normal looking person leaning over the laptop on a stage generating all kinds of musical mayhem is pretty standard nowadays. And there is no one we’d rather prefer at the helm than this Pittsburgh lad named Gregg Gillis. Gillis shared his past Austin experiences while also commenting on his “trial and error” approach to assembling beats when we last spoke with him leading up... more ›

Will Wynn renewed calls for an Austin streetcar at today's Downtown Austin Association Annual Luncheon. Moving forward would require two votes in the 2008 election - one to allow the project and another for bonds to finance it. The new plan would include connections to the airport (along Riverside), downtown, UT, the Triangle and Mueller. more ›

La Luz is having a Halloween fiesta tomorrow. The new-ish South Austin boutique is inviting the public out for live music by The Early Tapes, refreshments, a spooky photo booth, games, prizes and activities. The fun starts at 6 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m. at 2009 S. 1st St. Explore the treasures of India with Marigold's Fall Festival today at 6 p.m. If you've never heart the rhythms of tabla and sitar, check... more ›

Careful stringing up those fake spiderwebs this year. If you haven't been following the bizarre case of the Russian "chessboard serial killer", you should before it becomes a full length feature film. Protestor with painted blood on her hands gets within inches of Condoleeza Rice. Craddick blames trial lawyers for trying to get him out of the House Speaker's office. One of the largest fires in California was sparked by arson. 5 gold championship... more ›

Prefuse 73 - Preparations Electronic musician Guillermo Scott Herren, a.k.a. Prefuse 73, has spent years building some of the most elaborate and abstract hip-hop productions on the market today; thing is, they’re aren’t really on the market. Rather than auctioning his wares to the highest bidder, Herren weaves his tracks together into loose instrumental albums, bringing in a guest MC if he feels like it. Preparations, his latest, features plenty of vocals, but barely any... more ›

It’s almost Halloween weekend, and you’re getting the final details of your costume all worked out. It’s going to be face-slapping rad this year because your best friend said they were going to be decked out as Osama Bin Laden, which forced your hand in the Mummy vs Statue Of Liberty debate. Time to make your parents proud. You need somewhere to sport yourselves as a happy couple. You need an environment where profiling such... more ›

Brooklyn singer-songwriter Mike Doughty's name may not instantly register with you, but you have undoubtedly heard him before. In the early 90's, he founded the alt.radio staple Soul Coughing, who had hits with "Super Bon Bon" and "Circles" before disbanding in 2000. Far from the throwaway status of the Marcy Playgrounds and Harvey Dangers of the day, Soul Coughing used samples, drum loops, jazz references, and experimental producers like Mitchell Froom on their recordings. This... more ›

We're looking forward to Stitch. It's probably the most anticipated fashion-show/craft-bazaar in Austin, recognized by so-hip-it-hurts Nylon magazine as "a runway show that's as much about the community as it is about the clothes." And it only gets bigger and better each year. We're not just blowing smoke up your Simplicity pattern skirt. We think this year's Stitch is going to blow your DIY mind. After flipping through the six-page press release, we learned that... more ›

Austinites are at the forefront of the blogging community, according to a new report published by a leading market research firm. Scarborough Research's new survey found that Austin tops other tech-heavy cities—Portland, San Francisco and Seattle rounded out the top four—when it comes to folks who either read or contribute to a blog. Fully fifteen percent of adults in Austin interact with blogs in some fashion; the research firm attributes this to both the tech... more ›

In an unprecedented programming feat of nostalgia and star power, the Alamo Drafthouse has announced it will screen The Wizard--the awesome/corny paean to all things Nintendo--with cast members Fred Savage, Luke Edwards (the titular wizard) and director Todd Holland live in the theatre on December 7th! Sure, The Wizard was really just a 100-minute commercial for Super Mario Brothers 3. But oh what a commercial it was. Starring a just-barely-into-The Wonder Years Fred Savage, a... more ›

Late night fire at police commander's house in Northwest Austin leaves over half a million dollars worth of damage. Firefighters from various regions of the country attend Central Texas wildfire training school. Hays County Area Food Bank starts their Thanksgiving food drive. Hannah Hawley, announced missing yesterday, is back with her family. Notice a different taste to our tap water? Sen. Cornyn votes against bill that would grant citizenship to young illegal immigrants who... more ›

Starting today, City of Austin is offering free Arabic lessons (written and spoken) to anyone interested. The classes run weekly on Wednesdays through December 5. You'll need to pre-register by calling 512-974-7500 Introduction to Spoken and Written Arabic Austin Public Library - Ruiz Branch 1600 Grove Blvd 6-8pm... more ›

This fall, you may begin noticing our local law enforcement looking a bit more, well, stylish. Austin Police Department is revamping its uniforms and vehicles, in the hopes of "creating a new version" of the organization, says Police Chief Art Acevedo. Part of the changes include larger badges, which will feature the Star of Texas above the Capitol. Gone are any traces of red on the uniforms themselves—in some cases, they'll be replaced with a... more ›

Emo’s presents a southern style country-rock bonanza tonight. The wonderfully named Whiskey & Co. kick things off at 10 p.m. with authentic country sounds and impressive song titles such as “Nightlife” and “Happy Hour”, streaming readily on their MySpace page. When we last spoke with one of Nashville’s favorite sons, Bobby Bare Jr., we learnt of the upcoming Bare Jr. reunion in November, as well as Bobby’s desire to possibly incorporate the banjo in his... more ›

If you're looking for somewhere to show off that killer Halloween costume this Friday, the good folks at do512 have you covered. They're taking over the warehouse compound adjacent to an old abandoned graveyard on South Lamar, and bringing in Markus with a K, Haunting Oboe Music, DJ Thibault, and Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears. More importantly, there's complimentary booze and brew. "Come in Costume," they recommend. "If you are dont, we may turn... more ›

In collaboration with Fritz Haeg, a Los Angeles-based architect with a penchant for vegetables, Arthouse at the Jones Center plans to give your lawn a makeover—with your permission and eager participation, of course. The Congress Avenue institution is seeking a patch o' turf in front of an apartment/condo building in Austin on which to build a food-producing, artist-designed garden, otherwise known as an "Edible Estate." What do you have to lose by nominating your yard... more ›

As we promised earlier this week, here's your chance to score those coveted space-available tickets* to the John Mayer Austin City Limits taping at KLRU-TV studios. Instead of the previously-announced 25, we're actually giving away 50 pairs of tickets to the first folks who enter. KLRU-TV will be taping an episode of Austin City Limits this Thursday with singer-songwriter (and guitarist extraordinaire) John Mayer. These days, the Grammy Award-winning artist routinely plays to packed amphitheaters... more ›

In case you’ve been holed up in your apartment/home/condo with no electricity for the past few days, we’re sad to tell you that Southern California is currently being devoured by raging wildfires, and there are no signs of the fires stopping. CNN is updating like, every 2.3 minutes, and it’s one of the most devastating things we’ve ever seen. Times like these, it feels like there’s not much you can do but sit and refresh... more ›

Art Alliance Austin is still accepting visual artists' application for participation in its highly anticipated annual art fair, Art City Austin, to be held next April 12-13 - but not for long! If you're an artist with the right stuff, submit your application here (and non-refundable $30 jury fee) by midnight, October 31, or risk turning back into a black velvet paint-by-number pumpkin. The competitive jury process draws thousands of applicants from around the... more ›

Last New Year’s Eve, experimental film artist Luke Savisky gave us the eye. This Halloween season, he'll create a surreal urban oasis on film at one of Austin’s historic parks. It may be hard to top images of a giant eyeball projected on to a downtown water tower, but Savisky’s latest large-scale film installation promises to be just as imaginative—and maybe just a little less creepy. On Friday night, Savisky will present Film Actions VI:... more ›

According to their website, Mother's Cafe and Garden is up and running! (Well, the garden isn't up and running yet, but the vegetarian deliciosity is back.) After the fire that left the business disabled last year, we just hope that all future cooking endeavours at Mother's occur in the kitchen. Mother's Cafe and Garden 4215 Duval St image from the Mother's Cafe and Garden Website... more ›

Nearly 1 million people have been displaced by the California wildfires. Heckuva job: Former FEMA director Michael Brown is making himself available for interviews about the wildfires. Home sales went down 8% in September. Russia's "Chessboard killer" found guilty of 48 murders. Turkish planes attacked Kurdish positions in Turkey today, just outside the Iraq border. It may be more beneficial to the environment to be a carnivore who eats locally-made meat than to be... more ›

The Bard is back! This weekend only—Shakespeare shenanigans you won't want to miss. But first we're dropping a hint about a little show we've heard is fantastic. Shrewd Productions' Io: a myth about you runs through November 10, Th/Fr/Sa at the Vortex. This play with music features an all-star cast, including our current biggest crush Jude Hickey. Described as a "foray into heroic tales, vengeance, decadence, salvation, forgiveness, and rock & roll," it contains strong... more ›

17-year-old Hannah Hawley (photo at right) has been missing since Monday afternoon and has a heart condition requiring medication. She was last seen at South 1st and W. Stassney Lane. Police ask anyone with knowledge of her whereabouts to call 911. Texans for Public Justice says that our city is losing money on incentive deals. Citizens of Northeast Travis County are opposed to the possible expansion of the landfill in their area. The odor... more ›

At least that's according to Travel + Leisure magazine, which just released its annual rankings of America's Favorite Cities, as based on a survey taken by over 60,000 people. Austinites are ranked as the fourth Most Attractive, and first in "Overall" characteristics. The results, presented from both the visitor and resident's perspective, also give a pretty accurate general indication of how we feel about the state of things here, from what we're most jazzed about... more ›

The first two of six new commuter rail trains arrived in Austin this week. The diesel-electric trains trains, the last of which should arrive by late spring, were purchased from Swiss manufacturer Stadler Bussnang AG ("We Track Clever Solutions" -- get it?) for $34 million. Cap Metro plans to start testing these cars next month along the rail line from Howard Lane and Mopac down to 47th Street and Airport Boulevard—each will be run... more ›

Chicas, it's your time to get girlie. Birds Barbershop is hosting its second annual Ladies Night with Austin Tidbits at its new location on Burnet on Thursday. If you have two X chromosomes, treat yourself to a few Birds Berry Beauty cocktails (think of umbrellas and bright colors) and achingly sweet treats by Hey Cupcake! and Luxe Sweets. Enjoy the "ladylike" sounds of Michael Hooher and Zykos' Catherine Davis behind the turntables. And get... more ›

In colonial Brazil, quilombos were democratic societies formed by freed and fugitive slaves. They farmed and voted and defended themselves from confounded Portuguese and Dutch armies with expert hide'n'seek warfare tactics. Brazil's most famed quilombo, Palmares, had a population of 30,000 at its peak and fought off European armies for almost a century. more ›

Gogol Bordello at Emo's in Austin, TX (October 22, 2007). Photos by Romain Nayalkar. If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.... more ›

Smarter than Tyler Florence and cuter than Mario Batali, the thinking foodie's older man crush — Anthony Bourdain — chatted with a sold out audience at the Paramount last Saturday. At once charming and challenging, cynical and optimistic about the state of food and travel, the audience was walked through "The World According to Tony Bourdain" for an hour an a half - and he didn't disappoint. Bourdain on stage is no different than his... more ›

For those of you jonesing for Tamari Cashew Vinaigrette and a big Peasant's Meal, your wait is almost over. Keep your fingers crossed - the folks at Mother's Cafe and Garden tell us they are hoping to reopen tonight after the popular Hyde Park restaurant was damaged by fire earlier this year. According to their website, plumbers have been working to get the restaurant in order for opening tonight, but very well may be pushed... more ›

Still energized after Monday evening’s Gogol Bordello show? No need to slow down because Hot Hot Heat are in town tonight to supply dance friendly ditties for further boogying. The Canadian outfit will play Emo’s in support of their latest effort, Happiness Ltd. For a chance to win free tickets and for details on the show, continue reading after the jump. And ready yourself for an assortment of new wave inspired, synth-riddled melodies. "Bandages" on... more ›

P&K Grocery, South Austin's fancy mom-and-pop corner store, has gone out of business. Though open for only a year and a half, the tiny market on West Mary became a neighborhood staple, offering, among a host of more exotic specialty foods, wonderful sandwiches, hot dogs, and (best of all) cupcakes. The store did what it could to help out the community, and, in turn, became a much-appreciated part of the community as well. "We are... more ›

Besides teaching you some life lessons and giving you avian flu, what has any winged creature really added to your life? We've come in contact with several pigeons in the area (who shall remain nameless) that will crap on your face as soon as look at you. Birds even managed to stop our city in its tracks! What better way is there to exact our revenge for past transgressions and flex our top-of-the-food-chain muscle than by picking up a fork and eating them?! In preparation for the horrors yet to come this Halloween season, the Alamo Drafthouse has crafted a Michelin worthy five course feast composed entirely of our fine feathered friends to be enjoyed in conjunction with the Alfred Hitchcock face-pecking classic The Birds. more ›

For the second year in a row, Whole Foods has been recognizes as one of the EPA's Green Power Partners of the Year. The award, which celebrates "leadership in accelerating the development of new renewable energy capacity nationwide," is shared by seven entities, including PepsiCo, Wells Fargo, and the City of Bellingham, WA. With the recent acquisition of leading competitor Wild Oats Markets, Whole Foods is set to significantly expand its green power purchasing. This... more ›

Fun Fun Fun Fest is just around the corner and today we feature Kevin Barnes and his merry gang of electro-pop connoisseurs that comprise Of Montreal. Barnes has garnered infamy this year thanks to his shenanigans, but synth-powered melodies and instantly catchy chorus’ remain his focal outlet. The wonderful folk at Polyvinyl Record Co. have provided us with the band’s brand new video, “Gronlandic Edit” off this year’s Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?... more ›

Stockholm's Shout Out Louds released their sophomore album Our Ill Wills in September. The band channels sounds familiar to all fans of 80's college rock, throwing together a contrast of bright, melodic indie-pop music and sad, direct lyrical imagery. This juxtaposition of the upfront drums and chime-filled guitar lines with tales of lost love and sadness isn't miles away from the poppier material of The Smiths and The Cure, and makes for hugely enjoyable... more ›

Photos from Richard Buckner's performance Monday night at Mohawk. Photos by Rich Merritt If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.... more ›

Bush wants $45 billion more for Iraq, Afghanistan, and a couple other wars he's not even telling us about. Southern Californian fires drive hundreds of thousands of people out of their domiciles. Police officer in NYC goes off the tracks, shoots man in road rage incident. If that police officer wasn't screwed up enough for you... Republican voters ask: What Would Chuck Norris Do? MySpace soon to feature games (beyond the game you already... more ›

Chris Garcia over at Austin360 has the scoop on an open casting call for the upcoming film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Road. They're looking for "white boys, ages 7-10, with a thin/slight build"—presumably this is to cast the role of the young son in the story, who accompanies his father (to be played by Viggo Mortensen) as they make their way across a ravaged post-apocalyptic America. The casting call will take... more ›

*The views expressed in Truesday are those of the author and do not represent Austinist as a whole. Thank heavens.* -The Editors H O M O G E N Y. Or so everyone keeps telling me. Like all these damned cat photos you're supposed to go apeshit over.... more ›

While the West Coast leads the pack, it's no surprise that Austin has ranked 7th in a national survey ranking organic food consumption. In fact, the study looked at local organic juggernaut Whole Foods Market, finding "Organics consumers are 272% more likely than the average consumer to have shopped Whole Foods during the past week." According to the survey, the top local markets for organics consumers are: 1. San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose, CA 2. Seattle/Tacoma, WA... more ›

Baby it's cold outside, and that means it's time for more connections. Time to snuggle up indoors, at least until it heats up again next week, and make some connections. If you're too shy to get the job done then just slap them up on the web and see if you get a reply, although it would just be better to say hello. Luckily we're here to help decipher the best of last week's... more ›

Cop shot in the foot during early morning shootout near Montopolis. UT student Daniel Toole fell to his death from Goodall Wooten dorm this weekend. Public universities in Texas cost more than the national average (for the second year in a row). UT won a state landscape preservation award (over a week ago) for their transplanting of live oaks during stadium renovation. Two kids in a family on their way to visit their wounded... more ›

Even the airplanes on approach to Bergstrom looked fake, forced by the low ceiling to approach at a tight angle, like models from a Japanese monster movie, their blinking forms visible in great detail as they fell inches above wet rooftops, the heavy air muffling all but the lowest drone of the engines. more ›

You probably know by now that perennial badass Robert De Niro donated his complete collection of film-related materials to the Harry Ransom Center in 2006, including annotated scripts and research materials from his character studies (that's right, De Niro is totally an anthropologist.) One of the main reasons De Niro chose the acclaimed University of Texas vault-of-goodness that is the Harry Ransom Center is because he knew that the materials would be available for students... more ›

It’s National Massage Therapy Awareness Week. Who knew? Not us, until we heard about Massage Harmony’s week of discounts and freebies. If you want a complimentary 10-minute massage or a gift certificate for $10 off, go to Massage Harmony or the Borders (both in the West Bank Shopping Center) on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Austinist readers can also enter to win gift certificates for free massages after the jump. Derrick Amoriko, owner... more ›

Back in August, we told you a little bit about the Dismember the Alamo Zombie Film Fest happening at the Alamo Lake Creek this week. And because we love us some zombies (who doesn't?), we figured we'd remind you about it, and quickly run down the programming, which is mostly focused on intentionally goofy flicks, but still looks pretty great. Check it! Pathogen with Writer/Director Emily Hagins Live! Tuesday October 23rd, 7:30pm We're kind of... more ›

KLRU-TV will be taping an episode of Austin City Limits this Thursday with singer-songwriter (and guitarist extraordinaire) John Mayer. These days, the Grammy Award-winning artist routinely plays to packed amphitheaters and festival audiences. For die-hard Mayer fans, seeing him at the intimate ACL studios with its capacity of a few hundred and incredible acoustics is an opportunity not to be missed. That being said, your only chance to win a pair of space-available tickets* is... more ›

Glen Phillips (from Toad the Wet Sprocket) and Natalia Zuckerman performed to a packed Cactus Cafe crowd Satuday night (October 20, 2007). Photos by Romain Nayalkar. If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.... more ›

Proposition 12 on the November 6 ballot would authorize the Texas Transportation Commission to issue up to $5 billion in general obligation bonds for highway improvement projects. That means TTC could borrow $5 billion dollars, spend it building new highways and require that the $5 billion be repaid by general revenue (taxes). This is being widely touted as a "stopgap" measure allowing the state to put off making a decision on how it will pay... more ›

COLOUR REVOLT What’s the Deal: There’s a small college town in Mississippi where Colour Revolt is waiting like a swollen, porous sponge for someone to wring them out over the parched mouths of indie rock fans and critics alike. Right now, there is only the self-titled 6-song EP re-released in October of ‘06, but they’re currently in the final stages of recording their debut full-length. The EP, which caught ears at Spin and Stereogum... more ›

The ritzy new Qua Bottle Lounge in the Warehouse District opened this month to much fanfare, thanks in large part to the club's fancy choice of flooring: a 19,000-gallon aquarium filled with reef sharks and stingrays. The 25-and-up nightclub boasts that its giant acrylic tank—the "largest ever installed in a nightclub"—is perfectly suitable for marine animals, citing a 3" barrier between the tank and the dance floor directly above as well as some impressive-sounding technology... more ›

Photos from last weekend's Maker Faire at the TCMS Expo Center. Photos by Romain Nayalkar and Aaron Haley. If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.... more ›

The opposite is true for Shotter’s Nation – there’s a forced orderliness to everything. Doherty doesn’t mark up the margins or writhe beneath the 4/4; he politely knocks before he enters each track. Then the band lumps all sorts of footnotes and interpolations into the songs and it all sounds too smart and witty, not haphazardly ingenious like the whistle-to-full-band crescendo on Albion’s “Sticks and Stones.” more ›

New works by Austin-based artists Ian Cion and Carter Cox are on display at Salvage Vanguard Theater Gallery's current multimedia exhibition, 10.07 Works. The show, featuring paintings by Cion and sculptures by Cox, is the second exhibition in the SVT’s new gallery space, which opened its doors this summer as part of the revamped and revitalized permanent location for the theater company on Manor Road. In 10.07 Works, each artist’s work plays off the other's... more ›

In Austin, you can expect to find good music anywhere on a Friday night. Over at the Mohawk last Friday, the Japanese metal band Boris delivered more than just good music: most notably fog machines and a gong. Photos and copy contributed by Nash Cook.... more ›

Gogol Bordello have the unique distinction of being New York based but Eastern European inspired indie musicians, playing something called Gypsy Punk, but actually having some songwriters from the region. Their latest album, Super Taranta!, was released earlier this summer and features the sort of loud and raucous punk fans have come to love since the band's inception in 1999. A Russian violinist, a Russian accordionist, an Israeli guitarist, an Ethiopian bassist and an... more ›

Brief Austin resident and alt-country namesake Richard Buckner has had a career as tumultuous as it has been consistently rewarding. Making his mark with the appropriately-titled debut Bloomed in 1994, Buckner has outlived many of his No Depression-era singer-songwriter contemporaries, whose projects have either splintered, broken up, or just puttered out. After fruitful collaborations with like-minded musicians like Chicago stalwarts David Grubbs and John McEntire and a difficult spate with MCA records (who summarily... more ›

Travis County has requested an injunction against the developers of the Ranches at Hamilton Pool to force them to stop construction unless they start doing more to keep runoff from their site out of Hamilton Pool. Although they presumably have an interest in keeping their namesake pool clean enough for residents to enjoy, an independent consultant hired by Travis County has determined that the development is responsible for a majority, if not all, of the... more ›

Austin writer, journalist and musician Lance Hahn died Sunday afternoon. He had been in a coma since collapsing during dialysis treatment on Friday, October 12th. Lance was 40. His contributions to the punk scene both in Austin and internationally are too many to list. He was the creative force behind Cringer and the prolific, self-described "anarcho-situationist pop-punk" band, J-Church. His chops on the guitar eventually landed him the job as Beck's guitarist in 1994. He... more ›

Yesterday, we totally spaced on getting tickets for the grand opening of the Alamo Ritz. And considering how quickly the last triple-feature at the old theatre sold out, we figured we'd be out of luck come this morning. But much to our surprise, there are (as of this writing) still Triple Feature and Double Feature tickets available over the interweb! The triple feature tickets are $140 and include all three movies, the "Attack of the... more ›

Louisiana elects the first Indian-American to ever serve as governor of a U.S. state. Is nuclear power (excuse us, we meant "nuke-ular") in the cards for America's post-petroleum energy future? Greenpeace takes issue with the environmental friendliness of the iPhone. Bill that seeks to increase court control over government surveillance passes through the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee. The ISP war against file sharers intensifies; BitTorrent comes under heavy fire. Prediction: Apple + Google =... more ›

Last night, Austin Circle of Theaters ushered in a whole new batch of B. Iden Payne Award winners. The event took place on the lovely St. Ed's campus; MMNT artistic director Ev Lunning Jr. hosted, along with members of the Actor's Equity association. Local heroine Karen Kuykendall was this year's Outstanding Honoree; Austin Chronicle Arts Editor Robert Faires presented her award. It was an elegant and exciting evening, to be sure! We weren't shocked by... more ›