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

Logo from Edible AustinEdible Austin’s first annual Eat Local Week celebration runs from Saturday December 8th through Saturday December 15th. While you’re nourishing body and soul with locally-grown and handmade foods from an extensive list of participating restaurants and markets, a portion of proceeds will go to Urban Roots, a program which teaches sustainable agriculture fundamentals to East Austin youth. 15-20 participants aged 14-18 will be awarded a paid internship to grow food on an... more ›

Photo by Nash Cook Care Stereo (Wars) and Strut Boutique present The Strut Christmas PartyFriday, December 7The Mohawk (912 Red River)$8, doors at 9 pm[info] What do you get when you mix together Austin’s next big band, next sizzling DJ and next hot boutique? Tonight’s wicked Christmas party unwittingly plucked from Andy Langer’s dreams. Join Strut Boutique and Car Stereo (Wars) for Mohawk merriment with White Denim, the Corto Maltese and the Carrots. Headliner White... more ›

Image from SOS Alliance SOS Holiday Party & Silent AuctionFriday, December 7Mercury Hall (615 Cardinal Lane)$10 Suggested Donation, 7pm - Midnight[info]Tonight, the Save Our Springs Alliance will be hosting their annual Holiday Party and Silent Auction at Mercury Hall. In addition to food, drinks and great people, the event will showcase music by two environmentally-conscience local bands, Bill Oliver's Otter Space Band and The Bouldin Creek Bobkats. The Silent Auction features items from over 300... more ›

Photo from ImageAfter Art Fashion photography is gaining more credibility in the art world as of late. Critics prophesy the dilution of fine art in the 21st century, while supporters of the trend assert that fashion is a formative aspect of our modern culture that deserves official recognition in the arts world. /// UT-Austin names the new dean of the College of Fine Arts, Douglas Dempster, to replace the former dean who retired in the... more ›

Image from MySpace Dinosaur Jr, Awesome Color, Grand ChampeenFriday December 7Emos (603 Red River St)Doors at 9, programme at 10[info] | [tickets]There are three kinds of Dinosaur Jr fan: the 80s scenesters with a Deep Wound cassette and fond memories of J Mascis & Co doing sloppy Peter Frampton covers at the Elks Lodge; children of the '90s who thought "Feel The Pain" was probably a Foo Fighters song; and kids who read Pitchfork often... more ›

Image from Clap!Clap!’s MySpace Clap!Clap! final showSaturday, December 8Emos (603 Red River St)$5 | Doors 8 p.m. | Outside[info]Local act Clap!Clap! has furnished enough dance parties around town with their brand of energetic electro-pop to command endearment and respect alike. However, last month they surprised a good amount of us with news of their demise. Needless to say we were fairly intrigued about the reasons for this culmination and also their plans for the future.... more ›

No. 5 Jose Gonzalez - "Time to Send Someone Away" from Retread Sessions on Vimeo. If you missed Jose Gonzalez at the Parish last week, you missed one of the most intimate, gorgeously performed sets in a long while. All is not lost, though! KUT 90.5 FM's video series called Retread Sessions spent some time with Gonzalez in the America/Americas gallery at the Blanton Museum on campus, and filmed two songs in the process.... more ›

Production still courtesy of Troma Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead w/ Lloyd Kaufman Live! Friday, December 7thAlamo Drafthouse Lake Creek (17329 Research Blvd)(7:30pm, $10)[info] | [tickets]Over the course of the last thirty-three years, Lloyd Kaufman's Troma Entertainment has produced hundreds of films, attracted legions of devoted fans, and influenced the likes of Peter Jackson, Quentin Tarantino, Trey Parker, Eli Roth and Takashi Miike. In fact, by Kaufman's estimation, the studio now owns more than... more ›

Image from MySpace Clipd Beaks, iKiLLCaRS & Daniel Francis DoyleFriday, December 7Emos (603 Red River St)Inside, Doors at 8pm, Show at 10pm[info] | [iKiLLCaRS MySpace] | [Clipd Beaks MySpace] | [Daniel Francis Doyle MySpace]iKiLLCaRS At Ease With Your Haste In case the name embodying misplaced aggression spelled in an unorthodox fashion that says, “You know what, I don’t have to follow your stupid rules of capitalization!” coupled with members' pseudonyms like Johnny Law didn’t clue... more ›

Editor's note: My Ex-Boyfriend's Band is a reoccurring column that features the opinions and insight of the author, not necessarily reflective of the Ist network as a whole. Thank you for reading! For the times they are a-changin'. And the music festivals are a-changin' with them. Even Dylan, who declined to take the stage at Woodstock in 1969, evolved into the 2007 Austin City Limits headliner. With SXSW, Fun Fun Fun and the C3... more ›

Photo by lilapants ln flickrPatrol car video footage that documents the final, pleading calls of police shooting victim Kevin Alexander Brown was made public by the city of Austin yesterday according to The Austin American-Statesman. "Please turn me over," Brown asks repeatedly from the distant background of the grainy video. His last request falls on deaf ears. "I'm gonna die," he says to the officer who shot him. The cop in question, Sgt. Michael Olsen,... more ›

According to Microsoft, Santa likes to talk about oral sex. The space shuttle heads to the International Space Station this Saturday. The CIA destroyed vidoetaped evidence of their interrogations of two top terror suspects in 2002. Rest assured, this is probably an isolated incident. A positive sign for our economy. GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney is a mormon and nobody cares. The U.S. House sends kickass energy bill to Senate. City ordered to put... more ›

Photo by mirsasha on flickr In June an APD officer sped 139 miles/hour through a funeral procession on Mopac; he resigned in November. Ford recalling over a million trucks and SUVs because of a faulty engine sensor. The Austin Energy Alt-Car Expo is coming next October. Texas Legislative Conference (who?) names Lt. Gov. Dewhurst as Texan of the Year. New state law set to go into effect January 1 charges $5 per each strip club... more ›

Photo by Bret Brookshire, courtesy Hyde Park Theatre Thom Pain (based on nothing)Through 12/22, Th/Fr/Sa at 8pmHyde Park Theatre (511 W. 43rd. Street)Reservations: 479-PLAY[info]Every so often when doing a review, we’ve gotta own up to something from our past. In this case, it’s that we used to be in a cult. In our defense, it was a good cult. Back in college we were part of the American Forensic Association*—"forensic" meaning “having to do with... more ›

Image from MySpace Ear to the UndergroundSunday, December 9Salvage Vanguard Theatre ()$5, 8pm-12am, BYOB[info] This Sunday, The Church of the Friendly Ghost and the Misc. Music label are banding together to bring new, mind-expanding music to the Salvage Vanguard Theatre. The event, called Ear to the Underground, begins at 8:00 p.m. and ends at 12:00 p.m. Four bands will be performing; Damage Pants and Aliens from Austin, and Make Your Own Maps with the painful-sounding... more ›

Young guy, wearing sunglasses inside of Quack's Bakery in the middle of the night, talking to a girl sitting near him:Do you reside here frequently? At I Luv Video on Airport Blvd., a female customer holding a DVD case: Is Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle any good? Dreadlocked Male Employee:Uh, that depends. Do you smoke weed? Female customer: I guess I could make a stop on the way home. DME: There's a... more ›

Image courtesy of Nacional RecordsThe first annual Ground Zero Texas fest kicks off their weekend schedule of events on Thursday, with the opening ceremony at Sound On Sound Records at 6 p.m. (featuring a performance by the official GZT mascot NOBUNNY), followed by opening night action at Beerland with music from The Spits, The Wax Museums, and The Hibachi Stranglers. Denton’s The Reds will also re-unite and rock this special evening. The plethora of local... more ›

Photo courtesy Refraction Arts The Assumption12/7-21, Th/Fr/Sa at 8pmBlue Theatre (916 Springdale Ave)Late Shows: 12/8, 15, & 21 @ 10:30pm[info] | [tickets]Here's something you might not know about us: Our hands-down favorite play by the old Bard has always been Hamlet. With that in mind, we expected to be at least a bit annoyed by Refraction Arts' irreverent re-imagining of one of Shakespeare's greatest works. But we weren't. As a matter of fact, immediately upon... more ›

Image from MySpace Ready Steady GoFriday, December 7Rio Rita Cafe y Cantina (1308 E 6th St)Free, 9pm-2am[info] This Friday, get ready to get retro. Ready Steady Go is coming to Rio Rita, and East Sixth Street is about to get walloped with the sort of danceable goodness that only five, yes five DJs can produce. Moving from their residency at Beerland, Ready Steady Go collaborators Mike Hooker and Shorty Stump will be spinning their vinyl... more ›

Photo of the Walls Unit gurney from Britannica Student Encyclopedia 25 Years of Lethal Injection: What Have We Learned?Friday, December 7Texas Prison Museum (map) This Friday marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the first execution by lethal injection in the United States. Naturally, Texas, along with the city of Huntsville -- sometimes referred to as the "execution capital of the world"-- took this honor. With executions effectively on hold in Texas while the U.S. Supreme Court... more ›

Photo by ₪ ÇP ₪ on Flickr (Creative Commons license.)Todd Rundgren gives amazing guitar face—the kind that only works when it accompanies top-level playing, riveting stage presence, and a set list that would please almost anyone. We caught his performance on Tuesday night at Antone's, and though we're a Rundgren neophyte, we had a blast. With two hours of tightly arranged, listenable tunes and a charismatic performance from Rundgren, it was an evening of great... more ›

The Ultimate Christmas Musical: The Musical!Through 12/22, Th/Fr/Sa at 8pmSalvage Vanguard Theater (map)[info] | [tickets]Christmas will be here sooner than you think! What nicer gift than an evening out at the theater? Here're just a few shows we think worthy of being early stocking-stuffers. You've probably already seen the XL cover or read the AusChron piece (damn, Jonathon Morgan gets around!)—Yellow Tape Construction Company's Ultimate Christmas Musical: The Musical! opened last weekend. We loved... more ›

Photo by pisti on stock.xchngAustin City Council will discuss a resolution today that calls for expanding services for the local homeless population. Councilmember Jennifer Kim, citing the need for a "comprehensive and compassionate" strategy in dealing with Austin's estimated 6,000 indigents, sponsored the proposal. From what we've seen, the measure mostly calls for re-prioritizing and increasing social services funding, providing more beds at local shelters, and collecting more data on the homeless. Critics of the... more ›

Photo by Wylie Maercklein, courtesy YTCC The Ultimate Christmas Musical: The Musical!Through 12/22, Th/Fr/Sa at 8pmSalvage Vanguard Theater (map)[info] | [tickets]The North Pole is a pretty raunchy place. That’s what the Yellow Tape Construction Company would lead you to believe, anyway. And while we don’t remember Frosty the Snowman dealing smack in any of the Christmas fables we used to read in kindergarten, it’s not implausible. He may be a sentient amalgamation of button, coal,... more ›

Image by LuiSFher Gallo via Cafe Tacvba’s MySpace Cafe TacvbaThursday, December 6La Zona Rosa (612 W. 4th Street)$40, Doors at 7pm, Show at 8pm[info] | [tickets]Pop quiz: name a band that has won multiple Grammys, performed on MTV Unplugged, been compared favorably to Radiohead, played three encores at a recent Lollapalooza, and headlined to 170,000 people at Mexico City's Palacio de los Deportes. If you're thinking U2 or Coldplay, we couldn't blame you. But the... more ›

A teenage gunman wishing to "go down in style" killed 8 people, then himself, at an Omaha Shopping Mall. Hearings began yesterday in landmark case about whether Guantanamo detainees have a constitutional right to challenge their imprisonment. A portion of the US-Mexico border fence may be put on a wildlife refuge. If you drive by any Austin area high school right after school lets out, you will not be surprised by this. What's worse... more ›

Photo by dground on flickr City Council considering the gathering of information about Austin's homeless and the expansion of services that help them. The council may also merge Park Police, Austin Aviation Police and City Marshals with APD. Travis County officials aiding Hays County officials in the search for a woman who may have witnessed the murder of her son. Williamson County man on the run from child sexual assault charges captured in Costa Rica.... more ›

You might have thought that our former governor and current President was too busy defending his stance on Iran yesterday to do much else. But you would think wrong! Dubya made time to talk to daughter Jenna as she recorded her appearance on Ellen Degeneres' show (the show will air today). It seems strange that at a time when his approval numbers are so low the audience would be so excited to hear from him.... more ›

It's hard to explain in 2007 what it feels like for music to be both uniting and important. Having spent nearly three years of the '90s living in London, it's with honest nostalgia and wonder that we examine Rhino's The Brit Box. The set's mission is rather broad: it attempts to examine the whole of UK indie rock from 1985-1999 and devotes a disc each to '80s indie, shoegaze, Britpop, and the late '90s. One... more ›

Photo by cote on flickr Fans of creepy, overpriced and sort of socially awkward grocery shopping will be disappointed to read that after weeks of redesigning, adding more people to the store employee rosters, doubling the checkout lanes and stocking shelves with the kind of stuff most of us have become accustomed to buying, H-E-B is ready to re-open two Albertsons stores that had mysteriously remained open under the quirky Albertsons brands into the new... more ›

Image from News 8 AustinThe ad should’ve read “Single Newborn Baby Boy seeks Long Term Relationship with Healthy, Well Adjusted Non-Dysfunctional Family.” This may be just another case of Craigslist Tomfoolery, but News 8 Austin is reporting that an ad posted on Craigslist dated November 30th sought out prospective leads for an online adoption. The ad (which has since been removed) declared: Newborn Baby Up For Adoption: This beautiful newborn baby boy of age 9/10... more ›

Judge Jeanne Meurer may be running for Travis County District Attorney. Pimp C was found dead yesterday afternoon. He was 33. How To Green Your Christmas Tree: Tips for having a more eco-friendly holiday. Colors! Gmail adds colored labels. Guerrilla artist Banksy in Bethlehem, proving if "it's safe for sissy artists, I think it's safe for everyone." Here’s What We Need: Some Way to Associate Our Low Fares with Worn Out Vaginas Using a... more ›

Image from City of Austin Watershed Protection Dept. 108,000 gallons of wastewater drain into tributary to Harris Branch Creek, killing fish and possibly harming nearby residents who use well-water. Manhunt on for man who shot and killed someone during a card game in Bastrop this morning. Truck overturns in South Austin, takes power lines with it. Georgetown cop indicted for sexually assaulting a female in custody. Dawnna Dukes may have an opponent in her race... more ›

Promo still from Jaman.com AFS Essentials: Le Vent de la NuitTuesday, December 4thAlamo Drafthouse Downtown (320 E 6th Street)FREE for AFS members, $4 non-members; 7pm[info] | [tickets]Tonight, AFS continues their amazing Phillipe Garrel retrospective with 1999's La Vent de La Nuit (The Wind of the Night), starring the timeless Catherine Deneuve as Hélene, a hot (duh) rich lady driven to distraction by her much younger art-student lover, Paul. Does he really love her for who... more ›

*The views expressed in Truesday are those of the author and do not represent Austinist as a whole. Thank heavens.* -The Editors I don’t want to say that there’s a right way and a wrong way to celebrate The Holidays. That would be foolhardy and dickish. Especially in a city as diversified as this one (we celebrate Christmas AND Thanksgiving!). But something this chick was crying about on NPR this morning got me thinking... more ›

Image of criminal couple (Bonnie and Clyde) from WikipediaThe media often portrays criminals as warped master-minds, or at least uncaring creeps. A less popular, but more true to form characterization would be just-plain-stupid. Aspiring criminal master-minds, the husband and wife team of Alan and Basilia Gonzalez, were able to round up "four to six accomplices" according to KXAN, but we wouldn't go so far as to call it an organized burglary ring. A moniker like... more ›

Still from The Public Enemy The Public Enemy w/ White Ghost Shivers LiveWednesday, December 05Alamo Drafthouse Downtown (320 E 6th Street)9:30pm, $12, 21+[info] | [tickets]Calling all boozehounds! December 5th is your day to party 1930s style, as we celebrate the ratification of the 21st amendment to the U.S. constitution. You know--the end of prohibition! On December 5th 1933, the Twenty-first amendment was officially ratified, out-amending the sucky, unpopular 18th amendment which outlawed the sale of... more ›

Photo from KXXV-TVAround 2:10am this morning, nineteen-year-old Kenneth James Jones drove his Ford Contour into the bedroom of a Temple couple's house. His car and the debris from the collision ended up quite close to the sleeping couple's bed, but they were not injured. The driver ran off from the accident; police found him later walking on Highway 317 with some slight injuries. An accident reconstruction team is trying to figure out what exactly happened,... more ›

An Evening With Todd RundgrenDecember 4, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.Antones (213 W 5th St)$23-$25[info] | [tickets] There is this entire world of brilliant artists that produced oodles of fantastic work in the '70s that most of us know because of a standout hit here or there that makes its way into a more mainstream outlet, or an association with some more widely known entity. Vince Guaraldi's jazz piano works introduced us to a career's... more ›

Flyer from Blue Genie 7th Annual Blue Genie Art BazaarDecember 5th through December 24thMonarch Event Center (6406 N. I-35 #3100)FreeSunday-Thursday: 10am-10pmFriday-Saturday: 10am-MidnightSunday, December 24th: 10am-6pm[info]Blue Genie Art Bazaar, Austin's annual holiday shopping destination for locally-made art and various one-of-a-kind gifts, returns tomorrow for its seventh run. This year, they've outgrown the Blue Genie space and are moving to the Monarch Events Center up north, in Lincoln Village. Running from tomorrow morning through Christmas Eve, the... more ›

Although Sigur Rós' latest record, Heima, isn't new today, it's worth mentioning as the year winds down. The undeniably beautiful songs play a major role in the experience of the release, but we'd be remiss not to share the highest quality version of the movie's trailer with you as well. (It's below the cut.) The movie follows the band around their native land playing free concerts in picturesque settings, giving the band a more... more ›

Photo courtesy of supersassafrasThe city's Urban Transportation Commission is currently at a crossroads over the future of our quickly-expanding pedicab businesses. As we discovered from The Texan over the weekend, two transportation commissioners are each recommending very different resolutions, hoping to strike a balance between a growing business of bicycles and a growing city whose streets seem to be getting a bit more cramped. There are five registered pedicab companies currently operating in Austin: PediChad,... more ›

Intelligence reports now reveal that Iran is *not* making a nuclear bomb. Remains to be seen whether this will make a difference to Bush, who just doesn't like the cut of their jib. Damn! What is it with the Senate and thirteen-year-old boys? Brad Pitt, perhaps in a contest with Angie to see who can adopt the most people, takes the entire Lower Ninth Ward under his wing. Two popular musicians were recently murdered... more ›

Photo of Rick Noriega by Matt Wright on flickr After the muggy weekend, some Central Texas counties (not Travis) are under freeze warnings tonight. Today Rick Noriega officially launched his campaign against Cornyn for the Senate seat. Cedar Park police going after drivers who skip out on paying 183A tolls. House State Affairs Committee to review TxDOT's "Keep Texas Moving" ad campaign. Gov. Perry is now heading up the Republican Governor's Association. AT&T is leaving... more ›

Back in November, we caught the brief, free run of A Mystical Quest To Slay Normalcy at Southwestern University in Georgetown. We enjoyed this remarkable, site-specific work so much that we have to talk about it, and share rehearsal / promotion video. Described as “exploring disability,” the performance by Southwestern's Department of Theatre and the Theatre For Social Justice started off at the Jones Theater on campus. The show then mocked the fact that wheelchair... more ›

Image from MySpaceMICE AND RIFLES What’s the Deal: It’s impossible to hear a band name like this one from this Austin sextet and not be curious enough to give it a listen. If you do, you’ll find an alt. country group making the most of pedal steel, acoustic guitar and a singer with a unique and brawny voice. The group may have a classic country sound found in between the twang and Great Depression subject... more ›

Image via Big Hassle PR The Straylight Run w/ The Color FredMonday, December 3The Parish Room (214 East Sixth Street)$15, Doors at 7pm[info] | [tickets]Formed from the ashes of Taking Back Sunday, the Long Island group Straylight Run plays a blend of indie rock and chamber pop. Formed in 2003 by ex-TBS members Shaun Cooper and John Nolan, the duo left behind most of their emo influences when switching groups and recruited both Will Noon... more ›

The allegorical narrative of Moses bringing down the Ten Commandments represents a massive backwards step for humankind, culturally and intellectually...Modern monotheism’s overlooked Pandora’s Box. more ›

As we move to the next square on the calendar you're still out there trying to make a connection. Sadly you let most of them slip by without saying a word. We understand, no one wants to be overzealous and get shot down. If only you had some place to find a second chance. Oh yes, Missed Connections. If only you had someone to sort through and find the best of the above. Oh,... more ›

The Austin Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Austin: Handel’s MessiahDecember 4, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.4214 N. Capitol of Texas Highway (4214 N. Capitol of Texas Highway)Riverbend Centre[info] | [tickets] Sir Thomas Beecham wrote of Handel in his memoirs, "Since his time mankind has heard no music written for voices which can even feebly rival his for grandeur of build and tone, nobility and tenderness of melody, scholastic skill and ingenuity and inexhaustible variety of effect…Handel…is... more ›

Venezuelan voters didn't want Chavez as a ruler for life after all. Putin's party wins the Russian election, warns against Westerners who may say the election was unfair. Best feminist candidate: Obama? Later this week, Romney will publicly address his Mormon faith and how it may affect his possible presidency. Looks like it will be Texas v. Arizona State at the Holiday Bowl. Conan O'Brien will pay his "Late Night" crew from his own... more ›