Just a reminder that badges for the epic Moontower Comedy and Oddity Festival are on sale as of right now. You can get yours on the festival website, the Paramount’s home page or call 512-474-1221. Single show tickets go on sale Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012. The illustrious list of twenty four confirmed headliners includes Seth Meyers, Aziz Ansari, Steven Wright, The Amazing Johnathan, Maria Bamford, Hannibal Buress, Matt Bearden, and John Ramsey. more ›

KUT is creating an "Austin Music Map" with funding from the Association of Independents in Radio, Inc. (A.I.R.). The self-described "innovative journalism project" comes courtesy of "Localore," a program created by AIR meant to target "underrepresented musical subcultures." Austin is one of only ten cities that has been awarded the chance to document said subcultures, and KUT's work will be undertaken by producer-in-residence Delaney Hall. more ›

The fourth annual SXSW Accelerator brought to you by Microsoft Bizspark is going down on March 12-14. So what the hell is it? This year, 670 different companies submitted a pitch for their new app, social media tool, entertainment technology, etc. just for a chance to go to the March Madness of startups at the Hilton Hotel this year. Once there, these 48 finalists will give a live pitch and demonstration (think TED meets America's Got Talent) in front of a live audience and a panel of (non-celebrity) judges. more ›

Because of the lack of rain, grazing lands for cattle have dried up and the cost of feed has skyrocketed necessitating the sale of over 600,000 cows. With fewer cows in Texas today, that means fewer calves tomorrow. According to the Agrilife Extension, there was a 12% decline in beef cattle nationally with next year's decline being forecast at 4%. more ›

Flickr is a great place to find great or strange user-submitted photos with various licensing requirements, but not everyone is familiar with the Commons section of the website. Founded in 2008, Flickr Commons were designated to showcasing public photography that have "no known copyright restrictions" for a variety of reasons (that you can read about here), with the following in mind: "To increase access to publicly-held photography collections," and "To provide a way for the general public to contribute information and knowledge. (Then watch what happens when they do!)." more ›

Victor Villarreal has had a long and storied career. As the guitarist for the hugely influential Cap'n Jazz, he developed a distinctive style that carried over to his work with Cap'n Jazz projects Owls, Ghosts & Vodka, and Joan of Arc. As a solo artist, he has explored many different variations on guitar music and has continued to uphold his reputation as one of indie's most influential and important six stringers. However, it was only last week that Villarreal released his first album's worth of solo material, Invisible Cinema. One can only assume that his set will consist heavily of songs from the album. Joining Villarreal are The Eastern Sea, Meryll, and My Empty Phantom. more ›

Longtime Eklektikos DJ John Aielli recently recovered from a heart attack earlier this month, but we received news that Aielli is in the hospital this morning. Our contact at KUT says, "We are in touch with John and he is alert and in typical good spirits...The main thing is he’s OK, we’re in contact with him and we hope he returns soon." more ›

Abortion opponents marked the 39th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade this past Saturday with a march on the Capitol. Many of the attendees had something to celebrate: namely, the recent decision by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals that Texas’ controversial mandatory sonogram law must be enforced even as it continues to be appealed. more ›

2011 was a banner year for David Bull and his Congress Austin concept. Less than three months after opening, the restaurant vaulted from hot newcomer to king of the mountain status after receiving the Austin American-Stateman's first five-star review in several years. The crowds arrived, and more praise followed. Texas Monthly named it the "best place to eat right now." Celebrities like Jimmy Kimmel, Rachael Ray, and Billy Gibbons were spotted catching late-night meals. The New York Times and Wine Spectator both suggested that tourists make it a point to stop by. And so it went. Aside from a few benefit dinners and food festival events, Chef Bull and his ace team mostly spent the year with their noses to the grindstone, tweaking the Congress, Second, and Bar Congress menus and working to meet the huge number of covers that came in. more ›

This interview was contributed by Ruth Griffin.It’s pretty easy to resent a band that puts out an EP before ever performing live together. However, Twin Sister has proven themselves to be worthy of nothing but adoration. Buzz from their first release Vampires with Dreaming Kids, and their following EP Color Your Life has brought them to the forefront of the underground music world, stunning us with their debut LP In Heaven. Employing styles from disco to dream-pop, these guys seemingly transcend genre specification, dazing audiences with their eccentric live performances and the charmingly serene voice of lead singer/keyboardist Andrea Estella. Embarking on their ambitious North American tour, the band plans on making a stop at one of Austin’s finest music venues, Mohawk, this Sunday. In spite of their jam-packed schedule, the Austinist was able to grab a few minutes with the lovely Andrea herself. Get ready to discover the secrets behind her eclectic style and lyrics as well as her ventures into the world of sculpture and paper maché! more ›

When H-E-B set out to renovate their North Lamar Boulevard and Rundberg Lane store, they assessed the demographics of the area and decided it was the perfect spot to bring their Hispanic-influenced Mi Tienda concept (“my store” in Spanish) to Austin. more ›

Austin’s musical landscape never gets stagnant. There’s always evolution, constant change going on. One of the most recent developments is in the creation of what’s shaping up to resemble a mini-Red River on East Riverside. Emo’s East opened in the area last year, and now Beauty Bar’s new brand expansion The Beauty Ballroom has landed in the hood. The Beauty Ballroom is having their Grand Opening weekend Friday and Saturday and the new venue setting its sights on larger touring acts while aiming to stay true to the Beauty Bar vibe is kicking it off with a beat and a bang. more ›