Valentine’s Day weekend means plenty of roses, stuffed bears, heart-shaped confections and whatever else the greeting card industry and candy companies come up with to appeal to tender, romantic tendencies of the average American. It’s also the perfect time to take in some sonic sentiment, making the Annuals show at The Parish on Friday a better place than most to flex your love muscle (the other one). more ›

St. Vincent, Annuals, The Black Angels, Golden Arm Trio, Colourmusic, The Spinto Band, Pepi Ginsberg, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, and Grampall Jookabox are just a few of the many acts already confirmed by SXSW for this year’s edition of the annual festival. more ›

Classic Rock, Classic Country: As per usual, Willie Nelson will play two nights at The Backyard for both locals avoiding SXSW and tourists willing to skip one night of showcases to see Austin's most enduring music legend. Willie's shows are tentatively scheduled for 3/14 and 3/15, and will go on sale sometime in February. In another move designed to access some tourist dollars, Direct Events has announced a relatively intimate show with Van Morrison at the Austin Music Hall on Tuesday, March 11. Van the Man apparently hasn't heard about the looming recession, as tickets are priced from $102 to a whopping $257. more ›