There was the unexpected acoustic Decemberists set. Then there was the sudden Spoon gig. This Sunday, The Mohawk revives this exciting tradition with a surprise show featuring Bill Callahan. Callahan first came into prominence under the Smog moniker; his collection of work from previous decades has stood the test of time while 2005's A River Ain't Too Much to Love is quite simply a masterpiece. In April of last year, Drag City released Woke on a Whaleheart; you can read our review here....

Austin's Balmorhea released River's Arms last week, and kicked off their tour here in town. Their tour to support the record will follow the east coast, and land them back here in time for some SXSW gigs. Sample some of the instrumental band's lulling, hypnotic tunes c/o Western Vinyl, and check back here for a full-length review very soon....

Bill Callahan video "Nothing Rises to Meet Me"...

Once in a while, we like to take some time to introduce you to bands -- both local otherwise -- that we think you'd enjoy. Le Diamont Brut aims to showcase those MySpace gems we hope to see shine. Recommend your local suggestions by emailing music@austinist.com. THOR HARRIS What’s the Deal: It’s hard to resist reviewing an artist named Thor, as in super-brutal, Norse god with a head full of long locks and a giant......

#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......

UPDATE: We called Frontgate this morning, and were informed that the tickets will indeed be general seated admission. Tickets will be $35 with a $5.50 service fee. As promised, here are the specifics (as many as we have) on the Joanna Newsom performance with the Austin Symphonic Orchestra in October we mentioned earlier this week. Tickets go on sale tomorrow morning (August 30) at 10:00 a.m., through Frontgate Tickets, and they are $35 a pop.......

RTX will be at Emo's tonight supporting their new album, Western Xterminator. Led by Jennifer Herrema, RTX embodies the cream of the thrash 'em and trash 'em crop, and the latest album by the punk pioneers is one of their best yet. Herrema's old bandmate, a fella named Neil Haggerty, can be found on Bill Callahan's latest album, adding guitar and string arrangements, but her work is still just as hard as ever, blending......

FRIDAY [25] party • The Onion's "Summer Fun Blast Blowout Extravaganza!" Party with Clap!Clap!, Crash Gallery, Devil in the Choir, DJ Rubix, Prince Klassen, and a chance to win a scooter from Scooter Revolution at Beauty Bar ($2, 9:30pm) theatre • Rubber Repertory presents A Thought in Three Parts at The Vortex (8pm) music • Emissions From the Monolith Fest at Emo's music • Voxtrot, Au Revoir Simone, The Black, Zykos at Emo's music......

Bill Callahan Woke on a Whaleheart (Drag City) "Well, I could tell you about the river, or we could just get in" seems to typify Bill Callahan's mood throughout his official solo debut, Woke on a Whaleheart. The album's first track, "From the Rivers to the Ocean", introduces us to Callahan's new take on an old vibe by showcasing little pieces of everything he'll bring to full bloom as the album unfolds. As Callahan croons,......

Bill Callahan Woke on a Whaleheart (Drag City) "Well, I could tell you about the river, or we could just get in" seems to typify Bill Callahan's mood throughout his official solo debut, Woke on a Whaleheart. The album's first track, "From the Rivers to the Ocean", introduces us to Callahan's new take on an old vibe by showcasing little pieces of everything he'll bring to full bloom as the album unfolds. As Callahan......

Tacks, the Boy Disaster's Daytrotter Session features four free songs, one of which is slated to appear on their forthcoming album. "Dying to Know" is one of the band's oldest songs, but one that needed some help before it became clear how to deal with that pesky bridge. Although the charm of the Daytrotter Session songs is their live and impromptu nature (complete with borrowed instruments and auxiliary musicians), we're anxious to hear this......

Austin-based Peel have been together since late 2004, and Austinist writers have recommended that you catch their show for almost two years! A youthful blend of indie pop with noisy drums, keyboards, and multiple vocalists, Peel wouldn't sound at all out of place on late 80's college radio. Their self-titled debut album finally arrives in early April. Last week, we spoke to Peel's Allison Moore about favorite bands, dive bars, and the business of......

SATURDAY [23] music • Wintershow Benefit for SafePlace and Capital Area Food Bank with Bill Callahan (SMOG), Shearwater, Nick Hennies (Weird Weeds) and Brian Sookram at The Mohawk (Doors at 3pm, Music at 5pm) film • Sinus Show: Die Hard at Alamo Downtown (7 & 10pm, $12.50) music • Everyone Knows Everyone Winter Party, with music by Visitors, Rory + the Artificial Hearts, Pompeii, and Mars Wars; art by Carlos Rosales-Silva, Justin Cox, Jay......

It's that time of the year again. Time to reflect back upon all the great shows that we attended, all the Lone Star we drank because we couldn't afford anything else, and all the ditches we fell asleep in. But now, as the holidays bear down upon our weary bodies like a drunken hook-up, its time to give something back. Luckily for us, there are two opportunities to do just that in the coming......

WEDNESDAY [13] party • 3rd Annual Food Drive & Holiday Party at The Side Bar music • The Transgressors, Hello Lovers, The Dresses at Emo's music • Joanna Newsom & Her Orchestra, Bill Callahan at The Parish Room music • The Onlys, J Dimenna, Dolly Partners, Daughter at Beerland music • Pete Yorn, Sound Team, Starsailor at Antone's music • Tia Carrera, Flower to Hide, Damage Pants at Red's Scoot Inn film • Dinner......

Two quick concessions: Firstly, we’d never seen Smog live until his recent show at Cactus Café. Secondly, we missed the beginning of his set thanks to a goofy UT freshman who gave us bum directions to the venue, causing us to wander the halls of the student union building basement for what felt like an hour (if we ever see that guy again, he is so dead frowned at). Anyway - as we tiptoed......

This Ausintist loves KUT and has for over 20 years. John Aielli, Jeff McCord, Larry Monroe and Angela Miller and many more are the voices I associate with solid music programming and I often turn to them for the soundtrack of my day. That said, John Aielli's interviews last week with Smog's Bill Callahan and Tuesday with Aqualung's Matt Hales highlight the need for someone else more knowledgeable or interested to step in for......

Austin transplant Bill Callahan will be performing as smog/(smog) this evening at Waterloo Records. The in-store performance begins at 5pm. He will be featuring songs from his new release A River Ain't Too Much to Love, recorded out at Willie's place in Spicewood, Texas. After hearing the in studio performance on KUT today, we are even more excited to catch this mellow, beautiful act, especially without the radio personality commentary. They will be back......