So the time is ripe for the 2008 SXSW Music Festival and what better way to lead into that madness than with a host of quality bands at Emo’s to kick off this weekend. Friday marks the CD Release show for local outfit What Made Milwaukee Famous. Officially released on March 4th, What Doesn’t Kill Us will be available for purchase during the show; the album finds the band maturing into a polished rock act while maintaining their keen ear for pop melodies, their expert arrangements of well-crafted tracks, and their penchant for catchy guitar hooks. Check out the video for “Sultan” off the new album via YouTube here....

It did not take long for us to fall in love with Brothers And Sisters’ sunny side up folk-rock as heard on their eponymous full-length debut. The band specializes in pop tinged alt-country with melodies reminiscent of '60s era California and harmonies fit for any decade and state. They recently finished recording a new EP in L.A. -- a five song effort including three new songs, an alternate version of “Sunday Living”, as well......

THURSDAY [17] theatre • Rubber Repertory presents A Thought in Three Parts at The Vortex (8pm) art • Opening Reception: Denise Prince Martin: Things I Never Told You at Women and Their Work, 1710 Lavaca Street (6-8pm, the artist will discuss her work at 6:30pm) art • Downtown Art Night at Participating Galleries (6-9pm) art • Artist Talk: Ann Connor at Flatbed Press, 2830 E. MLK (6pm) art • Art Fix: Printmaking at The......

THURSDAY [22] art • Opening Reception: Owen McAuley at d berman Gallery (6-8pm) comedy • The Frank Mills perform their new sketch show, "One Classy-Ass Show," at Blue Theatre (DEETS) party • Misprint Magazine's Beard & Moustache Competition with performances by Sharp Dressed Men (ZZTop Tribute Band), hosted by Matt Bearden, DJ sets by Stay Gold at Club de Ville (9pm) art • Artistic License: Blanton artist Fabian Marcaccio discusses his work, which is......

WEDNESDAY [31] dj • fStar, a biweekly project about "living, breathing, moving graffiti" coupled with a live soundtrack at Jo's on 2nd Street (8-10pm, Free) dj • Cut Club at The Mohawk music • The Lymbyc Systym, This Will Destroy You, Loren Dent at Emo's music • Live Oak Decline, Sounds Under Radar at Stubb's music • Brother Will, Carley Wolf, Stoney's Spoken Word (featuring the Golden Boys) at Beerland music • Militant Babies,......

*The views expressed in The Laurie Show are those of the author and do not represent Austinist as a whole.* -ed. note Most of us can appreciate a few extra days off from work when there's inclement weather. But there are a few of us who get cabin fever. Severely. Make no mistake: I enjoyed it the first day or so, then things got a bit loopy for yours truly during what the media......

Tomorrow night Emo's Lounge will be hosting a massive jamboree to celebrate the release of Karrie Hopper's new CD An Unusual Move. Hopper's influences range from Rufus Wainwright to Suzanne Vega, though her musical roots in San Antonio involved a seven-piece instrumental group that she's described as "loud and powerful". Interesting to consider that the album was recorded at a lake house over the summer, with instrumentation and lyrics coming in between dips in......

THURSDAY [24] music • Brother Will (Brothers & Sisters) and Friends, Lomita, and Sean Ohno (The Arm) at Beauty Bar (10pm, Free, Drink tickets to first 150 guests) ® music • Fiction, Gulf of Mexico, Bello Ragazzo at 912 Red River (10pm) ® party/fashion • DJ Ian Orth aka Learning Secrets spins at Bettysport's cocktail party celebrating the new silhouettes and colors of the Stella Mccartney fall/winter collection for Adidas at Bettysport (5-8pm, Free)......