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......

Rock y Roll Dia’s second annual Dia de los Muertos concert takes place at 7 p.m. this Friday at La Zona Rosa. Hosted by VJ Paul Saucido (Sonido Boombox on ME Television), last year’s bash was marked by an appropriately eerie atmosphere, a sharp dressed Paul, and international and local musical talent. This year the event is a two day extravaganza, with music from Austin acts such as Boombox and Kanko, and out of state......

Tomorrow night, Cine Las Americas presents Víctimas del Pecado (Victims of Sin), an over-the-top slice of Mexican melodrama from 1951 and the second installment in Cine's Sin, Scandal and Song series. There's sin aplenty here (and also really great outfits and hairstyles), courtesy of its setting in postwar Mexico City's red-light district (romanticized in lush black and white cinematography by the legendary Gabriel Figueroa). Amidst all the picturesque seaminess, beautiful cabaret dancer Violeta (Ninón Sevilla)......

The Mexican holiday of Diez y Seis is this weekend (September 16), and the City of Austin, along with the Consul General of Mexico and the Fiesta de Independencia Foundation, is holding the annual celebration at Waterloo Park. The holiday is a celebration of Mexico's independence from Spain. At this local celebration, Consul General Rosalba Ojeda will perform "El Grito", the yell that in some ways led to the War for Independence. Performances at this......

WEDNESDAY [9] books • Amy Guth presents Three Fallen Women at BookWoman (7:00pm) comedy • Jimmie Roulette at Cap City Comedy Club film • Texas Doc Tour: "Ten Under Ten 2007" at Alamo Downtown film • "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" with Golden Ticket Giveaway at Alamo Downtown film • Weird Wednesdays: "Cop Killers" at Alamo Downtown food • Angel Valley Organic Farm Farmstand at Asian American Cultural Center, 11713 Jollyville Road (10am-2pm) food......

WEDNESDAY [2] DJ • The Black (DJ Set), Gerald Cosloy at Scoot Inn (10pm, Free) books • Poetry on the Plaza: The Book of Poetry at The Harry Ransom Center (12noon) books • Jeffrey Greene presents Water From Stone at BookPeople (7:00pm) dance • Stomp at The Paramount Theatre exhibition • UT Department of Theatre & Dance's Annual Design and Technology Exhibition at Oscar G. Brockett Theatre, Winship Drama Building (9am) film • "Plagues and......

WEDNESDAY [25] comedy • Tig Notaro and Steve Burr at Cap City Comedy Club books • BookPeople's First Annual Spelling Bee at BookPeople (7:00pm, 13 and under) books • Jacqueline Taylor presents Waiting for the Call: From Preacher's Daughter to Lesbian Mom at BookWoman (7:00pm) dance • Fetish and Other Dances, part of Refraction Arts' Fuse Box Festival at The Off Center (8pm) film • "The Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico" at Alamo......

WEDNESDAY [18] lecture • KLRU's SPARK Series Welcomes Douglas Rushkoff at The Paramount (7:30pm, Tickets are HALF OFF from Noon-7:30pm!) benefit/film • Friends of the Festival Anniversary Celebration (Cine Las Americas) at 2308 Fortune Drive ($100, 6-9pm) books • Poetry on the Plaza: Living Poets at The Harry Ransom Center (12 Noon) books • The Intimacies Group with Karen Kreps at BookPeople (7:00pm) books • Stephanie Elizondo Griest presents 100 Places Every Woman Should......

WEDNESDAY [11] books • JoAnna Barrett presents The Men's Guide to the Women's Bathroom at BookPeople (7:00pm) film • Texas Doc Tour: "Fish Kill Flea" at Alamo Downtown film • Open Screen Night at Alamo Downtown film • Weird Wednesdays: "Marta" at Alamo Downtown film • Jim Jarmusch Film Series: "Dead Man" at Alamo Village film • "Babe" Organic Vegetarian Feast at Alamo Village film/discussion • Screening of Israeli film director Eytan Fox's "Walk......

WEDNESDAY [4] film •"Harold & Kumar" with All-You-Can-Eat Mini Burgers at Alamo Downtown film •"8-Bit" at Alamo Downtown film •Weird Wednesdays: "Kill Or Be Killed" at Alamo Downtown books •Dr. Errol Friedberg presents From Rags to Riches: The Phenomenal Rise of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas at Intellectual Property (7:00pm) books •Alfredo Estrada presents Havana at BookPeople (7:00pm) comedy •Paul Varghese at Cap City Comedy Club food •Angel Valley Organic......

WEDNESDAY [28] film •AFS presents "Grindhouse" at The Paramount Theatre books •Larry Speck presents Technology, Sustainability, and Cultural Identity at BookPeople (7:00pm) books •Mayor's Book Club, First Discussion of Around the Bloc by Stephanie Elizondo Griest at International Center of Austin (7:00pm) film •Third Coast Night screens "Sacco & Vanzetti" at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film •"Transformers: The Movie" at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film •Weird Wednesdays: "Erotic Adventures of Superknight" at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film......

WEDNESDAY [21] books • Jeff Stone presents The Crane at BookPeople (10:00am) books • The Intimacies Group at BookPeople (7:00pm) food • Angel Valley Organic Farm Farmstand at Asian American Cultural Center, 11713 Jollyville Road (10am-2pm) food • Market Days at the Farm at Boggy Creek Farm, 3414 Lyons Road (8:30am-1pm) food • Austin Farmers Market at Whole Food Parking Lot, 525 N Lamar (8:30am-Noon) drink • Mojito Tasting at Dona Emilia's, 101 San......

WEDNESDAY [7] music • The Shins, Viva Voce at The Backyard music • Love and Dancing, with Daetron Vargas, Disco Nihilist, Majora Y Minora, and John Gomi at The Peacock music • Spinto Band, Dios, The Changes at Emo's music • Invincible Czars, Bee vs Moth, Golden Arm Trio at Emo's Lounge music • Woodgrain Wednesday with Bavu Blakes, DJ Rapid Ric, D-Madness at The Parish Room music • Patty Griffin at Waterloo Records......

WEDNESDAY [14] music • White Ghost Shivers Valetine's Day Party at Scoot Inn music • Bigwood, Street Light Suzie, Sedium, The Ivory Class at Emo's Lounge music • The Stags, Future Clouds and Radar, Radar Radar, The Strange Boys at Emo's music • Kitty Kitty Bang Bang Valentine's Day Party at Stubb's music • Anti-Valentines Day Second Halloween Party at Beerland music • Jimmie Dale Gilmore at Cactus Café (8:30pm) music • People Skills,......

WEDNESDAY [7] music • Hotel, Hotel, Haunting Oboe Music at Beerland music • The Matches, I Am Ghost, Escape the Fate, The Higher at Emo's music • Lotus, The Frequency at Stubb's music • David Garza at Continental Club (Midnight, $7) music • Todd Snider at Cactus Café music • Tiny Fox, The Offisaurs, Aspen Murder at Trophy's music • Pezz Perez, The Seas at The Chain Drive (10pm) film • A Portrait of......

That's right: it's time to heat up your winter nights again, with the 14th season of FronteraFest. The Short Fringe, the Long Fringe, or Mi Casa es su Teatro -- FronteraFest is five weeks of alternative, offbeat, new, and just plain off-the-wall fringe theatre presented by Hyde Park Theatre and Austin Script Works. For complete FronteraFest 2007 information, including times and locations for the Short Fringe, the Long Fringe and Mi Casa es su Teatro,......

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,......

WEDNESDAY [24] books • Dr. Steven Moore presents Alternative Routes to the Sustainable City at BookPeople (7:00pm) books • Neal Shusterman presents Everlost at BookPeople (7:00pm) comedy • Bil Dwyer at Cap City Comedy Club DJ • Cut Club at The Mohawk DJ • Tighten Up at Beauty Bar film • Stroszek at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Ladies of the 80s Singalong at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Weird Wednesday: Get Mean at......

WEDNESDAY [10] DJ • Cut Club at The Mohawk film • KLRU Presents: Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes with discussion led by UT's Dr. S. Craig Watkins at Carver Museum and Cultural Center (6pm, Free) film • Open Screen Night at Alamo Downtown (7pm, $5) film • Idiocracy at Beerland (7pm, Free) film • Transamerica at Rounders Pizzeria (8pm,Free) film • The Glamorous Life of Sachiko Hanai at Alamo Drafthouse (9:45pm) film • Weird......

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......

WEDNESDAY [6] film • Amélie at Rounders Pizzeria (8pm,Free) city • Austin Community Cultural Planning Project Arts & Culture Round Table discussion at One Texas Center (505 Barton Springs Rd, RSVP, 7-9pm) music • Pirates vs. Ninjas, Jolly Garogers at Beerland (dress as a pirate or ninja and get in free) music • 101X Homegrown w/ Visitors, Driver F at Flamingo Cantina -1 music • Cut Club with free Mickey's at The Mohawk (10pm)......

WEDNESDAY [29] discussion • Patton Oswalt and Writers Present The Onion at Alamo Downtown (9:30pm, $15) music • Indian Jewelry, Cry Blood Apache, Wiggins at Emo's music • Real Live Tigers, Fourth War Boys Choir, David Israel, Pink Nasty at Beerland music • The Distant Seconds,The Late Fees & The Unbearables at The Parlor film • Third Coast Night: La Sierra at Alamo Downtown (7pm) film • The Devil's Backbone at Beerland (7pm, Free)......

Last year, in Gregory Gym on the UT campus, five miniature statues of former congresswoman Barbara Jordan were placed in the lobby for students and faculty to vote on. After a year-long process, Santa Fe artist Kim Crowley's representation of Jordan, thumbing around her briefcase while seated on a bronze bench, was chosen. Due to its rather lackluster presence, that statue has now been repealed by the UT Barbara Jordan Statue Committe. Today, they're......

We'll be mostly offline through the rest of this week to spend the holidays with our families. Happy Thanksgiving, Austinites! WEDNESDAY [22] film • "School House Rock" Sing&Learn-Along at Alamo Downtown (7pm, $10) film • The Syrian Bride at Congregation Beth Israel (7pm) film • Be Here to Love Me at Beerland (7pm, Free) film • A Woman Is a Woman at Spider House (8pm,Free) film • Moulin Rouge at Rounders Pizzeria (8pm,Free) film......

WEDNESDAY [8] film • Breathless at Spider House (10pm, Free) music • Daniel Francis Doyle, Health, Oh,Beast!, Nouns Group, Blonde Girls at Emo's music • Matt Nathanson w. Danny Malone, Brett Dennen at The Parish Room music • Guitar Shorty at Waterloo Records music • The Heirs, Rachel Goldstar, The Easies, Emily Sparks, serious daters at Beerland music • Juan Gabriel at Frank Erwin Center food • Angel Valley Organic Farm Farmstand at Asian......