Panic at the Disco brought their advertising laden tour to Stubb's on Saturday night. ...

Saturday Saturday Saturday! It's a bounty of goodness unlike anything most people of privilege (or non-privilege) have seen, seeming that it is filled not only with SXSW's usual wealth of day-funs and joys and diversities, but that it is also privy to the wonderment that is Mess With Texas 2, a noon-to-ten cornucopia of music and comedy at Waterloo Park. It's sort of like a day of Fun Fun Fun Fest plus comedy minus the price plus the knowledge that there's great stuff going on everywhere else as well. So let's get to it, and all the other great stuff going on EVERYWHERE, shall we? Mess With Texas 2 @ Waterloo Park At this event, it's almost ridiculous what a wide range of musics you'll be able to see, from electro-folk to softcore-punk to anti-pop to alterna-world to whatever-other-hyphenated-genre-you-could-possibly-fabricate. Headlining are the Kim Deal-led Breeders and late-nineties punk-stars NOFX, but they are just icing on the cake of a day that features acts as intriguing as the inimitable Islands and the ever-so-subtle Atlas Sound. And, take a deep breath, because also lining up on one of the three stages is rise-from-the-ashes-via-Juno story Kimya Dawson, the mysteriously-spelled Wooden Shjips, hype-machine Simian Mobile Disco, quick risers Yeasayer, Monotonix, and No Age. And in case you haven't already caught them, this may be a convenient time to check out local respectables Shearwater and White Denim. Seriously, though, that's a ridiculous list already, and it's really just the beginning. And it's free, for God's sake! And there was some comedy at this Mess With Texas thing, too, right? Yeah, you can expect some laughs from the likes of Janeane Garofalo, Brian Posehn, Todd Barry, and Eugene Mirman, among a veritable slew of others. Make sure to get there before the sun goes down if you want to check that out, though, because we all know humor goes best with some sunshine....

Item: The organizers at SXSW have responded to years of complaints about long lines and short notice by dramatically revising the wristband system for the 2008 festival. 4,000 wristbands priced at $139 are reserved exclusively for Austinites and will be distributed via an online lottery system that commences at 9am on Thursday, February 21st. There is a four-day period for sign-up, then the festival will let the winners know they've been selected shortly thereafter. All registrants must live in the Austin area - a credit card with an Austin metro area billing zip code will be required (this generously stretches as far as San Marcos, Georgetown, and Taylor). One can purchase two wristbands, but one of them must be for the purchaser...and the recipient of the second one must be named when placing an order....

This year's SXSW Music lineup seems to be taking shape a bit more quickly than last year, as bands have taken it upon themselves to announce showcases publicly before the official list release by SX organizers. This is a departure from prior years, but since festival officials aren't complaining, we assume they're happy to let the hype build as the acts trickle in. This week's top twelve additions:...

Learning Secrets, the eclectic electro-family responsible for Thursday nights at Whisky Bar, will be tearing up the Beauty Bar tonight with Philly's dave p and Brooklyn's JDH, along with Austin's own Ian Orth. Indie remixes, 75 degree October nights, and open-minded dancefloor antics for only $3 at the door? That only happens in Austin, people. For real. [Learning Secrets Myspace] [JDH Myspace] [dave p Myspace] Death to Disco...This is Disco! Saturday, October 6th Beauty Bar......

With no less than three of the biggest afterparties at this year's SXSW abruptly shut down, it's no wonder that we've been hearing all sorts of crazy conspiracy theories. But much as we'd love to blame this year's spate of buzzkilling closures on curmudgeonly old muckety-mucks, the evidence seems to point to something far less interesting: lack of permits. At least that was the case with FactoryPeople's Thursday night rager, "La Chic Disco Boum," and......

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......

SXSW has truly built a strong reputation around the world, and every year various countries send their top-notch artists to Austin to display their nation’s talent. Scandinavia is one such area with a booming music scene. Danish band Mew and Sverige’s own Loney, Dear (Emil Svanängen) will bring their best to the festival this year. Finland, too, is doing its bit, with the Finnish Moosic Tour. Featuring punk rock from Disco Ensemble and electro-pop from......

As they've managed to do for the past few years, South Congress boutique FactoryPeople will again host a killer SXSW afterparty, this time on Thursday, March 15th. Hosted by FactoryPeople and Anthem Magazine, "La Chic Disco Boum" will feature DJ sets by Simian Mobile Disco (UK), Druzzi & Mattie (of The Rapture/new record label Throne of Blood), and Peaches, plus proper dance party ambience courtesy of Austin's own Boom Chica Boom GoGo girls, who always......

Austinite Actor and Director Daniel Isaac stars as the groom in the Panic! at the Disco video "I Write Sins Not Tragedies", which won Video of the Year at the 23rd annual MTV Video Music Awards. He is perhaps best-known locally as "The Guitarsonist" from last year's Air Guitar Championship at the Alamo Drafthouse.......

New albums by Guillemots, Hot Snakes, and the Snakes on a Plane soundtrack...

As mentioned earlier, the Austin Film Society begins selling tickets at 8 a.m. today for QT7: The Best of Quentin Tarantino. Sales are restricted to AFS members only (you can buy one for $20), and a sellout is expected. Passes cost a hefty $145 but are good for 7 nights of screenings, including one outdoor evening @ The Backyard. Tarantino will be in the house to introduce and discuss most films, and you'll probably......

Terry Gross and Fresh Air are not single-minded when it comes to the ‘holiday season.’ In the spirit of Chanukkah, she will have on two authors today who celebrate another Jewish rite of passage, the Bar/Bat Mitzvah. The old school ones. Leisure suits, big hair and the Bee Gees are just part of the draw of a new book, Bar Mitzvah Disco. With essays from Jonathan Safran Foer, Sarah Silverman and others, the book......

Austin certainly has its share of talented DJs. But here, they seem to take a back seat to live acts in terms of entertainment credibility. Sure, they aren't strumming the sounds out from strings and hard-pushed air, but Austin almost has a stigma against the DJ (let alone turntablist). They’re almost seen as ornamentation rather than the purveyors of music culture that they actually are, if allowed. Well, the good ones anyway. But that's......

Check the IST List to see when and where these acts will be playing this week Laura Cantrell 14th Street I'll Remember You I Lost You (But I Found Country Music) Bees Letters Rain Boy The Handsome Charlies (samples) Friend of Mine Eighty One Makes Me Love You Ghostland Observatory Podcast Interview with Laurie Gallardo, KUT's "Before the Break" The Deadly Snakes Gore Veil Sound Team Don't Turn Away It's Obvious What's Happening Here......