Editor's note: My Ex-Boyfriend's Band is a reoccurring column that features the opinions and insight of the author, not necessarily reflective of the Ist network as a whole. Thank you for reading! For the times they are a-changin'. And the music festivals are a-changin' with them. Even Dylan, who declined to take the stage at Woodstock in 1969, evolved into the 2007 Austin City Limits headliner. With SXSW, Fun Fun Fun and the C3......

Photo from ImageAfter Starting today, we'll be publishing a weekly roundup of various arts & entertainment news that we've come across. Most of these developments, whether national or international, have a direct relationship with something local, whether it be an organization, individual, or our collective culture. In any case, it's a nice chance to broaden our world view -- a definite bonus (or necessity, some might argue) for a city that revels in creativity! --......

Flood waters threaten thousands in southern Mexico. Hurricane Noel will bring heavy rainfall to the East Coast. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice begs U.S. Diplomats to serve overseas. NASA plans a risky spacewalk to save a ripped solar wing at the international space station. Hollywood writers are set to declare a strike sometime today. Get ready for a reality television blitz! NBC Anchor Brian Williams is hosting SNL this week. The reunion show......

Mac Lethal has been called a “contemporary cross between a folk singer and a stand-up comic” by Rolling Stone – and that dichotomy of inane observation and thought-provoking insight defines his debut album, 11:11. We spoke with Mac Lethal from his tour bus while on the road for the Everybody Loves a Clown Tour with label-mates Grayskul and Atmosphere. That tour bus is currently parked outside of Emo’s, where the Everybody Loves a Clown......

Hand food: it's almost as awesome as food on sticks, but boasts the added bonus of carbohydrates! Food that comes in its own container is perfect for busy Fall days at work and school. Austin offers some great options for sandwich-y goodness on the go, so jump in your preferred mode of transport and grab some grub that requires little else than a hungry stomach, and perhaps a napkin or three. Hog Island Italian Deli......

As everyone knows by now, today is (sniffle) the Alamo Downtown's last day in operation--at its current location, at least. And they're going out with a bang, offering a fabulous feast to accompany Big Night, shaking things up with Earthquake, and freaking you out with Night Warning featuring Susan Tyrrell live. Everything's mad sold out, of course, but there "may" be standby tickets available for Earthquake and Night Warning ($30 for each film, $75 for......

If there’s one genre of music we’ve never had a decent grasp of, it’s dance. On a very basic level, we get it—people love to boogie, and thumping 4/4 jams are the best songs to do it to. But what is it about dance music that unites people across such a wide range of political, social and economic strata? And conversely, how can such a seemingly simple form involve so many subtle, yet wildly divisive......

We were relieved to find out that Austin's own "wandering moon howler" Red Hunter, aka Peter and the Wolf, made it back safely after his whirlwind national tour -- the final leg of which was traversed by sea. Accompanied by Jana Hunter, The Castanets, some eye-patch-wearing fellow from WFMU and other assorted pirate types, the motley crew successfully navigated their way up the East Coast's Intracoastal Waterway. Also, as Red mentioned in the interview......

If you lost your ACL pass and – even after countless screaming matches with Front Gate Ticket employees and hours of scouring Craig’s List for scalpers – you’ve been left sans plans for the festival weekend (or maybe you’re just afraid of tourists/loathe sunshine/whatever), we’ve got an alternative suggestion. An air conditioned alternative suggestion. Go see a play. That’s right, don’t be a pussy about it. It’s just theatre. You might even like it......

"The book is a riddle, it's our generation's bible, and you have to guess the title with one clue: After photoshop was used only to remove certain letters, what remained were the words FACT and CON..."...

With national gas prices soaring past that dreadful $3-per-gallon mark, most of us at Austinist have had to rework our upcoming roadtrip plans. But what about our city's vast legions of musicians? Summer's a great opportunity for bands to get out for a bit of stateside touring, but it's hard enough for most indepedent artists simply break even -- especially when you've rented a jalopy of a gas-guzzling touring van to house all those damned......

On Tuesday, Austinist headed down to San Antonio with some out-of-town visitors from the East Coast. Sure, we took them to the Alamo and the Riverwalk, but the real reason we went was to watch the culture shock as our Philadelphia guests experienced their first rodeo. Mission accomplished. The abundant belt buckles and hats were the first signal that we were a world away from liberal (and let's face it, not like the rest......

That is about all we could say by the end of, and pretty much all throughout, last night's game. (We apologize for being delinquent in our wrtie-up, but we are pretty sure the night ended for us sometime around sunrise. With that said, expect this review to be pretty scatter-brained.) Where do we start? How does one man (and we know this was a team effort and will give props later) but, seriously, how......

While scores of wonderful albums from already well-established indie acts like Broken Social Scene, Of Montreal and The Decemberists were all but predestined for greatness this year, others seemed to appear from nowhere. Case in point: Sup Pop phenoms Wolf Parade, emerging from Montreal with a series of cameos in various compilation albums that left American fans in a rabid frenzy before finally dazzling us with their debut LP, Apologies to the Queen Mary;......

Austin's own Sound Team was one of the best acts we caught at ACL this year - despite the blistering temperature and sporadic dust tornadoes, they played an unceasingly energetic set that made us (nearly) forget about our impending heat strokes. Live, theirs is synth-happy dancerock constructed from the supple layering of their dual keyboard/guitars, toe-tappingly catchy drum beats, and Matt O.'s big, blaring vocals. Their studio work is something you'll have to experience......

Before their show at the Parish Room last week, Austinist sat down for a brief chat with the boys of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - one of the hottest bands out of the East Coast this year. Over drinks at the Jazz Kitchen downstairs, the guys - Alec Ounsworth, Lee Sargent, Robbie Guertin, Tyler Sargent, and Sean Greenhalgh - were more than happy to answer the questions that you, our readers, suggested beforehand.......

So A Flock of Seagulls won't be playing Elysium tonight, but there are a few great shows happening around town that are bound to tickle your fancy...pants. IF YOU LIKE ... The Rapture, The Faint, or tight pink jeans: Rock out with electroclash wizards Ghostland Observatory at Karma Lounge @ 10pm. They're fresh off a hugely successful East Coast tour, so come and give 'em a warm Austin welcome back! Jack Johnson: Nashville singer-songwriter......

Ghostland Observatory, about whom we've gushed since the inception of this site, and who we interviewed a little while ago, are about to leave Texas for their very first East Coast tour, including a stop to play at the New York Media Blowout that is Gothamist's Movable Hype, masterfully organized by our pal, Jen Carlson. They're bringing the beat to NYC, and we can only hope and pray that NYC doesn't dig its claws......

Imagine you are a 14-year-old musician living in Australia, accustomed to recording songs for your punk rock band in your bedroom. All of a sudden, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth is singing your praises, and you sign to Grand Royal (the Beastie Boys’ now defunct label). Over the next 11 years, you release five solo indie-pop albums, start your own record label, and collaborate with artists such as Ben Kweller, Ben Folds, Petra Haden,......

From Austinist Pal, Chopper Dave: Does cash rule everything around you? Do you enjoy sipping on gin and juice, belvedere, or even brass monkey? Do you have 99 problems, and yet none of said problems is a bitch? Do you love it when you are referred to as “Big Poppa?" Is your hat not unlike that of a shark’s fin? Do you ever feel the urge to shake your rump, let that tootsie roll, or......

We couldn't resist posting both of these, as they struck us as surreal and naughty and almost ridiculous. The first is titled "the sexy brothers from the east coast:" I can't decide which one of you I long for more - would you ever consider... a threesome? That's a plot to a porn movie right there. A threesome with two brothers? From the East Coast? Kinky! And speaking of porn plots, You are too damn......