Still energized after Monday evening’s Gogol Bordello show? No need to slow down because Hot Hot Heat are in town tonight to supply dance friendly ditties for further boogying. The Canadian outfit will play Emo’s in support of their latest effort, Happiness Ltd. For a chance to win free tickets and for details on the show, continue reading after the jump. And ready yourself for an assortment of new wave inspired, synth-riddled melodies. "Bandages" on......

It’s National Massage Therapy Awareness Week. Who knew? Not us, until we heard about Massage Harmony’s week of discounts and freebies. If you want a complimentary 10-minute massage or a gift certificate for $10 off, go to Massage Harmony or the Borders (both in the West Bank Shopping Center) on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Austinist readers can also enter to win gift certificates for free massages after the jump. Derrick Amoriko, owner......

Brief Austin resident and alt-country namesake Richard Buckner has had a career as tumultuous as it has been consistently rewarding. Making his mark with the appropriately-titled debut Bloomed in 1994, Buckner has outlived many of his No Depression-era singer-songwriter contemporaries, whose projects have either splintered, broken up, or just puttered out. After fruitful collaborations with like-minded musicians like Chicago stalwarts David Grubbs and John McEntire and a difficult spate with MCA records (who summarily......

Minus The Bear’s third full-length, Planet Of Ice was released this past August on Seattle based Suicide Squeeze Records. The album was produced by (former keyboardist) Matt Bayles and Chris Common. Minus The Bear formed in 2001 and has since developed a knack for churning out experimental indie-rock enhanced by complex time signatures and abrupt rhythm changes, as well as occasional employment of jazz standards. Add to this Dave Knudson’s distinct two-handed tapping style......

Rumors of a Red River invasion by a wacky troupe of sea chantey-warbling, non-stop exhibitionists throwing themselves around on stage while singing “Fee-fi-fo-fum” in union can only mean one thing- Man Man must be returning to Austin. It seems like ages ago that the band opened for Okkervil River inside Stubb’s, performing their powder-keg victory dance to a tightly packed, surprised but impressed audience, and since then they’ve caught on as quickly as one......

The Melvins have been around for over two decades and have influenced plenty of hard-rock acts in that period, either directly, or indirectly. Comprised of (permanent members) Buzz Osbourne and Dale Crover, the band recently added Coady Willis and Jared Warren to the line-up. The newer members will be on double duty tonight as they both make up 100% of the opening act Big Business. The Melvins’ brand of metal -- a droning sludge-fest......

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Before “Don’t tase me, bro!” entered our national parlance, Saddle Creek signees Two Gallants had their own run-in with an overzealous, taser-happy police officer and his lack of discretion. It took place in Houston, no less, yet another reason for bands to avoid any part of Texas east of Austin - not that they really needed one. After the dust settled, Two Gallants continue to tour un-tasered, and will be spending the one year......

Hey, thanks Austin! We're thrilled that you chose us as your 2007 Best of Austin pick for Local "Fun" Web Site. Needless to say, it's a tremendous honor to be recognized two years in a row (last year, we tied with the Chronicle itself for Best Local Entertainment Web Site). We solemnly swear that we'll continue to entertain and, on those lucky occasions, enlighten you with the best in Austin culture and news. And, to......

Hi folks, Thanks for helping us make Local Music is Sexy IV such a success! We hope you guys had as much fun at the free show as we did putting it together. For those of you who weren't able to snag an Austinist tote bag but wanted one, we're gonna make things right: fill out the contest form below, and we'll randomly select twenty people to receive their very own, plus assorted goodies. If......

We first fell in love with Yo La Tengo at 17. We were still stuck out in the sticks in high school, still reading Rolling Stone and still wearing those pink crackle-finish Vans. And Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out had just been released, and Rolling Stone recommended it for people who liked the Velvet Underground. We ordered the album from Hasting's, and when the album came in and we popped it into the Discman we......

UPDATE: NME is also reporting that Muse will play at Stubb's on Sunday night, we'll have details as they emerge. A lot of this might be old news for ticket holders who have been scurrying around trying to figure out how they're going to be compensated for their White Stripes @ Stubb's tickets, but it's true: Muse's performance has been moved up, and they will now occupy the White Stripes' slot, while the rest......

Many moons ago, a band named Weezer released a couple of solid records. Featured on bass and backing vocals on those albums was one exceptionally talented individual named Matt Sharp. Besides his contributions to Weezer, Sharp has been involved in a number of other projects -- occasionally solo, but most notably the lovable act named The Rentals. The Rentals released two albums (Return Of The Rentals and Seven More Minutes) in the 90’s. The band......

Kentucky dance-punk vets VHS or Beta will be performing the Mohawk tomorrow, and we're wondering if you'd like to go? The band is touring in support of this year's release, Bring on the Comets, which features the single "Can't Believe a Single Word". Man, fake British accents are so hot. See you there? Full Name:Email Address: VHS or Beta [MySpace] [Official] VHS or Beta with Walter Meego & Aux Friday, Sept. 21 Mohawk (912......

Tonight at Emo's Lounge be sure to check out a show with some heavy-hitting sponsors (Filter , Both Sides of the Mouth, and Zune) behind it in order to put some great music in front of you. Straight outta Compton (well, LA at least) is Great Northern, a band that's been making waves of late. Listen closely to their instantly appealing pop and you'll hear the burnt edges and dark undertones. Your head will......

Emo’s has built a reputation as one of the city’s most identifiable and prolific venues over the last decade or so. In fact, it has been fifteen years since the infamous live music spot opened its doors. This weekend, the club kicks off a celebration with events spanning eight hot and sweaty summer evenings. In between opening night festivities featuring The Riverboat Gamblers and 2nd weekend reunions like Glorium comes a Saturday night line-up fit......

In Austin, all the malt shops, arcades, bowling allies, drive-ins and wherever else the hip kids hang out these days will be empty May 13th. Instead, they’ll all be gathered at Bass Concert Hall with their hearts in hand ready to give them freely to Bright Eyes indie folk heartthrob Conor Oberst. He’s now become a coveted American musical icon, and thanks in part to the media, we have watched him mature through breakups......

Do we need to explain this contest? Hot Chip are coming. We implore you to go and see them. And we have a pair of tickets for one lucky reader. Austinist Interviews Joe Goddard of Hot Chip Hot Chip's The Warning Takes #3 on Austinist's Top 15 Albums of 2006 Austinist Glowingly Reviews Hot Chip's The Warning Hot Chip Nominated For Mercury Music Prize Hot Chip Blow The Roof Off New York's Webster Hall......

The thought of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland usually conjures up a variety of memories and images, be it fantasy lands or magic mushrooms. Ayers Designs and a couple of local electronic acts are throwing a shin-dig tied to that theme, and we want you there. Just fill out the form below for a chance to be transported down the rabbit hole of OHN’s down-tempo electronica, as well as Lila’s Medicine. Mind altering substances not included......

Waiting impatiently for the Warped Tour? The pre-sale starts this Sunday, and on the same evening, La Zona Rosa showcases some of the tour’s alumni, and some future prospects, and we want you there. Just fill out the form below! Plain White T’s: [myspace] Boy’s Night Out: [official site] Lovedrug: [official site] [myspace] Dear and the Headlights: [myspace] Plain White T’s, Boy’s Night Out, Lovedrug, & Dear and the Headlights Sunday, April 1st La Zona......

Yellow Tape Construction Company has done it again. Campy can be hard, but the kids in "I Am Not Tartuffe" have left us, as they say, rolling in the aisles. Fill out the following form and we'll shoot the first two winners a pair of tickets to Saturday night's performance. Full Name: Email Address: If you want to catch the show during the rest of its run, you've got 'til March 31. Laughter is......

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......

Those who grew up with NPR as auxiliary parent will doubtless recognize the names Maria Hinojosa and Ray Suarez, the honored guests at Spark: KLRU's Engaging Speaker Series this Wednesday. (So, do their pictures match your mental conception of how they'd look? 'Cuz the first time we saw a pic of Terry Gross, we flipped out.) Hinojosa, the anchor of NPR's Latino USA, is also most recently the author of a memoir of Mexican-American......

This Saturday night, Car Stereo (Wars) is hosting a special Valentine's-themed party with yours truly at the Beauty Bar, with sets featuring shoegaze and r&b mash-ups, portraits by Courtney Chavanell, and other special surprises. The cover's only three bucks, but we're also giving away a handful of guestlist spots through Friday. Enter below! Full Name: Email Address: [Car Stereo (Wars) on MySpace] Car Stereo (Wars) presents Your Bloody Valentine Saturday, February 10th Beauty Bar......

When you spend nearly every weekend watching all forms of low-budget, pseudo-experimental performance in barely converted warehouses, you find yourself yearning for shows that are just a little more polished. So, when a new company sprouts up, featuring ballet allstars from around the country, and headed by both a nationally recognized choreographer and composer, your interest is piqued. Enter American Repertory Ensemble. The company’s first production, Dialogues, was part contemporary ballet, part classical music......

Emo’s might be the talk of the town during the first week of the year with its three-stage-pronged free show attack, but this Saturday, Stubb’s does its best to bite into the monopoly with a substantial triple bill. Just Guns kick off the evening with a dose of quality alt-country pop. Their debut full-length, Secrets/Spotlights, is laden with lyrical wisdom set to twangy hooks and pedal steel malaise, and their talent is prevalent every......

Come 12:01am on Monday morning, downtown Austin will be a madhouse of drunken revelers and even drunker artsy types. You could opt to shell out plenty of dough to get into the swanky parties, but why bother? You probably won't remember it the next day. Below are our top choices for fun things to do this New Year's Eve, all with reasonably-priced cover charges and, more importantly, within stumbling distance of one another. Get there......

Some people marry for love. Some for companionship. And yes, there are some thrifty evil souls out there who marry for riches. But we romantics at the Austinist are happy to know that at least two people in this hardened nation of ours have married for a reason even purer than true love: rock and roll. Back in 2001 Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel decided to ditch their day jobs, get hitched, and begin......

Strife and discontent often pave the way for musicians to provide a voice of hope for the oppressed. Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars know this all too well, being comprised of a number of talented individuals that originally called Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, home. After rebel attacks prompted them to flee their country in the late 90's for the haven of Guinea, they started making music on any available instrument they could......

Whoa there, Emo's Lounge! You've had some big shoes to fill with your big, hip brother right next door, but you've done well for yourself. We remember when you were knee-high to a shot bar, and now here you are all growed up, hosting great bands and getting people soused like its your job. Which it is. Tonight, especially, is a red letter date for you. You'll be hosting four superb pop-rock bands all......