FIRST THURSDAY [1] music • Tre Orsi (members of Shearwater, South San Gabriel, Little Grizzly), The Paper Chase, Red X Red M, at Emo's music/benefit • ME! Live presents the Emerging Artist Series Debut with Meagan Tubb band, Tacks, the Boy Disaster and the Channel at Antone’s (7pm, $5) music • Yonder Mountain String Band at La Zona Rosa music • Onion Creek Crawdaddies at Waterloo Records (5pm, Free) music • Horse + Donkey,......

The 27th Student Conference on Latin America, organized by the Institute of Latin American Studies Student Association (ILASSA) at The University of Texas at Austin starts tomorrow, Feb. 1 with Anderson Sá, the Brazilian social activist who is the protagonist of the film Favela Rising. Sá will be speaking at 6:30 p.m. in the Thompson Conference Center, Room 1.110. Events will continue through Feb. 3 with student presentations throughout the day on Friday and Saturday......

THURSDAY [28] music • Ratatat, Envelopes, Panther (outside), Maritime, Ghost of the Russian Empire (inside) at Emo's ® music • Clap Clap at Whisky Bar music • Jonny Lang at Stubb's music • Jose Gonzalez w. Death Vessel at The Parish Room ® music • AUX, Red Leaves, Belhome at Flamingo Cantina music • Boy Band Hoot Night with Single Frame, Golden Bear, and more at The Mohawk (912 Red River) ® music •......

As part of its Independent Film Series, Scion returns to Austin tomorrow night for a special screening of Favela Rising, last year's much-acclaimed documentary about the rise of Afro-Reggae in the Brazilian slums. Synopsis: FAVELA RISING documents a man and a movement, a city divided and a favela (Brazilian squatter settlement) united. Haunted by the murders of his family and many of his friends, Anderson Sa is a former drug-trafficker who turns revolutionary in......

WEDNESDAY [2] [music] Ghost of the Russian Empire, Lomita, Fire v. Extinguisher, Moth Fight at Beerland LINK [music] "Wax Wednesdays" at Ruta Maya (8pm) LINK [music] Rhett Butler at Cactus Café ($7, 8:30pm) LINK [music] Free Nugs & the Kickbaxx, The Hudsons at Threadgill's LINK [music] Abba Yo Yo's, End of the Year at Snake Eyes Vinyl (7pm) LINK [music] Teenage Symphony, The Shells, Economy at The Chain Drive (9pm) LINK [music] Band of Heathens......