There is no better way to kickoff Thanksgiving week than to fill up your belly over at the Empty Bowl Project Sunday afternoon and then head on over to The Parish to catch a once-in-a-lifetime chance to hear the African Children’s Choir sing in Austin. more ›

This weekend, the Blanton Museum of Art is celebrating the completion of the Blanton complex by unveiling the Edgar A. Smith Building. The new facility, which is adjacent to the James A. Michener gallery building, houses the museum's cafe, a gift shop, an auditorium, and classrooms for art and education events. The Smith building also provides much needed administrative offices for the Blanton staff. The opening of the new structure makes the Blanton the largest university museum in the United States. The Blanton has plans to use the auditorium and classrooms for both UT and community events, and is working with the Austin Film Society to screen films in the 300 seat theatre. more ›

Guy Forsyth has behind him 17 years spent on all sorts of songs under his belt. But, the Austinite has long had an affection for Delta blues and Tin Pan Alley's Depression-era, and listeners can easily pick out the grit and gravel of those and other canons running through Forsyth's work. A prolific songwriter with a penchant for genre-jumping, Forsyth has most recently released a double-live album on his own label, Small and Nimble Records.... more ›

FRIDAY [2] theatre • Improv rap group Aww Shit (Chris Trew, Cody Dearing, Eric Seufert) compose freestyle rap songs and improvise scenes based off of them at this week's Cage Match at Coldtowne Theater (11:30pm) art • Opening Reception for The Llamerret Show at Darkroom Gallery (7pm) art • Texas Biennial Opening Reception at Okay Mountain & Site 1808 (7-10pm, 301 Chicon Unit E at Third and Chicon) art • B Scene: A Night... more ›

WEDNESDAY [26] [film] AFS 20th Anniversary: Eric Rohmer's Summer at Alamo Downtown (7pm) LINK [party] Sidebar's turning two, and they're rockin' it out with a full BBQ spread, raffle, commemorative tees, guest DJs, slushy shots, a keg of Lone Star, cake, and (hopefully) Antonio, our favorite door guy in Austin. At Sidebar (7pm) LINK [books] Texas Monthly BookGroup presents Will Clarke, author of The Worthy at BookPeople (7pm) LINK [film] Adam's Rib at Paramount Theatre... more ›

And...there's vodka somewhere in the mix! No really, we just caught wind of this about an hour ago, and among the many interesting events lucky Austinites can choose from tonight, this is by far the funkiest. And it's free! Tonight only, 7pm, at the Vortex Theater, Green Tiger Pilates and Tito's Handmade Vodka present The Blindfolded Reformer. Certified pilates instructor Eric Schimel performs a series of pilates moves called the "Advanced Reformer Routine"...blindfolded. But... more ›

After all of the hogs have cranked their way out of town on Sunday, you will finally be able to come out of your house and enjoy the town. We suggest you re-acclimate yourself with the outdoors by enjoying live music and a movie in Republic Square Park. For Free. Sunday night will be the first event on the MySpace Presents the Bside Roadshow. The tour will travel the country bringing independent film and... more ›

MONDAY [27] [ music ] Jay Moeller's Birthday Blues Bash, with Ephraim Owens, Mike Barfield, Scott Nelson, Damien Llanes, James Bullard, and loads more at The Continental Club (9:30pm) (link) [ music ] KOOP Radio Monday Benefit with Guy Forsyth, Wammo and Sick, and Southpaw Jones. Hosted by Owen Egerton (of Sinus) at Ruta Maya ($5, 8:30pm) (link) [ art ] "Art is Imagination": Paintings of the American West at Blanton Museum of Art (Free,... more ›

The real IST List will return later this week -- we promise! In the meantime, tonight: [art] Women and Their Work (1710 Lavaca St) presents "Show & Tell: A Digital Slide Jam" from 7-9pm. Six artists discuss their various works. [music] Riverboat Gamblers, The Arm and Crash Gallery at Emo's [film] Werner Herzog's "Wheel of Time" at the Drafthouse Downtown (9:45 pm) [film] "The Artist Formerly Known as Captain Beefheart" at the Drafthouse Downtown (7pm)... more ›

SXSW.com released an updated lineup for this year's SXSW Music Festival earlier today, and it's one hell of a list. The SXSW committee hastens to note that "This is a partial list of performers confirmed to appear at the 2006 SXSW Music Festival. This list is current as of 1/13/06. All of this information is subject to change." International acts include: Masahiro Nitta, DMBQ, Ellegarden, Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re, PE'Z, The Emeralds (Japan)... more ›

Long heralded as one of Austin's most brilliant writers, Darden Smith is performing tonight at the Cactus Cafe. 2005 was a busy year for the ever-reclusive Darden. Reportedly recorded in just three weeks in May, Darden's latest album "Field of Crows" will be released stateside on January 10th. His talent was also recently featured on a song called "Take Advantage", one of the standout tracks from Guy Forsyth's latest, "Love Songs: For & Against."... more ›

KGSR fans should recognize this lyric from Guy Forsyth's latest "Long Long Time" because they like to play it at least once an hour. And they should. Guy's "Love Songs: For and Against" is being released today, and it marks a maturation of songwriting that only comes from constantly gigging for over fifteen years. "Love Songs" was produced by one of Austin's most gifted songwriters/producer/lover of hats, Mark Addison. If you don't believe our word that this is a must have CD, then head down to Waterloo Records for a free performance today at 5 pm and check him out for yourself. Don't worry, your Easy Mac 'N Cheese and pet goldfish will be fine if you don't go home straight from work today. more ›

The Bill Jerram Band will rock the Saxon Pub this Saturday night at 9PM for the release of their new self-titled cd. For the uninitiated, singer-songwriter Jerram and his band meld a raucous mixture of country, roots-pop, Americana rock and soul. Jerram’s guitar playing and powerhouse vocals are supported excellently by keyboardist Will Cornforth, bassist Marty Hobratschk and drummer Slade Crabtree. The band’s solid sound reminds Austinist of an amalgam of The Band, The Cars, Elvis Costello and Lenny Kravitz, if you can imagine that. But trust us, it will get your feet a-tappin and will probably inspire you to have a drink or four. In honor of the release, the new cd will be available Saturday night for the one-time cost of $5. Guy Forsyth will follow the boys with a set of his own. more ›