L Style G Style co-founders and life partners Lynn Yeldell and Alisa Weldon will be recognized with the Visibility Award at the 2012 Austin HRC Gala. This award recognizes LGBT individuals who are living open and honest lives at home, at work, and in their greater community. The couple met at the Austin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. Lynn found Alisa's energy and enthusiasm infectious and these same qualities became the foundation to starting L Style G Style. The couple talked with Austinist about being honored with the award, the difficulties of living openly and honestly, and their views on the Austin LGBT community. more ›

2011 was a banner year for David Bull and his Congress Austin concept. Less than three months after opening, the restaurant vaulted from hot newcomer to king of the mountain status after receiving the Austin American-Stateman's first five-star review in several years. The crowds arrived, and more praise followed. Texas Monthly named it the "best place to eat right now." Celebrities like Jimmy Kimmel, Rachael Ray, and Billy Gibbons were spotted catching late-night meals. The New York Times and Wine Spectator both suggested that tourists make it a point to stop by. And so it went. Aside from a few benefit dinners and food festival events, Chef Bull and his ace team mostly spent the year with their noses to the grindstone, tweaking the Congress, Second, and Bar Congress menus and working to meet the huge number of covers that came in. more ›

This interview was contributed by Ruth Griffin. It’s pretty easy to resent a band that puts out an EP before ever performing live together. However, Twin Sister has proven themselves to be worthy of nothing but adoration. Buzz from their first release Vampires with Dreaming Kids, and their following EP Color Your Life has brought them to the forefront of the underground music world, stunning us with their debut LP In Heaven. Employing styles from disco to dream-pop, these guys seemingly transcend genre specification, dazing audiences with their eccentric live performances and the charmingly serene voice of lead singer/keyboardist Andrea Estella. Embarking on their ambitious North American tour, the band plans on making a stop at one of Austin’s finest music venues, Mohawk, this Sunday. In spite of their jam-packed schedule, the Austinist was able to grab a few minutes with the lovely Andrea herself. Get ready to discover the secrets behind her eclectic style and lyrics as well as her ventures into the world of sculpture and paper maché! more ›

2011 was a banner year for David Bull and his Congress Austin concept. Less than three months after opening, the restaurant vaulted from hot newcomer to king of the mountain status after receiving the Austin American-Stateman's first five-star review in several years. The crowds arrived, and more praise followed. Texas Monthly named it the "best place to eat right now." Celebrities like Jimmy Kimmel, Rachael Ray, and Billy Gibbons were spotted catching late-night meals. The New York Times and Wine Spectator both suggested that tourists make it a point to stop by. And so it went. Aside from a few benefit dinners and food festival events, Chef Bull and his ace team mostly spent the year with their noses to the grindstone, tweaking the Congress, Second, and Bar Congress menus and working to meet the huge number of covers that came in. Earlier this month, we called Chef Bull during a rare week off to ask for his thoughts on the launch of Congress, the state of Austin dining, and what the restaurants have in store for us in 2012. more ›

Bill Burr has been on fire recently. The incendiary comic is basking in the glow of victory, having just won the Boston Comedy Festival's "Comedian of the Year Award," with that, along with recent appearances on Letterman and Fallon, a second successful hour-long special, and a recurring guest spot on the much-loved AMC sensation Breaking Bad, meaning that, apologies to Louis C.K., there is room on this great green globe for more than one red-headed, truth-telling comic. Burr, who may not quite yet be a household name, is certainly on the upswing, and he'll be performing some new likely-to-upset-someone material this Saturday night at the beloved Paramount Theater. In advance of his headlining gig, we rang Bill up for a chat on virgins kissing, taking inflammatory words out of context, and his fifteen-second star turn on Law & Order. more ›

This interview was contributed by new writer Arian Brumby! “He’s American, he’s Todd Rungy, fighting for freedom, fighting to eat, yeah!” It’s hard not to want to know more about someone when that’s the first thing you hear come out of his mouth. Todd Rungy is a local competitive food eater trying to make it big, and as Rungy states in our interview, he's already got the “big personality.” So it’s of little surprise that a filmmaker named Joshua Riehl decided to follow the man and film a year of his life. Riehl and Rungy recently raised $6,000 in hopes of turning all this footage into a television series about “Hungry” Todd Rungy. I sat down with our subject over an appropriate meal for a competitive food eater, the Don Juan taco--a mammoth sized breakfast taco overflowing with potatoes, eggs and cheese--created by Cesar Chavez eatery Juan in a Million. Todd talked about what it was like to be filmed constantly half a year of his life, strange rivalries, the show, training, and what’s next for him. more ›

“People say we suck at sports, but they don’t understand / it’s hard to catch with holes right through your hands” That, amongst many other Finn-isms are packed into Clear Heart Full Eyes, the first solo record from Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn. Separated from the beer-swilling, teen-apocalypse narratives of his main band’s frantic pomp - it’s a much smaller record, quieter, denser, more thoughtful. Finn wraps in pedal-steel and placid acoustic guitars, his lyrics talk about himself, rather than all his characters. It provides an ideal odyssey for bookish, lyrics-first Hold Steady fans, and genuinely pretty nighttime music. In advance of his show tomorrow night at Frank, we caught up with Finn at Dominican Joe’s for a quick chat about the record, his time in Austin, and the Minnesota Twins. more ›

If you had to create a shortlist of the heroes of independent music from the 90s, there's a damn good chance The Sea and Cake would be on the list. And if they aren't, you should perhaps find a new list. The polished jazzy rock outfit is still crafting airy and squeaky-clean pop music nearly twenty years after their formation, and, without exaggeration, their newest output is just as solid as anything they did back when you were in elementary school. Their newest album, The Moonlight Butterfly, is a economical work anchored by the brilliant ten-minute epic "Inn Keeping," so in advance of their Mohawk show this Thursday we called up Sam Prekop, lead singer and acclaimed painter (see his show at Tiny Park!), to discuss the band's career, splitting your interests, creating music in 2011, and finally writing that one great record. more ›

When one thinks of Austin's recent culinary evolution, you can't help but point to Lou Lambert as the perfect symbol of symbiosis. Lambert is both a seventh-generation Texan and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America - a Texas chef who loves barbecue but has also cooked alongside Wolfgang Puck. Lambert's mix of classic Texas ingredients with forward-thinking techniques has endeared him to diners in Austin and Fort Worth for years - and now he's finally put all his best recipes and stories in one place. Co-authored with friend and author June Naylor, Lambert's Big Ranch, Big City was recently released to great acclaim. We caught up with Lambert as he drove on I-35 from his Fort Worth restaurant to his Austin one, and discussed everything from the outdated perceptions of Texan chefs to the evolution of South Congress Avenue. more ›

The Wheeler Brothers know that you like to kick back under an old oak tree after a long day of toil and trouble and have a beer--and they're making music to capture just that feeling. This five-piece sometimes country, sometimes indie-rock band is composed of three brothers (Nolan, Tyler, and Patrick Wheeler) and a couple of their friends (Danny Matthews and A.J. Molyneaux)--all Austin natives. They released their first album, Portraits (a mix of alt-country, Americana, and the good old American love song perfect for that aforementioned beer and oak tree combo) in June of this year. For five guys riding around together in the backwoods of Tennessee in a van they're very polite and almost chipper. Their genuine interest in talking to people has earned them a diverse and devoted fan base (among them local legends Ray Benson and Bob Schneider). Write something on their Facebook page--they'll write you back. Want to meet them? Just go to one of their shows and they'll probably say "Hi!" before you do. more ›

From the musical outpost of St. Louis, Missouri, Kristeen Young began making unlikely inroads into the world of in-your-face piano rock at a time when most attentions were drifting into either grunge retreads, tea-scented Lilith Fair folk rock or burgeoning electronica. In 1997 she debuted with Meet Miss Young and Her All Boy Band, and by 2009 she had dropped the space between her name and released her sixth record Music For Strippers, Hookers, and The Odd On-Looker, a dense and unusual album that compliments Young's swooping vocal delivery with the expert production of Tony Visconti. more ›

Settled on the north side of Alabama is a city called Huntsville, and in that city a little operation called G-Side plies their critically-praised but commercially-underappreciated craft. The hip hop duo, led by ST 2 Lettaz (Stephen) and Yung Clova (David), is what happens in the real world: a couple guys work really hard at what they love, try to scrape by financially, and spend a lot of hours working at places like gas stations to get the job done. Now about to release their fourth album, Island, we caught up with ST 2 Lettaz at Fun Fun Fun Fest in (wait for it) the tattoo trailer for a truly illuminating talk on being a working artist, slinging records out of a gas station, staying true to Huntsville, and how rappers do give back to the community, even if we don’t always hear about it. more ›

In a perfect world, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah would be just another talented and interesting indie band making a go of this whole music thing. But in this world, they, and their lead singer Alec Ounsworth, may be the official poster children for 1.) self releasing records in the internet era to massive success, and 2.) the hype and backlash cycle that can crush a band’s mojo just as surely as it built it up. Now, three records into their career and all-the-wiser, CYHSY are quite likely better than ever, and their new album Hysterical is a testament to surviving the internet shitstorm, and to being smarter for it. With all this in mind, we decided to chat up Alec at Fun Fun Fun Fest to talk about hats, the Pitchfork thing, and making the art you’ve got to make. more ›

Brian Posehn is apparently a drug addict and a roustabout--if you believe everything the internet says. In reality, this actor/writer/comedian/musician/Dad is about as well-rounded as you can get and he has a resume to prove it. Some of you may know him from The Sarah Silverman Program, where he played one of the un-gayest gay men ever seen on television, or you may know him from one of the hundred other things he’s done. In Part 1 we explored how to be more metal (or just plain metal if you weren't metal already) and, though you may or may not have punched an old lady right in her dumb old face, you were educated. Join us again and get ready to travel down a path that'll make you feel both amused and uncomfortable. more ›

A mainstay of the Austin fall event calendar, next week marks the return of the Wine & Food Foundation of Texas' Big Reds and Bubbles event at The Driskill Hotel. This year's bash will be held on Thursday, November 17 from 6:30-9:30pm.

As we explained last year, the idea for the event is simple: as the holiday season approaches, sparkling wine and heavy reds become the focus of one's wine purchases during the holiday season. So why not sample the best wines in current release and decide what is worth the cash? more ›

Comedian, beatboxer, performance artist, singer, pop culture encyclopedia: Reggie Watts is all of these things at once, which probably explains how he's managed to be a hit with the mainstream comedy crowd and NPR audiences and the experimental art world. Last week, he caught up on the phone with Austinist about his love of John Hughes movies and strong female singers, and he shared his thoughts on the Occupy Wall Street movement, and his dream production space. more ›

Since 1995, The SIMS Foundation has worked to provide mental health and addiction recovery services to Austin's working musician community. SIMS' mission statement sums up the scope of the problem succinctly: "...irregular hours, travel schedules and financial insecurity can take their toll on musicians and their families, sometimes resulting in depression, anxiety and relationship problems." This is, of course, in addition to the fact that many Austin musicians do not have health insurance which would cover needed treatments. By offering help through 60 partner therapist and clinical providers, the organization helps hundreds of musicians in our area annually. more ›

M83, the brainchild of French synth magician Anthony Gonzalez, is on a roll: it seems that every album he releases is blessed with terms like “cinematic,” “epic,” “monumental,” and, of course, “best new music.” On the merits of his sprawling and fantastic most recent opus, the double-LP Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, Gonzalez reentered the limelight as a Los Angeles resident and somewhat reluctant superstar. This past weekend he and his band tore up Auditorium Shores, so we decided we should have a chat with the man about his online request for a new band member, the death of the CD, and not remembering his dreams. more ›

Heartless Bastards probably have one of the most peculiar, yet serendipitous, tales of formation. Going from bartending to buddying up with members of the Black Keys on Fat Possum Records, the possibilities would seem (and continue to be) endless for this Cincinnati-based group. Reviving the crass-band-name trend, these guys have been trekking the globe since their genesis in 2004, astounding crowds with raw garage rock songs, lead by the fierce, but earnest vocals of Erika Wennerstrom. Sporting a tamer demeanor, however, the charming frontwoman took a few minutes to talk with the Austinist about exciting upcoming plans for the band, including a tentative name and release date for their upcoming album, as well as an interesting tale of an encounter with a fan-made Morrissey figurine. more ›

Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears are pretty hard to miss when it comes to combing through your local Austin bands. Rather than sport the hipster, low-fi trend that seems to be infiltrating the scene these days, these guys went in a completely different direction. Reigniting an old school genre, BLJ and the Honeybears capture live audiences with their eccentric frontman and a dance ‘til your drop energy. Fusing together both rock ‘n roll and funk/blues styles, these gentlemen are quite the spectacle, making them a must-see band at this year’s Fun Fun Fun fest. Here at the Austinist, Joe Lewis was kind enough to share some of his thoughts and experiences about the formation of the band, their live performances, and French cuisine. more ›

Brian Posehn is apparently a drug addict and a roustabout--if you believe everything the internet says. In reality, this actor/writer/comedian/musician/Dad is about as well-rounded as you can get and he has a résumé to prove it. Some of you may know him from “The Sarah Silverman Program” where he played one of the un-gayest gay men ever seen on television or you know him from one of 100 other things he’s been in or written or voiced. We had a nice colloquy with one of our favorite funny men about his real life story, his activist future, and his desire to help everyone be just a bit more metal. (Psst…Part 2 of this Interview goes up after Fun Fun Fun Fest so stay tuned for more about comedy, poop, and the real 99%.) more ›

Future Islands play early on Saturday, and we highly recommend that you go and see them. We had the great pleasure of talking to Herring over the phone before the band set out on tour to discuss the band's work, his voice, and who they look forward to catching at Fun Fun Fun Fest. more ›

The duo of Claire L. Evans and Jona Becholt created the band, belief system and business that is YACHT (which stands for Young Americans Challenging High Technology). The latest album release, Shangri-La, continues similar to the four prior records, with heavy synth electronic beats to get people grooving and interesting lyrics to get people thinking. YACHT performs at Fun Fun Fun Fest this Friday on the Blue stage at 4:15pm. more ›

Blonde Redhead has always tried to push themselves outside their comfort zone. The drummer and guitarist have spent their whole careers trying to unlearn, in some way, their formal musical education in Jazz. And Kazu Makino though in love with the simple pop song, finds herself unable to write anything one could call simple, or really pop, for that matter. Their last album Penny Sparkle came out early last year, and Fun Fun Fun will be one of their only touring dates of the current year. We sat down with Kazu to talk about her new benefit album for Japan, her dream show, and why she feels so comfortable at the Austin Whole foods. more ›

Henry Rollins needs very little introduction. Chances are he's caught your attention in one of his incarnations, whether it be his first wave of fame with punk pioneering head-smashers Black Flag, or his later endeavor Rollins Band, or with one of his many startlingly passionate spoken word recordings. And if he didn't get your attention that way, there's a good chance you'll recognize him from one of his many television appearances or documentaries, or perhaps you are familiar with his work taking phenomenal photographs of some of the world's least-known places? Either way, the always-interesting Rollins will soon be regaling us at Fun Fun Fun Fest, so we thought it wise to catch up. Without further ado, here is the final installment of a sprawling and thoughtful three-part interview, this part being about the "warrior gene" and the ethics of gene therapy. more ›

Things you learn about Brody Stevens by watching Brody Stevens: 1. He’s friends with Snoop Dogg 2. He does karaoke with Jason Patrick 3. He’ll call Zach Galifianakis onstage if you don’t get your act together. Some of that well connectedness is perhaps a put-on (he’s had roles in the last couple of Galifianakis projects, no word on the Snoop Dogg and Jason Patrick…), but the confidence required to sell the “Insider’s Insider” is what makes Stevens a comic’s comic. The years Stevens spent doing warm-up for shows like Chelsea Lately and The Best Damn Sports Show are apparent in his ability to weave top-of-the-head observations into his act. He’s a comic striving for the moment. We called up the self-proclaimed “Positive Energy Provider” to discuss his new podcast, MMA fans, and what state his beard will be in for Fun Fun Fun Fest. more ›

A cliché about the 80s would seem to be a mildly appropriate way to introduce the fellas of Cold Cave, but unfortunately, the 80s are over, and these guys are just getting started. Formed in New York City by punk scene veteran Wesley Eisold (eventually joined by fellow scenester Dominick Fernow) Cold Cave surged to the forefront with a signature angst-ridden, shadowy sound, coupled with notably impassioned live performances. On their latest album, Cherish the Light Years, brooding vocals sweep across the anthemic synth beats, making you ache for your teenage years when introversion and eyeliner were acceptable. In anticipation for Cold Cave’s Saturday afternoon slot at Fun Fun Fun Fest, the enigmatic frontman sat down with the Austinist, sharing his enlightening views on poetry and lyrics, while remaining grounded enough to embrace the necessity of exposure via Radio Shack commercials. The best of both worlds. more ›

We don’t know if you know this, but podcasts are a big deal. Okay, you probably did know that, but maybe you didn’t know that podcasts have brought about a renaissance of sorts in the world of comedy: Ricky Gervais, Marc Maron, Chris Hardwick, Joe Rogan, Julie Klausner, Paul F. Tompkins, and Scott Aukerman (just to name a few), have reinvigorated the conversations people have about comedy--they’ve given it cultural cachet once again. Austin comic Cameron Buchholtz has been a contributor to that conversation. Over the past couple years, his podcast, CB Radio, has brought to our ears comedy-centric conversations with guests ranging from national acts like Henry Rollins and Dom Irrera, to Austin favorites Matt Bearden, Andy Ritchie and Erik “The Lizardman” Sprague. We caught up with Buchholtz by phone to chat about podcasting, FFF Fest, and talking about porn on Twitter. more ›

Merrill Garbus crafts complex and interesting songs, using vocal loops, found sounds and lots of experimenation under the name tUnE-yArDs. Austinist spoke with the talented musician on all things tUnE-yArDs and beyond, including Occupy Oakland (where she now lives), her one-page website, and evolution of all kinds. tUnE-yArDs will play Fun Fun Fun Fest on Saturday, November 5 at 4pm on the Orange stage. more ›

[This interview was contributed by writer Michelle Nail.]Carrie Brownstein once listened to only Phish for an entire week. She wrote blog posts about it daily. She took pictures of the effect it had on her dogs, the stacks of Phish albums she acquired, and even of the people she met at a Phish fan meet-up. Why did she do this? Carrie is just...curious. And restless. And unable to sit still for too terribly long...but thank Jesus for that because where would we be without the current hipster-absurd awesomeness of Portlandia? This is part two of our chat with this musician, sass-talker, sometimes blogger, and new IFC TV star about Portlandia, her mad stalking skills, and why the feud between Austin and Portland just got real. more ›