Your dream of being invited to a private, invite-only Playboy party might just be realized tonight: head over to Austinist's brand new SXSW site to enter the Rock the Rabbit contest. The winner will receive a pair of tickets to the Annual Late Night Party in Austin on Thursday, March 13 (11 p.m. at the 301) as well as a t-shirt from The Heavy. ...

Rap mixtapes are rarely arranged with tact or distinguished in their execution. Usually, you’ll find a buffet plate of tracks, assembled with all the wit of a languid block of late night commercials. A superb exception is found in the first four proper songs of Stop Stealin’ Our Style, a mixtape released in December by the Austin-based Screw Shop and Tosin, its curator. The project is dedicated to the memory of a number of fallen Texas rappers, and nods to both Pimp-C and DJ Screw, the former in a tribute track from Lil’ Flip and D-Red that functions as the set’s coda. The track-list, though, tends more towards three other Houston icons - Big Moe and the Hawkins brothers, Fat Pat and Big Hawk. Big Moe died last October of complications from a heart attack, at the age of 33. Fat Pat was shot and killed in 1998 and his older brother suffered the same fate in May 2006....

So you’ve just moved closer to downtown to be near your institution of employment or what have you. The five minute drive to work in the morning is priceless but damn that late night rock music coming from the bars in the vicinity. Or maybe you've always lived there and you've always found the nightly din a bit much. Well, you’re going to have fight (not literally we hope) the artistic community and the related downtown service industry that thrives on Red River St. (and the adjoining areas) for your voice to be heard....

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals bring a barrage of blues, folk, and soul infused rock ditties to Stubb’s tonight. A native of Vermont, Potter studied theater at St. Lawrence University in New York and also met future band member Matt Burr (drums) at the institution. Scott Tournet (guitar) joined shortly after. Potter’s friend from high school, Courtright Beard was initially a part of the outfit as well but was eventually replaced by Bryan Dondero on bass. The act's name is inspired by their penchance for late night practice sessions....

I’ve been tardy like 7th grade with these entries. I’m hoping to fix that this year, and if I have to, will make deadline by just free-associating while listening to chopped and screwed Gerald G verses…oh wait… hang around after the jump… Anyways, something big happened in Austin rap at the end of ’07, and I was negligent and didn’t cover it then. So now, with Nas’s father as my witness, I will. Matt Sonzala has been documenting Texas rap for as long as I can remember on his blog HoustonSoReal. ...

Venezuelan voters didn't want Chavez as a ruler for life after all. Putin's party wins the Russian election, warns against Westerners who may say the election was unfair. Best feminist candidate: Obama? Later this week, Romney will publicly address his Mormon faith and how it may affect his possible presidency. Looks like it will be Texas v. Arizona State at the Holiday Bowl. Conan O'Brien will pay his "Late Night" crew from his own......

Late night fire at police commander's house in Northwest Austin leaves over half a million dollars worth of damage. Firefighters from various regions of the country attend Central Texas wildfire training school. Hays County Area Food Bank starts their Thanksgiving food drive. Hannah Hawley, announced missing yesterday, is back with her family. Notice a different taste to our tap water? Sen. Cornyn votes against bill that would grant citizenship to young illegal immigrants who......

As our friend The M.O. reported, Ghostland Observatory are set to perform on Late Night with Conan O'Brien tomorrow evening. It will be their first nationally televised performance, and they're expected to play a tune from delete.delete.i.eat.meat.... GLO recently recorded a set for Austin City Limits, and we can expect that episode to air on KLRU sometime in December. Known for their energy-packed live sets, GLO are wrapping up a very exciting year that saw......

LAist began the month with a new food series exploring the popular and unknown late night eats around town. If a Top Chef winner opened up a late night spot in Los Angeles, denizens would flock it, yet the LA Times and other media might be wary. Turning to sports, the Dodger season was quite memorable in the way that it imploded and the LA County Sheriff's Department made some games of their own such......

Feeling awash in connections? Underwater with a number of dates? Social life raining good karma? Then perhaps we're not the place for you. Although, if you're having a dry spell this might be the oasis you've been seeking. We've rounded up the best of last week's Missed Connections, so put on your rain suit and take a look... late night couch peeing and amazing sex - w4m i peed on the couch, then you......

Only two days remain in this year's National Poetry Slam. This time on Sunday, new team and indy champs will have been crowned...until next year's slam in Madison, WI. The Parish and the 501 Studios Soundstage [map] join Antone's, Ruta Maya, and Dominican Joe as 25 teams face off in the Team Semi-Finals. All venues at 7pm. We won't know the semi-finalists at press time, but you can always check the official NPS site later......

Brooklyn based The National will grace our town with their presence at the 2007 Austin City Limits Music Festival. The band is comprised of Matt Berninger, Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Bryan Devendorf, and Scott Devendorf. (Yes, that’s two sets of siblings!) The National expertly combine catchy riffs and appropriate strings with affecting lyrics (sometimes poignant, while seemingly abstract on other occasions). Although we feel that their music is best suited for a late night,......

As the days go by, things get more intense at Slam Central. Each night, votes for the team bouts are tallied, and teams and individuals learn where they stand. The scores as of the wee hours of Wednesday morning have been posted, and while it's way too early to start popping the bubbly, we're excited to see Team Ego's in second place! First is Team Killeen (please tell us there's at least one slamming soldier......

Another day, another schedule of packed-to-the-gills programming for the National Poetry Slam. It's extremely tough to pick just one or two things to highlight, but here're the events that most piqued our curiosity. Daytime Programming All daytime programs are FREE, so if you live or work downtown, consider popping in for one of these events. NPS won't be in Austin again for a very long time, so this is something of a one-time chance. It......

The poets have arrived! For the second year in a row, the National Poetry Slam will be held in our highly literate, most-educated city. This five-day competition showcases slam poets from around the U.S. and comes to a head in a fierce battle for team and individual top nods, held at the Paramount Theatre on August 10 and 11. Last year's finals sold out, so consider getting your tickets early! Opening ceremonies are this afternoon......

The usually busy streets of 30th and Hemphill, near late night hot spots Trudy's and Spiderhouse, just east of Guadalupe Street were at an eerie standstill this afternoon when it was discovered that a middle-aged, white transient was found murdered in the drainage ditch that runs down the middle of Hemphill Park, just a few blocks north of The University of Texas. This neighborhood, especially the specific section of the drainage ditch, is frequented......

Few forms of entertainment elicit such fanatical, diverse opinions on what warrants the label of being "good" as comedy does. To this day, the mere mention of Andy Kaufman's name can set off a heated debate on whether "genius" or "talentless asshat" is more applicable, and the perceived injustice that the Freaks and Geeks fan club was dealt when network suits and critics downed one of Judd Apatow's earliest efforts still has teeth. All this......

United Abominations – MegadethMegadeth (AKA Dave Mustaine) follows up 2004’s politically charged The System Has Failed with, well, the politically charged United Abominations. Due to contractual obligations, TSHF had to be released as Megadeth, although it was primarily a Mustaine project. No report indicating why the new album also falls under the Megadeth moniker, but it does contain all the staples of a typical Megadeth record: Mustaine’s trademark vocals, soaring six-string solos, and insistent drums,......

*The views expressed in The Laurie Show are those of the author and do not represent Austinist as a whole.* -ed. note Oh, the confusion I must be causing! Sort of. Yours truly, hostess of The Laurie Show, which frightens the locals on late night Fridays, has been an on-again off-again presence. My apologies for the irregular schedule. Chris Hillen, my tag-team show partner in crime who graciously subs for me when I'm out wreaking......

Do you know this man? Unless you watch too much News 8 Austin or late night local television, you might not know that this man's name is Air Co Joe of local air conditioning, heating and plumbing company Air Co Mechanical, an Austin business that's been operating for over 20 years. They cool down, heat up, and unclog the CSC Buildings and Austin City Hall. The folks at Air Co have created a jingle......

In case there isn't enough rawk planned for your weekend, be sure to stop by Emo's Lounge tonight for what is always a super fun time: Karaoke Apocalypse! The Dead Motley Sex Maidens will once again be your hosts for an onslaught of rock 'n roll classics. The last edition at Longbranch included startlingly on-point versions of "Ace of Spades", "You Give Love a Bad Name" and Danzig's "Mother". KA is essentially the rock......

*The views expressed in The Laurie Show are those of the author and do not represent Austinist as a whole.* -ed. note I barely blink, and once again, the weekend is upon us. And of course, a bit unexpectedly, I've been asked to sit in for Jeff McCord on Left of the Dial this evening on KUT, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Remember to stick around afterward for the amazing Chris Hillen, once again......

Ratatat must really love Austin. This Friday night marks their third show in town in less than 12 months-- actually less than seven months if our math is correct, and no, they didn’t play SXSW. Regardless, we love them and could not be more thrilled at yet another chance to see this New York act do their thing live. Formerly Cherry, the instrumental duo consists of Evan Mast on keys and Mike Stroud on......

Paula Disbrowe has been a food and travel writer in Manhattan and the cowgirl chef at Hart & Hind Fitness Ranch in Rio Frio, Texas. Her work has been featured in publications including the New York Times, Food & Wine, Cooking Light, and Saveur. She recently launched one of our favorite websites, Dishola, and her new book, Cowgirl Cuisine: Rustic Recipes and Cowgirl Adventures from a Texas Ranch, showcases her love for Texas food. Catch......

In our effort to help you sort through all of the excellent screenings at SXSW Film Festival, we've partnered up with Austin-based B-Side Entertainment, who create nifty online program guides for film festivals all around the world. Locally, they're responsible for the interactive schedules you might have encountered at Austin Film Festival, the Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival, and Fantastic Fest. Here are just some of the things you do over at......

The Peacock on the east side has fast become a regular venue for eclectic shows throughout the work week. Having celebrated its one year anniversary last September, the bar’s interior decorations and (strong) cocktails continue to be a source of constant pleasure to the locals. This Thursday, Amy Annelle’s record label, High Plains Sigh and her project, The Places host another such night of assorted music. The Places’ soft sprawl of atmospheric folk will......

Austin's Explosions In The Sky play powerful instrumental indie-rock that has been compared to Mogwai and Sigur Ros and are widely lauded by critics. Their live shows have become so popular that their Emo's show in March has been sold out for weeks, and multiple-night runs are now needed in cities like New York and Toronto. After a three-plus year wait, EITS's new album All Of A Sudden, I Miss Everyone arrives on Tuesday.......

*The views expressed in The Laurie Show are those of the author and do not represent Austinist as a whole.* -ed. note Most of us can appreciate a few extra days off from work when there's inclement weather. But there are a few of us who get cabin fever. Severely. Make no mistake: I enjoyed it the first day or so, then things got a bit loopy for yours truly during what the media......

There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between your tuition and your GPA, between academia and society, between the depths of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge: a dimension not only of sight and sound, but of mind; a journey into a pretty lame land whose boundaries are defined by......

The Daily News Record (DNR), an industry magazine for menswear retailers, recently counted Austin's very own FactoryPeople among its list of "America's 50 Most Influential Men's Wear Stores." Austinist's favorite local clothier (and, on occasion, late night locale for downing complimentary vodka tonics) is listed among such well-known boutiques as Santa Monica's Fred Segal, Chicago's Hefjina, and New York City's Jeffrey. The sole other non-department store in Texas recognized by DNR was Dallas' Stanley......