Renowned for excellent sound quality and a feeling of coziness that belies its substantial size, The Parish Room has been Sixth Street's favorite little concert hall for quite a while now, and this Friday they'll be hosting yet another quality show: four of Austin's most interesting and diverse pop acts. Headlining is the clap-happy and catchy Built by Snow, a band who often channel an updated version of cultural phenomenon Weezer in their tunes--they will soon be heading into the studio to record their second CD, and this show is sure to provide some pleasant previews of the new material....

This weekend has to be dominated by the various Emo’s Free Week shows -- look for previews to those events on the site....

The Beauty Bar presents a quality bill of local pop-rock this Thursday night. Til We’re Blue Or Destroy, comprised of a number of multi-talented musicians, have recently wrapped up work on their debut record, This Train -- due later this year. The band’s delightful ditties fluctuate between catchy dance-pop and melodic guitar-rock, and that’s just fine with us! She, Sir support with an array of guitar laced soundscapes complemented perfectly by soft, distant vocals. Russell......

The Starlight Mints might occasionally be dismissed as an oddity, but the Oklahoma band’s albums reveal an invigorating, stimulating product. The band sways between Beatles-esque pop and Flaming Lips like eccentricity without missing a beat, all while adding their unique flair and assorted instrumentation and orchestration to the tunes. Allan Vest’s vocal chops combine effortlessly with the wide range of sounds and “Eyes Of The Night” could should win over most skeptics. Their live shows......

It must be the week of a major holiday, because there won't be a lot of new beautiful stuff on the walls at Waterloo or End of an Ear this week. If you're anxious for Kelly Rowlands' latest (Ms. Kelly), you're breathing a big sigh of relief right now, but H-town is about as close to home as it gets July 3 (please correct us if we're wrong). The new Madlib effort, Yesterday's New......

Don't forget about Low Line Caller's Residency show at the Mohawk this evening. The Mohawk Residency series continues to bring fantastic local bands together on alternating Tuesdays for your almost mid-week pleasure, and tonight is a good one, considering Shapes Have Fangswill open with their Shins-ish arrangements, and Marc Ferrino of Black Before Red will add his vocal prowess to their usually instrumental set. While we're pondering the ramifications of mathematical entities having the ability......

Following up on the tremendous success of last month's inaugural showcases (featuring White Denim and Peel), the Mohawk Residency Series returns in June to feature two more exciting local indie acts. Low Line Caller (with Marc Ferrino) and Tree Wave will each headline alternating Tuesday nights. The Residency Series is presented by Hot Freaks andGorilla vs. Bear, and sponsored by KEXP, The Onion, And/Or Gallery (Dallas), and yours truly. June 5 Low Line Caller with......

THURSDAY [31] music • Scion Live Metro presents GZA, Fyre Department at The Parish Room (FREE, RSVP before 5pm!) art • Opening Reception: George Krause: The Elizabeth Portraits & Other Works at d berman gallery, 1701 Guadalupe St (6-8pm) books • Douglas Brinkley presents The Reagan Diaries at BookPeople (7:00pm) comedy • Russ Nagel, "America's Funniest Biker," with Trey Galyon at Cap City Comedy Club film • "Notorious" at The Paramount Theatre film •......

MONDAY [26] film • Squeegee Your Third Eye: Remembering Bill Hicks at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown books • New and Noteworthy Book Club discusses Snow by Orhan Pamuk at BookPeople (7:00pm) film • Wonderwall at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown meeting • Austin Music Foundation's Music Industry Boot Camp at Gibson Guitar Showroom (3601 South Congress G400) music • Aloha, Pompeii, The Politics, Low Line Caller at Emo's Lounge music • Shoot for the Stars, iKiLLcaRs, Bones......

Whether you think of it as a test run for SXSW, a belated Christmas present to local music fans, or an excuse to drink for seven days straight, Emo's Free Week kicks off today with a schedule of acts that reads like a who's-who of local punk, indie, and rock. As the showcases are all without cover, we'd recommend getting there early. Emo's Free Week January 2-8 603 Red River Tuesday, January 2 Inside:......

THURSDAY [14] art • Ethan Azarian's Art Show 2006: Alien Abduction series, Fruit in the City, Eight Foot Cows (First Night 05), and more at In House Gallery (2514 East 17th Street, 5-10pm) music • Shapes & Sizes, Weird Weeds, Lovely Sparrows, Benko at Emo's music • OHN, Lila's Medicine at Flamingo Cantina music • Ruthie Foster at Cactus Café music • Balmorhea, Low Line Caller, Sthil at The Mohawk music • White Ghost......

FRIDAY [27] party/music/awesome • Car Stereo (Wars) and Austinist host a Halloween Bash with Clap!Clap!, carnie games, face painting, fortune tellers, free fangs, "killer" drink specials, a costume contest judged by the fashionistas of Team Fabrication, and more at Beauty Bar (10pm-2am, $3 with, 4 w/o costume) zombies • Zombie Flash Mob at City Hall fashion • Beauty Bar Blowout with complimentary 'dos by Birds Barbershop, makeup applications by MAC artists, DJ Robbie Hardkiss......

WEDNESDAY [18] party • Cut Club with The Young Professionals (Prince Klassen, KidIndie) at The Mohawk dance • Requiem at Intel Shell (8pm, $20-$30) film • Bad Education at Arbor (1:10pm & 6:50pm) ® film • Live Flesh at Arbor (4:10pm & 9:30pm) ® film • Norman Mailer: Beyond the Law at Alamo Downtown (7pm) ® film • The Films of Joseph Cornell at The Space (8pm, Free) film • Back to the Future......

MONDAY [12] [sports] World Cup Games at Alamo Village (Through 16th, 11am & 2pm) (link) [film] Labrynth at Alamo South (Through 16th, 1pm, Free) (link) [film] Baby Doll at Paramount Theatre (7pm) (link) [film] Gram Parsons: Fallen Angel at Alamo Downtown (7pm, $10) (link) [film] Blue Velvet at Rounders Pizzeria (8pm, Free) (link) [film] GoodFellas at Austin Java (8pm, Free) (link) [film] Rolling Roadshow: Nanny McPhee at San Marcos (8pm, Free) (link) [film] Stunt Rock......

: : FRIDAY : : [film] New Movies @ Your Local Theaters! [music] Ethereal Planes Indian, 7pm @ End of an Ear - FREE! [music] Ghostland Observatory, The Veldt, Haunting Oboe Music and Low Line Caller @ Flamingo Cantina [music] Orange Mothers and The Damnations @ Continental Club [music] Glen Phillips, 8pm & 10:30pm @ Cactus CafeŽ - $16 [art] Reception for Sydney Yeager's "Billow & Fold," 6-8pm @ d berman Gallery [theatre] "Xmas......

M O N D A Y [5] music · MF Doom, Count Bass D, John Robinson at La Zona Rosa music · Saves the Day, Senses Fall, Emmanuel, Early November at Emo's film · "Shaun Of The Dead" spinoffs at The Drafthouse Downtown (7pm) [link] T U E S D A Y [6] music · Red Leaves at CRL Art Gallery film · AFS screens "The Singing Blacksmith" at The Drafthouse Downtown (7pm) [link]......