• At least nine people dead as Turkish plane crashes in Amsterdam
• Obama takes optimistic tone in speech to Congress
• Toddler among seven people injured in a Mardi Gras afternoon shooting

Austin dweller Margaret Brown brings her new documentary, The Order of Myths, to SXSW after a successful showing at Sundance. Brown was born in Mobile, Alabama, where Myths takes place. The film follows Mobilians through one cycle of their Mardi Gras celebrations—a festival which the city is proud to have begun celebrating before New Orleans. Unlike the Big Easy’s do, however, the Mobile Mardi Gras is, effectively, segregated. more ›

Photo from ImageAfter Starting today, we'll be publishing a weekly roundup of various arts & entertainment news that we've come across. Most of these developments, whether national or international, have a direct relationship with something local, whether it be an organization, individual, or our collective culture. In any case, it's a nice chance to broaden our world view -- a definite bonus (or necessity, some might argue) for a city that revels in creativity! --... more ›

The complete schedule for the 14th annual Austin Film Festival has been announced, and it looks pretty amazing. 79 feature films and 98 shorts will screen over the course of eight days at various locations in Austin, beginning on October 11th with Brett Morgen’s much hyped docudrama Chicago 10, starring Hank Azaria, Dylan Baker, Nick Nolte, Mark Ruffalo, Roy Scheider, Liev Schreiber and Jeffrey Wright. Jason Reitman's brilliant new comedy Juno (starring Ellen Page, Michael... more ›

WEDNESDAY [28] film • Beats Per Minute, the 48 Hour Music Video Competition at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Premiere screening of Party 101: Consequences at The Paramount Theatre (7pm) film • Mardi Gras: Made in China at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Weird Wednesday: Massacre of Pleasure at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown music • Grizzly Bear, The Papercuts, Peter & the Wolf at Emo's music • This Life Electric, Goldcure, Starchild at Stubb's music... more ›

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... more ›

Austinist gets arty with an interactive guide to SXSW, loved some local art galleries and a new art exhibit and lamented the possible loss of "Friday Night Lights" production to New Mexico. Bostonist was happy they finally found an Anna Nicole Smith connection to their fair city and that an Apple Store was opening up. They were less happy that new rules have been established limiting underage shows and that their Governor is spending... more ›

The 30th annual Carnaval Brasileiro takes place on Saturday, February 3rd, giving you just over one month to find your perfectly outrageous masks and costumes. Over 6,000 Austinites are expected to attend the flamboyant Brazilian-style Mardi Gras celebration, which will once again feature NYC samba band Grupo Saveiro and performers from local samba school Acadêmicos da Opera. As a sneak peek of the revelry to come, Ruta Maya tonight hosts "La Ruta Brasileiro," a happy... more ›

The SWAT standoff off of Riverside yesterday ended in the arrest of a 19-year old who allegedly shot two people overnight-injuries were minor. George W. Bush's visit to India-in hopes of congealing some kind of partnership with the country-is laughable. His next stop is Pakistan where, ironically, he has been deemed as The Most Hated Man. If only we had his confidence, after a 5 year search, Bush insists that Osama Bin Laden will... more ›

There seem to be a lot of double standards in place when it comes to regulating Free Speech around the world. Joseph "Jack" Thomas, an Austrailian-Muslim convert, had a hard time with his conversion because he loves his beer. On Sunday, a 22-year old in Detroit shoots his girlfriend's mother while she's attending Sunday Services. While the 'Horns men's basketball team looks ahead to the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments, take a peek at... more ›

As everyone knows, this weekend is the big one before Mardi Gras! We're so excited we can hardly contain ourselves. Our shirts are going to stay on, but we're willing to do "other" things to earn beads. We'll even kiss another girl, indulge on colorful mixed drinks, make out with random strangers, run a few miles. St. Gabriel's School is hosting their 4th Annual Mardi Gras 5K Run and Walk tomorrow. It's an afternoon... more ›

* The IST List will be updated this afternoon to reflect additional events -- The Editors F R I D A Y [3] » [music] Quien es, Boom!, Brothers and Sisters CD release, Lomita, and David Longoria (of the Black) at Beerland » [music] The Early Tapes, Peel and The Happy Familes at Stubb's » [music] Driver Friendly and The Arm at Red Eyed Fly » [music] Rockland Eagles, Yuppie Pricks, Pink Swords, and The... more ›

T U E S D A Y [31] » [music] Ghetto Princess, Secular End, The Total Foxes, Tomorrow's Too Late at Emo's » [comedy] Live Comedy Happy Hour at Beerland (8pm) » [karaoke] Karaoke Explosion at The Peacock » [books] Galt Niederhoffer presents Taxonomy of Barnacles at Bookpeople (7pm) » [politics] Austin League of Women Voters puts on the State of the City dinner with Mayor Will Wynn as the evening's speaker at the Austin... more ›

Beginning this week, Austinist will be introducing several new columns written by various contributors. These columns will run the gamut from thoughts on television (which you have already come to love) to dipsomaniac observations and the like. These posts will be spoken in the first person singular by the individual contributors and do not represent the thoughts/opinions of Austinist as a whole. Today, we introduce "Candy and Flowers," from contributor Carly Kocurek. In "Candy... more ›

For a mere $8, you can go to a Mardi Gras meets SXSW event. Well, a very scaled down version of both celebrations, anyway. The 12th Annual Louisiana Swamp Romp and Crawfish Festival kicks off at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 9, around 4th and Guadalupe. Twenty different cooks will be serving up authentic Cajun food like alligator on a stick, boiled crawfish, and gumbo. We can feel ourselves getting fatter. There’s two stages, but... more ›