Technically, Fantastic Fest doesn't start until Thursday. But for badgeholders who get into town early (or, you know, live here), the fun will begin on Wednesday night as Casey Affleck hosts a free sneak screening of his new film The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.
Casey Affleck to Screen Film With Really Long Name at Fantastic Fest
Austinist Album Capsule : The Boggs & A Sunny Day In Glasgow
The Boggs Forts Forts is quite possibly a modern breakthrough in the use of fusing modern sampling and eclectic songwriting. The Boggs create a stirring soundscape of both cut-up and collage and multi-cultura pop songs around foreign noise with traditional rock elements (guitar, bass drums etc). There are elements of '60s influence in tunes like the left field "Kinkesque", "Little Windows" and bouncy glam rock ala "Arm In Arm". However, the album really starts going...
Austinist Interviews SXSW: The Hot Puppies
The BBC calls The Hot Puppies a "spiky girl-pop band hiding sharp talons and sardonic wit beneath their cool, Blondie-style new wave exterior." They have also won effusive praise from critics at The Guardian, who want The Hot Puppies to be "the next big thing." After six years together, the band signed to Fierce Panda and released their debut album Under The Crooked Moon in mid-2006. The confident and powerful Radio One Sessions tracks...
Austinist Interviews SXSW: Uncut
Canadian outfit Uncut recently unveiled their 2nd full length, Modern Currencies on Paper Bag Records. The band is adept at generating dance-rock walls of sound, with equal emphasis on electronic output and abundant guitars n’ bass (although they have been leaning towards the latter lately.) We were fortunate enough to catch them last year at SXSW during a day set at Brush Square Park, and excited that vocalist / guitarist and founding member Ian Worang answered our questions this year.
Austinist Interviews SXSW: I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness
Hometown rock stars I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness have finished two quick jaunts to Europe, are working on a new album, put together a terrifyingly beautiful music video for "The Owl" with Emmanuel Ho, and will be playing at SXSW. If you aren't already familiar with their unique brand of Peter Murphy meets Nick Cave inspired minimalist (but fist-flinging urban) post-rock, change your ways: you don't want to miss them live. Recently...
Movie Review: A Western In The Outback -- The Proposition
As a uniquely American genre, westerns have traveled a long and dusty trail since John Ford’s My Darling Clementine. In John Hillcoat’s The Proposition, the trail winds its way to the Australian Outback. Brutal yet brilliant, beautiful though bloody, the screenplay by Aussie rocker Nick Cave (The Bad Seeds) holds true to the elements of the genre: Symbolic of all things good is the woman from the east, a fight for survival and power against...
New Movie Releases: It's the Aussies vs. The Lutherans
It's pretty slim-pickins this week folks. Might we suggest getting out and enjoying some live music and one of our many swimming holes?

