Every night, in Austin and all across the country, young Americans decide that they're not going out tonight, they're not going out tomorrow and they're reevaluating the whole 'going out' thing. What makes them give up on going out and how can we avoid becoming those people? more ›

When the debate is done, each of us will take time to reflect on the solemn decision that lies before us... more ›

Image from Birds Barbershop Man FestSaturday, December 1Birds Barbershop (2110 S. Lamar)Free, 2pm-7pm[info]Need a dose of machismo this weekend? Get your arm wrestling biceps and triceps warmed up for some very manly fun at Man Fest — a free testosterone-filled afternoon hosted by PartyEnds.com at Birds Barbershop. This is the kick off event for the salon's Man Month, where men's hair products are half off with a purchase of a cut. There’s going to be... more ›

(Okay, what I’m about to tell you may not be true. So don’t hold me to it. And anyway, the point of its telling isn’t veracity, but rather the very real fact that it was [justly or un] canonized by bar employees, show goers, and the rest of the whiskey-breath'd throngs of Sixth Street and Red River, circa three or four years ago.) more ›

Image by The Young Adorable, Daetron Vargas DJ Mel Guests In For Radio On, TonightThursday, November 15PLUSH (617 Red River St.)10pm-2am, 21+ only, Free[info] Sure, Mel’s best known for his longstanding hip hop gig at Nasty’s every Monday, and then there are his quarterly Rock Tha Casbah parties which we here at the Ist like to get whiskey bent and sweat buckets. But he’s got more tricks up his sleeves than that. And tonight he’ll... more ›

Flyer distributed by Pangaea AustinFor better or worse, Austin's new safari-themed nightclub in the Warehouse District will host its (doubtlessly) over-the-top grand opening next Friday, November 16. Pangaea, a so-called "ultra-lounge," takes over the former Alamo Drafthouse space. It was originally scheduled to open on Halloween, but evidently the tribal accoutrements didn't show up in time. Here's what you guys had to say when we first posted about it: "I think they want to go... more ›

It’s almost Halloween weekend, and you’re getting the final details of your costume all worked out. It’s going to be face-slapping rad this year because your best friend said they were going to be decked out as Osama Bin Laden, which forced your hand in the Mummy vs Statue Of Liberty debate. Time to make your parents proud. You need somewhere to sport yourselves as a happy couple. You need an environment where profiling such... more ›

Emo’s presents a southern style country-rock bonanza tonight. The wonderfully named Whiskey & Co. kick things off at 10 p.m. with authentic country sounds and impressive song titles such as “Nightlife” and “Happy Hour”, streaming readily on their MySpace page. When we last spoke with one of Nashville’s favorite sons, Bobby Bare Jr., we learnt of the upcoming Bare Jr. reunion in November, as well as Bobby’s desire to possibly incorporate the banjo in his... more ›

Remember back in those halcyon summer days, when kids with spike-swoop haircuts would sulk over to your house on their skateboards, kick-flipping the whole way, bangs covering everyone’s pot-reddened eyes, just to bask in your glory as Thrasher’s newly claimed “heir to the Hosoi throne”? Man, those were the days. The chicks, the sponsorships, the Jimmy Z woody, all the righteous goodness. Remember that? No? Of course not. That's probably because like the rest of... more ›

Let’s be honest—on your average trip to an adult store, you're likely to experience omnipresent feelings of shame, paranoia, and pressure from the moment you cross the threshold. Sure, you may feel a little uncomfortable and out of place if you don’t often find yourself surrounded by an array of dildos and sex slings, but the employees in most adult establishments make no effort to alleviate the tension or create an open, welcoming environment.... more ›

Have you ever wanted to see a group of people launch themselves off of a pier 30 foot above Lady Bird Lake? If you answered yes, then you're in luck. Red Bull is bringing Flugtag back to Austin this Saturday night. Enjoy yourself on Auditorium Shores as you watch some of the bravest and/or craziest people in town show off what they've been crafting for months. The evening will also include a visit from... more ›

SkylesBayne Company has an interesting property for sale - 18,048 square feet at the corner of Sixth and Red River for a tasty $265 per square foot. You may know it as the home to Emo's Lounge. SkylesBayne is also doing some powerful guerrilla marketing on a new website called "craigslist." The listing claims to include both Emo's lounge and Emo's itself, but we've been told that only Emo's Lounge is for sale.... more ›

Austin native Rebecca Rosenberg has been living in South Korea teaching English, and she wants to share her experiences abroad with all of Austin. Austinist believes that we could all use some Korean culture. After nine months away from Austin, working as an English teacher in South Korea, I most miss lying on the grass with a margarita, relaxing at the meat market that is Barton Springs, with a Shady Thing pilfered from the... more ›

Maybe you’ve been wondering whether or not you actually have a sense of humor lately. Like everyone else is laughing at jokes or sketched comedic situations, but you’re just sitting there all awkwardly quiet, like a turd in an ice machine. Maybe you’ve become a sour puss with no more feeling for the silliness of the world around you. Maybe you’ve wasted away into that clichéd armchair cynic who pisses all over everything to... more ›

THURSDAY NIGHT! It was one year ago (with some down-rounding) that we first started darkening the patio of Beauty Bar. Back then they didn’t have the credit card machine working just yet, but their cheap Lone Star & whiskey specials kept things kosher on the cash front. It’s been a pretty wild year for them ever since, what with the arrival of those blessed credit card machines (there’s no money quite like fake money)... more ›

This Saturday at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, there will be badass doin’s a-transpirin'. We have various Blanton parties. We had the whole Radical NY! at the AMOA (which the writer who posted on it completely ruined by misspelling the names of extremely popular artists, and just appearing to be a twat of an art icon ignoramus in general), and if you attend(ed) these events, you’ve likely felt the energy surrounding the concept:... more ›

Valentine’s Day may be over, but that doesn’t mean the love has to end. If you’re looking for a special way to celebrate with a partner/friend/whoever – and benefit Amnesty International while you’re at it – may we suggest attending the next Burlesque for Peace event this Saturday, February 17th? This year’s theme is “Black Tie Burlesque,” and prizes will be awarded for the best James Bond, Bond girl, and Bond villain costumes. The... more ›

Couldn't score a table at Aquarelle? Arby's not going to cut it with your sweetie? Why not try a little Free Sex in Public this Valentine's Day? Whoa, whoa, you've got it all wrong tiger. Pull those pants up! Please refrain from actually fornicating in the streets this Valentine's Day. For the seventh year in a row Austin's literary wonder woman, Spike Gillespie, will assemble her unusual cadre of poets, musicians, amateur psychotherapists and friends... more ›

In the Enchanted Forest this Saturday, sins will be turned into creative energy with The Opening of Pandora's Box, an evening of performances based on the seven deadly sins. The dizzying lineup includes live music from Ratty Scurvics Singularity from New Orleans, AtticTed (described as "perfect for an insane asylum filled with country, gothic, carnival music,"), fire performers, shadow puppetry, hula hooping and acrobatics, DJ Placebo, 50-ft. fireballs, the Carousel Cabaret Burlesque, That Damned Band,... more ›

Now in its thirtieth year, Carnaval Brasilero returns to Austin this Saturday. Over 6,000 Austinites are expected to attend the flamboyant Brazilian-style celebration of Samba-fuelled half-nakedness, funky costumes, friendliness and hedonism. This year will once again feature NYC samba band Grupo Saveiro and performers from local samba school Acadêmicos da Opera. The Carnaval web site notes that Grupo Saveiro was “twice voted ‘the best Brazilian group in the United States’ by the Brazilian International Press... more ›

Already considered the "Best New Club in Austin" by those who know, the Mohawk continues its ever-accelerating expansion with the introduction of the Grizzly Bar, a "happy hour saloon" that will operate inside the Mohawk from 5-8pm on most days. Think of it as a place to enjoy a leisurely post-work drink before really starting your evening programming. The Grizzly Bar will be a daily platform for political banter, beer pyramids, spitting, and arm wrestling.... more ›

In 2002, Suzan-Lori Parks, one of America's most exciting modern playwrights, wrote a new play every single day. Sometimes a famous person would die, so she'd write a little play about them; then our country went to war, and Parks wrote some plays about that. "[It was] kind of like walking a pilgrimage on my knees," says Parks. Now those plays are being performed all over the country, with Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Denver,... more ›

It was the winter of 1997. Toronto. Some big and atrocious-looking gallery on the edge of pig-windowed Chinatown. That’s where we first got to see the brilliance of Keith Haring up close. Well, “up close” isn’t all that necessary when the piece is thirty goddamn feet tall, but it was really there. In all it’s simplistic glory. Thoughtful. Angry. People with dog-heads and politics. You could almost touch it with your tongue it was... more ›

Food. Booze. Art. Local Music. What else is there in life? The good folks over at YTCC have put together the ultimate party this weekend: Party Art: The Art Party!, this Saturday at Art Amici. There's so much packed into this one little soiree that we have to resort to a bulleted list to tell you about all the goodness: Food from Chow Baby, wine from Treana Winery, and cheese from Central Market. Performances... more ›

This month's Dionysium is going on an insect theme. We're excited to see that it looks like Wayne Alan Brenner is going to be "guest-curating" the evening. Here's the line-up of what's going on: AN APOLOGY Chronicle writer Wayne Alan Brenner delivers a formal apology for his ill-advised, cockroach-based eco-sabotage of our fair City A PRESENTATION UT Entomologist Barrett Klein presents his miniature sculptures and graphics, with notes about the insects they're based on... more ›

Are you ready to get naughty this weekend? There are some sexy carnies begging you to play their games at this year's Extravagasm 2006: Carnival of the Senses. Free your Saturday night plans and take your sexiest costume out of the closet. This celebration of sensuality, eroticism, and creative naughtiness offers a fun, frivolous, and safe environment to explore the risqué. Performers include fetish model and performer Angela Ryan, burlesque group Kitty Kitty Bang... more ›

Tis time to Rock The Motherfucking Casbah! DJ Mel’s on his 24th iteration of this id-driven spectacle of sweaty, drunken 80s fantasticalness. The ladies of Boom Chica Boom will be back on the stage to show off their ass-shaking skills, and you should be out in the crowd forgetting about your papers, mid-terms, mortgage, or that looming paternity suit you’ve been ducking for the last two years. DNA matching proves nothing except that nerds... more ›

Tonight, appropriately on Friday the 13th, is the opening of the Haunted Forest, which is described as “a spectacularly terrifying experience that is part twisted performance art, part wicked art installations, and total freak the bejesus out of your soul.” We’ve been to haunted houses, but the idea of a three acre haunted forest sounds like much more scary fun. Tonight, there will be music by Gorch Fock and the Jolly Rogers and through... more ›

This Friday at the Vortex, Sinsations Adult Boutique is hosting an Erotic Carnival benefiting AIDS Services of Austin. People are encouraged to dress up and enjoy burlesque performances by Red Light Burlesque, Vixen Nixon, Cardinal Cyn, Bonbon Vivant, Sindee Lux, The Oriah, Wesleann, Nicole Labry, Ruby Lamb, Lacy Graves and Cherry Freeze of Satan’s Cheerleaders, plus "suspension performances" by Diablo Rojo and rope bondage by Mark Yu and guests. As if that weren't enough lovely... more ›

We've all been there: every weekend at every bar in Downtown Austin, men are faced with the same questions. Do I look up? Do I look down? Could I pop my neck without some guy punching me in the face? It's that great social complex of the public bathroom, and it's been confusing men worldwide since the introduction of the urinal. We tried to find out who invented the urinal and were unsuccessful. But,... more ›