Free Week is still kicking -- hard. There's a veritable horde of bands to catch tonight and tomorrow. ...

TUESDAY [24] party • KLRU, Downtown Austin Alliance and Action Figure host a party for Season 3 of "Downtown" at Seaholm Power Plant (7:30pm, Free, Bring a Canned Good) POSTPONED books • Rob Neyer and Jim Baker present Baseball Prospectus 2007 at BookPeople (7:00pm) comedy • Tig Notaro and Steve Burr at Cap City Comedy Club film • AFS Essential Series: "Funny Games" at Alamo Downtown film • "Shaft" with Free 40! at Alamo......

THURSDAY [19] benefit/music • Do512 and Direct Events co-host a benefit for Groundwork Music with Tammany Hall, The Boxing Lesson at La Zona Rosa (RSVP for Free Entry, $5 Cover Otherwise) books • "The Art of Travel and Travel Writing" with Lonely Planet writer Alex Hershey and Stephanie Elizondo Griest at Intellectual Property (5:00pm) books • The Texas Monthly Author Series presents Ian Rankin at BookPeople (7:00pm) film • Movies in the Park: "Talladega......

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......

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 [7] music • Chicken Ranch Records, Obsolete Industries, Hold Fast, and 086 Studio present their Third Annual Christmas Shindig with The Ugly Beats, Automusik at Longbranch Inn ($5 or bring a new toy for Blue Santa, 8pm) music • Atomic Bitchwax, Pearls & Brass, Dixie Witch, The Flood at Emo's music • The Big Fix, O:A, Hellapeno at Stubb's music • Earl Greyhound, The Early Tapes, The Paper South at The Mohawk music......

WEDNESDAY [20] film • Cinematexas Fest at Various (Various) ® music • Acid King, Black Cobra, The High Divers, Ghetto Princess at Emo's music • Lebanon (ISRAEL), Snake Trap, UME, Something Fierce at Beerland music • Five Times August, Stephen Speaks at Cactus Café music • Jet at La Zona Rosa ® music • Secret Weapons, Til We're Blue or Destroy and The Quicks at The Chain Drive (9pm) food • Angel Valley Organic......

FRIDAY [25] food • Hatch Chile Festival at Central Market North Lamar (8am-9pm) shopping • Flipnotics Clothespad celebrates its 14th anniversary by hosting a big sidewalk sale, with $10 "Stuff a Bag" vintage threads for the ladies and 20% everything else (8am-9pm) books • Robin Meyers presents Why the Christian Right is Wrong: A Minister's Manifesto for Taking Back Your Faith, Your Flag, Your Future at BookPeople (7pm) music • Gorilla Biscuits, Terror, Comeback......

THURSDAY [13] [art] Opening reception for new work by Jeffrey Dell and Marjorie Moore at d berman gallery (Free, 6-8pm) (link) [music] The Paper Chase, Billy Nayer Show, Hello Lovers, the Snake Trap at Emo's (link) [music] Powerman 5000 and Powderburn at the Parish (link) [music] Yellowman at Flamingo Cantina (link) [music] Butch Hancock at Cactus Café (Through Thursday) (link) [music] Goodbye Stranger, Manager's Choice, Surrender Avenue at Trophy's ($4, 9pm) (link) [art] Luke Savisky......

MONDAY [10] [music] Rancid, Street Dogs, Complete Control at Emo's (link) [music/party] End of an Ear and XL Recordings presents a special midnight sale and listening party for Thom Yorke’s The Eraser, with loads of giveaways! Plus, hear new albums from Peaches, Sufjan Stevens and others at Emo's Lounge (Free, 10pm-1am) (link) [music] Girls' Tribute to Clifford Antone with Marcia Ball, Angela Strehil, Lou Ann Barton, Toni Price, Carolyn Wonderland, and Eve Monsee at Antone's......