I don’t believe I’m properly equipped to "welcome" myself after yet another year of meeting with you on Tuesdays (sometimes Wednesdays, Thursdays, Whateverdays). And it’s not easy to express my gratitude to people I’ve never met. People who have so many different reasons for being here, for something so irreverently personal. So I’ll defer my copy to the illustrious Mr. Samuel Clemens, as he handed thanks to the Lotus Club in 1908. more ›

After a short hiatus, Overheard is back! This week's submissions come courtesy of Kenneth1, Sharon Chester, Yehudi Mercado, Nicklaus Louis, Holly Wood, Adam Schragin, Nic Poppe, and Alison Kothe. more ›

Glassy-eyed college student:Make me a sandwich robot. Equally glassy-eyed friend:Wait, do you mean "make me a sandwich, robot" or do you mean "make me a sandwich robot"? Like, are you calling me a robot or are you saying you want a robot that specializes in making sandwiches? Girl in the ladies bathroom at Gingerman pub: So I was sleeping with Steve the other night and after we were done I told him that the... more ›

“No,” he said, laughing. “I’m a pilot.” more ›

From the looks on everyone's faces Saturday night it appeared that a very sad event had apparently transpired, although we are not sure what it might have been. In other news we have noticed a lot of great deals on tickets for next week's football game. We're just glad that it was a bi-week for the longhorns, no game for them whatsoever. Yep, nothing to see here, move along. On the bright side we're... more ›

Excuse us while we step into the blogger battlefield compost bin. This isn't an attack; it’s just our new media way of recycling – turning lies into truth, melding age-old stereotypes into something a little more flattering. Al Gore is coming to town in October, people. It’s time to set things straight. Daisy Whitney runs a blog called “Trial and Error” over at TelevisionWeek where she keeps tabs on the ever-changing medium that is... more ›

Formed from the ashes of Split Enz, Crowded House may well have been the best pure pop-rock group of their era. Twenty-two years after their beginnings in Melbourne, Australia, Neil Finn and Nick Seymour have brought back Crowded House's classic songwriting and effortless melodies via a new album and tour. The group disbanded in 1996 and has weathered the shocking suicide of founding member Paul Hester, the disconnect of distance (Finn lives in Auckland,... more ›

Every fall, Austin looks forward to ACL Fest, and each year, there's always a point where two of your favorite bands are playing on different sides of the park at the exact same time. ACL Band Clash is a weekly series in which Austinist scribes Paige Maguire and Tom Thornton examine the worst ACL scheduling clashes, and try to provide good advice on finding a resolution. Well, good advice might be a stretch, but... more ›

In 2005, Bloc Party released their debut album Silent Alarm, a glorious highlight of the postpunk revival that the New York Times described as "angsty and urgent, with jagged guitars and sexy dance-punk drums." Unlike many of their British rock contemporaries, the band have aggressively toured America in the interim, stopping in Austin for both SXSW and ACL Fest in 2005 and 2007 and at Stubb's in 2006. This approach may help explain why... more ›

There's always been something undeniable about a quality West Coast power-pop record. From the mainstream success of Tom Petty's Full Moon Fever to the more obscure gems of The Posies and Jellyfish, the records in this oeuvre feel instantly memorable, lighter than air, and modestly perfect. Such sounds are likely what inspires The Broken West, a Los Angeles-based band that channels these sounds and those of Big Star and early Wilco on their debut... more ›

We recently had the opportunity to talk to the men behind the upcoming Out of Bounds Fest (and miniature golf tournament!), Jeremy Lamb and Shannon McCormick. The fest, which kicks off next Wednesday and runs for a week, is in its sixth year, and is quickly becoming one of the biggest, must-do comedy events in Austin. Can you give me a little bit of background on the festival and when it started? Jeremy Lamb: Sure.... more ›

Every year comedians from around the area assemble to compete for the coveted title of "Funniest Person in Austin." For this month's installment in our interview series with performers from Austin's local comedy scene, we caught up with this year's winner—Bryan Gutmann. How long have you been doing stand-up? About three years now. I had been thinking about trying stand-up longer than that, but it took a while to get up the courage. What brought... more ›

Every fall, Austin looks forward to ACL Fest, and each year, there's always a point where two of your favorite bands are playing on different sides of the park at the exact same time. ACL Band Clash is a weekly series in which Austinist scribes Paige Maguire and Tom Thornton examine the worst ACL scheduling clashes, and try to provide good advice on finding a resolution. Well, good advice might be a stretch, but... more ›

*The views expressed in Truesday are those of the author and do not represent Austinist as a whole. Thank heavens.* -The Editors Initially, I planned on writing about the boat-party-Summer-Extrav-O-Ganza thing. But, I didn’t attend, so I’d be talking out of my ass. Well, I'd be pulling more out of my ass than normal. So I won’t even touch on that event, as I’d just be speculating without a real purpose. (though I soooooo... more ›

Since their inception in 2001, Portland's The Decemberists have channeled a unique and wide-ranging set of influences (be it R.E.M., Irish folkfore, or Russian literature) into classic indie-pop that has found a large and fervent fanbase. The group's 2006 major label debut The Crane Wife both amazed and shocked music critics, who loved the material but could hardly believe the band's audacity, as two 11-plus minute epics were featured on the disc. The bold... more ›

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... more ›

*The views expressed in Truesday are those of the author and do not represent Austinist as a whole. Thank heavens.* -The Editors It’s about the mind and the body. A connection. That the product of the mind is little more than a projected representation of the physical health of its container, and that any fissure in the cemented form which constructs the human body will be the single thread to be pulled at the... more ›

Ready the coolers and swimsuits, for summer is soon upon us. Although technically summer doesn't start for a few more days it certainly feels like we're living it as we speak. Not that we're complaining, we love it, we're just pointing it out for those who might have not been paying attention. Barton Springs, the lakes, tubing, cold beer, ACL; count us in! It's not just a way to beat the heat, It's way... more ›

Hello fellow humidity monsoon victims. You are still in Austin, and have not been transported to Portland. Although we do thank you for your attempt to drive in a normal manner during this "crisis." We hope that you have had a few chances to get out and get your skill set polished for the upcoming summer connection series. To help you learn what NOT to do we've published the best of last week's Missed... more ›

We’ve had a soft spot for Jamie Kennedy ever since his performance as mega film geek Randy Meeks in Wes Craven’s Scream. And we’ve also spent a lot of time watching his short-lived but very funny hidden-camera show, The Jamie Kennedy Experiment (which for our money was much more daring and inventive than that lame-ass Punk’d. For example…). At the tail end of South by Southwest this year, we got a chance to chat with... more ›

*The views expressed in Truesday are those of the author and do not represent Austinist as a whole. Thank heavens.* -The Editors As you read these lines, dearest reader of the internets, I am completely far away from all forms of civilization which typically provide access to web-related entertainment such as: donkey porn, fark, and the constantly intriguing-yet-face-f*cking issue of “who owns Anna Nicole Smith’s baby this week?” So I’m somewhere stupid remote, because... more ›

Saturday evenings at SXSW are usually a disappointment. Everyone is tired, bands are weary, and lines seem to be at a peak. Last year, our Saturday was completely transformed when we attended Hot Chip's showcase at The Parish. Despite some equipment troubles, the band's mix of electronics, enthusiasm, and tough-guy lyrics had the crowd dancing and roaring approval to the point that the floor quaked. Since then, the group have won NME's single of... more ›

This month, the Austinist kicks off a monthly interview series with local alt-comedy performers featuring interviews with Austin's best stand-up, spoken word, sketch, improvisation, and comedic actors. For the inaugural interview, we hooked-up with Lisa deLarios, local stand-up and frequent performer on some of Austin's best know stages. She recently returned from performing at this year's Aspen Comedy Festival, and discusses New York, being an agrarian at heart and getting her start. How long have... more ›

Austin filmmaker Bob Ray's Hell on Wheels tells the story of Austin's roller derby revival, following a group of hard-hitting Texas women who pulled the sport from the brink of obscurity and into the international spotlight. Five years in the making, this rock-meets-rollerskates doc will be premiering at this years' South by Southwest film festival. We recently had a chance to talk to Bob about Roller Derby, filmmaking and one-man bands. How did Hell on... more ›

One of the films we're most excited about seeing at this year's South By Southwest Film Festival is Laura Dunn's The Unforeseen, a documentary look at the controversy surrounding Austin's real estate development and its impact on the Edwards Aquifer and on Barton Springs. Co-executive-produced by Terrence Malik and Robert Redford (who reportedly learned to swim at Barton Springs), the film explores the unseen relationships between our natural environment and our urge to destroy it.... more ›

Since moving to Austin in the early 90s to attend film school at UT, Bryan Poyser has become a fixture in the local film scene. A co-founder of the Cinematexas Film Festival, Bryan has also spent time as a producer at SXSW Film, and is currently Director of Artist Services for the Austin Film Society. And on top of all that, he makes movies. With two shorts and two features under his belt (one of... more ›

In the last year, Greg Gillis' Girl Talk has become a sort of household name for the music community at large as his third full length album, was #7 on our year end list here at Austinist (follow the link to read our review of it), and we can't wait to see what the live show brings at SXSW. Recently we had a chance to hear from Gillis himself on his life in the Pittsburgh medical research community, his last experience in Austin, and his thoughts on the mash-up. more ›

We were so excited when Thomas Dolby graced our city with his presence last year, and when the prospect of an interview with the pioneer came our way last week, we literally planned our weekend around it. Now, the thrill has gone and we’re left with some wonderfully insightful responses from the master himself. Enjoy. And then jam out that Grammys performance again. Are you working on new studio material? When can we expect... more ›

If you asked us what Richard Kelly’s 2001 sci-fi/thriller/mystery masterpiece Donnie Darko is about, we’d probably answer with something utterly inadequate like, “Um—it’s about a teenager, and a creepy bunny, and the end of the world”. But we’d also suggest that the only way you’ll ever understand what it's about is to watch it. This weekend, you’ll get the chance to do just that as the Alamo Drafthouse presents a special screening of the cult... more ›

There’s always a group of youth, every three years or so, who is “on the cusp of DOING something!” Something amazing. Massive in potential scope! Probably artistic and important! Maybe even important on a national if not international scale! more ›