Tired of staying in your house to watch the Oscars, all seventy hours of them? Want to heckle in the company of others? Couture make you really hungry?...

Austinist is pleased to bring you the chance to win a pair of tickets to Saturday evening’s sold out Rodrigo y Gabriela show at La Zona Rosa. Astute guitarists both, Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero spent some time plying their trade in a metal band (Tierra Acida) in Mexico before striking the right chords under their current moniker. The duo’s discography consists of Foc (2001), re-Foc (2003), Live: Manchester and Dublin (2004), and 2006’s self-titled effort; their instrumental takes on Metallica’s “Orion” and Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway To Heaven” are already semi-cult classics....

Sharon Jones is a 51-year-old overnight sensation to some, but it's unlikely she'd see it that way. An active vocalist since the 1970's, Jones played music for years as a side gig while working day jobs at Riker's Island and as a Wells Fargo armored car guard. During a background vocal session in 1996, she met musician/engineer Bosco Mann, who became her primary collaborator. Jones spent the late 90's performing with the Desco Super Soul Revue, forming the Dap-Kings in 2000 after the Revue's demise. The band have released three albums on their own label since their inception, and have toured incessantly to build a large and fervent fanbase. They specialize in old-school soul music that doesn't sound out of place next to Aretha, Otis, Al Green, or Motown. This sound was so compelling that in 2006, producer Mark Ronson hired the Dap-Kings to perform on Amy Winehouse's Back To Black as well as his hit European solo album Version. Their latest release 100 Days, 100 Nights has received a warm critical reception, and Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings will arrive in Austin Saturday for a show to promote the disc at Antone's....

Fold up your cardboard squares, strap on your backpacks and pull out that old copy of 1996's Endtroducing..... to brush up on your samples. That is, if you were one of those people who already have a ticket to see DJ Shadow Friday night at La Zona Rosa, because it’s sold out. There’s sure to be plenty of knob-twiddling, 45 flipping and mixer, uh, mixing for this experimental hip-hop set as he teams up with Cut Chemist yet again to dominate a bunker fortified with eight or so turntables. ...

unattributed press photo Regina Spektor at Stubb’sTuesday, November 6thStubbs [map]$22.50 SOLD OUT, doors at 7[venue info][Regina Spektor Website][MySpace]Tonight, Russian import and all-around cutie Regina Spektor will deliver her charming sense of humor and attitudinous tunes to Stubb’s. And if it feels like she was just here, it’s because she pretty much was, with an evening position at the Austin City Limits Festival followed up by an intimate performance for her ACL show taping—both of these......

Dean and Gene Ween are playing this evening at Stubb's, which is sure to be the high-water mark of the year as far as glue-sniffing tongue-in-cheek former Garage-Proggers go. Even though you most likely already have heard of Ween, for those of you who haven't they're basically Garbage Pail Kids + They Might Be Giants. A gross, unfair distillation of their wide-ranging catalog, to be sure, but the show is sold out anyway. Oh......

Next year's Olympic Games in Beijing won't be quite as explosive as Neo-Tokyo's futuristic Games. From the title character's astonishing powers to Tetsuo's astonishing rage, Akira represents a truly revolutionary advance in anime, not to mention some prescient observations about the unchecked ruthlessness of government. A ground-breaking anime film, Akira was one of the first displays of truly excellent animation. Adapted from Katsuhiro Otomo's manga series (also called Akira), the movie follows both delinquents and......

This morning marks the release of the ACL 2007 schedule grid. This is probably the most stressful day of the year for the avid ACL festivalgoer, as hopes of seeing every act one likes are dashed when seeing how many of your favorite bands are playing at the exact same time. It's impossible to program such a big festival without a couple of conflicts, but three stand out to us this year as particularly......

In one of the most anticipated shows of the year, two of this generation's most beloved singer-songwriters and one young up-and-comer are gonna be strumming the night away this evening at Emo's. Ben Gibbard, the bespectacled teddy bear that fronts Death Cab for Cutie has teamed up with David Bazan (aka Pedro the Lion, going by his own name) and mussy-haired crooner Johnathan Rice (Jenny Lewis' beau, lucky stiff...) There's a reason this show......

Tennessee's Kings Of Leon are HUGE in Europe. Their modern Southern rock owes as much to The Strokes as it does to The Allmans, meaning that the group appeals to classic rock hounds as well as some of the indie kids. KoL hit Stubb's tonight in a sold-out show supporting their third album Because Of The Times, which has gotten raves from The Onion, Entertainment Weekly, and Filter. There's no shortage of loud guitars,......

WEDNESDAY [9] books • Amy Guth presents Three Fallen Women at BookWoman (7:00pm) comedy • Jimmie Roulette at Cap City Comedy Club film • Texas Doc Tour: "Ten Under Ten 2007" at Alamo Downtown film • "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" with Golden Ticket Giveaway at Alamo Downtown film • Weird Wednesdays: "Cop Killers" at Alamo Downtown food • Angel Valley Organic Farm Farmstand at Asian American Cultural Center, 11713 Jollyville Road (10am-2pm) food......

Tomorrow marks the start of the Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival. If you had any doubt that our town is becoming more foodie and cosmopolitan, you need only look at the myriad "SOLD OUT" announcements on the THCWFF's site to quickly lose that notion. But while many tastings are already full, we still see two events on the wine calendar well worth recommending as last minute bookings: A Wine Dinner w/ Simi......

MONDAY [5] art • Opening Reception for Sarah Canright and Melissa W. Miller: Measured Strokes at The Sarofim School of Fine Arts, Fine Arts Gallery (6-7:30pm) benefit/music • Heather Love Fest Benefit with Dan Dyer & Friends, John Pointer, Govinda, DJ Chicken George, BIGFACE, DJ Mahealani, DJ Chris, DJ Trey Lopez,DJ Orian, Performance by the Super Sonic Soul Squad, Complimentary Appetizers and TONS of Raffle and Silent Auction Prizes at Saba, Cedar Street, and......

TUESDAY [20] books • Melissa "Melicious" Joulwan presents Rollergirl: Totally True Tales From The Track at BookPeople (7:00pm) film • TMNT 2: Secret of the Ooze Pizza Party at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Polyester at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • AFS Essential: Iron Island at Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar music • The Roots with Lupe Fiasco at Stubb's (Early, Sold Out) music • Kodo Drummers at The Paramount Theatre music • Hilary York......

That's right: it's time to heat up your winter nights again, with the 14th season of FronteraFest. The Short Fringe, the Long Fringe, or Mi Casa es su Teatro -- FronteraFest is five weeks of alternative, offbeat, new, and just plain off-the-wall fringe theatre presented by Hyde Park Theatre and Austin Script Works. For complete FronteraFest 2007 information, including times and locations for the Short Fringe, the Long Fringe and Mi Casa es su Teatro,......

That's right: it's time to heat up your winter nights again, with the 14th season of FronteraFest. The Short Fringe, the Long Fringe, or Mi Casa es su Teatro -- FronteraFest is five weeks of alternative, offbeat, new, and just plain off-the-wall fringe theatre presented by Hyde Park Theatre and Austin Script Works. For complete FronteraFest 2007 information, including times and locations for the Short Fringe, the Long Fringe and Mi Casa es su Teatro,......

That's right: it's time to heat up your winter nights again, with the 14th season of FronteraFest. The Short Fringe, the Long Fringe, or Mi Casa es su Teatro -- FronteraFest is five weeks of alternative, offbeat, new, and just plain off-the-wall fringe theatre presented by Hyde Park Theatre and Austin Script Works. For complete FronteraFest 2007 information, including times and locations for the Short Fringe, the Long Fringe and Mi Casa es su......

That's right: it's time to heat up your winter nights again, with the 14th season of FronteraFest. The Short Fringe, the Long Fringe, or Mi Casa es su Teatro -- FronteraFest is five weeks of alternative, offbeat, new, and just plain off-the-wall fringe theatre presented by Hyde Park Theatre and Austin Script Works. For complete FronteraFest 2007 information, including times and locations for the Short Fringe, the Long Fringe and Mi Casa es su......

FRIDAY [19] film • AFS presents a new 35mm print of The Rules of the Game at Dobie Theatre film • Spike & Mike's Sick & Twisted Festival 2007 at Alamo Downtown (7pm, 9:30pm, 11:58pm) Most events are probably back on schedule, but call ahead just to be sure. music • The Weird Weeds, W-S Burn, Brian Sookram, Jonathan Horne at The Peacock ($3, 9pm) art • Two Mongolian Artists From Two Generations: D.......

Now that we're in mid-January, club bookings for winter and spring shows are beginning to emerge. While much internet browsing has already been done looking for the SXSW 2007 lineup, there are also plenty of great touring shows dropping in outside of those dates (thankfully). New shows from The Roots, Explosions In The Sky, Midlake, and a Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard double bill top the new additions, but there is plenty here for all musical......

FRIDAY [10] music • Tilly and the Wall, The Tyde, Pony Up at Emo's music • The Places, 4 Hungry Tummies, Ralph White, Ryan Anderson at Emo's Lounge music • Jolie Holland w. Sonny Smith at The Parish Room music • The Alice Rose at Waterloo Records music • CREEPOUT Fest: Chumps, Bulemics, The Ends,The Wolves at Beerland music • Regina Spektor with Only Son at Antone's (Sold Out) music • The Black, Horse......

She's arty, but her songs are as catchy as hell. She was an anti-folk regular on the New York club scene, but also hangs out with The Strokes. Tonight, Antone's hosts the entertaining contradicton that is Regina Spektor in a sold out show. Spektor's latest album Begin To Hope has received accolades from NPR, Pitchfork, The Onion, and Rolling Stone, so we suppose that just about everyone likes it. The disc is a blend of......

Almodóvar gets a rare and worthy second look: Beginning next Friday, October 6th, the Arbor has a two-week treat for fans of Pedro Almodóvar. The controversial and flamboyant director of All About My Mother and Talk To Her will receive the retrospective treatment, as the Arbor shows new prints of eight of Pedro's films until October 19th. Titles include early classics Matador and Law Of Desire, which are not even available on DVD in......

FRIDAY [15] music • Ghostland Observatory and Thee Emergency at The Mohawk (912 Red River) ® party • Earthdance at NiaSpace (7:30pm-10pm, $15) party • Eastside City Limits party with Pink Nasty, Tnlons Fort, I Kill Cars, Missing Tapes, Brothesr and Sisters, Til We're Blue or Destroy, The Black at Red Scoot Inn and Old Austin Daze Compound (9pm-4am, FREE) ® party • Teleport Door presents the Pop Yo Colla' party with DJs Daniel......

Our favorite London-based art rockers, Bloc Party, will be at Stubb's Thursday night with J Versus K. Their debut, Silent Alarm, was voted by NME critics as the best of 2005, and their upcoming release (we've heard September) promises to be incredible. Look for songs like "Waiting For The 7.18," "Uniform," and "Perfect Teens" at the show, as they are tastes of the new album. The bill originally included Denmark's prog-rock darlings Mew as......

In her more than 60 years as Washington reporter---covering every president since JFK---Helen Thomas has earned respect, admiration, and a front-row seat in the press room. She’s also earned a reputation for her no-holds-barred questions---a reputation that got her booted to the back of the room and virtually ignored by the current administration. Now Thomas is directing her questions---and her barbs---at her fellow journalists. In her latest book, Watchdogs of Democracy?: The Waning Washington Press......

THURSDAY [6] [film] Hanging Tough: The Boy Band Sing Along at Alamo Downtown (7pm, Sold Out) (link) [film] Patton at Paramount Theatre (7:30pm) (link) [music] We Will Rock You: The Queen Sing Along at Alamo Downtown (9:45pm, $10) (link) [film] Terror Thursdays: Parents at Alamo Downtown (11:50pm, FREE) (link) [books] Helen Thomas presents Watchdogs of Democracy at Austin Marriott at the Capitol (6pm, $5 in advance or at the door) (link) [books] Sheila Kohler and......

MONDAY [3] [film] Sergeant York at Paramount Theatre (7pm) (link) [film] Hands on a Hard Body at Rounders Pizzeria (8pm, FREE) (link) [film] Swingers at Austin Java (8pm, FREE) (link) [film] Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill at Café Mundi (8pm, FREE) (link) [film] Pride of the Yankees at Paramount Theatre (9:20pm) (link) [music] Quintron & Miss Pussycat, Pong, Harry Merry at Emo's (link) [music] Mendoza Line at Hole in the Wall (link) [music] Black Crowes......

WEDNESDAY [28] [film] AFS 20th Anniversary Screening: Godard's Weekend at Alamo Downtown (7pm) (link) [film] Premiere of A Scanner Darkly with film score composer Graham Reynolds leading live performance at Paramount Theatre (5pm, 7pm) (link) [film] The Blindfolded Reformer at the Vortex with free Tito's vodka (Free, 7pm) (link) [books] Texas Monthly Bookclub presents Sarah Bird's The Flamenco Academy, hosted by Mike Shea at BookPeople (7pm) (link) [music] Awesome Cool Dudes, Daniel Francis Doyle, Zom......