What’s the Deal: There’s one main, overwhelming reason why The Blow made it into this week’s Le Diamant, and that’s because of their song “Parenthesis.” It’s the kind of cute and quirky pop tune that made the songs off the Juno soundtrack so viral. The Blow is the devious and rascally spawn from the mind of musician, visual artist and performer Khaela Maricich. The other half of the creative team that is The Blow is (or was) Jona Bechtolt. According to the group’s MySpace, Bechtolt has left the band, most likely to further his singing and programming in his solo project, YACHT. The Blow have this whole middle school crush ‘Do you like me? Check yes, no or maybe’ thing going on that sinks its teeth in all the way to the gums with a swirling mixture of video game-style electronics and poppy folk. more ›

In 1997, Carl Newman started a side project called The New Pornographers in Vancouver for fun. The cast of characters included the ridiculous gifts of both Neko Case and Destroyer's Dan Bejar, and an indie-pop collective for the ages was born. Now touring behind their fourth album Challengers, Newman and the other New Pornographers have somehow managed to continue the project in addition to each pursuing their solo aims. The band seems to grow in... more ›

You know how Texas has those new Film Incentives dollars to throw around now? Well, they're not limited to movies and Friday Night Lights only. The gaming industry gets a piece of that, too. And since there are over 50 gaming studios already in Austin (not to mention the availability of increasingly slick development/programming courses) it's a given that gaming will continue to blow up here in the Capitol City. But all that's a major... more ›

Given that Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" has become resolutely unfunny over the past month (even before she canceled), the title of "band with that one hit song that everyone loves" at ACL has fallen squarely on the shoulders of Sweden's Peter, Bjorn, and John. The group have been plugging away at their charming blend of pop, rock, and indie since 1999, and are anything but an overnight sensation. Their breakthrough hit "Young Folks" is actually... more ›

Not sure how we missed this, but Miramax and Wild About Movies are presenting a free screening of SXSW 07 favorite Eagle Vs. Shark tonight at the Regal Arbor. Though we haven't had the opportunity to see it yet, the New Zealand comedy got a lot of positive buzz during South By--and we loved the folks dressed in eagle and shark costumes walking around promoting it. Plus, it stars Flight of the Conchords member Jemaine... more ›

We don't know about where you are, but it seems like spring can't decide whether or not to happen. Some days are warm, some days are cold, and sometimes you aren't sure which. Baseball may have started up (and soccer/football winding down) but it still seems cold out there. Unless it's not. Anyways, onto the -ists. Austinist happily anticipated fall's Austin City Limits, even though they're not fully recovered from South By Southwest. In... more ›

*The views expressed in The Laurie Show are those of the author and do not represent Austinist as a whole.* -ed. note There are literally three separate schedules I'm keeping during the insanity known as South By Southwest: 1. The evening shows, of course. 2. The numerous day shows, complete with free alcoholic beverages and/or food, which is nice because obtaining some kind of nourishment in between running back and forth is most helpful.... 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 ›

Now in his fourth year as producer for the South By Southwest Film Festival, Matt Dentler might just be the busiest guy in the Austin film community. In addition to his year-round duties at SXSW Film, he's also a programmer for the mega-awesome Fantastic Fest, a curator for two national film distributors, an active blogger, television show host and occasional film festival panelist, judge and lecturer. And as if that weren't enough to keep him... more ›

*The views expressed in The Laurie Show are those of the author and do not represent Austinist as a whole.* -ed. note It's just a little over a week before the glorious chaos and insanity known as South By Southwest, and already my brain is about to explode because there's a lot to share with you kids. And that's a good thing. I've mentioned before that my column typically reflects ideas that inspire me... more ›

Tonight, as part of their South By Southeast: The Films of Thailand and Vietnam series, the Austin Film Society presents Ong-Bak, the breakout 2003 action film that brought martial arts whiz Tony Jaa to international attention. When a nasty big-city gangster steals a sacred Buddha head from a small Thai village (thereby severely messing up the village’s karma, or something), Ting (Jaa) ventures to Bangkok to recover it. With the help of his estranged con-artist... more ›

Austin-based Peel have been together since late 2004, and Austinist writers have recommended that you catch their show for almost two years! A youthful blend of indie pop with noisy drums, keyboards, and multiple vocalists, Peel wouldn't sound at all out of place on late 80's college radio. Their self-titled debut album finally arrives in early April. Last week, we spoke to Peel's Allison Moore about favorite bands, dive bars, and the business of... more ›

Tonight, as part of their South By Southeast: The Films of Thailand and Vietnam series, the Austin Film Society presents Last Life in the Universe, Pen-Ek Ratanaruang’s gorgeously pensive tale of violence, loneliness and love on the outskirts of Bangkok. Last Life tells the story of Kenji, a timid, obsessive-compulsive librarian whose attempt to hang himself is interrupted by his brother Yukio, a Japanese gang member on the run from a vindictive Yakuza boss. After... more ›

Tonight, as part of their South By Southeast: The Films of Thailand and Vietnam series, the Austin Film Society presents Academy Award nominee Anh Hung Tran's elegiac 2001 drama Vertical Ray of the Sun. Set in modern Hanoi, Vertical Ray of the Sun follows three sisters (Suong, Khanh and Lien) as they prepare a memorial feast in honor of their deceased parents. The more time the sisters spend together, the more they discover hidden truths... more ›

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... more ›

Emo's has made it onto Playboy.com's A-List of America's Ten Best Rock Clubs, chosen from among thousands of venues by musicians, music journalists and industry insiders. "One of the main venues for the annual South By Southwest booze-and-music bacchanal in the spring, Emo's remains at the center of this bohemian college town's vibrant music scene all year round," reads the gushing post, further clarifying that "the club's name is no indication of the genre... more ›

The first-ever Fun Fun Fun Fest is this Friday, December 1st, at Waterloo Park. Over two dozen great acts are on the bill, including Spoon, Peaches, The Black Angels, Prefuse 73, and DJ Mel. Tickets are $20, and can be purchased online. Circle Jerks perform on the Punk stage at 8:55pm. -- The Editors We’re excited to have you coming to Austin. You were here in March attending South By Southwest, right? I’ve been... more ›

Emo's is the place to be tonight as California experimental post-punkers Xiu Xiu bring their darkly gorgeous new album to life. If you caught Xiu Xiu at Emo's Annex during South By Southwest this year, you know that Jamie Stewart's noise-and-melody symphonies are even better live than they are on wax. Stewart and live partner Caralee McElroy make the absolute most out of their collection of drums, guitars, shakers, keys and noisemakers - all complimented by Stewart's alternately beautiful and unhinged vocals. more ›

Good news everybody: there’s still time to stop by the barbershop and get yourself a shaggy haircut before tonight’s Art Brut / We Are Scientists show! Just kidding – we fucking love these guys. And if you caught either of them at their wildly successful South By Southwest appearances earlier this year, you know that they’re both dynamite live acts. Both bands play catchy, angular art-rock that’s impossible not to dance to, and tonight’s... more ›

Just like Barbie had her hip, perky teen sibling Skipper, South By Southwest has its younger counterpart, SXSWclick. more ›

Just like Barbie had her hip, perky teen sibling Skipper, South By Southwest has its younger counterpart, SXSWclick. more ›

Austinist is rolling nonstop catching some South By action. The following are our thoughts on some SXSW films: Friends With Money (Drama) - Lovely and Amazing director Nicole Holofcener has returned with another "real life is the best kind of drama" film, and it's a good one. The cast includes Catherine Keener, Francis McDormand, Joan Cusack, and Jennifer Aniston, and all but Cusack have significant screen time. The movie's plot revolves around the life... more ›

Austinist is running around town (just like you) catching as much South By action as is possible this week. The following are our thoughts on the first three films we caught on Friday and Saturday: The Last Western (Documentary) - This short feature (65 minutes) tells stories from Pioneertown, CA, a small outpost built in the 1940's to film western movies. An oddball mix of drifters, eccentrics, and Roy Rogers fans have made the... more ›

Ushering in this season's South By Southwest reveleries is a party celebrating the launch of Marshall Escamilla and Emily Summerfield's label, Stem and Leaf Records. In a short letter to Austinist, Summerfield described her label as seeking a musical partnership in which "the songwriting is earnest, and that is consistently true, whether the songs are about girls, zombies, historical figures or whatever." The production of each album will reflect aesthetic values from the vinyl era,... more ›

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South By Southwest released another round of additions to the roster of bands scheduled to perform at this year's music festival (March 15th-19th), bringing the current total to nearly 1150. Notable bands recently added as of January 29th include Morrissey, Camera Obscura, Captain, Boy Hits Car, Billy Bragg, Bedtime for Toys, Division of Laura Lee, and SF's Hudson Bell. The full roster appears after the jump, or you check out much prettier versions at... more ›

Austin City Limits finished up only two days ago, but we're already planning for next year's South by Southwest. For those of you who are for sure attending the annual music/film industry blitz, you might consider picking up your badges early, while they're priced at their cheapest.
Of course, at $375 for a music badge (which gets you into all conferences, showcases, trade shows and a complementary bag-o'-swag), they're still hardly affordable for the layperson. For this year's, we opted for a $100 wristband (which only gets you into the nighttime showcases), and instead spent the days nursing hangovers, stalking musicians, and checking out free shows around town. Still, the truly rockstar among you might want to take advantage of this bargain pricing.
Until this Friday, you can get ahold of Music ($375), Film ($195), Interactive ($195), Gold (Film+Interactive, $295), and Platinum (All 3, $570) at savings of 30-40% off their final rates. These can be purchased here. Thanks to Suzie for pointing this out to Austinist!
Also, if you're considering playing at next year's festival, they'll be accepting applications through November 7th. Submit yours before October 7th (next Friday) and the fee is only $10 to apply.
South By Southwest dates:

Interactive: March 10-14

Film: March 10-18

Music: March 14-19
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