There is nothing wrong with this article if you've never lived in Austin. The author, who is now an Austinite, writes a glowing review of Austin and tells everyone to come live here because everything is perfect! Let's all sit around a campfire and respond to each point of his article! more ›

This month, the rapidly expanding homegrown taco chain Torchy’s Tacos introduces new menu items for the first time in three years. The four new offerings include three tacos and a street corn side. more ›

The first-ever mobile version of the festival schedule, which always seems destined for ruin in its paper form, was released on Tuesday. And with the festival growing to three days plus the addition of FFF Nites, the timing couldn't have been better. The app features the standard fare, scrollable version of the schedule, organizable by time or stage and the crucial custom schedule that makes festival apps so great (especially for the easily distracted and easily intoxicated). In addition, the app features a pretty extensive list of taco spots in Austin, a transportation guide to get you to said tacos, and a photo feature that allows you to share pictures of the aforementioned using Instagram (or anything FFF related). It's smart, it's easy but mostly it's the best tool you've got for making this the smoothest fest yet. It's available for download from the iTunes store, and you can expect more surprises from the hardworking festival before November. more ›

Saturday at Fiesta Gardens, thousands will sing, dance, eat and drink to the sounds of everyone from Ozomatli to Maneja Beto to Toy Selectah at the fourth iteration of the Pachanga Latino Music Festival. And while the music and the lakeside setting are undoubtedly the main attractions, the organizers behind the event are foodies, too, and haven't left you stuck with the usual concession hot dogs and chicken fingers. Instead, they've partnered with many of Austin's best mobile chefs to bring you a lineup of (mostly) Latin flavors that should sync brilliantly with the cacophony of music and DJs in the park. more ›

Another sad bit of food trailer news this week: the highly-regarded Izzoz Tacos will be closing indefinitely (and perhaps permanently) on Friday 12/31 after "attempts to renew their lease fell through" according to a Twitter posting last night. A patron who visited Izzoz on Tuesday told Austinist that employees stated that the lot owners have asked Izzoz for a substantial rent increase which the business simply could not afford. While the trailer has been looking for a new location, they do not currently have a spot lined up. more ›

The pub crawl has evolved. Drunken stumbles are fine and all, but man cannot survive on beer alone. That's why the food trailer crawl is the new "taco the town." more ›

It's been a nice World Cup watching spot following its soft opening almost a month ago, but last week new Mexican food cantina Takoba officially opened on the east side. Precisely located at 1411 E. 7th St., Takoba serves up high-quality, family-recipe interior Mexican cuisine from the same folks who have run the El Tacorrido trailer on North Lamar for ten years. more ›

Derek K. says, "Pictured on the left: a very simple and delicious vegetarian taco: black beans, onions, cilantro, avocado, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, salsa. Off to the right is a Del Mar Taco with fried ship and a spicy baja cabbage salsa." Hungry to share your most provocative Austin food photos? Send them here. Make sure to include your name, where the photo was taken and a complete description of the food. more ›

ACL Previews Interview: Patterson Hood Del McCoury Band, Preservation Hall Jazz Band Jon Dee Graham, Kevin Devine, and Ike Reilly Assassination Beau Soleil & Will Hoges Rail Road Earth It's Official: Bob Dylan & His Band Set to Play Stubb's Aftershow So You Wanna See An ACL Taping Trent Summar, Steve Earle, & DeVotchKa Interview: Crowded House It's Official: Bob Dylan & His Band Set to Play Stubb's Aftershow Weekly Features The Accidental Gentrifist:... more ›

Narrowing down the vast selection of tacos found in Austin is a near-impossible feat … and claiming to be experts on the Tex-Mex folds is an assertion worthy of an internet ass-kicking. But we have eaten our fair share of breakfast tacos, sport tongues trained for tortilla-tasting, and feel pretty much obligated to share our worthy opinions with alla y’all. (And we’re ready for whatever verbal lashings come our way.) With that, we give... more ›

FRIDAY [27] music • While You Were Out, presented by Bueno Music Bureau, with The Unbearables, She Sir, The Scripts, Friday After Dark at Club de Ville ($5) books • Anita Gonzalez, Ph.D., presents Dancing Between Myth and Reality at CAAAS (UT - Jester A232) (3:00pm) comedy • Tig Notaro and Steve Burr at Cap City Comedy Club comedy • Punchline, open mic stand up comedy at ColdTowne Theater (10pm) dance • Fetish and Other... more ›

Friend of Austinist and the dude responsible for last fall's wicked Ghostface Killah-Ghostland Observatory mashup (download it here), Chris Rose is half of DJ duo Car Stereo (Wars), with whom we've partnered to throw many a get-down in the past months. CS(W) is making its SXSW debut as a proper showcasing artist this year -- check 'em out at the Beauty Bar on Wednesday, March 14th, at 11pm. [mp3] Car Stereo (Wars) - SXSW Mixtape... more ›

The BBC calls The Hot Puppies a "spiky girl-pop band hiding sharp talons and sardonic wit beneath their cool, Blondie-style new wave exterior." They have also won effusive praise from critics at The Guardian, who want The Hot Puppies to be "the next big thing." After six years together, the band signed to Fierce Panda and released their debut album Under The Crooked Moon in mid-2006. The confident and powerful Radio One Sessions tracks... more ›

San Antonio trio Girl In A Coma is comprised of siblings Nina and Phanie Diaz, and complemented by childhood friend Jenn Alva on bass. The band’s energetic pop/rock has been seen on tour with the likes of Frank Black, The Epoxies, and The Eyeliners, with an upcoming gig opening for the Pogues announced this month. Also secured recently is a record deal with Joan Jett’s Blackheart Records, with their debut album expected sometime this... more ›

Canadian outfit Uncut recently unveiled their 2nd full length, Modern Currencies on Paper Bag Records. The band is adept at generating dance-rock walls of sound, with equal emphasis on electronic output and abundant guitars n’ bass (although they have been leaning towards the latter lately.) We were fortunate enough to catch them last year at SXSW during a day set at Brush Square Park, and excited that vocalist / guitarist and founding member Ian Worang answered our questions this year. more ›

For a band putting out records on Buddyhead, self-described "steampunks" The Cassettes spend a remarkable amount of time busking for quarters on the streets of DC, their hometown. Perhaps they just belong to an earlier, simpler time; singer/mandoliner Shelby Cinca throws around old-timey words like "bourgeois" and "Al Jolson" like it was 1928 all over again. Then again, he's apparently a huge Oasis fan. Oh, contradictions... more ›

Hailing from Scotland, and pursuing melodious, riff friendly pop-rock, popup is coming to town for our beloved SXSW music festival. Their latest single, “Chinese Burn” has been blazing feverishly on our playlists lately but we would like to stop short in trying to sell them as the next big thing from across the pond, especially since NME (Issue dated 27.1.07) recently stated that Babyshambles would like popup to tour with them. And having Pete... more ›

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Hometown rock stars I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness have finished two quick jaunts to Europe, are working on a new album, put together a terrifyingly beautiful music video for "The Owl" with Emmanuel Ho, and will be playing at SXSW. If you aren't already familiar with their unique brand of Peter Murphy meets Nick Cave inspired minimalist (but fist-flinging urban) post-rock, change your ways: you don't want to miss them live. Recently... more ›

Bellingham, WA's The Trucks carry on the loud-and-proud post-riot grrl tradition of acts like Peaches, Le Tigre, and The Gossip, playing guitarless, keyboard-driven pop-punk that'd be perfect for your little sister's sleepover if their hit single wasn't called "Titties." Maybe it is anyway. Depends on your sister. Anyhow we got to chat with singer/visual artist Marissa Moore, who also doesn't get why the SXSW schedule isn't up yet. Share a story about a visit... more ›

Norman, Oklahoma sounds like a fairly sedate, even mundane blip on the vast plain of Middle America...so of course they churn out psycho rock bands with names like Flaming Lips, Chainsaw Kittens, and latest blog darlings Evangelicals with the consistency of pubescent rabbits. With a full-length out on Austin's own Misra label, Evangelicals are livin' the dream; we talked to bandleader Josh Jones about audience antagonism, fecal pranks, and his cool parents. Share a... more ›

The Wildhearts have had a fluctuating career marked by numerous peaks and valleys. The English band formed towards the end of the “hair metal” era, released their debut full-length (Earth Vs The Wildhearts) in 1993, and re-formed last year with plans for a new album, due in April of this year. However, their mainstay has always been straight up rock n’ roll, highlighted by the talent, and antics of lead singer, Ginger. Formerly of the (London) Quireboys (some of us might still remember the forgotten anthem “7 O’Clock”), and currently also pursuing solo ambitions, we caught up with Ginger to quiz him on the past, present and future. more ›

Jona Bechtolt is no more a normal human being than a toaster is a Ferrari. His eye and ear-boggling work with his pet project YACHT testifies to the hamster on acid that is constantly running in the wheel full speed in his head. As part of the duo that is The Blow, he is at least partly responsible for last year's awesome Paper Television. We e-cornered him to share a bit about himself and... more ›

Montreal's Besnard Lakes are not your typical Canadian outfit. When you think of an outfit fronted by a husband and wife duo, you probably think of sugary slop soaked with trite lyrics and knowing glances, but don't make that mistake when it comes to The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse, the band's latest effort. Roy Orbison and Brian Wilson spring to mind as masters of falsetto harmony, and that comparison is legit, but... more ›

Architecture in Helsinki is an enterprising collective of musicians adept at relaying diverse and distinct sounds in unison, and they bring their eclectic catalogue (and promise of a new record) to Austin this March for the annual SXSW music festival. The band’s multi-instrumentation utilizes the usual goodness (guitars, drums, bass), along with synthesizers, horns, a variety of percussion, assorted audio samples; the list is long but it all adds to the band’s flair and... more ›

In our continuing quest for taco excellence, we bring you the following update. Because, well, we just can't keep quiet. We feel very rude hiding Torchy's from you anymore. Located on South First, Torchy's Tacos is serving up some mighty fine tacos. We'd even agree with their slogan. more ›

Zagat's 2007 America's Top Restaurants Survey is out and although the setup on this one begs for an immediate rimshot, it's true - we love eating out. In fact, only Houston residents eat out with more frequency *snicker* than Austinites. Hungry Houstonians are eating out an average of 4.2 meals per week while residents of Austin and Dallas/Ft. Worth eat out an average of 4 times per week. Trailing in weekly eating-out outings are... more ›

Just overheard at the office: "The best Tacos al Pastor in town are at Arandas on Burnet Road." Fact or fiction? Discuss! Taquerias Arandas #3 6534 Burnet Rd... more ›

Things we learned at the 2006 Wine and Food Foundation of Texas Tour de Vin at Whole Foods Market: more ›

Last night we went to the Magnolia Café on South Congress. For as long as we’ve lived in this city (20 plus years), this was our first time at this location. more ›