The Invincible Czars have long had a knack for blending rock with various genres to create entertaining concoctions and unexpected inventions. From ska to metal, from jazz to country, a Czars live show twists and turns through a variety of rhythms and tempos, all while demonstrating their astute musicianship....

Emo’s Free Week bites back tonight with a smorgasbord of sounds from a variety of acts. Lions draw blood on the outside arena with chant-along chorus’ and scorching guitars. Their 2007 release No Generation allowed the band to voice their political views as well as display their rock n’ roll chops, and their live shows aptly roar with energy and fervor. Lions’ “Heavy Metal Lady” currently encourages the masses in homes everywhere to “unleash your inner rock legend” via Guitar Hero III and you can do the same at Emo's tonight!...

Image provided by Soundcheck MagazineWhile attending the University of Texas at Austin, one faces a constant barrage of “the weekend starts on Thursday” type advertisements. Although largely for exposure of Thursday night drink specials at bars on 6th Street, the intrinsic appeal of that statement bleeds through on days like these. Kick off your weekend early (and gently) with Swedish singer-songwriter José González at The Parish or dance away at the Electric Six show at......

FRIDAY [18] festival • Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebrations at Palmer Events Center (11:30am-1pm) party • Nightster Launch Party with Riverboat Gamblers at Scoot Inn (Free Bud 8-9pm, Show at 10pm, 21+) art • Closing Reception: The Puppet Show - Puppets and portraits of Mexican artists by fourth-grade students at Sanchez Elementary at Las Manitas Avenue Cafe, 211 Congress (4:30-6pm) books • Milton Burton presents The Sweet and the Dead at BookPeople (7:00pm)......

*The views expressed in The Laurie Show are those of the author and do not represent Austinist as a whole.* -ed. note Kids, it's true: I'm taking the night off from The Laurie Show tonight. I think many of my colleagues at KUT 90.5 are also taking time off, since we're now finished with the 2007 Spring Pledge Drive. I'd like to extend a big thank you to everyone who made a contribution. We......

*The views expressed in The Laurie Show are those of the author and do not represent Austinist as a whole.* -The Editors Insert dramatic sigh of relief right here, kids. Yours truly is truly not fond of the hectic holiday time in December, but it's fair to say I came out unscathed, and obviously ready to enjoy more great music from all the incredibly talented peeps we have in our city. As you may......

Saturday night the wonderful folks at Mohawk are throwing a Winter Dance Party. Now hold on minute o jaded one, this isn't your wastoid scenester roommate's type of dance party. No DJs in funny hats. No Madonna/Bloc Party mash-ups, no ironic 80s, and probably no bump 'n' grind. This is a 100% pure rock dance party, and you can bet your Beatle boots that you will be moved along with the rest of the......

The following is a weekly column by guest contributor Laurie Gallardo. Hear her, Friday evenings, on KUT 90.5FM. -- The Editors Shalom, hepcats, and a Happy Hanukkah to you. I listened to Adam Sandler this morning because I truly appreciate his renowned tribute to the season, “The Hanukkah Song.” I appreciate the fact that he updates it every year, too. Put on your yarmulke…  I’ll feature groovy music this evening on KUT 90.5, in my......

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......

FRIDAY [7] [film] Patton at Paramount Theatre (7:30pm) (link) [film] Sinus Show: Footloose at Alamo Downtown (7pm & 10pm, $12.50) (link) [books] Robert Sullivan presents Cross Country: Fifteen Years and 90,000 Miles on the Roads and Interstates of America ... at BookPeople (7pm) (link) [theatre] Capital T Theatre presents "A Brief History of Helen of Troy" at Hyde Park Theatre (8pm, $10-$20) (link) [theatre] "The Hollow" at Vortex (8pm, $10-$30) (link) [theatre] "In On It"......

Another victim of the fires that ravaged KOOP's former residence was Sweatbox Studios, the "home to generations of punk and garage rock" and one of Austin's more historic recording spaces. Over at Emo's tonight they're hosting a benefit show with Poison 13, Knife in the Water, The Meat Purveyors, and Possessed by Paul James. (Friday, Emo's, 10pm) On Saturday, the Rhizome Collective hosts the first-ever Clay Hands, a new benefit series that hopes to "raise......

FRIDAY [10] conference/music » The 18th Annual International Folk Alliance Conference comes to town! At the Austin Hilton Hotel (schedule) (Through Feb. 14th) music » Massive instore, featuring (2pm) Freddie Steady 5, (2:45pm) Lost Bayou Ramblers, (3:30) Whit Smith's Hot Jazz Caravan, (4:15) Juan-Carlos Formell, (5:00) Jordan Chassan, and (5:45) Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez at Waterloo Records (link) music » Ghostland Observatory, The Arm, The Blackheart Society plus DJ Erin at Emo's (link) music......

F R I D A Y [ 2 0 ] [music] Attack Formation at The Parlor [music] Faceless Werewolves, For Those Who Know, The Ugly Beats, Tran Tram play the Benefit for Austin GI Rights at Emo's [music] Just Guns CD release show with northKorean, Stories From the Frontier, Sad Accordions, and Infant of Prague at Beerland (7pm) [theatre] "Two Into War" at the Play! Theatre ($5-$20, 8pm) (link) [theatre] "House and Garden" at Austin......

Owing to the fire last week that destroyed most of the building housing KOOP's studios, the member-owned community radio station is being forced to relocate. At the modest downtown offices on Fifth and San Jacinto, built back in the 1930s, KOOP paid a mere $750 a month for rent. Now, strapped for cash and unable to cover relocation costs, they'll be having a slew of benefit events through the end of February. Meanwhile, the......

M O N D A Y [ 2 8 ] film · End of an Ear hosts a free screening of Lee Ranaldo and Leah Singer's "Drift" at the Alamo South Lamar (Free, 10pm) [link] music · The Kingsbury Manx, The Standard and The Heavenly States at Emo's film · KOOP Radio's Monthly Film Benefit at MonkeyWrench Books - Gillo Pontecorvo's “The Battle of Algiers”, about the French occupation of 1950s Algeria. (Inc. Beer and......

: : FRIDAY : : [music] Early Man, Atomic Bitchwax, Lions and Black Earth @ Emo's [art] "A Pairing:Exhibition of Works by Women of Wine & The Men Who Adore Them," 5:30pm-8:30pm @ Gallery Lombardi [music] St. James, Andy Davis and Matt Wertz @ Stubb's [music] The Ugly Beats and American History Project @ Beerland [music] Beta Valentine CD Release with Super Sonic Soul Squad and DJ Bigface, 8pm @ End of an Ear......

: : FRIDAY : : [art] Coy Poage and William K. Stidham Art Exhibit benefiting the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition of Austin, 7pm-10pm @ Barocca Studios - $15 donation [music] Mae Shi @ Elysium [film] New Films! @ Your Local Theaters [music] Andy Rourke of The Smiths @ The Parish [music] Loxsly, 8pm @ Red Fez [music] AM Syndicate with Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Cue and Dear Nora, 8pm @ Beerland [books] Douglas......