That’s right. Someone who worships Conan O’Brien believes Todd Barry to be “Icky”. So that puts him amongst the ranks of Gonzo journalism and oh who gives a shit what O’Brien’s viewers think. Todd will be visiting Austin for Fun Fun Fun Fest 2009! But not to protest Eugene Mirman! more ›

Fun Fun Fun Fest has confirmed four more bands to this year's lineup, including Yeasayer, Kid Sister, DRI and Vega. This is in addition to already-confirmed performers Atlas Sound, Death, Red Sparowes, WHY?, Broadcast, Lucero, Les Savy Fav, GZA (performing Liquid Swords), HEALTH, Jesus Lizard, Melt Banana, 7 Seconds, King Khan & BBQ Show, Shearwater and Todd Barry. More leaks expected very soon. more ›

We’ve been checking the official Fun Fest website everyday for updates but having not seen any new announcements for a while, we gathered our technical experts last night. After a few hours of brainstorming, our team conjured up a moment of brilliance and hacked into the Fun Fest mainframe. We are pleased to announce that Wu-Tang Clan founding member GZA, legendary Japanese noise-brokers Melt-Banana, eclectic Californian outfit WHY?, and comedian Todd Barry have all been added to this year Fun Fest line-up. more ›

Saturday Saturday Saturday! It's a bounty of goodness unlike anything most people of privilege (or non-privilege) have seen, seeming that it is filled not only with SXSW's usual wealth of day-funs and joys and diversities, but that it is also privy to the wonderment that is Mess With Texas 2, a noon-to-ten cornucopia of music and comedy at Waterloo Park. It's sort of like a day of Fun Fun Fun Fest plus comedy minus the price plus the knowledge that there's great stuff going on everywhere else as well. So let's get to it, and all the other great stuff going on EVERYWHERE, shall we? Mess With Texas 2 @ Waterloo Park At this event, it's almost ridiculous what a wide range of musics you'll be able to see, from electro-folk to softcore-punk to anti-pop to alterna-world to whatever-other-hyphenated-genre-you-could-possibly-fabricate. Headlining are the Kim Deal-led Breeders and late-nineties punk-stars NOFX, but they are just icing on the cake of a day that features acts as intriguing as the inimitable Islands and the ever-so-subtle Atlas Sound. And, take a deep breath, because also lining up on one of the three stages is rise-from-the-ashes-via-Juno story Kimya Dawson, the mysteriously-spelled Wooden Shjips, hype-machine Simian Mobile Disco, quick risers Yeasayer, Monotonix, and No Age. And in case you haven't already caught them, this may be a convenient time to check out local respectables Shearwater and White Denim. Seriously, though, that's a ridiculous list already, and it's really just the beginning. And it's free, for God's sake! And there was some comedy at this Mess With Texas thing, too, right? Yeah, you can expect some laughs from the likes of Janeane Garofalo, Brian Posehn, Todd Barry, and Eugene Mirman, among a veritable slew of others. Make sure to get there before the sun goes down if you want to check that out, though, because we all know humor goes best with some sunshine. more ›

Eugene Mirman is much funnier than you. A mainstay of New York's alternative comedy scene, Mirman's profile has been even higher of late. In February, his Comedy Central Presents special debuted, and earlier this year, he was asked to cover the New Hampshire primaries for 236.com. He can also be seen as Jemaine and Bret's strange landlord in HBO's Flight Of The Conchords. A multi-year veteran of SXSW, Mirman is hosting this year's Web Awards at SXSW Interactive and is also performing at multiple SX venues during the music festival. more ›

FRIDAY [9] art • Grand Opening Party for DRAW, 150 artists strong at Gallery Lombardi (7pm - 10pm) comedy • Todd Barry, Matt Bearden at Emo's Lounge music • Deerhoof, Macromantics, Experimental Dental School at Emo's music • Primordial Undermind at End of an Ear (6pm, Free) music • The Everyday People CD Release Show with The Hero Factor, Live Oak Decline at The Parish Room music • Lucinda Williams, Heartless Bastards at Stubb's... more ›

Perhaps you've heard that the comedy scenes in both LA and New York are excellent these days. You might have gotten a taste of this when Eugene Mirman and Aziz Ansari rolled through town in March for SXSW. If you've been wishing for an NYC weekend to catch a show or two, don't book that ticket just yet. Several of the best acts are heading right here for Austinites to watch this fall... Michael... more ›

In case you've missed it, there's a comedy revolution brewing in New York right now. Comics like Todd Barry, Demitri Martin, and Aziz Ansari have been drawing huge audiences of hipsters and regular folk alike with satire that owes far more to the silliness and irony of Steve Martin and Eddie Izzard than to the lowbrow Comedy Central/Def Comedy Jam nonsense that's infested comedy clubs for a decade. Among the brightest lights of the... more ›