Just as they debuted their most promising exhibit to date, Congress Avenue's Volitant Gallery yesterday announced plans to shutter its doors at the end of the month. "At this point it appears Volitant Gallery will be losing its lease by October 31, 2007," wrote Volitant Gallery Director Xochi Solis. "Sean [Gaulager, Volitant's assistant director] and I are excited to begin new and fresh challenges that will continue our personal missions for art education and growth......

Once upon a time, in a gallery just up the road, 14 female artists gathered their works together to be viewed by all in the land. There were paintings, and photographs, moving images and performances. There were Indian princesses, people with bunny rabbit faces, and clowns riding rocket ships. Ok, enough cutesy talk, but you get our drift. Fairytales, myths, legends, and fantasies are celebrated in the new exhibit, Femme Fantastique, at Volitant Gallery. The......

Untitled by Michael WutzDried heads hanging from a wooden beam, contraptions inspired by dystopian nightmares, and ghostly visions of faceless men: while these sound like images gleamed from next month's Fantastic Fest, they're actually all part of Volitant Gallery's current exhibition, Silver Lining flat lining. Curated by Austin-based art historian and independent curator Till Richter, Silver Lining flat lining is the largest body of works to date by German artist Michael Wutz. Primarily a printmaker,......

Brian McBride began Stars of the Lid here in Austin years ago, but his solo album, When the Detail Lost its Freedom, is one that gestated during a time of terrible strife (divorce, harrowing move to new city) in McBride's life. Recorded almost exclusively on an SR X keyboard sampler, Detail utilizes guitar, piano, vocals, harmonica, trumpet and strings, abandoning keyboards and synthesizers entirely. The result is a lovely, gentle and ultimately emotional album......

FRIDAY [4] party/bikes • Yellow Bike Project's Second Annual Bike Art Show with music by DJ Orion, DJ Katherine at Gallery 1906 (Free, 7pm-Midnight) art • Opening Reception: memoria/memoir: Carol Flax at Volitant Gallery, 320 Congress Ave., Ste 100 (6-9pm) art • B Scene at the Blanton Museum of Art 1st Anniversary Celebration at Blanton Museum of Art, MLK at Congress ($5 members, $10 non-members, 6-11pm) art • Opening Reception: Tunnel Vision: Parading Down the......

FRIDAY [16] music •Of Montreal, Elekibass, DJ Jester the Filipino Fist at Emo's (outside) music •Those Peabodys, Ume, Oh, Beast!, El Paso Hot Button at Emo's music •Spank Dance Company, Hello Lovers at Emo's Lounge music •Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Reckless Kelly at La Zona Rosa music •Long John Thomas & The Duff, Bellfuries, Eddie Clendening & The Blue Ribbon Boys, The Aquasonics at Continental Club music •Bruce Robison at Cactus Café (9pm,......

FRIDAY [5] film • Sinus Show: Die Hard at Alamo Downtown (7pm & 10pm, $12.50) music • Amplified Heat, Lions, Full Stride, The Flood at Emo's (Inside) music • Grand Champeen, Quien Es Boom, The Fall Collection, The Alice Rose at Emo's (Lounge) music • Lemurs, The Lord Henry, Clap!Clap!, Lomita at Emo's (Outside) music • The Black & White Years, AUX, The Paper South, Aster Years at Stubb's music • Summer of Blood,......

First Night Austin Schedule 2-5pm Family Festival 5:30-6:30pm Grand Procession 7pm Family Finale at City Hall 7-11:30pm Evening programming Midnight Grand Finale First Night Austin takes over downtown this Sunday, kicking off the second annual festival with three hours of family-friendly activities, performances, and art installations. From hip hop freestyling to Appalachian-style clog dancing, there promises to be enough culturally-rich distractions to entertain even that obnoxious nephew of yours who'd rather stay home to......

THURSDAY [30] music • Dave Brubeck, Ramsey Lewis at Paramount Theatre music • The Onion's Corporate Expansion Celebration with Sount Team, IV Thieves, Eugene Mirman, The Lemurs, Tacks the Boy Disaster at Emo's music • UT Dance Marathon Fall Benefit Concert feat. Danny Malone w. Smile Smile, The Downside Up at The Parish Room music • Lower 4th, Exeter, Blackholicus, She, Sir! at Flamingo Cantina music • The Fall Collection, The Always Already, AUX......

FRIDAY [18] music • Benefit party for Loaded Gun Theory's new zombie rock opera with Midori Umi, The Lord Henry, Golden Bear, and the Zombie Rock Orchestra (The Unbearables, members of Tammany Hall Machine, a choir and horn section) -- snacks provided, too -- at Red's Scoot Inn (8pm-2am, $5 or $3 with zombie costume) ® film • Sinus Show: Point Break at Alamo Downtown (7 & 10pm, $10) ® theatre • The Sweetest......

FRIDAY [14] [music] Downtown Loft Party featuring Jethro (NY), Brainboxing (NY), Nalepa (LA), and Lila's Medicine (Austin) at Neches St between 5th and 6th (See flyer) (link) [music] Shearwater, the Court and Spark, Chris Flemmons (Baptist Generals), Michael Kingcaid at Emo's (link) [music] NAM Artshow and Music Party at Emo's Lounge (link) [music] Stayton Bonner, Bryce Clifford, Slow Train, Beaver Nelson at Hole in the Wall ($5, 8pm) (link) [music] Misprint Magazine issue release party......

MONDAY [12] [sports] World Cup Games at Alamo Village (Through 16th, 11am & 2pm) (link) [film] Labrynth at Alamo South (Through 16th, 1pm, Free) (link) [film] Baby Doll at Paramount Theatre (7pm) (link) [film] Gram Parsons: Fallen Angel at Alamo Downtown (7pm, $10) (link) [film] Blue Velvet at Rounders Pizzeria (8pm, Free) (link) [film] GoodFellas at Austin Java (8pm, Free) (link) [film] Rolling Roadshow: Nanny McPhee at San Marcos (8pm, Free) (link) [film] Stunt Rock......