Oktoberfest

Under the Volcano's Oktoberfest party features Saint Arnold and Hofbrau Oktoberfest seasonal beers, huge bratwurst dogs (with homemade sauerkraut) and the musical stylings of Mark Halata, a Texas treasure whose musical prowess allows him to cruise easily from Czech polkas to conjunto to zydeco and beyond — provided an accordion is required to keep the party rolling. Halata, a native Houstonian who lives in tiny Moravia these days, spent years in local roots bands the Rounders and the Romeo Dogs and knows what it takes to make it happen in the club scene here. So don't be surprised if Halata and his band Texavia — which often includes ex-Bad Liver Mark Rubin on tuba — play a polka-tinted version of country classic "Crazy" one minute and follow it with a screaming version of "The Beer Barrel Polka," because that is exactly Halata's multiethnic style. And of course, he'll be doing his signature version of "In Heaven There Is No Beer." Those Teutonic tribes certainly know how to party.