Austin

Tonight: Donkeys and Listenlisten at Rudyard's

Photos: The Octopus Project at ACL

Tonight: A Place to Bury Strangers at Walter's on Washington

Wanna Go to Reverend Horton Heat Tonight?

First Names For SXSW Film Fest Are Out

Slideshow: Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin's Waterloo Park

It Ain't Easy Being the Live Music Capital

According to an Associated Press article in today's Houston Chronicle, Austin's self-proclaimed status as "Live Music Capital of the World" is under siege by everything from condo-dwelling yuppies demanding those darn nightclubs turn that blasted music down and let them get some sleep (s ... More >>

Mail Call: Diagonals, Fountains of Wayne, Jason Isbell, Chess Records, Sally Crewe and More

After a hot minute, Mail Call returns in a slightly revamped format... Pick of the Litter Diagonals (Austin), Valley of the Cyclops (Monofonus Press) They Say: "A sweet-and-sour dark-pop soundtrack for the dawn of the post-Bush era." Rocks Off Says: Loose-fitting, lo-fi melodic garage ... More >>

Tonight: Pat MacDonald and Melanie Jane at the Continental Club

The only thing more disheartening than being a one-hit wonder is having your one hit's lyrical intentions misconstrued from here to eternity. Bruce Springsteen didn't write "Born in the USA" as patriotic anthem, but Ronald Reagan sure thought he did. Pat MacDonald, formerly of Austin's Timbuk 3 ... More >>

Tonight: Heybale! at Blanco's

"Wine Me Up," live at D&L's Texas Music Cafe, Austin, SXSW 2005 I remember a time when it seemed like I went to Blanco's every week. If it wasn't the Hollisters, it was folks like Jim Lauderdale or Chris Wall or some other totally legit act that would pack the little joint like a sardine can. ... More >>

SXSW Journal: Wild Moccasins

[Note: Rocks Off asked a few Houston bands to keep track of their SXSW itineraries for us. This is Wild Moccasins singer/guitarist Cody Swann's report.]We got into Austin Tuesday night and woke up early to play at Club 1808 around 11 a.m. for the Rancho Relaxo day party. We played a short set to th ... More >>

SXSW Snapshot: Hello, Officer Badass

Craig HlavatyPeople talk about cops being arrogant cowboy types who only wanna shaft the little guy, but damn if I wouldn't want to cover up a crime with this guy, for real. We need more Houston cops to take the time to cheel out, like the cops in Austin do. They pretty much work in a fantasy land o ... More >>

SXSW: Recovery

Photo by Daniel Morrison The Sunday night after SXSW never fails to be a weird experience. Although you are dog-tired, and back in your own bed, you can't sleep. A phantasmagoria of sights and sounds from the past few days runs through mind on a reel that seems to have no end. You remember short c ... More >>

Over the Weekend: 12:15 a.m. at Sovino's White Party

Lest you think our attention was too focused on Austin this weekend, we now present a bevy of photos from Saturday night at Sovino.

Sandy Ewen, Wols, Dogebbi

Lest you think our attention was too focused on Austin this weekend, we now present a bevy of photos from Saturday night at Sovino.

Aftermath: SXSW

Lest you think our attention was too focused on Austin this weekend, we now present a bevy of photos from Saturday night at Sovino.

Bayou City Buzz

Houston's SXSW class — and we mean class — of 2009

Piano Vines

Duo designs pleasant pop despite distance

“X=(ATX)3”

Aerosol Warfare brings in some old school, out-of-town talent

Can Alternative Venues Jump-Start the Local Music Scene?

Aerosol Warfare brings in some old school, out-of-town talent

Got Live If You Want It

Our Spring/Summer concert preview, part deux

Lonesome Onry and Mean: Poodie and the Hickoids

www.myspace.com/hickoidsWe've received quite a few rememberances of Poodie Locke, Willie Nelson's stage manager who passed away Wednesday in Austin of a heart attack. But none of the rememberances quite have the zing of Saustex Media label honcho Jeff Smith's. Smith, singer of the Hickoids and forme ... More >>

Playbill: Strange Boys Hit Mango's Sunday Night

Between the haphazard hooks, ramshackle rhythm section, mumbled vocals and lo-fi lust for vintage psych, Black Lips comparisons are unavoidable for Austin four-piece the Strange Boys. That doesn't mean there's not room for a few bands who plunder the 13th Floor Elevators with the kindergarten aban ... More >>

Aftermath: White Rhino at Boondocks

Photos by Chris Gray "They're 'classic heavy rock,' or so they tell me," Aftermath texted a friend shortly before Austin's White Rhino went onstage at Boondocks Monday night. "Heavy metal, or just heavy?" came the reply. White Rhino had just gone on, with some menacing guitar spray and a kinetic ba ... More >>

The Belleville Outfit

Photos by Chris Gray "They're 'classic heavy rock,' or so they tell me," Aftermath texted a friend shortly before Austin's White Rhino went onstage at Boondocks Monday night. "Heavy metal, or just heavy?" came the reply. White Rhino had just gone on, with some menacing guitar spray and a kinetic ba ... More >>

Oh Noes!!!111!!!! Barton Springs In Austin Might Be Closing For Awhile!!

Photo by rutloBarton Springs, Austin's landmark pool that has chilled generations even in the hottest Texas summers, is in trouble. It's not trouble that can't be fixed, but it will require time and money.Time, as in closing the pool for six to eight months. Money, as in almost $5 million the city d ... More >>

Sahm Does Sahm

Photo by rutloBarton Springs, Austin's landmark pool that has chilled generations even in the hottest Texas summers, is in trouble. It's not trouble that can't be fixed, but it will require time and money.Time, as in closing the pool for six to eight months. Money, as in almost $5 million the city d ... More >>

Things to Do This Weekend If You're (Almost) Broke

Friday​Twice the Classic Numbers this week. Free admission Saturday with Friday's ticket stub. Dallas electronica-rockers Ishi gets bodies moving at Walter's with DJs Cuba Gooding Jr., Fredster and Stiletto Chrome. Ride your bike and get in free. The Urbane Guerilla Sound System spins vintage soul ... More >>

Start the Guessing Now: Which Fun Fun Fun Fest Artists Will Also Play the Next Block Party?

​ Fun Fun Fun Fest, the scuzzier, noisier cousin to the Austin City Limits Music Festival, announced its lineup this afternoon. Held November 7 and 8 in Austin's Waterloo Park, FFFF is up to 91 artists this year, everyone from rappers the GZA, the Pharcyde and the Cool Kids to electronic/dance act ... More >>

Lonesome Onry and Mean: R.I.P. Amy Farris

​Fiddler Amy Farris, an Austin native who played most recently with Dave Alvin's Guilty Women band, died last weekend in Los Angeles. Information is still sketchy at this point, but a press release from Yep Roc Records Wednesday stated that Farris had passed away Sept. 26 "after battling a long il ... More >>

Aftermath: Grupo Fantasma at Discovery Green

Photos by Bryan Parras​Grupo Fantasma found their way back to Houston last night to "rock the green" for the third installation of the Capital One Bank Thursday concert series at Discovery Green. Billed as "hip-shaking, horn-blaring, Grammy-nominated Latin funk at its best," Grupo didn't fail ... More >>

ACL 2009 Day Two: Flogging Molly Brings a Little Bit of Ireland to Austin

Photos by Groovehouse​Okay, so between the Guinness and the pissing-down rain, Flogging Molly actually brought a lot of Ireland to Austin today. Lead singer Dave King wasn't phased by the weather, proclaiming that it was just like being at home. The band then proceeded to put on a belter of a show ... More >>

ACL 2009: This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things

Photos by Mark C. Austin​From the Austin American-Statesman comes word that Zilker Park, which hosted the three-day Austin City Limits Music Festival this weekend, will have to remain closed until the end of the month. Why? Because ACL more or less destroyed the park. For the next 25 or so da ... More >>

ACL Just Keeps on Giving: Welcome to the "Poopshow"

As you may already know if you followed Rocks Off's copious ACL coverage, Austin's Zilker Park is a muddy ruin. We use the term "muddy" loosely, as much of the turf churned into muck by dancing festival-goers was a substance called "Dillo Dirt," which is part recycled sewage. As a salute to the brow ... More >>

Texas Traveler: Haunted Austin

Photo by Brittanie Shey​The state capitol holds many secrets gleaned throughout its long history as a center for settlement, trade and politics. Here are a few of our favorite spooky places in Austin. The Driskill Hotel Often cited as one of the most haunted buildings in Texas, The Driskill ... More >>

The Fabulous Thunderbirds

Photo by Brittanie Shey​The state capitol holds many secrets gleaned throughout its long history as a center for settlement, trade and politics. Here are a few of our favorite spooky places in Austin. The Driskill Hotel Often cited as one of the most haunted buildings in Texas, The Driskill ... More >>

R.I.P. Bill Narum, KLOL Co-Founder, Leading Texas Counterculture Artist and ZZ Top Stage Designer

​Bill Narum, a key figure in Houston's counterculture in the late 1960s and early '70s, passed away Wednesday night at his home in Austin. The cause of death was an "apparent heart attack or something that took him quickly while sitting in his studio at the art table in his chair," said Narum's cl ... More >>

Day Trip: Café Medici in Austin

​Feeling like hopping out of town? A quick trip to Austin may be in order. Café Medici is a great destination for coffee there. With two unique locations offering quality espresso made by professional baristas - in the Clarksville neighborhood (1101 West Lynn) and on the notoriously busy Univ ... More >>

Snackshot: Torchy's Tacos

Photos by Katharine Shilcutt​In only three years, Torchy's (1311 S. 1st Street) has managed to establish itself as an Austin tradition. In a market saturated with both tacos and food trucks, that's no easy task. Torchy's secret is simple: They just serve damn good food. Located in the almost- ... More >>

Local Student Joshua Christie Is Le Cordon Bleu's Future Chef Winner

​They always start young. Joshua Christie says he remembers helping around the kitchen as a little kid, and that lifelong passion for cooking helped lead him to win the 9th Annual Le Cordon Bleu Future Chef of America Culinary Scholarship Competition on June 12th. Having attended Langham Creek ... More >>

ACL Fest Releases Schedule; Adds Black Lips, Silversun Pickups

black-lips.com via FlickrBrand-new ACL 2010 adds The Black Lips​The Austin City Limits Music Festival released the schedule grid for this year's gathering in Zilker Park Oct. 7-9. The festival also added several bands, including Atlanta garage-punks (and recovering exhibitionists) the Black Li ... More >>

Will The Real Fun Fun Fun Fest Lineup Please Stand Up?

Marc BrubakerMetallagher at Fun Fun Fest 2009​Lots of late-night intrigue in the Twitterverse, as anticipation for the announcement of the lineup for Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010 builds to a boil. Late Wednesday, Austin blog Party Ends published a list including Animal Collective, Gang Gang Dance, Ga ... More >>

Band Camp: Keeping Kids In School And Sending Them To College Begins With Music

Austin and Worthing HS bands have their acts together​At two HISD inner-city high schools, band directors impact more than the music. They build self-confidence, implement discipline and develop leaders -- and it starts every summer with band camp. Despite unhealthy levels of heat, the students c ... More >>

Deadman

Austin and Worthing HS bands have their acts together​At two HISD inner-city high schools, band directors impact more than the music. They build self-confidence, implement discipline and develop leaders -- and it starts every summer with band camp. Despite unhealthy levels of heat, the students c ... More >>

Deadman

Austin and Worthing HS bands have their acts together​At two HISD inner-city high schools, band directors impact more than the music. They build self-confidence, implement discipline and develop leaders -- and it starts every summer with band camp. Despite unhealthy levels of heat, the students c ... More >>

Brew Blog: Boulevard Brewing Company's Unfiltered Wheat Beer

​Ever since my business unit got stuck in Austin for nearly a month during Hurricane Ike, living out of the Embassy Suites on South Congress, my kids have been deeply infatuated with the place. Not Austin, mind you, but that hotel. The "Nightly Manager's Reception" has a lot to do with that. F ... More >>

The Boys Next Door

​Ever since my business unit got stuck in Austin for nearly a month during Hurricane Ike, living out of the Embassy Suites on South Congress, my kids have been deeply infatuated with the place. Not Austin, mind you, but that hotel. The "Nightly Manager's Reception" has a lot to do with that. F ... More >>

Best of Houston Just Got Better

Best Of: there's an app for that.​You totally trust Houston Press to help you find the best margaritas in town, the best place to watch wildlife in this urban jungle of ours, and the best place to be glad you're alive, right? Now we can help you make the most of 31 other cities, thanks to a ne ... More >>

Rattletree Marimba

Best Of: there's an app for that.​You totally trust Houston Press to help you find the best margaritas in town, the best place to watch wildlife in this urban jungle of ours, and the best place to be glad you're alive, right? Now we can help you make the most of 31 other cities, thanks to a ne ... More >>

Amplified Heat

Best Of: there's an app for that.​You totally trust Houston Press to help you find the best margaritas in town, the best place to watch wildlife in this urban jungle of ours, and the best place to be glad you're alive, right? Now we can help you make the most of 31 other cities, thanks to a ne ... More >>