michael favia

www.cinematical.comConsidering that reading the news these days often manages to be both frustrating and soul-crushing, it’s hard to believe that little more than a year ago many of us were feeling ecstatic, optimistic and even proud of this crazy country of ours. November 4, 2008 seemed like the beginning of something new and real, and regardless of President Obama’s current political struggles, many of us will remember the day we elected him as one of America’s finest moments.

The sense of cohesiveness, goodwill and yes, hope, of that day managed to brighten many corners of the world—a fact that happens to be the subject of 11/4/08. This collaborative documentary will have its world premiere at SXSW 2010, screening as part of the Emerging Visions program, bringing a political and sociological component to the festival.

Curated and edited by Jeff Deutchman, the film consists of footage shot by several film fest regulars, including Henry Joost, Joe Swanberg and Margaret Brown, as well Austin filmmaker Thomas Humphries and others. Two weeks before the election, Deutchman requested that a few of his friends around the world document their experiences in however style they pleased. The result is a collage of democracy and emotion that’s sure to remind us of the power of politics on one of its better days.

This is Deutchman’s first feature film, and his vision didn’t stop with this collaborative documentary. Its message continues in the form of a participatory project and Web site, where election day footage can still be submitted and viewed online with the goal of democratizing history and showcasing the diverse methods and sources that meaningful storytelling relies upon.

Check out the site and check out the film - it premieres Saturday, March 13th at 5 pm at G-Tech (located in the Austin Convention Center). 11/4/08 will also screen on Monday, March 15th and Friday, March 19th. For the full schedule, see my.SXSW or B-Side.

Austinist AppWe're proud to announce that we've launched our first dedicated iPhone app for Austinist, which you can now download on iTunes.

SXSWist

This launch version includes a special section devoted to all things SXSW, much like our SXSWist Microsite. To view it, click the "About" menu item, then the "Switch" button on the top right. Here, you're able to access a mobile version of our Interactive Party Guide, our various slideshows, and all of our festival coverage, plus send us any photos or tips that you'd like to share.

BUGS

No doubt there are a few, but we'll get these worked out as long as you keep letting us know about 'em. We've spotted some already, such as the errant "special feature" where the bottom menu disappears after you've switched back and forth between the Standard and SXSW views a few times. For now, please just pretend it's an easter egg.

FUTURE UPDATES

Besides fixing bugs and making minor tweaks, we're planning to add some features such as our Weekly IST List (currently on hiatus due to the festival), and photo albums that include more of our slideshows. If there's something else that you'd love to see, let us know.

THANK YOUS

A special thanks goes out to Gothamist chief tech guru and future Austinite Neil Epstein, who labored for days without sleep or the aide of pharmaceuticals to make this app come to life! Our interactive guide was also made possible by our very own Adi Anand, a gaggle of staffers, and two enterprising strangers from India whom we enlisted via the Mechanical Turk.

Earlier today, we ran a contest on our @sxswist account for a few pairs of priority access badges to Rachael Ray's Day Party. Participants were asked to come up with creative anagrams using the names of bands who'll be playing at the show—the resulting entries, as one might imagine, were amazing.

We wish we could name all of you winners, but we've managed to narrow it down to our top 20 favorites — as for the ultimate winners of this contest, we're going to let you decide. Vote on your favorites below before 9pm tonight, and the top 3 winners will each win a pair of badges to next Saturday's soiree.

Which Is Your Favorite Band Name Anagram Below?online surveys

Ghostland Observatory by Steve HopsonAustinist photographer Steve Hopson has contributed some stellar concert photographs to our site over the years. Be it Willie or Spoon, She & Him or The Dead Weather, we can count on Hopson being front ‘n’ center to capture the special moment. We’re proud to note that Hopson’s photography, which spans 30 productive years, will be on display at Hyde Park Bar & Grill (South location / 4521 West Gate Blvd.) through April 18th. Where Music Meets The Eye: The Concert Photography of Steve Hopson features images from major Austin music gatherings like SXSW, ACL Fest, Fun Fest, and of course, plenty of other top-notch shows.

In other Austinist photog news, pick up a copy of the latest Austin Monthly to enjoy Chad Wadsworth’s brilliant work. Wadsworth photographed the vast majority of the “ten bands to watch in 2010” profiled in the local magazine’s music issue.

[Steve Hopson Photography]
[Where Music Meets The Eye]
[Show Performance Photography (Chad Wadsworth)]
[Austin Monthly]

Poster from the film He is either one of the most beloved men or the most hated men in America, depending on who you ask. He has only ever done what he thought was right, but everywhere protesters argue the exact opposite. He is almost impossible to reach, hidden away inside his secure ranch, where no sign-carrying fanatics can harm him. No, we’re not talking about George W. Bush—don’t you see the poster on the right ? Didn’t you read the title of the post? We’re talking about George Lucas! Sheesh!

Seriously, though, think about it. Everyone in the last three generations can basically be divided into two groups—those who worshiped at the feet of anything Star Wars and considered Lucas almost a deity…and those that think the prequels were boring, who like the clones cartoon, and think “Jar Jar is funny!” And both sides wonder—how can these things have come out of the same person?

In the documentary The People vs. George Lucas, those people finally get a chance to speak out. Director Alexandre O. Philippe has gone through over 600 hours of footage in an effort to let everyone know that the geeks of the world are united in this opinion: George Lucas has screwed the pooch. The film takes interviews with just anyone and just about everyone—from the most passionate film nerds to the most knowledgeable sources you can get, short of the man himself, and tries to examine what happened, and why. Then it stirs in a healthy dose of madness—Youtube rants, parodies, animation, and even sock puppets—to let the fans illustrate how passionately they feel about the Skywalkers and how their beloved franchise has been ruined.

More about the film, screening times, and trailer after the jump!

But has it? As one interviewee asks, “Has [Lucas] fulfilled his destiny or has he destroyed his legacy?” Aye, there’s the rub. Philippe has said he tried to be fair and balanced. He certainly did the fieldwork, nabbing face time with Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back producer Gary Kurtz, author Dale Pollock (the book Skywalking), writer Neil Gaiman, and even Dave Prowse—known more commonly as the actual Darth Vader. (No, really. The real one. From back in the day. Did your heart just skip a beat?)

So what if it’s not some important (boring) Michael Moore doc that’s supposed to change the way we see our government? This one looks like fun! And if you’re like us, you have quite a few opinions you’ve never had the chance to share, and it will be nice to see someone sharing them for you. Maybe you can even start preparing a rant of your own for the sequel, in case it ever goes to a higher court.

The People vs. George Lucas screens Saturday March 13 at 6:30 PM at the Alamo South Lamar. It will also be shown Tuesday March 16 at 1:45 PM at the Alamo South Lamar, and at 3:30 PM on Thursday March 18 at the Paramount. For the full schedule, see my.SXSW or B-Side.

This weekend we will be in the cultural twilight that is that oh-so-short period of time after the SXSW Interactive and Film Festivals have begun but before the Music Festival has. That means our fair city will be overrun with programmers, developers, webheads, software junkies, not to mention up and coming (as well as still-aspiring) filmmakers—producers, writers, directors, actors.

In that time it’s important for us Austinites not to lose our grip on what we are—Austin is primarily a music town, and while we welcome all these amazingly talented artists, we still want to keep it weird. Helping us remember our music roots while also keeping it more than just a little weird is The Weird World of Blowfly.

“The What of the WHO?” you say. Blowfly is the stage name of Clarence Reid, the original dirty rapper. Before 2 Live Crew scandalized the industry, before Eminem was accused of being obscene, before "Rumpshaker" forced kids into puberty prematurely—before all of that, there was the Blowfly.

At 69, he can definitely lay claim to the term “old school” more than the rest. But his story is not all fame and glory. Originally working as a producer for acts like KC & the Sunshine Band and Betty Wright, he was responsible for some extremely popular R&B hits. But his true calling emerged when he recorded what some say is the first rap song in 1965. His foul-mouthed songs garnered him a quite a following; some of his hits include “Shake Your Ass, Funky Party, and Hole Man/Cleanup Woman” (trust us, these are the less dirty titles). But through the years, Reid has lost any fortune he might have once had, and continue to perform, rocking clubs in a customized bizarre wrestling outfit complete with mask, in an effort to regain the success and recognition he feels is his due.

More about the film, screening times, and trailer after the jump!

Swinging wildly from raucous and vulgar to heartbreakingly sincere, director Jonathan Furmanski follows this potty mouthed performer, uncovering more than just a musical talent or an envelope pushing pioneer, pushing further to see just what keeps Blowfly ticking. Interviews with respected and renowned rap luminaries like Chuck D and Ice T certainly help provide context and perspective. Take a journey into a world where no word is too dirty, no idea too crude—take a trip into the Weird World of Blowfly.

The Weird World of Blowfly plays Saturday, March 13th at 9:30 PM at the Alamo South Lamar 3, Wednesday, Mar 17th at 4:30pm in the G-Tech Theater at the Austin Convention Center, and Friday, Mar 19th at 9:00pm at Alamo South Lamar 2. For the full schedule, see my.SXSW or B-Side.

Like we mentioned on Tuesday, the Mr & Mrs T and Rachael Ray’s Feedback Festival takes place at Stubb's next Saturday. Alongside sets by She & Him, Jakob Dylan and Three Legs with Neko Case & Kelly Hogan, Dr. Dog, School of Seven Bells and more, expect killer food and drinks—the menu includes Tex-Mex sliders, pulled pork tortitas, quesadilla suiza stacks, queso fundido taquitos, and albondigas subs, all of which you'll be able to wash down with bloody marys, frozen daiquiris, piña coladas, or any of a variety of margaritas.

The party is free and open to the public, but if you want to skip all of the doubtlessly gigantic lines that you'll encounter both outside and inside Stubb's, we're giving five pairs of special badges that'll get you priority access.

We'll be giving these away in two batches:

1. The first over on our SXSW twitter account, @sxswist, from 3pm-4pm today
2. The second one back here tomorrow morning between 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Coyote Slingshot Super Secret Records Showcase
Wednesday, March 17
Beerland (711-1/2 Red River)
8pm
[info]

This coming Wednesday, local labels Super Secret Records and Mortville Records are teaming up for a double showcase at Beerland. It's super-unofficial, so don't fret if you're not wristband-ed or badged.

Super Secret is off to a rousing start in 2010. They released a 7" by the local band Lovetaps and the debut "7 from a promising Idaho teenager who performs under the name Coyote Slingshot. The latter will be performing at the showcase.

We're also having a contest! Enter to win below, and you might win vinyl from each and every band on the bill. We'll be notifying winners on Monday. Good luck!

Lineup:

Ichi Ni San Shi - 8pm
Scrabble Robot - 8:45pm
The Tunnels - 9:30pm
The Extravaganza - 10:15pm
Coyote Slingshot - 11pm
Manikin - 11:45pm
The Open Casket - 12:30am
The Chumps - 1:15am

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Editor’s note: The views expressed in I Am So Popular are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the outlook or beliefs of anyone else in the IST network.

Like me, my roommate is uninsured. Lately, she’s been having gastrointestinal problems, to the effect that— sorry if you’re reading this during lunch— she’s been producing bloody, runny stools several times per day. It’s an ailment that has plagued her off and on for years. But the high cost of medical attention meant, until recently, skipping doctor’s visits and instead experimenting with home remedies, like eating canned pumpkin and hoping for the best.

The other day, I broke down and called a doctor on her behalf, managing to arrange for a home visit. See, my roommate also suffers from pretty serious anxiety and office visits leave her trembling, another factor that kept her from getting checked out sooner. While I was lucky to find someone to come to the house, this arrangement was not without drawbacks. For starters, we had to keep several stool samples in the refrigerator so the doctor would have something to take with her and analyze.

Technically, shit is food. But it’s processed food, nothing you should eat a second time, and therefore nothing you really want to see in the fridge. Not a lot skeeves me out, but there are a couple of things I am completely opposed to in this world, one being eating bananas in the bathroom and the other being storing containers of feces next to the lettuce. I sucked it up though, knowing my roommate’s health trumped whatever ick-issues I hold regarding chilled poop.

Another requirement for our house call was that I had to set up an examining table, as the doc does not carry a portable one. I rigged an old, pressed-wood folding table, upon which I placed a rag rug. I set it up in the backyard, which didn’t afford much privacy but promised the best possible lighting— my god aren’t these sunny days of late just fantastic?!

poopWhen the doctor got here, I helped my roommate up on the table, and held her and spoke soothing words, trying to ease her through a rectal exam. Now, I know some of y’all might dig anal probing, and that is your business, but when it comes to extracting joy from such penetration, I think you increase your odds of pleasure by incorporating elements of ambience, such as candlelight, Barry White’s Greatest Hits CD, and lots of lubricant.

We did not have any of these things at our disposal, so I understood completely my roommate’s nervous, full body contraction upon experiencing this in-through-the-out-door activity. I stroked her head and consoled her, sotto voce, letting her know what a good job she was doing, and how it was almost over. I also sent her messages telepathically, things I dared not speak aloud, lest I make the doctor uncomfortable. From my mind to hers, I let her know that if she just hung in there, soon we could snuggle together in my bed, her little head ensconced in my mighty bosom.

try not to keep poop in hereThe stool is still off at the lab, so a definitive diagnosis has not yet arrived. But the doc, upon concluding her exam, announced that she figured one of two things— or maybe both— was going on: anxiety-induced colitis and/or an intestinal parasite.

The cost of the home visit was $164, a bargain in this day and age of the $500 hospital-issued BandAid. This price even included a magical powder I am sprinkling on my roommate’s food in the morning, as well as a good long discussion about nutrition, and a chat about the need (or not) to keep shots up to date. Discovering the problem was easily dealt with, I kicked myself for not calling sooner, but I also understood my own hesitation in pushing for a diagnosis until now.

The main reason for my delay was fear. With all due apologies to my young, hot domestic partner Warren, and my beloved son, The Amazing Henry, I confess there are days when I look at my roommate and can’t think of another soul I love as intensely as her. Okay, maybe it’s a three-way tie. But of everyone in the world I know, she has been the most consistent friend I’ve had, the most present creature, the most unconditionally adoring, the most loyal.

When I was going through my last divorce, she stayed by my side 24/7, waiting in the car when I had to go to work, holing up with me in a shitty extended stay hotel while I waited to move into a new place, curling up beside me night after night, looking at me with just the right amount of worry when I cried and cried. We have logged thousands of miles walking together over the years. She is a fantastic listener. And not once has she said a word to me about some of the dumber choices I have made in my life. Her love and adoration are palpable, and they are priceless. I cannot imagine life without her.

So the fear I speak of, rooted in my worst-case-scenario mind, was that the doctor would announce my roommate had stomach cancer, and only had a month left to live without treatment. What would I do in such a case? Take out a second mortgage and get her chemo? Assist her in a swift and painless death? The former option seemed over the top. The latter struck me as impossible— I think, had her diagnosis been terminal— my own selfish need for her would’ve left me unable to put her down, even if that was the most compassionate alternative.

I’m glad I don’t have to make such radical choices, beyond relieved that likely I can ease her symptoms and prolong her life simply by introducing beets into her diet and upgrading her dry food to a ridiculously expensive brand that has oatmeal in it. But this whole episode also caused concern on another level.

Recently, I applied for group insurance through a professional organization to which I belong. I was trying to procure a plan that, like so many insurance plans, totally fucking sucks donkey cock. I would pay $165 a month into a pool, in exchange for a $2500 deductible and several clauses indicating that the things I might actually need covered (things I’d had issues with in the past) would be excluded. Really, what I was hoping to accomplish was the establishment of a safety net so that, should I start squirting out bloody stools of my own, and should these indicate something more threatening than whipworms or colitis, I’d have some hope of prolonging my life, a shot at chemo and radiation if I needed it.

My application was shot down via a vague email promising a more detailed explanation for denial was on the way. While I waited, I wondered what their grounds for refusal were, and thought maybe I should’ve lied more on my application re: some so-called pre-existing condition. Was it that I’d had therapy? Lady parts surgery? Bursitis? Nope, nope, and nope. In the end, Blue Cross refused coverage because I have arthritis. In one toe. Why I even told them about that, I don’t know. But I spoke the truth, and the truth cost me access to an emergency plan.

my roommate, waiting for me in bedI’m hoping that, should the day come when I need a anal probe or some other type of exam, my vet will be willing to do for me what she did for my roommate. I will gladly drop drawers and hop on a folding table in the backyard and eagerly wrap my sphincter around her rectal thermometer. I will pay her handsomely if she will share with me some whipworm powder or any other concoction she might have to help heal me.

Barring that option, I have to wonder about my future without insurance. Seriously— if cancer arrives (and my body has shown a propensity for this, having already produced on malignant tumor)— do I just accept my uninsured fate and faux-nobly say, “It’s okay, this must just be my time to die”?

I kind of like the martyresque possibilities of that, but am pretty sure my affection for the idea lies in fantasy. It is our nature to fight for our lives, particularly when our lives are imminently threatened.

I hope I don’t ever have to test out this “No, no, it’s okay, I’ll just go ahead and die,” theory I entertain about receiving a terminal diagnosis. But the way things are these days, when even being willing and able to pay for insurance doesn’t mean I can get it, the possibility looms frighteningly large.

Spike Gillespie hates the insurance companies and all the assholes in congress who can’t get their shit together re: health care coverage. She has started the blog I Can’t Get Insurance to share tales of health care bullshit. Please email your stories to spikegillesie@gmail.com. She also blogs for KnitBuzz, JetBlue, and her own damn self.

If you were creating the ultimate film festival movie, you might come up with the crew of Cyrus: written and directed by returning festival darlings and ex-Austin residents Mark and Jay Duplass, starring John C. Reilly, Marisa Tomei, Catherine Keener, and…Jonah Hill? Bet you didn’t see that one coming.

But by the end of the film, you’ll wonder why you ever doubted. Audiences and critics alike at this year’s Sundance had an overwhelmingly positive response to Hill’s portrayal of the titular character. As a 22-year old man still living with his extremely overprotective mom, Hill walks a line between sweet, pathetic, creepy, and hilarious, without ever veering into parody or cheese. Not an easy task.

The story is about a bumbling, socially dysfunctional divorcee (Reilly) trying to get back into the dating scene to get past the pain of watching his ex-wife remarry. He hits it off with Molly (Tomei), a pretty woman that would probably be out of his league under normal circumstances, but who is looking to settle down, and sees something good in him. It seems like the perfect match…until Cyrus makes his presence felt. What follows is a push-pull power play for a place in Molly’s life. Is there room for them both?

More on Cyrus, screening time(s) and trailer after the jump!

The performances are solid, just as you would expect from a cast this strong. The Duplass brothers (The Puffy Chair, Baghead) bring their usual free-flowing style to the picture, letting the actors improvise and allowing the scenes to flow naturally, keeping it funny but real. The story is alternately hilarious, awkward, sad, disturbing, touching, and funny all in the space of a few minutes.

This film has already wowed critics and probably has played a crucial role in broadening Hill’s career aspirations. It only takes a few seconds on IMDB to see he’s got a lot of irons in the fire. He’s wise to strike while those irons are hot. Get in and see this performance—and this excellent film—now, before the rest of the country does.

Cyrus screens Saturday, March 13th at 9:30 PM at the Paramount Theater. For the full schedule, see my.SXSW or B-Side.

The SS that attacked Marwencol were killed and hung upside down in town. This was to show any other Nazis the treatment they would receive if they messed with us. Anna felt like it was the perfect backdrop for our wedding pictures. - Mark HogancampTen years ago this April, Mark Hogancamp was jumped from behind outside of a bar and brutally beaten into a brain-damaging coma. Amazingly, he pulled through, but his memories did not come with him. It is not unheard of for a person who has suffered life-altering trauma to create a fantasy world that they can safely inhabit, but Hogancamp took his thearpuetic outlet one step further: he created an entire tangible community in his backyard.

You see, Hogancamp was in the US Navy, and Marwencol, the name of this fantastical Belgian town created to 1/6th scale, is inhabited by posable dolls, dressed in either WWII era American or SS uniforms, that he names after real people in his life. There is Colleen (The "Col" in Marwencol), his old neighbor and the first woman he fell in love with after the violent attack, there's Anna, Mark's ex-wife, there is even a doll that carries a tiny film camera that represents director Jeff Malmberg. And of course there is Hogie, who represents Mark himself, with an ever-present tiny cigarette in his hand.

More about the film, screening times, and trailer after the jump!

Before the attack, Hogancamp was a talented artist, able to sketch anything that came to mind, but after his recovery he discovered that he could no longer hold his hand steady enough to draw, which is why, after the money ran out for his therapy, he started working with dolls. The smaller parts and dextertity needed to outfit and pose each character has helped him regain cotrol of his fine motor skills, while also giving him a place in the world where he can always feel safe. Hogancamp painstaikingly documents the scenes that play out in the town of Marwencol with a small camera, and the photos are some of the most strikingly beautiful images in the documentary.

Marwencol truly surprised us; from the word go we were completely fascinated with the world that the eccentric Hogancamp has created for himself and the geniune love and tenderness he shows to these dolls. Sometimes you wonder whether or not Hogancamp can distinguish between what goes on in Marwencol and what happens to him in his own physical realm, and on the troublesome days he certainly takes out his own anger and frustration on the dolls representing SS officers, complete with bloodied bullet wounds and crushed skulls. When someone in town stumbles upon Hogancamp's photos, which are all quite stunning, he suggests to Mark that he should show them in a gallery, which creates an interesting dramatic tension in the film, not knowing how Hogancamp is going to react to not only other people judging what is so incredibly dear to him, but also not knowing how he is going to react to the outside world in general.

We couldn't help but think of Henry Darger and other outside artists while watching Marwencol. Mark Hogancamp is a survivor who has created something incredibly beautiful out of a terrible situation and we are so glad that Malmberg captured the quiet determination of this man and is sharing it with us. We highly recommend that you catch one of the three screenings.

Marwencol screens Saturday, March 13th at 2:30pm at the G-Tech Theater at the Austin Convention Center, Sunday, Mar 14th at 11:15am, at Alamo South Lamar 3 and Friday, Mar 19th at 1:15pmat Alamo Ritz 2. For the full schedule, see my.SXSW or B-Side.

PHOTO THEORY from marwencol on Vimeo.

Mess with Texas show poster Mess with Texas Party
Friday & Saturday, March 19th & 20th, noon-9pm
1001 E. 6th St. (1001 E. 6th St.)
Free, RSVP at website
[info]

As if everything else weren't good enough, as if the endless slew of party announcements didn't provide you with a veritable smorgasbord/plethora of options, as if you were still wondering how on earth you'd find something to do next Friday and Saturday, along comes this: the same people who've brought us such sweetness as FYFest and FFFFEST are now bringing to E. 6th the fourth annual Mess with Texas Party, which is a lot like Fun Fun Fun Fest except in March, and apparently involving messes as opposed to cubed iterations of the word "fun."

In less oblique terms, here are what we call the highlights, and here is yet another example of why Austin is the best damn city this side of itself: on Friday you can catch the likes of heirs to the throne of Zappa Man Man, Billy Bragg, sons of Scotland Frightened Rabbit, YACHT, and Black Angels, while on Saturday you can see up close and personal renowned crazy people GWAR, F*cked Up, Crystal Antlers, and all-of-a-sudden-famous Mexico/Texas native Neon Indian. All this for free (RSVP at site, please), and presumably without the general terror that would involve trying to see this many great acts at an indoor venue: this year, Mess with Texas is being held at the wide open spaces of 1001 E. 6th, on the east side of our interstate. There is little doubt it'll be worth the visit (bikes racks galore, friends).

And, one last thing that makes this an event to be happy about: the entire two-day shindig is a benefit for Marbridge, which "provides a unique spectrum of residential care, education, and training for adults with various cognitive challenges."

Friday (set times not yet announced)
Man Man, Billy Bragg, Man or Astroman, Frightened Rabbit, Black Angels, Yacht, The Bronx, Grupo Fantasma, Brazos, Jail Weddings, Jeff The Brotherhood, Mariachi El Bronx, Hacienda, Suckers, DJ Spooky with Golden Hornet Project, Admiral Radley, Woah Hunx, Oh No Ono, Off, Lost In Trees, Lissie

Saturday (set times not yet announced)
GWAR, Andrew WK, Fucked Up, Crystal Antlers, Neon Indian, Japandroids, Dam-Funk, Holy Fuck, Fool’s Gold, Japanther, The Dutchess and The Duke, Adam Green, The Soft Pack, Katie Stelmanis, Avi Buffalo, Smith Westerns, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Let’s Wrestle, Pivot, Big Freedia

Image from Gorilla vs. Bear Mexican Summer & Gorilla vs. Bear Party
Friday, March 19
Klub Krucial (614 E. 6th Street)
Free, 12-7pm
[info] Texas-based music blog Gorilla vs. Bear is teaming with Mexican Summer Records to throw yet another kick-ass party at SXSW 2010. The day party starts at noon on Friday, March 19 at Klub Krucial, on 6th St. next to Emo's. Expect to dance with The Golden Filter and Dum Dum Girls and drift away with some lo-fi bossa nova beats from Sandwitches sandwiched in between. The evening show will wrap up the night with some hot headliners: Real Estate, Memory Tapes and Washed Out.

Here's what you need about the party, straight from the Gorilla's mouth:

"The day party is FREE and open to the public (NO badge/wristband required), while the evening showcase is an official SXSW event. Unforunately, jj has canceled their daytime appearances, but we've more than made up for it by adding a few great new groups: the Golden Filter, the Bitters, and Small Black appearing as Washed Out's backing band."

Lineup after the jump:

Unofficial Day Party (FREE/open to the public):

12:00 Eternal Summers
12:45 Mountain Man
1:30 The Sandwitches
2:15 Woodsman
3:00 The Bitters
3:45 The Mantles
4:45 Dum Dum Girls
5:30 The Golden Filter
6:15 Best Coast

Official SXSW Evening Showcase:

7:00 The Young
8:00 Weekend
9:00 Pearl Harbor
10:00 Tamaryn
11:00 Real Estate
12:00 Memory Tapes
1:00 Washed Out (feat. Small Black)

Since NBC has blocked Conan from appearing on TV until the fall of this year, he's decided to take an act-of-sorts on the road. He'll have two shows in Texas: Dallas on May 13 and Austin on May 14 (at the Austin Music Hall). Although the tour schedule was just announced this morning, tickets seem to be going fast. For the Austin Music Hall show, ticket prices range from $39.50 to $695.00 (these $695 meet & greet packages have already sold out). [Frontgate Tickets]

Image via StoneTemplePilots.com. SXSW 2010: Stone Temple Pilots
Thursday, March 18
Austin Music Hall (208 Nueces St)
10:30pm, Badges and Wristbands Only
[info]Initially dismissed as a Pearl Jam clone during the post-grunge mid-90's, Stone Temple Pilots somehow endured to become one of alternative rock radio's favorite staples. Come on, think you can go two hours on 101X or any other station like that without hearing them? We dare you. The band have released five albums over their career, all of which placed in the Billboard Top 10 upon their release.

After the group disbanded in early 2003, they've sporadically reunited for tour dates, but haven't released new material - until now. Their appearance at SXSW is primarily a stop to debut material from their new Don Was-produced and self-titled album, which will be released in May.

The kind folks at ticketing site StubHub are sponsoring the show, and have given us a pair of VIP wristbands which will admit you and a friend to a VIP balcony viewing area for the gig. For a chance to win, enter your details in the form below.

Contest form loading...

sxswIf you've got a pass to South by Southwest Interactive, we invite you to stop by a couple of panels featuring Austinist writers.

At 12:30 pm on Monday, I'll be hosting "Freelance Isn't Free: The Twisted Economics of Writing Today". It's part of SXSW's Core Conversations series, which means that rather than a panel discussion backed by PowerPoint slides, it's a moderated discussion. I'll be there to ask questions and and delve into interesting points as they come up, but beyond that, it's a wide-open format.

We're going to be talking about a disturbing trend: The amount of money that companies are willing to pay for a writer's work has been in freefall. How did that happen, and what can we do about it?

The next day (12:30 pm, Tuesday), Carly Kocurek will be part of a panel titled, "Power-Ups & Press: How the Game Media Impacts the Gaming Industry". Organized by Karen Chu of PlayFirst, a group of gaming press forerunners will talk about how media advancements have shaped the way we talk about video games.

• We hope to see you at our two parties during SXSW-- Local Music Is Sexy at the PureVolume House (504 Trinity St.) on Monday night and Gonna Gonna Get Down at The Mohawk next Wednesday during the day. RSVP here for the former; the latter is free.
• Mess With Texas unveiled its epic lineup yesterday. We’ve always considered MWTX to be a mini-Fun Fest in March. Now that the event has expanded to two days (19th and 20th), it might almost feel like a regular Fun Fest, despite the switch from Waterloo Park to its new location (1001 E. 6th St.). Gwar, Frightened Rabbit, Man…or Astroman?, Neon Indian, The Black Angels, the list of stellar acts scheduled to perform is nice ‘n’ hefty.
• A few St. Patrick’s Day highlights -- the First Annual Austin Fleadh, curated by Frank Murray, takes place at the 4th St. Fort (216 E. 4th St.) -- RSVP here. Club de Ville has put together a free St. Paddy’s day show featuring The Lemurs, The Burning Hotels, and 'Til We’re Blue Or Destroy, among others. Ian McLagan & The Bump Band and Li'l Cap'n Travis help The Dog & Duck Pub celebrate 20 years in Austin.

To have your event included in our party guide, please send the info by Noon CST today to sxswist@austinist.com.

[Austinist SXSWist]
[Austinist SXSWist Party Guide]

Image via Round Rock Donuts.The Round Rock Donut has been one of Austin's best snacks and desserts for the better part of 70 years. While it flies somewhat under the radar, the devoted cult following has led to both distribution throughout the Austin metro area and widespread acclaim.

The latest chapter in this story comes from Bon Appetit's Foodist and "Iron Chef America" judge Andrew Knowlton, who named Round Rock Donuts one of "10 Best Places for Doughnuts Across the Country" in an article last week. For the record, Knowlton's limited comments lauded the bakery's low prices and cake-style consistency, and name checked the applesauce, chocolate, and blueberry as flavor favorites.

If you'd like to get your donut fix, the original location at 106 West Liberty in Round Rock opens seven days a week at 4am. They are also available at select convenience stores and coffee shops around town.

[Round Rock Donuts]