Celebrating a safe return from their Get Boned tour, a reference to the Austin combo’s excellent 2013 Bone, operatic garage-punk quintet A Giant Dog throws down a wild, sweaty, beer-soaked set at logical homecoming locale Beerland. Kindred locals and garage-blues vets the Crack Pipes, plus denim-vested rock quartet the Bad Lovers, and noisy lo-fi trio Classy Nude shoot first.
– Kevin Curtin
Cowboy Mouth
A double dose of Texas and Louisiana roots-rock muscle led off by Whiskey Shivers, whose smoky mountain string-band style landed them the well-deserved Best Country title at this year’s Austin Music Awards. And just when you think you know Cowboy Mouth’s Mississippi River-driven, New Orleans-fueled rawk, they’re hitting a new high these days. “Life’s tough,” Whiskey Shivers is fond of saying. “Play tunes.” Great advice.
– Margaret Moser
Baroness ain’t the only bruiser putting Savannah, Ga., on the metal map. Kylesa also lurks in the garden of good and evil. The eclectic quintet brings its doom/prog/death/psych to the River City in support of sixth slab Ultraviolet. Continuing the tradition of witchy Seventies rockers like Coven, Toronto’s equally eccentric Blood Ceremony makes a fitting tour partner. Brooklyn fuzz bomb White Hills and Atlanta acid-thrash bomb Lazer/Wulf open.
– Michael Toland
Mohawk, 912 Red River
Brass band fest HONK!TX happens whenever this ATX cell suits up in yellow and black.
Austin’s one-man Brit-pop.
Bay Area men in black, free.
Using scenes from more than 450 films from the first century of cinema, Pálfi and his editors construct a film that is equal parts drama, comedy, and romance, and recontextualizes classic imagery while also celebrating it.
7PM, Alamo Drafthouse at the Ritz, 320 E. Sixth
Here's your one-stop emporium of laughter and sweet coffee drinks (and now: wine cocktails!) Downtown, run like a brilliant clockwork made from Del Close's skull. The Threefer Three improv shows for the price of one! Thu., 8pm. $5. The Free Fringe Improv goes experimental, and who know WTF these free-range humans will come up with? Thu., 10pm. Free. 2 x 4 It's … improv duos. Two-two-awesome! Fri., 8pm. $5. The Spectacle presents the homebase legends Parallelogramophonograph with the Local Genius Society. Fri., 10pm. $12. Theatresports: Anything Can Happen The Hideout returns to its short-form and battle-ready Johnstone roots with this ongoing team tournament in May and June. Like the Olympics, but without drug-testing! Sat., 8pm. $12 Confidence Men – with Joe Bill The Chicago improv legend joins our favorite Mametian raconteurs for a night of scheming. Sat., 9pm. $14. Maestro Improviser against improviser, a whole stage-full of them, battling for victory. Sat., 10pm. $12. Another Weekender brings a student showcase and Furiously Missing. Sun., 8pm. $5.
The Hideout Theatre, 617 Congress, 512/476-0473
Ponzi Scream Oh, we love the name of this new showcase of wild improv from new students and Bad Boys and the Knuckleball Now. Thu., May 9, 8pm. $5. The Next Chapter has improvisers riffing on a local author's work – with the author starting the antics off. Directed by Justin Davis, this series of literary transmogrifications runs for two months with Doug Dorst, Manuel Gonzales, Matt Sturges, Katherine Catmull, Beth Kander, Suzy Spencer, and Daniel Quinn among the authors who'll be featured. Fridays, 8pm. Through June 28. $12. The Suitcase In which Asaf Ronen presents an immersive show where the audience follows the characters into fabricated environments – a makeshift studio apartment, a parked convertible – to sit up-close and personal while the cast of lowlifes improvises a narrative from objects the audience has provided. Recommended! Fridays, 10pm. $12. Key Party Established improv couples swapping partners. Saturdays, 8pm. Through May 25. $7. Triple Scoop Three different improv troupes gone wild, and stand-up hosted by Joe Faina. Saturdays, 10pm. $5. Thinning the Herd The combination improv show and weight-loss competition returns for the second show of its new season, with Roy Danger, Chelley Pyatt, Dave Buckman, Les McGehee, and more! Directed by Tyler Bryce. Sun., May 19, 6pm. $5.
Institution Theater, 3708 Woodbury, 895-9580
"Paul Varghese's act includes a number of observations about being Indian, while exploring an array of topics and issues outside that realm." Rather dry description, but know that this comic's act has brought wet tears of laughter at the Vancouver Comedy Festival, Great American Comedy Festival, Rooftop Comedy's Aspen Comedy Festival, the HBO Comedy Festival, and Montreal's Just For Laughs Festival. Yeah: He's the real deal, with Spencer King opening. May 16-18. Thu., 8pm; Fri.-Sat., 8 & 10:30pm. $9-19
Cap City Comedy Club, 8120 Research #100, 512/467-2333
Here's the newest work of dark whimsy, written and directed by Connor Hopkins, from the company that brought us The Jungle, Frankenstein, Riddley Walker, and Toil & Trouble. The professional Trouble Puppet team creates Bunraku-style tabletop puppets to embody this compelling and eerie drama for adults, with original music by Justin Sherburn, costumes by Monica Gibson, and, well, wow. Bonus: Pre-show performance by Cami Alys. Also: Look at the poster for this thing. Brilliant. Why? Because Jennymarie Jemison. Through May 25. Thu.-Sat., 8pm; Sun., 6pm. $10-20
Salvage Vanguard Theater, 2803 Manor Rd., 512/573-2540
This group show of art and design for anaglyph 3-D glasses is curated by Phillip Edward Niemeyer and features vision-galvanizing works by Alec Dartley, Dan Forbes, Dana McClure, Hannah Cole, James Blagden, Joseph Phillips, Mike Reddy, Nicole Stone, Rebecca Rothfus, Ryan Junell, Shawn Camp , and Tanya Newton-John. This gig's got a sound component, too: experimental label Aagoo's compilation recorded in double mono: the left and right channels play distinct sounds, featuring music and sounds by Palaxy Tracks, John Saba Jr., Devin Maxwell, !!!, Jim Eno, The Octopus Project, AU, and Erin Flannery & Zach Layton. Through June 16.
grayDUCK Gallery, 608-C W. Monroe, 512/826-5334
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Bring the bounty from your garden or a craft you made, or just offer your services to folks in exchange for something you want or need. It's bartering at its best to keep waste at a minimum. Untraded items can be donated to local nonprofits. Third Saturdays of the month, noon-4pm. Free.
Hot Mama's Espresso Bar, 2401 E. Sixth, 512/476-6262
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Now in its 35th year, it's time to celebrate the lowest form of groan-up humor with the pros going head to head. 11am.
O. Henry Museum, 409 E. Fifth, 512/472-1903
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This annual conflagration of DIY goodness brings hundreds of today’s brightest indie makers from across the Lone Star State and beyond – with hands-on workshops, live music, food, booze, and more. Sat.-Sun., May 18-19, 11am-7pm. Free.
Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd.
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Sixteen years of community cycle awesomeness is celebrated with the help of the Ouiness, Mike & the Soda Jerks, a bike raffle, plus snacks and beer. Keep pedallin' YBP! 6-11:30pm. Free.
Yellow Bike Project Headquarters, 1216 Webberville Rd.
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New Day Community Garden teaches the little ones about food and gardening followed by a cooking class geared to ages 6 to 12. 10am. Free.
In.gredients, 2610 Manor Rd., 512/275-6357
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The season is just getting started as our local soccer squad takes on the Houston Dutch Lions at home. 7:30pm. $10.
House Park, 1301 Shoal Creek Blvd., 512/335-8881
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Australia sends 28 of its best drivers to go head to head in vehicular speed contests. We're talking 185 mph. Thursday is practice and qualifying rounds with races starting on Saturday and continuing through Sunday. Fri.-Sun., May 17-19. $49 ($100-275, three-day pass).
Circuit of the Americas, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd., 512/301-6600
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The local squad goes on an eight-day home stretch, first against Colorado Springs starting Thursday followed by four games against Reno. Thu.-Fri., May 16-17, 7:05pm; Sat., May 18, 6:05pm; Sun., May 19, 1:05pm; Mon.-Thu., May 20-23, 7:05pm. $7-16.
Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., 512/255-2255