Harry Underwood: “Euphoria To Go”
Through August 30, Yard Dog Gallery
Visiting our fair town all the way from Nashville is narrative artist Harry Underwood, whose career spans titles such as swimming pool cleaner, Italian restaurant busser, and construction industry insider. His paintings often utilize stenciled images and text written by hand with latex house paint and No. 2 pencils to convey retro scenes straight out of early Lynch efforts. Perhaps that’s the influence of his family’s many attendances at Pentecostal preaching, or just the result of living in rural Florida through the Seventies. Whatever the case, his work touches nostalgia without praising it. Yard Dog carries his newest show starting Thursday, but drop in this Saturday, Aug. 2, for an opening reception with Underwood in attendance. – James Scott
Free Spay/Neuter Clinic
Through August 1, Circuit of the Americas
A trip for Rex to the racecar track probably wasn’t on your pet’s bucket list, but if he hasn’t been snipped yet, this free spay and neuter clinic provides the perfect excuse. Austin Animal Center, in partnership with nonprofit Greater Good Charities, will also provide free vaccinations, flea/tick prevention, and microchips to pets who undergo surgery. You’re going to want to get there early – registration and drop-off begin at 7:30am and will continue until 10am, or until the schedule is full each day – but you won’t regret it. For our fur babies, we will absolutely go that extra mile. – Kimberley Jones
MoveOutATX & Free Furniture Market
Thursday 31, Campus area
It’s the circle of life: Every summer, UT students move out and need to unload all their stuff … which then means there’s a whole lotta stuff needing a new home that ideally isn’t a landfill. Thursday is the last day you can drop off items at five campus-adjacent donation stations, including furniture, household goods, small appliances, bedding, and hygiene products. (See the entire list of accepted items at MoveOutATX.org.) Those looking to get, not give away, can then hit the evening Free Furniture Market, 6:30-8pm, at the UT Austin Wright-Whitaker Sports Complex. It’s a first-come, first-served situation, and you’ll need to be prepared to load and transport whatever you find on your own. – Kimberley Jones
Never Been Better Free Social Run
Thursday 31, Better Half Coffee & Cocktails
Running can get expensive in a sneaky way. You’re getting out of paying for a gym membership, but between fresh shoes and race fees, it starts to add up. Fleet Feet’s Never Been Better Summer Series is here to help you take off in less-spendy style with a free social run and sales and specials from top running gear companies, including wear-testing from Alta. If you’re hoping for a successful race season, bring your old shoes to recycle at the altar of Cap10K’s Tiki Totem of Running. Reliable ritual sacrifices like that are hard to come by cheap. – Caroline Drew
School of Rock
Friday 1, Community First! Cinema
The Austin Film Critics Association has always been one of the biggest advocates for local filmmaking. Hey, we even have our own Best Austin Film category in our annual awards. And we say “we” because many Chronicle critics, including Kimberley Jones, Marjorie Baumgarten, and myself, current AFCA Vice President Richard Whittaker, have been part of its 20-year history. Come celebrate with the members as the organization enters its third decade with this special screening of a locally made all-time classic, Richard Linklater’s ode to those who know how to rock even though they’re not out of high school yet. Watch for more AFCA screenings in the months to come. – Richard Whittaker
Kate Berlant
Friday 1 – Saturday 2, the Creek and the Cave
You may know Kate Berlant from her work with longtime collaborator John Early, such as their joint comedy special Would It Kill You to Laugh?; from Poog, her satirical wellness podcast with Jacqueline Novak; or from her iconic delivery of the line “I am gagging for you, f*gg*t” on The Other Two. Whatever your entry into Berlant fanhood may be, she’s sure to make you guffaw all night at her upcoming live show – spanning two days on the C&C stage with tickets ranging $35-45. – James Scott
How Should a Conversation Be?
Friday 1 – Sunday 10, CRASHBOX
Yale Drama Prize finalist Malena Pennycook presents her newest play at Austin’s home for unconventional stagecraft – suitable digs for what Pennycook calls “a formally inventive queer love story.” Basic summary entails a couple (performed by Pennycook and Nancy Ma) who meet in a queer Colorado cafe and find, as their relationship continues through the years, that time moves much differently than anticipated. Yet another inventive layer exists to this production, as its set is a sculptural installation created collaboratively by local Austin architecture firm LOWDO Design and prop designer Zipporah Norton with scrap materials sourced from Ghana. Suitable for those age 15 and up, with tickets running $20. – James Scott
Pretty Filthy
Through August 10, Austin Playhouse
The third entry in Doctuh Mistuh Production’s summer run of shows is a “docu-musical” about the porn industry. Key word there is “about.” It’s not a lurid musical with a sausage-bearing pizza delivery man; it’s a look at the people behind the business. Think more Boogie Nights or The Deuce and less Deep Throat. With a score by late off-Broadway legend Michael Friedman, this niche musical offers a glimpse into the progression of the adult film industry. – Cat McCarrey
Redistricting Hearing
Friday 1, Texas State Capitol
There are millions of Texans who voted Democrat in the last election, and Republican lawmakers are trying to disenfranchise the lot of them, including here in Austin, where the proposed redrawn map has moved our two U.S. Reps – Lloyd Doggett and Greg Casar – into the same congressional district. Time to fight back: Submit a public comment online, register to testify in person, and maybe stick your head out the window and scream. Those inside feelings we’re all having? Let’s air them on the outside. In fact, you can do just that at the Capitol’s Main Rotunda at 10am, where hundreds are expected to rally in protest of Republicans’ gerrymandering scheme. – Kimberley Jones
Tales From the Hood
Friday 1 & Wednesday 6, Alamo Village, Slaughter Lane, and Lakeline
Who’s the greatest horror host in history? Joe Bob Briggs? Svengoolie? The Crypt Keeper? Well, true horror heads know that Clarence Williams III may claim that grisly throne from his single outing as the sinister Mr. Simms, the mortician guiding three gangbangers through terrifying tales meant to petrify and terrify. However, there’s a lot more than regular supernatural shrieks here: Only the third film released by Spike Lee’s 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks not directed by Lee himself, it’s the connecting thread between Blacksploitation and modern horror noire. – Richard Whittaker
“Beyond the Shape” Closing Reception
Friday 1, Mexic-Arte
Here’s one last chance for those with extreme FOMO: Mexic-Arte’s exhibit honoring local Chicano/a/x artist Vicente “Chente” Rodriguez has been up since April, but it’s still possible to sneak in a last glorious view of his geometric color studies and imaginative screenprints. In fact, it might even be a better opportunity to check it out, since the closing reception will have all the art, plus antojitos, plus grooves by DJ Guira King, plus some original screenprints created solely for the evening. It’s free for members, so get on that membership or snag some tickets before they disappear. – Cat McCarrey
Fan Drop-Off
Friday 1, Multiple Locations
For over 30 years, Austin’s own Family Eldercare has thrown their Summer Fan Drive. Donated fans get distributed to those who need relief from the hot, hot, HOT Texas sun, which include homebound adults, pets, and kids. Though the four-month drive runs through the start of September, this Friday offers a special chance to drop off fans at participating points around town, including KXAN as well as several Roger Beasley Mazda locations. We’re all dealing with this scorching summer together, so why not help your neighbors keep cool? – James Scott
Yojimbo
Friday 1, Sunday 3 – Monday 4 & Thursday 7, AFS Cinema
Film noir is about bad people doing bad things for good reasons. Maybe it’s that sense of broken morality that drew Akira Kurosawa to the works of Dashiell Hammett, and why he converted the American author’s twisted classic, The Glass Key, to a story of rōnin and bandits in the fading day of Edo-era Japan. Maybe it’s the simplicity of the story that means there has never been a bad version of this story, and every filmmaker gets to tell their own version. Not that there could ever be a bad film with Toshiro Mifune cutting through soulless scum and setting them at each other’s throat, all at Kurosawa’s brilliant behest. – Richard Whittaker
Some Like It Hot
Friday 1, Hyperreal Film Club
Apparently Jerry Lewis got offered the role that eventually went to Jack Lemmon in this feature, which Lewis turned down because he didn’t wanna do drag. Foolish move, as drag is the key that opens up this goofy tale about two broke musicians who must go into hiding in a woman’s jazz group after they witness a mob hit. Billy Wilder and co-writer I.A.L. Diamond’s knack for rat-a-tat dialogue is in top form, with Lemmon and co-star Tony Curtis trading one-liners as easy as breathing. Made up as “Josephine” and “Daphne,” they learn the pitfalls of womanhood as well as the perks, such as close quarters with singer Sugar Kane, played by Marylin Monroe in a performance so sweet it’ll give ya cavities. – James Scott
Summer Stock’s Jesus Christ Superstar
Through August 10, McCullough Theatre
One of the top questions pondered by Google searchers on this topic: “Is Jesus Christ Superstar blasphemous?” Catholic Answers says not really, but that viewers may find some of the liberties it takes with the Jesus story to be “off-putting, if not offensive.” Now that sounds like the makings of a great rock opera! Especially when you consider its longevity – over 50 years – and the star power behind it – Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, whose partnership also begat blockbusters Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Evita. Summer Stock Austin continues the global phenomenon with nine performances of the timeless story. – Kat McNevins
Kyle Mooney: The Real Me / Fake Me Tour
Friday 1, Mohawk
Many know him as the lanky funny man of small screens (SNL) and beyond (Brigsby Bear, Y2K), but are y’all aware Kyle Mooney’s doing music now? Yes: the comedian has made much hay of his artistic transition, though his tunes aren’t bound by genre. Attendees can see Mooney move through rock, country, dance, R&B, and more with his performance of debut album The Real Me tracks. Stand-up sensation and recurring The Bear performer Carmen Christopher opens. – James Scott
The Sound of Music
Saturday 2, Paramount Theatre
Escape with Julie Andrews into the green hills of Austria (and the AC of the Paramount) Saturday afternoon as she plays Maria, the governess who sings her way into one naval captain’s home and into his children’s hearts. Whether you’re a cinephile watching through the Summer Classic Film Series or a parent looking for a kid-friendly indoor activity this weekend, The Sound of Music never gets old. – Sammie Seamon
The Tale of Zatoichi
Saturday 2 – Wednesday 6, Alamo Lakeline, South Lamar, Village
When people say that games are getting cinematic, it’s not about aspect ratios. It’s about aspirations and influences. The creators of the critically acclaimed and beloved Ghost of Tsushima were always open about how much they were influenced by postwar Japanese samurai epics, and that’s equally true for its eagerly awaited sequel, Ghost of Yōtei. Now there’s an opportunity to see the movies that inspired the gameplay: Alamo’s Way of the Samurai series, which includes Akira Kurosawa’s Ran (one of only two films ever to get a five-star review from the Chronicle), revenge classic Lady Snowblood, Takeshi Miike’s brilliantly gruesome 13 Assassins, and the first Lone Wolf and Cub film, Sword of Vengeance. But the series starts with the first episode in the long-running adventures of an iconic sword-wielder, the blind masseur Ichi, as played with grace and humor by Shintaro Katsu. Oh, and of course there’s a cool popcorn bucket to go with it. – Richard Whittaker
Pride & Seek
Saturday 2, ColdTowne Theater
Kick off Austin Pride month with a Pride-centric improv farce led by directors Liz Brenner and Tess Hermes. Running an hour long and packed with talented improvisers, this story “plunges audiences into the glittery chaos of a Pride festival” via a queer couple lost from each other and desperate to be found. Zany characters crop up and silly situations make for hilarious comic fodder, but will our heroes find each other by the time the last rainbow flag flies? The answer’ll be different at every show, as this play presents on select Fridays and Saturdays throughout August. Check crowdwork.com/e/pride-seek for all dates and prices. – James Scott
Banger’s Brat Mitzvah: 13 Years of Sausage
Saturday 2, Banger’s
Close your eyes and imagine with me: You’re holding a beer in your right hand, a brat in your left. The smell of fresh Jewish brisket and the sound of live music surround you. No, this is not just a fantasy. Brat Mitzvah is real. After 13 years of business, Banger’s Sausage House and Beer Garden is celebrating with a hora hoedown open to all link lovers and featuring a slew of food specials and beer collabs. Get in on the celebration and sing the hot dog “Hava Nagila” to make your Brat Mitzvah fantasies a reality. – Julianna Plewes
The Beer and Now
Saturday 2, Saengerrunde Hall
Beer, and now? Sounds good already. But also: excellent choral music from Austin’s Inversion Ensemble, featuring a world premiere of Be Drunk by Adrienne Inglis, a setting of Charles Baudelaire’s poem “Enivrez-vous” commissioned by Beerthoven. But wait, there’s more! Free warm pastries from Easy Tiger and free cold beer from Lazarus Brewing await, all in the historic Saengerrunde. Beerthoven put it best: “It’s a night of musical mindfulness that invites you to be present and drink up whatever joy, art, beauty, compassion, and love you can find in this moment.” Cheers! – Kat McNevins
Pioneer Ghost Tour
Saturday 2, Pioneer Farms
Many people have passed since the pioneers, but it seems only old time-y folks get haunting rights. I’ve been on several of these tours, hoping to glimpse a ghastly bonnet or translucent waistcoat. It hasn’t happened for me yet, but I always leave with some delightfully dark historical fun facts and local lore that make it all worth it. That being said, the folks behind this tour have diligently documented disembodied voices and other oddities along their tour route and all but promise an encounter. This just might be the tour you can leave informed and afraid. – Caroline Drew
ART’s Glitter Gala
Sunday 3, Parker Jazz Club
Craving queer art in the face of fascism? Want to show your support for any disenfranchised groups in the area? Enter Austin Rainbow Theatre, one of the openly queer-safe corners of Austin. Their Glitter Gala promises a feel-good cabaret of joyous song and dance, fighting back against a system that’s already slashed their grant budgets and threatened their existence. Sparkling queen Ritzy Bitz hosts a night of operatics, gender-bent showtunes, and tasty morsels from Flavor & Co. Who says resistance can’t be luxurious? – Cat McCarrey
Jane Austin Improv Presents: Austenerton
Sunday 3, Fallout Theater
Award-winning improv comedy group Jane Austin brings coy Bridgerton vibes to Mansfield Park with their new show, Austenerton, that’ll be taking over Fallout Theater the first Sunday of every month through December. If you’re looking for weekend comedy that has all the scandal and romance of Emma as well as the gossipy debutantes of the popular Netflix period show, this unscripted comedy series might be your new routine. You can check out Jane Austin Improv on Instagram: @janeaustinimprov. – Sammie Seamon
Robocop + Starship Troopers
Sunday 3, Paramount Theatre
Sunday’s gonna be very Verhoeven as well as really Rodriguez, as Texas’ own Troublemaker introduces the Dutch director’s most significant sci-fi satires. First on the bill is perhaps without equal as a cultural critique, aka the movie every movie nerd calls the American Jesus mythos. Peter Weller wears the robotic police uniform well, and few villains have worn their thinning hairline quite as good as Kurtwood Smith’s Boddicker. Second-billed is an screen adpatation of Robert A. Heinlein’s overtly militaristic original text. Verhoeven lines his version with shiny happy movie stars grinning through genocide as if, perhaps, to make a point about our culture’s glorification of war. – James Scott
Want to see all of our listings broken down by day? Go to austinchronicle.com/calendar and see what’s happening now or in the coming week.
This article appears in August 1 • 2025.
