Public Notice

We could, especially in the first person plural, carry on as if it's business as usual, with possibly nuns -- er, none -- the wiser. But, truth be told, regular "Public Notice" maven Kate X Messer is off to the Sunshine State for a week of unremitting bliss (believe it) in the surf and sand, and occasional featureman Wayne Alan Brenner is subbing her shift this issue. Ah, the dunes at Daytona ... Sanibel so serene ... the azurish perfection of St. Augustine! (As Dr. Seuss put it so well in Beach Party Lorax.) We'd like there to always be such watery bliss for people's enjoyment -- in Florida, in Texas, in the Lesser Antilles, in everywhere that's not naturally landlocked -- which is why we're like totally stoked, dude, to mention the upcoming Surfrider Foundation meeting. These guys are dedicated to the protection and enhancement of the world's oceans, waves, and beaches through conservation, research, and education, and they'll be gathering at Scholz Garten on Mon, Jul 24, 7pm. You don't need a woody to hang with this crowd, just slip on your flip-flops and stroll on down. 415-6816.

And dude, check out these fast times in the tubular public service world:

From the Bang Your Head for Mental Health Dept.: Catch five hours of bands slamming out the music in an Eighties Cheez Metal Hoot Night at the Red Eyed Fly on Fri, Jul 21, 8pm. This wicked amalgam of sound and power, featuring local hair bands Brown Whörnet, Free Range Bastards, the Defrockers, Fuckzilla, Solid Gold 40, and others, is part of the "A Day in the Life" Concert Series to benefit the SIMS Foundation. After seeing Brown Whörnet's rendition of The A-Team theme song at the recent TV Theme Hoot Night, we can't wait to see their take on Quiet Riot (or W.A.S.P., or Poison, or Dokken). And we can only hope that one of these groups will take on the heady task of a White-themed set (with covers of White Lion, Whitesnake, and Great White). It's a mere $8 cover charge for this eruption of musical mayhem, so cum on, feel the noize. 473-2844.

(And it's not too early to start getting a Crüe together for the Fourth Annual SIMS Supper, coming up on Aug 11, with Gilligan's, Waterloo Brewing Company, Texicalli Grille, and others donating part of their evening's proceeds to our local society for the preservation of musicians' mental health. 494-1007.)

From the As Long as We're Stuck in the Eighties Dept.: Get your tube top on and getcher motor runnin' at the Fifth Annual Austin Corvette Day at Rudy's Country Store & Bar-B-Q on Sat, Aug 5, 10am-3pm. This free exhibition of fierce and fancy street machines will feature up to 250 Corvettes (one of them yours?), raffles, and silent auction, all benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and South Texas. Free parking and air-conditioned shuttle service from the park-and-ride southwest of the Oak Knoll/183 intersection will get you there without breaking a sweat, so you can revel in the automotive glory of the largest Corvette-only show in Central Texas. 338-1806.

From the Dogs in Heat Dept.: No, not that kind of heat. Puppies get hot in the summer, what with all that fur and not a whole lot of options in the sweating arena, so they are usually more than willing to join you for a jaunt down to Sculpture Falls or the Barton Springs Pool spillway for a refreshing dip and a little socializing. What? You've never dog-paddled alongside a pooch? Here's your chance to get hooked up with a fetching companion for the remaining, uhh, dog days of summer. The Humane Society-SPCA's Pet Adoption takes place next week at the downtown location of Whole Foods Market, Sat, Jul 29, 9am-3pm. There will be plenty of orphan canines on hand to adopt, and reps from the Humane Society will be there to guide you through the process. Help a hot dog cool down in this brutal heat, and he'll be sure to nuzzle up to your cold feet come winter. 837-7985.

And finally, from the Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves (and With Each Other) Dept.: Laydeez Nite: a hip-hop soiree at Gaby & Mo's, Sat, Aug 19, 9:30pm, benefits the Gender Continuum, the transgender support group at Waterloo Counseling Center run by Katy Koonce, LMSW. 626 Soul's DJ Mel will be mixing the beat as this homey neighborhood laydeez coffeehouse-restaurant is transformed into a partytime laydeez nightclub complete with wild lights and go-go grrls, a disco-tinted danceathon perfect for cruisin' and boozin' and copious shakin' o' th' booty. 457-9027.