Home Events

for Thu., Aug. 1
Recommended
  • Qmmunity

    Nightlife & Parties

    Queer Trivia: SpongeBob SquarePants

    Is SpongeBob SquarePants queer? Conservative parents and mischievous pre-teens have long thought so. Never mind the animated sea sponge’s sexuality, though. You know what makes SpongeBob queer? The bitchy little comments the background characters in Bikini Bottom always have ready to go. Only a diva could come up with a read like “Hey pal, you just blown in from stupid town?” – and that’s why this Nickelodeon classic is an appropriate theme for Aira Juliet and the Little Gay Shop’s bimonthly trivia game. Head to Wanderlust’s Shady Lane location if nautical nonsense be something you wish. – Carys Anderson
    Thu., Aug. 1
    • Film

      Special Screenings

      An American Tail (1986)

      Childhood trauma-monger Don Bluth struck again with this soul-crushing tale of the immigrant struggle masquerading as a kid’s movie. I mean, check out this adorable animal story! Who are we kidding, this is one of the classic Nineties cartoons that radicalized a generation, as it deals with the manipulation of an immigrant mouse family by literal fat cats ruling the city through intimidation and voter fraud. Family-friendly fun for all. But seriously, for a tearjerker with gorgeous animation, it doesn’t get much better than this. Besides, there are worse things than having “Somewhere Out There” stuck in your head for weeks. Bring a hanky and prepare for a serious post-movie talk with your children. – Cat McCarrey
      Thu., Aug. 1, 11am, 5pm
    • Music

      B-Side Quintet

      After studying with veteran timekeepers Jimmy Cobb and Cindy Blackman in New York, drummer Kevin Witt hit Austin in 2006, establishing himself as one of the city’s best rhythm partners. He also leads the B-Side Quintet (or Quartet, depending on who shows up), a group so dedicated to the classic hard bop ethos they prefer to dig into the second sides of great albums, rather than stick with the traditional standards. Expect Thelonious Monk, Miles Dave, John Coltrane, and their peers, but not necessarily the songs you expect. Witt’s current compadres: saxophonist Jerry Espinoza, guitarist Bruce Saunders, pianist Terry Bowness, and bassist Chris Maresh. – Michael Toland
      Thu., Aug. 1, 8pm  
    • Film

      Special Screenings

      Mars Express (2023)

      Equal parts Blade Runner and Masamune Shirow’s Appleseed, French director Jérémie Périn’s animated future noir looks at the immortal question of what happens when the created surpasses the creator. Detective Aline Ruby (Léa Drucker, currently on screens in the taboo sex thriller Last Summer) resurrects her dead partner (Daniel Njo Lobé) in robot form to track down a fugitive from Mars who has fled to Earth, and whose crimes may lead to a robot revolution. Free will and the nature of independent existence are discussed with cyberpunk panache. The AI apocalypse rarely looked cooler. – Richard Whittaker
      Thu., Aug. 1, 8:30pm
    • Film

      Special Screenings

      Pulp Fiction 30th Anniversary (1994)

      The film that brought back John Travolta, made Samuel L. Jackson an icon, saw Quentin Tarantino grow from being an indie wunderkind to a modern movie master, and introduced a generation to the wild thrills of true surf guitar. The violent, funny, bloody, whip-smart script sparked a tidal wave of imitations but has never truly been duplicated, and Tarantino made every line into a quotable moment. Seriously, when the Paramount says summer classics, this is exactly the kind of movie that they’re talking about.: – Richard Whittaker
      Thu., Aug. 1
    • Community

      Events

      Testify Presents: The Last Time

      Don’t worry: This isn’t the final installment of Testify’s live storytelling series despite what the theme might imply. Instead, brave individuals get on stage and share stories of all manner of final moments. Sometimes you see the end coming and other times you only realize the finality of the moment in hindsight. Endings can be sad or hopeful. They can also be planned or a total shock. Come out and feel all the feels and then use what you learned when the show comes to a close. – James Renovitch
      Thu., Aug. 1
    • Arts

      Comedy

      Video Nasties

      Apparently, there aren’t enough movies in the world. Begotten by Fallout Theatre is Video Nasties, a program of entirely improvised movies performed live onstage. The creations derive from audience suggestions – meaning they will be absurd/stupid/genius – and, as the promo states, there will be “no script, no studio interference, no franchises, plenty of popcorn.” Also plenty of booze, should that be necessary, as Fallout has recently added a bar. – Brant Bingamon
      Thu., Aug. 1
    All Events
    • Music

      80H Project, Sour Bridges

      Thu., Aug. 1, 10pm. $10 cover (21+).
    • Music

    • Music

    • Music

      Allisen & the Wy's Guys

      Thu., Aug. 1, 6:30pm. No cover (21+).
    • Community

      Events

      Austin Public Pools Opening

      Hoo-wee! Does anything feel better than a dip in the pool during a hot Texas summer? While some among us may be privileged to own private watering holes, most of us get to enjoy the great Austin PARD’s work at the 44 public aquatic facilities to choose from this summer. You’ve got regional, neighborhood, and community pools; a wading pool; splash pads; and the crown jewel: Barton Springs. Check austintexas.gov/pools-splashpads for up-to-date info on which pools are open, what their entry fee is, and whether you have what it takes to be a public pool lifeguard. Now, outta the way if you don’t wanna get wet: I’m gonna do a cannonball! – James Scott
      Through August 18
      Multiple locations
    • Qmmunity

      Nightlife & Parties

      Austin Vogue Nights

      How long does it take to become legendary? There’s no real answer, but local kiki houses Lepore and Juicy Couture have brought legend status to first Thursdays in just about two years. Tonight they celebrate this anniversary with a mini ball presented by sexual health heavy-hitters ASHwell and the Q Austin, meaning there’s money, honey. Competitors can win up to 150 bucks in ballroom categories like Majorette and Sex Siren. Legendary Akasha and BabiBoi Juicy are in the DJ booth, and the legendary Natalie Lepore is your master of ceremonies. –James Scott
      First Thursday of every month, 10pm. $5.
    • Arts

      Visual Arts

      “Carros y Cultura: Lowriding Legacies in Texas”

      Thanks to Seventies funk band War, the word “lowrider” often calls to mind the unforgettable sax riff of the band’s 1975 No. 1 single. But lowrider can mean a snazzy customized car with hydraulics or a person who works on such a vehicle, and the culture around these cars has strengthened Mexican American communities in the Southwest since the Forties. Learn more about them at this exhibit featuring an interactive touchscreen mural, cars and bikes on display, and stories about the people who make lowriding a community. A member reception takes place May 18. – Kat McNevins
      Through Sept. 2
    • Arts

      Visual Arts

      “Temperate Grasslands”

      We’re in that liminal space of summer, where life is lush and blooming, right before it succumbs to death by heat. Big Medium’s curator Coka Treviño has collected an exhibit full of garden scenes representing that magical explosion of garden growth. In her own words, it’s a way “to forget how heavy it feels to be a human.” There’s constant discovery in the wide variety of works, from dozens of artists like the established Dawn Okoro and up-and-comers MuthaGoose. Join the opening reception this Friday to view interpretations of glorious greenery. – Cat McCarrey
      Through August 4
    • Music

      Barbara Nesbitt &Friends

      Thursdays, 8:30pm. $10 cover (21+).
    • Music

      Barfield the Tyrant

      Thu., Aug. 1, 10:30pm. $10 cover (21+).
    • Arts

      Theatre

      Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

      Carole King is one of those once-in-a-generation songwriters, the kind who absolutely deserves not just a jukebox musical, but this type of theatrical biography on stage. A lot of folks know her seminal album Tapestry and her collaboration with longtime platonic soulmate James Taylor. But she had a thriving songwriting career beforehand. Beautiful tracks her stunning girl group anthems (“One Fine Day” or “Loco-Motion,” anyone?) and her fraught relationships with male collaborators. Can they keep this “natural woman” down? Of course not, but watch her rise while grooving to King’s victorious anthems.
      July 31-Sept. 8
    • Arts

      Visual Arts

      Bending Light

      Taylor Davis might have the coolest job description I’ve ever heard. She’s an independent curator (dream) and a landscape designer. So basically, she finds beauty in everything she touches. For “Bending Light,” Davis has accumulated work by four BIPOC artists, multidisciplinary masters “illuminating the nuanced experiences and collective memories of queerness and femininity in Black cultural production,” to quote the exhibit description. A weighty task, but one the artists – Kaima Marie Akarue, Ciara Elle Bryant, Catherine Martinez, and Chandrika Metivier – pull off with fascinating aplomb. Through mediums including but not limited to sculpture, video, collage, and photos, the viewer glimpses unique experiences. It’s a fresh reflection of this world. – Cat McCarrey
      Thursdays-Saturdays. Through Aug. 22
    • Music

      Blues jam

      Thu., Aug. 1, 9pm
    • Music

    • Music

    • Music

    • Arts

      Comedy

      Cap City Comedy Club

      That's right: Cap City Comedy Club, the longtime cornerstone of Austin's comedy scene for nearly four decades is at a new venue in the Domain. And here's Valerie Lopez with a closer look at what's in store for the scene via the venue. Click for details!
    • Music

      Casper Rawls

      Thursdays, 6:30pm and Thu., Aug. 22, 6:30pm
    • Music

    • Music

      Chuck Shaw

      Thu., Aug. 1, 6pm
    • Arts

      Visual Arts

      Creating Encuentros: Changarrito 2012–2024

      Traveling in Mexico, you frequently encounter changarritos – portable food carts or tienditas run by hardworking entrepreneurs. The carts usually operate outside of any formal regulation and, in that way, mirror the resilience and creativity of Mexican culture. In 2005, artist Máximo González appropriated the concept of the changarrito as a way for artists to take their work directly to the people. The idea came to Austin’s venerable Mexic-Arte Museum in 2012, with dozens of artists displaying art and interacting with the public outside the Downtown gallery. The concept is back and will run through August. – Brant Bingamon
      Through August 25
    • Music

      Da' Homies

      Thursdays, 10:30pm and Thursdays, 10:30pm. $10 cover (21+).
    • Music

      David Thacker Band

      Thu., Aug. 1, 9:30pm

Information is power. Support the free press, so we can support Austin.   Support the Chronicle