Cover Story
Summer Fun
Join us as we head for the beach – the one here in Austin and the one on the Gulf!
Playtime
Playtime is French comic Jacques Tati’s crowning achievement. The film captures the teeming humanity and the modern architecture of public places – and all given their due by the hapless yet comically graceful M. Hulot.
Exhibitionism
AquaPoint is not overly arresting, but if you’re leisurely walking the grounds of the Austin Museum of Art at Laguna Gloria, Damian Priour’s limestone arrow dripping water is hard to walk by without pausing
Summer Fun
The H2Hos take their renegade feminism to Austin’s pools and beyond
Phases and Stages
Rhythm of Black LinesHuman Hand, Animal Band (Gold Standard Laboratories) You love to see these things happen to local boys. After five-plus years and two albums on local label Sixgunlover, Austin’s Rhythm of Black Lines has found a home on Gold Standard Laboratories, San Diego’s finest indie. They now find themselves labelmates with a stable…
Naked City
Austin author/activist Rahul Mahajan calls for increased effort to end the war
Breakin’ All the Rules
Despite the title of this sugar-coated fluffbomb of an urban romantic comedy, precious few rules are broken, cinematically speaking, during its quick, painless 90 minutes.
Exhibitionism
Blending eerie reminiscence and the trappings of outright hostility, Vortex Repertory Company production of Ghost From a Perfect Place feels as if it ought to be more provocative than it is
Summer Fun
This year’s Summer Fun sings a love song to Galveston Island
Phases and Stages
The Stingers ATXAll in a Day (Grover) If the Stingers were any more old-school, they’d be the Skatalites. “Pickup,” All in a Day’s instrumental opener, skanks like a Studio One master from early Sixties Jamaica. Wayne Myers’ tarnished trombone, chorused with guests Mace Hibbard (sax) and Rick White (trumpet), sounds fresh out of the pawn…
Naked City
The Center for Child Protection’s annual Travis Co. report
Young Adam
A finely observed moral drama from Scottish filmmaker David Mackenzie, one of the rare directors who is equally adept at composition and working with his actors.
In Person
Funny Papers, April 24
Summer Fun
For many of us, the sun is an evil thing, poking its way through various holes in the ozone like a zombie through a screen door. We spend most of our time scurrying from one air-conditioned shelter to another, smearing thick white substances all over our sweaty skin and wearing ridiculous hats to avoid its…
Phases and Stages
Los Lonely BoysThe Fillmore, San Francisco, May 6 The Shaman materialized exactly 15 minutes into the San Angelo Three’s siege. In one of the universe’s most hallowed rock & roll shrines, surrounded by red velvet and balconies, under eight crystal chandeliers, and in front of a sold-out house (1,100), Los Lonely Boys lived the title…
Naked City
Texas’ finest combat the glo-stick menace
Troy
This big-budget adaptation of The Iliad tries mightily, but the end result is the sound and fury of Homer undone.
Page Two
Fighting a traditional war in Iraq dooms us to failure; knowledge and understanding are the real weapons of the future
Summer Fun
360 WAKEBOARD CLUB It should come as no surprise that our status as Third Coast has earned Austin the distinction of having its very own wakeboard club. The group meets every first Wednesday of the month at Ski Shores. Check their Web site for the full lowdown. www.360wakeboard.com CARLOS’N CHARLIE’S Known as much for its…
Final Disposition
The beleaguered Texas Funeral Service Commission once again finds itself mired in controversy
Austin @ Large: Vote, With Your Feet
This week’s elections set the stage for years of citizen butt-kicking to come
Super Size Me
In his cheeky but incendiary documentary about our fast food nation, Morgan Spurlock chronicles the deterioration of his body after a 30-day “McDiet.”
After a Fashion
Stephen hails a ‘couple’ of designers and gets down with the Johnson clan
Summer Fun
This year’s Summer Fun sings a love song to Galveston Island
The Envision Thing: Clearing the First Hurdle
Envision Central Texas begins the long, slow journey toward implementation
Passing the Buck
With the special session nearly gone, the goal continues to recede
James’ Journey to Jerusalem
A movie about a Christian pilgrim and chance, temptation, and illusions’ protection.
Day Trips
The world�s smallest catholic church is right here in Warrenton, Texas
Summer Fun
Galveston’s past, present, and future come together at the Balinese Room, a resurrected old casino finding new life as a live venue on the Gulf
The ECT To-Do List
Noting “the danger … in trying to accomplish too much and ultimately accomplishing too little,” Envision Central Texas has identified seven priority issues for the group to tackle in detail: Integrate transportation and land-use planning Help communities integrate regional economic goals into their local business development efforts Seek a better geographic balance of jobs and…
Senate Wheels Still Spinning
The upper house dawdles (thank God) as the special session clock ticks
Soccer Watch
The Austin Lightning started their second PDL season with a bang last Friday and Saturday at House Park, with a 4-0 win over the Lafayette Swamp Cats, followed by a tight 1-1 draw with the New Orleans Shell Shockers. Striker Diego Cuero scored three of the Lightning’s goals, including the equalizer Saturday night. The Lightning…
Summer Fun
The recent renovation of Galveston’s Hotel Galvez brings the old girl back to her beginnings, as the island’s crown jewel
LCRA Express Spawns Hamilton Pool Traffic Jam
Despite plenty of reasons to go slow, the agency – and its developer friends – are in a big hurry
The Hightower Report
Corporate advertising pisses me off; and, the rich get richer
Mr. Smarty Pants Knows
Ailing Americans, amateur axe-wielders, and active agua areas
Summer Fun
STACIA LEIGH B&B The fateful tale of the Stacia Leigh B&B is a sad one indeed. After surviving her previous life as the yacht of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, her new life as a world-class bed & breakfast was ended abruptly this past April when she sank in her moorings on Galveston Harbor. According to…
Central Austin Plan: Love Is All Around!
Shocking scenes of consensus unfold right before the City Council’s eyes
The ‘Trash’ Man
John Waters on tour, in Austin
To Your Health
Is high-fructose corn syrup worse for us than other sweeteners?
Summer Fun
Bars & Hangouts21 With its Roaring Twenties motif, arm’s-length menu of martini concoctions, and prime location, 21 is the island’s new “It” girl, as it were. At the corner of 21st, hence the name, we wondered if it may also have to do with being a great place for 65-year-old men to hit on 21-year-old…
The Proposed University Neighborhood Overlay
The proposed University Neighborhood Overlay divides West Campus into four subdistricts, each with slightly different development rules: Outer West Campus: Allowable heights in this area, designed as a buffer zone, would range from 45 to 90 feet. Certain uses – such as parking garages – would not be allowed in this subdistrict. Inner West Campus:…
The Little Documentary That Could
How Morgan Spurlock’s ‘Super Size Me’ took a giant bite out of the fast-food industry
Second Helpings: Brewpubs
Bitter End Bistro & Brewery 311 Colorado, 478-2337 Monday, 11:30am-1am; Tuesday-Friday, 11:30am-2am; Saturday, 5pm-2am; Sunday, 5pm-1am This award-winning brewpub just celebrated its 10-year anniversary and has 25 special brews served throughout the year. With four staples on tap in addition to the seasonal beers and ales, their choices will please the occasional beer drinker as…
About AIDS
Heard the one about the guy who was hung so big that getting an erection drained too much blood from his head, causing him to faint? Well, if he was taking an HIV “drug cocktail,” there could be a possible explanation. Once again, the FDA is advising physicians and patients of a possible drug interaction…
Summer Fun
Where one might rent a boat or other watercraft in Austin should one wish to do so
Naked City
Headlines and happenings from Austin and beyond
Three Days at Tribeca, Three Years Later
Is the film festival still all good in the hood?
Austin Critics Table Nominations, 2003-2004
The full list of nominations for the 2003-2004 Austin Critics Table Awards, recognizing outstanding achievements in local theatre, dance, classical music, and visual art
Letters at 3AM
The United States military is moving inevitably toward reinstating the draft
Under the Covers
All of a sudden, it’s cool again to play other people’s songs – not to mention fun!
Naked City
The transit authority debuts Rail: the Sequel, four years in the making
Short Cuts
Nude models, big awards, big movies, dead rock stars. Just another week in Austin film.
Austin Arts Hall of Fame
The Austin Critics Table has decided on the third group of individuals to be inducted into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame. As with the previous honorees, these eight Austinites have made significant contributions to the community over many years, some as artists, some as educators, some as patrons, some as administrators, some as a…
Hops, Barley, and … Rainwater?
The Bitter End’s Environmental Pale Ale is ready just in time for the Teas Craft Brewers Festival
What Are Your Favorite Local Covers?
Jacob Schulze, Moonlight Towers: Spoon, “Me and the Bean” by John Clayton Alex Livingstone, Grand Champeen: The Fall Collection, “In a Jar” by Dinosaur Jr. Brandon Tucker, Coco Candissi: Speedloader, “Didn’t Stop Us” by the Hellacopters Mike Booher, Zykos: Knife in the Water, “What Goes On” by the Velvet Underground Philip Croley, the Parish: The…
Naked City
City Hall makes its position perfectly clear: Sell the Mueller acres
TV Eye
Friends is dead. Long live Friends. Now, can we move on?
It’s All About Surprise
Brendon Walsh, now officially the Funniest Person in Austin, talks comedy
The 2004 Texas Craft Brewers Festival
This Saturday, May 15, Austin will be the host for the 2004 Texas Craft Brewers Festival. Last year, about 2,000 beer lovers turned out to taste more than 40 different beers at the first festival. This year looks like it will be even bigger and better. More breweries have signed up, including several Austin favorites.…
Who Gives a Hoot?
When Shawn Jones of comfort popsters Something Happened left Oklahoma City for the live music capital five years ago, he was not met with the open-armed music community he was expecting. “The music scene here is kind of hard to make friends in at first. It’s very cliquey.” Anyone swimming in the gut of downtown’s…
Naked City
And the Statesman’s apology is still not forthcoming
DVD Watch
Helter Skelter Warner Home Video, $19.99 It’s “disorderly confusion” to Merriam-Webster’s. In 1969 it became about kids committing vicious crimes because some guy told them to. Nixon was president. Crooks abounded with blisters on their fingers. History repeats itself, and Helter Skelter is “in” again. Just in time for CBS’s May 16 airing of the…
Arts Bullets
Bring cans of food to the ballet for a prize in return, holdovers for ‘Stadium Devildare’ and ‘Noises Off,’ and it’s time for the O. Henry Pun-Off and the Capital City Men’s Chorus midnight cabaret
Bitter End Bistro & Brewery
Does the pub grub myth extend to the Bitter End?
Phases and Stages
Young Heart AttackMouthful of Love (XL) It’s about damn time for a bloodshot, bleary-eyed, Texas road trip. Rev the Charger’s Hemi, stash the stash under the seat, and pop in some Who or Zeppelin. A healthy slice of Humble Pie and a pinch of Nuge. And for Pete’s sake, don’t forget Back in Black. Can…
Naked City
California kicks the machines out of its polling places
Summer Fun
How one might get around Galveston should one find oneself there
Green Day, Thanks to NEA
Austin artists and agencies will receive a total of $891,200 in the latest round of federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts
Food-o-File
Austin’s all over the TV, and Austin chefs are all over the place
Phases and Stages
Dale WatsonDreamland (Koch) When you Google “hardcore honky-tonk,” the first hits oughtta be Dale Watson. Throughout his career, Austin’s true-blue country troubadour has slugged it out in bars, concert halls, and of course honky-tonks worldwide. Dreamland is already Watson’s seventh full-length, and all that heavy traveling and hard work shines. This is Watson in his…
Naked City
Broad-based group’s plan for increasing student, community involvement
Exhibitionism
In Six Mexicans Named Gonzalez, writer-performer Adrian Villegas is not afraid to confront American racism and spit in its ghoulish eye – and he’s pretty damned funny as he does it
Phases and Stages
Amy FarrisAnyway (Yep Roc) Many, many moons ago, Jean Caffeine’s All-Nite Truckstop was as prevalent as cheap beer in long-lost local venues like the Austin Outhouse. Caffeine had a knack for surrounding herself with talented musicians who shared her love of Eighties L.A. roots-punk. One of the best was a fiddle player named Amy Farris.…
Naked City
The school board hears from districts that have tackled teacher incentive pay
Mickey
Mega-author John Grisham wrote and financed the making of this Little League baseball film starring Harry Connick Jr.
Luv Doc Recommends: The 27th Annual O.Henry Pun-Off World Championships
If you’re like a lot of people, you’re a dork. Own up to it. You can’t be cool 24/7. If for some reason you think you are, your problem is much bigger than a little dorkiness. Those of us stumbling through life with toilet paper stuck to our shoes, hiding our Right Said Fred CDs…
