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Villa Muse Goes South? Bud Cort Back in the Astrodome?

Yes, film studios are popping up everywhere. I just got word of another one quietly being built in the Austin area (details when I can pry them loose). And now a report from the San Antonio Business Journal has Villa Muse looking instead to the land of enchiladas and heavy metal for its proposed mega-studio…

by Joe O'Connell

Aztex Win Again, Close in on U.S. Open Cup Berth

Another great outing for the Austin Aztex U-23s last Saturday, as they thrashed a pretty good DFW Tornados squad, 3-0. Austin pretty well dominated the game, out-shooting Dallas 16-4, even while playing a man down the last half-hour. Goals came from Westlake High product Andres Cuero, a freshman at UNC-Charlotte playing his first game for…

by Nick Barbaro

Man U Wins Champions League Title

Manchester United won the European Champions League title on Wednesday, beating Chelsea 6-5 in a penalty-kick shoot-out… Portsmouth won the English FA Cup on Saturday, beating Cardiff City, 1-0… Though both were pushed to the last day of the season, Inter Milan won their third straight Italian championship on Sunday, and Lyon won their seventh…

by Nick Barbaro

UT Baseball Sweeps A&M, Preps for Big 12 Tourney

Bring out the brooms Horns’ fans, as Texas swept rival Texas A&M over the weekend, sending the Aggies home with their tails between their legs! Texas’ pitching has been the story the last few weeks as they have given up only 21 runs in their last 10 games. Kenn Kasparek has led the way with…

by Christopher Bond

Plath Tics

Ah, the iconic typeface (Davida Bold) that composes the title of Sylvia Plath’s single novel, The Bell Jar, that long-carried, dog-eared, tear-stained staple of modern (well, Mid-Century Modern) adolescent (well, female adolescent) angst … It’s funny, in a morbid way, we think, when considering how the author gassed herself to death all head-in-the-oven in W.B.…

by W. A. Brenner

The Evangelicals Behind the Velvet Curtain

According to bestselling author Christine Wicker, we’ve been lied to. For years we’ve been told about the boundless power of the “religious right” – a supposedly homogeneous group comprised of millions and millions of vociferous and devoted evangelical Christians. Think President George W. Bush, or James Dobson and his group Focus on the Family –…

by Jordan Smith

Aztex Go for League Lead Saturday Night

The Austin Aztex host the DFW Tornados tonight, with first place in the PDL Mid-South, and in U.S. Open qualifying, on the line. A win would move the Aztex into first, ahead of the defending national champion Laredo Heat, who beat DFW last night in Laredo, 1-0. A supporters’ group will meet behind the home…

by Nick Barbaro

Poppin’ E: Election Reception Roundup

From partying with Will Wynn to chillin’ with Allen Demling, City Hall Hustle bum-rushes the election night parties in a politico-packed election special you (and our elected officials) won’t soon forget.

by Wells Dunbar

Outlaws Douse Blaze in Home Opener

Some 500 fans stuck out last Saturday’s thunderstorm (and the subsequent 45-minute lightning delay) to watch the Outlaws’ first home game of the season against the New Orleans Blaze. No one left disappointed. Running back Shadana Hurd ran for 217 yards in the first half (274 total) and scored five touchdowns. Fellow running back/defensive back…

by Ashley Moreno

Idiosyncrasies of America’s Pastime

In the history of baseball there have been games decided by an exciting event or with an obvious outcome. Sometimes, they go as scripted, while others keep you on the edge of your seat. A game-winning home run can bring the stands to their feet and players into a delirious joy. A blowout can be…

by Christopher Bond

Rhythm Hound Music & Media Show

Thank you to everybody that came out to our happy hour last week and all the people that partied with us last night on Red River. Pictures from both events will be posted soon. This weekend we will be out at the 2008 Music and Media show presented by Rhythm Hound (www.rhythmhound.com). This is the…

by Logan Youree

10 Other Unclassifiable Austin Acts

W-S Burn Members Pixie (vocals, harmonium, wind chimes), Steve Gigante (guitar) The vibe “Spaced-out, minimal, emotionally disarming, dark, warm, gorgeous songs sung by a red-haired witch who has recurring nightmares.” Abigail und Hansel Members Michelle Waterman and Joel Crutcher (guitars, vocals), Bobby Baker (guitar and bass) The vibe “Those who can get past the gargoyles…

by Chronicle Staff

Texas Platters

ATX Underground Concrete: Volume One (2BEntertainment) Masochistic and monolithic, this grueling 18-song sampler marks the easiest entry point into Austin’s industrial underground, but there’s nothing here that sounds even remotely new or exciting. Relative highlights include Exit’s aquatic ambience (“Understanding Our Razing”), the siren chill of Lust Murder Box (“Lesser of Two”), and Happy Panjoma’s…

by Austin Powell

Day Trips

Nichol’s Landing Paddling Trail lends access to the many swimming, paddling, and water-related delights of the Upper Guadalupe River

by Gerald E. McLeod

ACC: Mahoney Comes Out on Top, for Now

The high jumpers over at the UIL track and field state championships at UT Saturday night certainly had no idea who Tim Mahoney is, but they could probably relate to the Austin Community College board of trustees candidate’s predicament – his election result was like getting his whole body over the bar … but then…

by Lee Nichols

Texas Platters

Here’s Eliza Gilkyson and Christine Albert, two May goddesses with a taste of summer’s ripe bounty to come. At the Austin Music Awards in 2006, Gilkyson stood before a packed house with an armful of awards and declared that she was proudest of winning Best Folk Act. So when she announces, “I am just a…

by Margaret Moser

Texas Platters

Driver F Chase the White Whale In the hands of TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek, Driver F’s jittery, horn-inflected pop-punk could have conjured the angular energy of Foals. Instead, this young sextet’s surprisingly consistent sophomore outing veers toward the vortex created by the likes of Fall Out Boy and Panic at the Disco.

by Austin Powell

Playing Through

Cassanova tore up the competition at the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge and hopes to do the same in the nationals

by Thomas Hackett

In Other Elections …

After a split vote on three bond proposals, it looks like the city of Pflugerville is big on bookworms but not so hot on hitting the gym or having a new city hall. Voters rejected Prop. 1 ($11 million for a city hall, allowing staff to move out of the converted doctor’s office it currently…

by Richard Whittaker

Texas Platters

Leatherbag Love & Harm (Superpop!) With eight songs in 25 minutes, Love & Harm could be classified as an EP. However, the songwriting sweep of Austin’s Leatherbag, aka Randy Reynolds, is so broad and enveloping, it’s an epic listen. This is his third EP, following a longer-player last year, so maybe the short form is…

by Jim Caligiuri

Texas Platters

The Wailing Walls Long Live the Infidel (Almost There) With their second LP, Long Live the Infidel, the Wailing Walls stage a two-act classic rock opera steeped in the tradition of the Who’s Tommy but with an alternative edge that recalls the Daron Malakian-led moments of System of a Down’s double album, Hypnotize/Mezmerize. The nursing…

by Austin Powell

Place 4 Handicapping: Clouds Over Galindo

If you’re going to lay money on the City Council Place 4 run-off, it appears the safe money would be on Laura Morrison. Her strongest precincts were the ones that usually control Austin elections, the turnout-heavy central boxes – areas where the citizens are most likely to be aware that a run-off is scheduled and…

by Lee Nichols

Texas Platters

Brent Adair Ostrich (Golden Stone) Tangentially minded local singer-songwriter Brent Adair follows up 2004’s Pieces with a homespun album of faraway themes. Streaming reflective, bare-bones folk-pop alongside lyrics that prefer the scenic route, Ostrich may be an acquired taste, but it’s one of iconoclastic distinction. Adair and handyman producer Billy Harvey set the mood right…

by Greg Beets

Municipal Election Results by Region

Here’s a regional breakdown of the election results, based on the council districts floated during the last round of single-member district mapping. West has by far the most registered voters – and had the highest turnout percentage. Every candidate but Jason Meeker got more votes in the West than in any other region, but Harrison…

by Chronicle Staff

Texas Platters

Old 97’s Blame It on Gravity (New West) Apparently the Old 97’s have found a musical formula that works and won’t deviate from it in this lifetime. Why fix what ain’t broken? Empirically, there’s not much broken here. Blame It on Gravity is a perfectly listenable album, pleasant and upbeat and likely to help sustain…

by Melanie Haupt

A CAMPO Primer

If they’ve heard of CAMPO at all, most Central Texans probably have a blurry idea that it somehow presides over roads – especially toll roads. In fact, the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization has broad responsibility for overall transportation planning. CAMPO is the metropolitan planning organization for Williamson, Travis, and Hays counties. (It cooperates with…

by Katherine Gregor

Happenings

For more events, see Community Listings. Friday 16 BIKE TO WORK DAY is just one of several Bike Month events going on. For more, see www.austincycling.org. Saturday 17 ELECTRONICS RECYCLING DRIVE All electronics accepted – computers, cell phones, CD players. Anything that cannot be refurbished will be recycled. 9am-2pm. McCallum High School, 5600 Sunshine. PERMACULTURE…

by Chronicle Staff

Texas Platters

No denying the twang of Twanguero’s sophomore LP, Big Bend. As for the “guero,” the local quartet’s fiddle flavor is injected with surf-rock licks and Chris Collins’ blazing six-string. Instrumental numbers outshine the vocals, the Twang gang winding spaghetti Western soundtracks in unexpected turns, from the squealing guitar solo on “Search and Destroy” to the…

by Doug Freeman

Envision Crestview Station

The new 20-acre Midtown Commons broke ground this week; it will be Phase I of Crestview Station, Austin’s first privately built transit-oriented development. As such, the “new urban village” designed around a transit stop offers a picture of Austin’s desired land-use future. Nestled between a transit line – the new Capital Metro commuter rail (to…

by Katherine Gregor

Texas Platters

Bob Schneider When the Sun Breaks Down on the Moon (Shockorama) You’re never quite sure which of Bob Schneider’s many stage personas you’ll get with each new disc. One thing’s for certain, though: He’ll draw broadly from tested singer-songwriter forms without adding much distinction to them. When the Sun Breaks Down on the Moon finds…

by Jim Caligiuri

Quote of the Week

“I’m taking my mother for dim sum for Mother’s Day.” – Council Member Jennifer Kim, on what she had planned after her May 10 election day loss to Randi Shade

by Chronicle Staff

Crashing the Green Water Treatment Plant Proposal Party

Want to hear developer proposals for the biggest Downtown Austin redevelopment project in history? Then plan to spend an afternoon at City Hall on Thursday, May 22. Starting at 1pm, council will hear from the five proposing master developers for the Green Water Treat­ment Plant (and Austin Energy) site. Each team will make 45-minute pitches…

by Katherine Gregor

Texas Platters

Nelo (Justice) Since re-establishing their local roots last year following a stint in Athens, Ga., Nelo’s built up an increasingly devoted following, testament to the lingering power of 1990s adult contemporary pop. The sextet’s debut, cut at Willie Nelson’s Pedernales Studio, is produced to a sheen, so smooth, in fact, that nothing sticks. Reid Umstattd’s…

by Doug Freeman

Off the Record

Local bands get licensed to ill, Marked Men prove lo-fi is all the rage, and Explosions in the Sky curate All Tomorrow’s Parties

by Austin Powell

Texas Platters

Kissinger Underwater (WCI) After more than a decade together, plus two LPs and assorted EPs, Kissinger has assembled its most convincing work to date. The proceeds from winning the Austin Music Foundation’s Incubator Award were used to bring in producers Phillip Broussard Jr. (Weezer, Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Andy Sharp (Blue October, Sheryl Crow),…

by Jim Caligiuri

Headlines

• Round one of the city elections closed Saturday, with an easy victory by Place 1 incumbent Lee Leffingwell, a more surprising romp by Place 3 challenger Randi Shade, and a June run-off to come in Place 4 between Laura Morrison and Cid Galindo. See Elections 2008. • The lame-duck City Council meets today (Thursday)…

by Chronicle Staff

Newsdesk: Pushing for a Three-Party System

The Libertarian Party of Texas is hoping for a record election year. Well, at least in terms of candidates. They’re planning on having 174 names on the November ballot, beating their 2006 record of 168. They’ve already nominated 131 candidates for Senate, House, and District seats, plus 33 for county offices, and they hope to…

by Richard Whittaker

Texas Platters

Ghost of the Russian Empire The Mammoth (Thirty Ghosts) Local quartet Ghost of the Russian Empire has managed a shoegaze homage without date or distraction. Debut LP The Mammoth swells dark and warm. Bounding away from the MBV pigeonhole dug out on 2006’s great fuzz-bomb EP, With Fiercest Demolition, the Ghost corrals those 1990s stalwarts…

by Darcie Stevens

Texas Platters

Lucid Dementia Trickery (Buried Productions) Comforting to know that Sheldon Reynolds’ veteran industrigoth freak out remains committed to peeling the tatty fishnets off of bad, black reality and administering a sonic cat-o’-nine-tails to the post-millennial American blood-farce. Trickery, cranked up to 11, nearly nails the locals’ live weaponized-puppetry theatrics and throbs with enough rusty iron…

by Marc Savlov

Beyond City Limits

• In a story that sounds like a chapter from Wild West history, Austin businessman Jeffrey Scott Hawn is facing criminal charges over the slaughter of 32 bison in Colorado, after the privately owned animals wandered onto his land. Colorado has an open-range law that prohibits the killing of another farmer’s livestock just for trespassing,…

by Chronicle Staff

Texas Platters

Tungsten Coil Alpha Omega An unknown quantity until winning Best Industrial Band at this year’s Austin Music Awards, Tungsten Coil buzzed around the local electronica/industrial scene until reconfiguring in 2005 with a splashy stage show. No lights and fog here, and without attendant pageantry, Alpha Omega wobbles on its music alone. If TC’s industrial clamor…

by Margaret Moser

Son of Rambow

Amid this endearing story about two boys in Eighties England who join together to make their own Rambo movie, lies an uncommon, unaffected portrayal of young male intimacy.

by Kimberley Jones

Texas Platters

Austin’s incredible expanding trend hits the deEP end hard. What was once local quartet Noise Revival has multiplied to collective status with its debut EP as the 13-piece chamber experimentalists Noise Revival Orchestra Experience. This version of the EP, released earlier this year, comes via a USB drive and features interpretative remixes by DJ Jester…

by Audra Schroeder

Texas Platters

Jesse Sublett Murder Ballads & Noir Capers, Part 1 The latest literary endeavor from the renowned Skunks bassist takes a midnight stroll through a graveyard possessed by the likes of Tom Waits and Nick Cave, spinning original tales of “The Headless Supermodel,” “Tarantula Girl,” and political disillusionment (“Baghdad Calling”). Sublett’s gravel delivery underscores the lyrical…

by Austin Powell

Arts Review

Heather Woodbury’s new solo show about a 108-year-old fallen woman humanizes strippers and storytellers, whores and academics

by Elizabeth Cobbe

Place 4: Morrison, Galindo Move to Run-Off

If election day’s hot, muggy weather depressed spirits (or turnout), it certainly didn’t hamper Laura Morrison’s gathering at the Waterloo Ice House, where a raucous returns watching party quickly turned into a victory celebration. Early-voting numbers gave her a commanding total of 37% in the six-person field, and it held all night – ultimately swelling…

by Wells Dunbar

Spectres

When the original Church of the Friendly Ghost was exorcised from its Eastside neighborhood in 2006, its reappearance at Salvage Vanguard Theater last summer was a spectral promise of good things to come. A year later, what was once a weekly Tuesday night BYOB gig offering peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches has now spread to other nights of…

by Audra Schroeder

Texas Platters

Death is Not a Joyride The Human Zoo Proceed with caution when encountering this menagerie. Helmed by the Paper Chase’s John Congleton, Death Is Not a Joyride’s debut magnifies the Dresden Dolls’ various anachronisms, violently jolting from burlesque pop to more classically minded compositions, while the three-part “Willie the Gorilla” sequences from eerie trip-hop to…

by Austin Powell

Arts Review

In Ballet Austin’s take on Cervantes’ old knight, youthful vigor and good humor pretty much carried the day

by Robert Faires

AISD: No Probs for Props

Last summer, when the Austin Independent School District started putting its latest $343 million school bond package together, the economy was shaky but optimism remained high. Since then, both city and state sales tax estimates have fallen, and there was real concern that belt-tightening Austin voters might take the almost unprecedented step of rejecting one…

by Richard Whittaker

Luv Doc Recommends: Livable Vision Awards Party

There must be something like 5K road races in Austin every year. Seriously. Anyone with a working ink-jet printer and a box of safety pins seems to host some value of K. There are even kids’ Ks and dog Ks – which might lead you to ask: What the hell’s up with all the Ks,…

by The Luv Doc

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