After Hours Halloween Party @ Green House (Sun. 10/30, 1am-6pm)

The gang at Austin's Best New Store, Green House, didn't want to miss friends' Halloween parties this year, so they decided to host an after hours in-store and backyard party! The fun starts at 1am and lasts pasts the dawn of the undead. You can BYOB, but their popular donation bar (which features yummy homemade cocktails) will be available. DJs will spin, horror movies will project, plus a kissing booth and a photo booth will capture romantic and costumed memories. The bonus for some guests? A $100 award for best costume, and other cool prizes for top contestants.


Green House is a green house in the central North Loop area that features original, unusual, and delightful upcycled and repurposed clothing, accessories, gifts, and artwork produced by Austin artists. Support a green local economy, and have a lot of fun doing it after whatever fun Halloween shindig you attend. 

[Kill The Critic] 35mm Screening of Claire Denis' "Beau Travail" @ Texas Union Theatre - Mon. 10/17, 8pm (Free)

From sister film and theater blog [Kill The Critic].

The Austin Cinematheque takes off where Cinematexas of the 60s, 70s, and short film showcase of the 90s revival left off, acquiring and screening rare 35mm films, free and open to the public.  If my memory of high school English lit class is correct, tonight's screening of Claire Denis' adaptation of Billy Budd (a novella by Herman Melville), will be an intense experience.

In the visually arresting Beau Travail (1999), a former Foreign Legion officer recalls his illustrious career in Africa. The 1999 French film also boasts exceptional performances. To guarantee optimal seating, arrive early for the free 8pm screening at Texas Union Theatre. 

'Love Your Body', Austin Women: Austin NOW's Love Your Body Day Resource Fair @ 5604 Manor Rd - Sun. 10/16, 1-5pm

Love Your Body Day presented by Austin NOW

@ 5604 Manor - Sun. Oct. 16, 1-5pm.

This is a rare blog that isn't specifically about Austin d-i-y art, entertainment, and culture. However, many d-i-y women in Austin struggle with the concept of body image in their daily lives and creative work. Many women face discrimination about their appearance based on "racist, sexist, unhealthy, and unattainable beauty standards sold to us by the mainstream media". Presented by Austin NOW, the local chapter of the National Organization for Women, Love Your Body Day is a timely national and local event for a diverse body of women, happening during End Fat Talk Week (October 16-22). 


On Sunday, October 16th, from 1 to 5pm at 5604 Manor, "Austin NOW invites women, girls, and those who care about them to join us in celebrating Love Your Body Day...aimed at questioning racist, sexist, unhealthy, and unattainable beauty standards sold to us by the mainstream media as well as encouraging women to love and take care of themselves as they are."


Sponsored by the NOW Foundation, the Austin NOW resource fair occurs a few days earlier than the official national event (October 19th), and features health and fitness guides, fat acceptance, and other valuable, empowering information provided by community groups that help women. 


For more Love Your Body Day details and to RSVP, go to Facebook.

Junkyard Casserole: Yard Sale & Art Show Saturday - 10/15 (9am-9pm)

If you are one of many Austinites who don't want to throw anything away, consider selling or donating precious and dust-collecting items to Junkyard Casserole, and have a good time viewing artwork and experiencing live music, while possibly getting inspiration and material for your Halloween arts and crafts projects.


Junkyard Casserole is a monthly yard sale, swap meet, and art show, hosted by members of the band Night Viking and RE-aRT, self-described as a "Detritus Craft and Idea Supply" place, and a "Collection and Work Space offered for making art with experimental (cast-off) materials". In other words, a recycling and repurposing center of creativity in Austin--a great place for your old items to find new, creative life.

Tomorrow's Junkyard Casserole happens 9am-9pm at RE-aRT, and will feature spontaneous and improvised music by various artists throughout the day, TBA at the event. The backyard multimedia studio and art collective is located behind 2608 Rogers Avenue. RSVP @ Facebook. 

New Handmade & Vintage Store: Las Cruxes Grand Opening + Mikaylah Bowman Photo Exhibit (Fri. 10/14 - 7:30pm)

Austin has become well-known for its handmade and vintage shops, which offer great finds and deals on items that avoid landfill overload while being fashionable. "Specializing in handmade, vintage, and one of a kind, re-purposed clothing, music, art, and miscellaneous items", Las Cruxes promises to be the greatest new addition to vintage and upcycling boutiques in central Austin. 


Las Cruxes owner and operator Veronica Ortuño, known as a respected d-i-y fashionista, visual artist, and musician (M'lady's Records, The Carrots, Mutating Meltdown, Finally Punk), unveils original and redesigned clothing, jewelry, accessories, and more during a grand opening event at 7:30pm on Friday, October 14th, featuring the artwork of Mikaylah Bowman, and DJs Benson Ellis, Dustin Coffey, and Jon Saltzman. Drink specials and goodies will be available at a private bar, courtesy of Spiderhouse.



Located at 2908 ½ Fruth Street, adjacent to Spiderhouse, beneath sister vintage and handmade clothing boutique The Fresh UP and the alleyway behind I Luv Video, Las Cruxes also operates as an online store, currently offering discounted items celebrating the new storefront.


RSVP on Facebook--UNVEILING: LAS CRUXES Grand Opening Soirée with Works  by Mikaylah Bowman.

Wednesday Showdown: Red Pony Clock vs. Dark Dark Dark vs. Gangster Rainbow Tonight

Free red 'Pataphysics pony clock with every bowl of spiked punch purchased at Club 1808 tonight! Not really... But the next best thing: Freak folk rockers Red Pony Clock from California ride into Austin today to play a show with Pataphysics and Spiked Punch. Not sure if there's a cover charge ($5 cover tonight), but there's usually free admission if you're 21 and older, and $5 for 18 and older at Club 1808. RSVP @ Facebook.

Described as a chamber folk group, Minneapolis and Brooklyn based indie music stars Dark Dark Dark  will be in Austin tonight, part of the indoor show happening with New Mexico folk music blenders a Hawk and a Hacksaw and earthy to ethereal pop quartet Pillars & Tongues. Advance tickets are $10, which you can buy via Mohawk Austin, and admission at the club's doors is $12. 

Austin's Gangster Rainbow and Friends - Handwritten, Lead Pipe, and Cat Wheelchair - combine lo-fi garage rock and experimental sensibilities for a show you won't want to miss. Not sure what the cover will be, if any amount, but Frontier Bar is a cool revamped music venue on the east side. RSVP on Facebook. 

Community Rummage Sale @ GREEN HOUSE Today!

According to a reliable tweet from a GREEN HOUSE resident organizer:

"Rummage sale today! Bring yo' stuff and let's get rid of it! 11-3 at #GreenHouse. Can't miss us - house is green. #yardsale #austin #fb"

You can't and shouldn't miss buying, swapping and selling items at GREEN HOUSE, the future of Austin shopping - a store featuring unique upcycled clothing, accessories and gifts by local d-i-y designers and artists, a mini art gallery - and a community space.

Last week, they hosted a cool music pre-opening on the last day of SXSW and first day of spring with Anti-Gravity, and will have their grand opening in about a week!

You Are An Airplane outside GREEN HOUSE - Sunday, March 20, 2011

GREEN HOUSE looks exactly like its name and is located on the corner of Martin Ave. and E 53rd St.

SUX BY SUXWEST: The Biggest Noise Fest in Austin

SXSW and Kanye West apparently broke Tumblr. Looks like Twitter is OK though...

Seriously, diy revolution has apparently returned for the occasional d-i-y/underground/indie event post, and this is a very worthy post. To rip off my own words about SUX BY SUXWEST from Radio Casbah:

"...don't let the name fool you. The organizers of the gargantuan noise fest aren't haters - they are simply indulging in nihilistic satire - a trait of an experimental form of music that rebels against the status quo of comfortable, soothing sounds. (Maybe we should get agitated by the sum of the same sounds replayed every year.) Noise fest organizer Johnathan Cash, the young masked man of Breakdancing Ronald Reagan, is serious about bringing the noise, curating a noise showcase featuring longtime artists of noise The Haters, and leather bound harsh noise outfit Black Leather Jesus."

The Haters, masked defenders of noise, will be appearing @ SUX BY SUXWEST.

SUX BY SUXWEST is a free, all ages welcome event at House of Commons Co-op, 2610 Rio Grande. Beer will be served while it lasts. There's a complete lineup on the official event page on Facebook. Doors open at 10:00am, and the experimental cacophony commences at 12:00pm.