Events Archives - Page 12 of 29

The Evolution of SXSW Comedy

March 14, 2017 by Ashley Alkek Leave a Comment

Jenny Slate performing at SXSW (Credit: Rebecca Adler via Flickr CC)

In my opinion, comedians are the new rockstars of SXSW. It’s about time, since SXSW Comedy is celebrating its tenth edition during the multi-track festival. Over the past 10 years, SXSW has showcased the comedy industry’s influential and up-and-coming comics.

There were amazing comedians around in 1987 when SXSW started, but it wasn’t considered a necessity at a festival that put its primary focus on music. Back then, the organizers considered SXSW to be a regional event. They expected around 150 people to attend, but over 700 showed up.

Let’s take a quick journey back in time, to examine how comedy came to be an undeniable part of SXSW. [Read more…]

Your SXSW Music Survival Guide

March 13, 2017 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

SXSW is a war. Locals curse invading tourists. Business types attending the conference rub elbows with media-loving millennials. Downtown becomes choked with product placement, badge-only lounges and swarms of ads for tech startups. It’s madness.

It’s also a blast if you do it right. During SXSW Music, the eyes of an entire industry are focused on our fair city. Hopefuls trek thousands of miles to play 1 a.m. showcases, hoping a record exec attends their gig, digs their sound and changes their life forever. Dreams fuel the festival, and it’s that sense of discovery that makes SXSW Music special.

After covering SXSW Music last year, I’ve learned valuable lessons on how to ease your experience. Get prepared, valiant festival goer, and get ready for a fantastic SXSW! [Read more…]

See Texan-Made Short Films During SXSW With Free Community Screenings

March 10, 2017 by Kelli McDonald Leave a Comment

Film still from “One” (Credit: Emily Ma and Grace Zhang)

While narrative and documentary features get their fair share of buzz, movie lovers should know SXSW offers a slew of short films that educate, entertain and inspire viewers. Although the festival highlights work from all over the world, there are many Austinites and other Texans who are showcasing their shorts between March 10 and 18, too. Here’s a list of the screenings you should look out for to support local creatives. Some of them are free and open to the public. [Read more…]

How to Get the Most Out of SXSW Comedy 2017

March 10, 2017 by Ashley Alkek Leave a Comment

Writer and actor Andres du Bouchet, known for his work on Conan, talks comedy at SXSW
(Credit: CleftClips via Flickr CC)

Welcome to your unofficial “how to” guide for getting the most out of SXSW Comedy 2017. The first thing you need to do is drop all expectations because, with comedy, ANYTHING can happen. Yes, there are scheduled events all week long. Yes, there are big names in comedy who will be performing. Yes, you may need a badge or wristband to attend some of the events. And yes, you can catch local comedians doing their thing, as well.

SXSW Comedy showcases officially kick off on March 10, 2017 at 8 p.m. and run until 2 a.m. on March 18, 2017. If you’re interested in catching some of the shows, I suggest you take a look at the lineup.

Now to answer a few questions you may have about how to maximize your SXSW Comedy experience. [Read more…]

15 Must-See Austin Artists at SXSW Music 2017

March 10, 2017 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

Credit: Bill Tucker

For seven days in the middle of March, Austin becomes the epicenter of the music world. Over 2,000 artists will play official SXSW Music showcases this year. And that doesn’t count those playing unofficial shows, parties, festivals or busking on Sixth Street. Thousands of musical dreamers road-trip to our city with nothing but a song and the desire to get it out to the masses.

But of the 2,000 officially invited artists, 244 are our hometown heroes. From DJs to punk rock, electro-pop to indie, ATX is well represented at this year’s festival. And I listened to every single band to bring you my Top 15 list of Austin bands playing SXSW 2017. Enjoy the list, enjoy SX and–most importantly–enjoy local live music. [Read more…]

Missed Connections Ads on Craigslist Inspire Local Improv Troupe

March 8, 2017 by Ashley Alkek Leave a Comment

A troupe member reading a missed connection post from Craiglist at Missed Connections ATX (Credit: Wright Sulek)

Austin improv is thriving, as is the city’s dating scene. If you put the two together, you get one hell of a improv comedy show called Missed Connections ATX, at ColdTowne Theater. If you aren’t familiar with the term, I urge you to take a look at your local Missed Connections section on Craigslist. It’s used as a type of personal advertisement, posted and sent into the abyss after two people meet (or not), but are too shy (or not) to exchange contact details. This is comical, sometimes heart-wrenching stuff.

The brilliance of Missed Connections ATX is the way the improv group takes these online gems and runs with them in the most hilarious and creative ways. The event is lovingly described as, “an improvised show about lovesick Austinites seeking a second chance at romance online.” If you aren’t intrigued yet, keep reading.

Missed Connections ATX Improv Troupe

Missed Connections ATX Comedy Troupe in Austin

Missed Connections ATX comedy troupe (Credit: Wright Sulek)

Wowzers, the laughs are endless with this group of talented locals. When going to an improv show, it’s always inspiring to witness true collaboration. The dynamic these people have has undeniably evolved to a place where you are sucked into each scene, forgetting for moment that you’re even in a theater.

Actual Missed Connections

Reading a Missed Connection Ad from Craiglist

Credit: Wright Sulek

How it works is simple: a troupe member reads an actual Missed Connection post from Austin Craigslist. Then the other members riff on it, bringing each comical or devastating situation to life.

Chelsea Bunn, the show’s director, shared, “I have always had a fondness for Craigslist Missed Connections. My college roommate and I would stay up late scouring for the quirkiest ads. Additionally, I’m really drawn to a style of long-form improv which is premise-driven, and recently started practicing short form games. The show is a hybrid of these two forms of improv. In a way, it’s a marriage of the things that are really interesting me right now as a maker/performer.”

Witness Vulnerability

Missed Connections ATX Act Out a Craiglist Post

Getting physical! (Credit: Wright Sulek)

The act of putting yourself out there online (even anonymously) just to score a date with a cutie you were eyeing at the grocery store is straight-up brave. There’s something incredibly sweet about that sort of faith in the Internet gods. Hey, what could it hurt? Similarly, that’s the vibe at ColdTowne: let’s try it out. The result is hilarious, more often that not.

Golden Moments

Improv Troupe Members at ColdTowne Theater

Making connections at Missed Connections ATX (Credit: Wright Sulek)

When I asked Bunn about her favorite moments so far, she responded, “This cast is so funny, it’s hard to choose just one! The first time we ran “He said, she said” in rehearsal, I laughed so hard that I cried. Other favorite moments include a scene about a sub/dom couple playing putt-putt golf, and a scene about a witch whose murder of crows were doing evil deeds around Austin.” I mean, who doesn’t want to jump into that world for a hot minute?

The last Missed Connections ATX show is this Saturday, March 11, 2017. If you can’t make it, no sweat. You really can’t go wrong when it comes to live comedy at ColdTowne Theater.

4803 Airport Blvd. – Website

@theAustinot wants to know:

Who’s your favorite Austin improv troupe?

Give Texas Art Its Due With Hotel Ella Salon Series

March 6, 2017 by Dustin Vegas Leave a Comment

Hotel Ella is the home of a monthly artistic salon series (Credit: Jake Holt)

Austin has a reputation for being Texas’ city of art and creators. We are the Live Music Capital of the World, right? Throw a rock in any direction and you have a good chance of hitting some type of self-expression. Music everywhere, indie filmmakers, glassblowers, painters. Nearly any and all kinds of art can be found within Austin city limits. We are a city of art makers.

But are we a city of art appreciators? One group at Hotel Ella is doing its best to make sure we are. The Hotel Ella Salon Series is a monthly gathering of art aficionados and regular folks who care deeply about supporting Austin’s unique artistic community. At their regularly hosted artistic salon, Austinites can get to know both the art and the artists who keep our city weird. [Read more…]

Parallelogramophonograph Gives a Mouthful of Improv to Austin

February 22, 2017 by Susan Meyer Leave a Comment

The cast of Parallelogramophonograph, L-R: Roy Janik, Valerie Ward, Kaci Beeler, Kareem Badr
(Credit: Steve Rogers)

Not all improv groups are created equal. I’m a fan of improv theater in general, but I have to admit, I’ve been to some painful shows in the past. When done badly, improv theater can be downright uncomfortable to witness. But when a troupe has chemistry, energy and talent, and everything falls into place just right, you’re in for an incredible live theater experience. Austin local quartet Parallelogramophonograph (PGraph, for short) is improv done well. Very well. [Read more…]

Bajillion Nights of Fun at The North Door With Austin-Weird Events

February 10, 2017 by Joleen Jernigan Leave a Comment

moveitmonday at The North Door in Austin

Melody DanceFit’s #MoveItMonday helps kick-start your week (Credit: The North Door)

What is your favorite thing to do indoors at night? Astronomy? The North Door has a night for that! Literature? Heck yes! Dancercize? Check. Math? Uh huh. Nerdcore? You know it. Quiet Clubbing? Oh yeah. Comedy? Yes!

Owners Michelle Patronella and Mark Bradford have a unique talent for hosting Austin’s funky, interesting and even odd events. The North Door is a plucky if-you-build-it-they-will-come type of Austin success story. This is the kind of tale we Austinites embrace. [Read more…]

Revel Unclassified: Sunday Chamber Music Concerts With Austin Twist

February 7, 2017 by Kelli McDonald Leave a Comment

The start of a well-deserved standing ovation for Revel Unclassified

On Sunday afternoons off Metric Boulevard among warehouses and offices, a weekly event is romancing audiences with tasty brews, trailer eats and consciously curated music performed by some of Austin’s best talent. This reoccurring event at 4th Tap Brewing Co-op is called Revel Unclassified, and it began in January of this year after Carla McElhaney dreamt up the idea for a concert series listeners are meant to revel in. [Read more…]

Missed Connections ATX Improv Troupe

Actual Missed Connections

Witness Vulnerability

Golden Moments

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