Coco's going on tour

That's right folks, after being "legally prevented from being funny on television" our favorite Tonight Show host, Conan O'Brien will be embarking on a national comedy/ music tour and there is an Austin performance set for May 14.

It's being hailed as a night of music, comedy and the occasional awkward silence.

Tickets are available on the Team Coco site and through Ticketmaster.

Tickets for the Austin show, which is being held at the Austin Music Hall, are not available through Ticket Master, but instead through Frontgate.

Looks like the nosebleeds will cost you about $40, with priority seating going up into the hundreds.

Can't wait to see what Coco has in store for us.

$8 Sale at Hush Hush

Head on over to Hush Hush, the clearance store for Austin area Strut stores. Today, everything--clothes, shoes and accessories are only $8. The sale continues tommorow, and everything will be marked down to $6. Additionally, everything at Strut is 40% off for the next two days.

Some of the items at Hush Hush have landed there because they have minor imperfections like broken zippers and missing buttons, while others are simply overstock and maintain their mint condition.

Strut is famous for these drastic markdowns and secret sales, sometimes only applying the discount if a password is given. So, if you like a bargain, sign up for their mailing list so you'll be in the know.

My purchase today included a $90 coat, sold for $8 because its missing a button, now that's what I call a steal!

Master Pancake: Friday the 13th

If you are an Austin resident and have never had the pleasure of witnessing the Alamo Drafthouse's Master Pancake Theater crew mock an overrated movie, what are you waiting for?

This month's mocking of horror classic Friday the 13th may be one of the funniest I have witnessed. I'd say the general rule of MPT is: the worse the movie, the funnier the jokes. So, it comes as no surprise that this terrible movie would generate plenty of hilarity.

Friday the 13th will continue at the Alamo Ritz until November 1st. And starting November 7th, the crew will take on the timeless classic, Forrest Gump.

Ian Mackaye Coming to St. Ed's

I was totally stoked to read the following on the St. Edward's event calendar today:

November 14:
Talking Tour: Q&A with Ian MacKaye
Mabee Ballrooms, Robert Pearle Ragsdale Center

MacKaye is the founder of the Dischord record label, former band member of Fugazi, and currently a member of The Evens. The event is sponsored by the Center for Ethics and Leadership, Student Life, and the Digital MBA Program. The event is free but ticket is required.

I don't know how long this event has been scheduled, but what a cool guest speaker for St. Ed's to bring aboard. Ian Mackaye from Minor Threat, Fugazi & The Teen Idles. Kudos to whoever set this up. Now where can I get my ticket?

ACL Aftershow: Conor Oberst, Jenny Lewis & M. Ward @ La Zona Rosa

Approaching La Zona Rosa around eight o'clock last night, the line was already wrapped around the block. By the time doors opened at nine, the crowd began to swiftly move towards the stage.

By 10, the one-man-wonder, M. Ward, took the stage to deliver soulful tunes backed up by his minimal acoustic guitar. Ward was clearly popular with the majority of the crowd, but some groups tended to talk over his slow songs, perhaps still energized from an ACL high. Ward ended the set by bringing up musicians Gillian Welch and David Rawlings for a folksy collaboration.

Next, Jenny Lewis performed songs off her new solo album, Acid Tongue. Opening on the piano, and eventually moving up to the microphone for the rest of the set, Lewis, accompanied by her band, gave a dynamic performance. During the set, actor Bill Murray could be spotted beside the stage. Lewis' performance was impressive to say the least. Even though her album had been out for less than a week, the crowd excitedly sang and danced along like each song was an old classic.

Shortly before Conor Oberst came on stage, Bill Murray was spotted by a large portion of the crowd, who began to scream out his name, and various other comments like "What About Bob!" Murray faded into the crowd on the side of the stage a bit, and the comments stopped when Oberst appeared. Murray could still be seen swaying--eventually dancing, during the remainder of the show. Oberst and his Mystic Valley Band performed songs off their new record, and various other tunes.

After an electrifying set with his band (including a song dedication to Oberst's friend "Bill" coincidence, I think not), Oberst returned for a strictly acoustic encore with M. Ward. As they began, Oberst informed the crowd that it was getting late, and he wouldn't be offended if anyone went home to sleep. Together the pair performed several songs, among them "Lenders in the Temple," the Bright Eyes tune "Smoke Without Fire" and a Lucinda Williams cover with Gillian Welch and David Rawlings.

Museum Day [Things to do in Austin]

Sunday marks the 14th annual Austin Museum Day event, in which every museum in Austin has FREE admission. There are 29 institutions participating.

In addition to the lack of entry fee, several museums are hosting special events to draw in even more visitors.

According to the Austin Museum Partnership, "Special activities planned include sculpting demonstrations at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum; a "dino dig" at the Texas Memorial Museum; a chance to search for treasures in Elisabet Ney's castle; an opportunity to go "behind the plexiglass" at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum; and really cool bugs at the Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve."

I for one have always wanted to visit the Elisabet Ney Museum, the castle-like home museum with hidden passages and chambers.

Participating institutions include everything from the Bob Bullock, to outdoor favorites like the wildflower center, botanical gardens, and nature center.

For a complete list of Participants, visit the Austin Museum Partnership's website.

This event sounds like the perfect time to save some green & get in some culture!

Hush Hush [Shop Austin]

For any girl who hasn't had the pleasure of shopping at Strut, or its clearance center, Hush Hush, there is no time like the present. The Austin chain has several Strut locations in town, but Hush Hush is the place to get a bargain.


Hush Hush is located on S Lamar, next to one of the Strut locations. The stylist yet affordable boutique carries designers like Lucca Couture, and Flying Tomato, and has a large shoe and accessory collection as well.

Known for their sales, at least one day a month everything in the store is marked down to $10. Many of these items were originally $30-60 at Strut stores. You have to a little digging, and check to make sure all of the embellishments are still intact, but if you find a good item you'll be in for the deal of the century.

Sales usually coincide with first Thursday and certain weekends during the year. One Strut/ Hush Hush staple is the "secret sale" in which only shoppers on the newsletter are alerted to a discount in stores, you have to mention this secret sale to get the big discount.

To be alerted about sales, visit the Strut website and sign up on the mailing list.

Fun Fun Fun Fest [Festival News]

Austin's annual mid-size music festival, Fun Fun Fun Fest, will be back this November. This year, the festival will be teaming up with Transmission Entertainment for a show that's bigger than ever.

In addition to their standard 3 stage setup (punk, indie, and D.J/House) this year the festival will be adding comedy acts as well.

This years lineup brings just as many big names as years past, especially on the punk stage where legends like All, Bad Brains, CroMags, The Adolescents, The Dead Milkmen, and DOA will be playing.

Fun x 3 Fest is a two-day festival, and is much more affordable than ACL or SXSW. This year they are even offering a student discount. Student tickets are $51 for a two-day pass, a steal compared to other music festivals.

The festival takes place in Waterloo Park Nov 8-9. The park is transformed into a fully staged festival with food and shopping vendors to boot.

To see the complete lineup, visit the website, here.

Tour Austin Wierd [Things to do in Austin]

Whether you're a new resident, or you have visitors in town, being informed about a city is always respected. With a whole host of tour companies operating out of the capitol city, why not go out on a limb and jump on one.

While there are countless walking tours of downtown landmarks, try trading in those walking shoes for a more unique experience. Below, are a couple of the more interesting options:


SegCity:

You've probably seen the flock of SegCity riders stretching through the sidewalks of downtown. Lose your inhibitions and jump on one of these machines and it'll be a thrilling experience. The SegCity tour explores Sixth street, the capitol grounds and various other landmarks in downtown Austin.


The Lonestar Riverboat Bat Cruise:



On this tour you can combine Austin history and bat trivia. Sail down Town Lake on one of the Lonestar Riverboat's cruise decks and get a stunning view of downtown and a front row seat at one of Austin's greatest natural attractions, the take-off of our Mexican Freetail bat population. This sunset cruise is only $8 for an adult ticket.



Austin Ghost Tours

Halloween is right around the corner and Austin is known for its spooky sites. Austin Ghost tours offers several different tours, including a Sixth Street tour/ pub crawl and the "Ghosts of the Warehouse District Tour." Tours run Fridays and Saturdays.

Kevin Smith Opens Fantastic Fest at the Paramount

It's going to be a raunchy night at The Paramount.

According to a press release Monday, Austin's annual Fantastic Fest has found its opening film, Zack and Miri Make a Porno. The upcoming comedy from director Kevin Smith will kick off the festival on Sept. 18 with its US Premiere. The premiere is slated to be screened at the Paramount, so rest assured this may be one of the sleaziest laugh fests to ever grace the screen of this historic theater.

And as if the film's premier was not exciting enough, Smith himself will be on hand to introduce Zack and Miri, and hold a Q&A after the film. It won't be in theaters until Oct. 31, so take advantage of this opportunity to see it early.

After the film, the audience will be treated to an event that has become an Alamo Drafthouse institution as of late, The Air Sex World Championships. (like air guitar, except with fake sex) Months of amateur rounds and semi finals will finally culminate with this tournament of champions, and it seems like the perfect compliment to the film's theme.

The synopsis: "Lifelong platonic friends Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) look to solve their respective cashflow problems by making an adult film together. As the cameras roll, however, the duo begin to sense that they may have more feelings for each other than they previously thought."

If you haven't attended Fantastic Fest in the past, let me fill you in:
The week-long festival is said to be the largest "genre festival" in the country. This year over 100 specialty genre, fantasy, cult, new scifi, horror, Asian, animation, and crime films are slated to be shown. And, the folks behind the festival definitely try to emphasize the FAN in Fantastic Fest. In years past there have been special screenings, meet&greets, and parties for attendees.

Fantastic Fest is definitely worth the investment (tickets). However, if you can't attend the whole fest, there will be individual tickets on sale for Zack and Miri Make a Porno. And considering the size of the Paramount, plenty on non-badge holders should be getting in.


If you are like me, and believe this is an evening not to be missed:

Tickets go on sale this Saturday (Aug. 30) at noon and can be purchased in person, by phone, or online.

In person: Paramount box office, outside the theater at 713 Congress Ave.
By phone: Call 1-866-4GET-TIX
Online: www.FantasticFest.com