Wednesday, Feb. 29
CityBidz.com Happy Hour Mixer
6–8pm • Draft Pick, 1620 E. Riverside • Free; RSVP requested
CityBidz.com hosts a happy hour with food, beer and networking.

Macallan Whisky Tastings
Wed. 6:30–8pm / 8:30–10pm; Thu. 6:30–8pm • The Marchesa, 6406 N. IH-35, Ste. 3100 • Free; RSVP required
Private tastings of The Macallan Single Malt.

Top Chef: Texas Finale Viewing Party
9–11:30pm • Uchiko, 4200 N. Lamar Blvd., Suite 140 • Free
Watch Uchiko chef Paul Qui compete in the finale of “Top Chef: Texas,” with a special menu for the occasion. (Get there really early — like 7pm — to have any chance of getting seated).

Bleach Online Issue Launch
9pm–2am • Beauty Bar, 617 E. 7th St. • $3 before midnight, $5 after
Free popcorn from Cornucopia, drink specials, giveaways, and DJ sets by Grimes, Markus Diffee, and DJ Forever 21.


Thursday, March 1
Ultra8201 6th Anniversary Party
10pm–2am • Swan Dive, 615 Red River • $5
Performances by TV Torso, Politics and Young Girls, plus photos and DJ set by ULOVEI. Sign up here for a chance to win a pair of tickets.


Friday, March 2
Austin Monthly Music Issue Release Party
7:30pm–2am • Emo’s East, 2015 E. Riverside • $5 suggested donation; RSVP requested
Music by Wiretree, Dana Falconberry, Marmalakes, Not In The Face, Soul Track Mind, Graham Wilkinson, and Akina Adderley & The Vintage Playboys. Benefits Help Clifford Help Kids (American Youthworks).

Represent Austin’s Texas Independence Day Party
8pm–2am • Beauty Bar, 617 E. 7th St. • Free until 10pm; $5 after
$1 Lone Stars and music by Guns of Navarone, Este Vato, So Long Problems, Tiger Waves, and JD Clark.

Total Crush 2 
8:30pm–2am • Cheer Up Charlie’s, 1104 E 6th St. • Free
Free show by The White White Lights, New Roman Times, Magnificent Snails, and Boy + Kite.

Less Volume — More Valium
9pm–2am • Dive Bar & Lounge, 1703 Guadalupe St. • Free
Free show with The Pons, DJ Czech One, and Bravo, Max!


Saturday, March 3
Thirsty Planet Brewery Tour
11am and 1:30pm • Thirsty Planet Brewing Co., 11160 Circle Drive • Free; RSVP required
Brewery tour and tasting.

Independence Brewing Company’s Texas Independence Day Party
1–3pm • Independence Brewery, 3913 Todd Lane • Free
Show up early to get a wristband good for three complimentary beer samples. Live music by Sam Sliva and BBQ from Smokin’ Rose of Texas.

Good Libations Brewing Co. Beer Tasting
3–5pm • Old Koenig Engraving & Gifts, 900 Old Koenig Lane #114 • Free
Several Good Libations beers available for sampling, including: Kolsch Style, Chocolate Porter, Honey Pale Ale, and IPA. Co-hosted by PubGlasses.com.

CoolinAustin Presents: All My Friends, Knifight, Media, and DJ Geoff Millions
9pm–2am • Beauty Bar, 617 E. 7th St. • $5 if you Like us on Facebook; $7 if not
Celebrate the weekend before SXSW with an all-local lineup including Austin’s favorite LCD Soundsystem tribute band. Get there early to score some beverages sponsored by Cinco Vodka! Don’t forget to head over to our Facebook page and Like us to get the discounted cover.


Sunday, March 4
The Contest: The 3rd Annual Seinfeld Quiz
7pm • The Highball, 1142 S Lamar Blvd. • $5
Teams of up to six players vie to become master of the Seinfeld trivia domain. Winners take home cash prizes of up to $500.


Monday, March 5
Michael Ian Black at BookPeople
7pm • BookPeople, 6th and Lamar • Free
Make it your beeswax to attend this talk and book-signing. Black will speak and sign copies of his collection of essays, “You’re Not Doing It Right: Tales of Marriage, Sex, Death and Other Humiliations.”



**Make sure to check out our list of SXSW open bar RSVPs, and stay tuned to this site for even more leading up to the fest**

Also: Like us on the Facebook, Tweet at us on the Twitter

Shoutouts: Amber Demure, Partay Peeps, Do512 Free, Austin Free Events

Whether you want to enhance your ACL experience or avoid the fest altogether, here are some events that will let you keep your party going and cost little or nothing to attend.

Thursday, Sept. 15
Grand Opening of Prize
5–8pm • Prize, 202 Colorado St. • Free, RSVP required
Complimentary cocktails and sushi. RSVP by emailing info@prizeaustin.com

LePA Grand Re-Opening Cocktail Party
7–10pm • LePA Skincare, 2520 Longview St. #314 • Free
Complimentary wine, hors d’oeuvres, treats, and giveaways.

Art Disaster 15
8pm–2am • Beauty Bar, 617 E. 7th Street • $3 RSVP / $5 Door
Eight bands and three DJs on two stages: Crooks, Wild Child, SORNE, The White White Lights, Schmillion, Boyfrndz, Sleep Good, Sundress; DJ sets by Thick as Thieves and DJ Orion; Miller Lite drink specials all night.

Free ACL Kick Off Show at The Parish
9pm–2am • The Parish, 214 East 6th Street • Free
Free show with performances by Eyes Burn Electric, Electric Touch, The Canvas Waiting, Bk and Mr E.

The Soapbox Spellbinders Live at Red Eyed Fly
11:30pm–2am • Red Eyed Fly, 715 Red River • $5
Full disclosure: These guys are friends of ours. But we’ll be damned if Tristan Shinnick is not the best guitarist in Austin right now. Prove us wrong.


Friday, Sept. 16
Deep Eddy Vodka Garden (Event of the Week)
11am-Midnight; Friday, Saturday, Sunday • 1707 Barton Springs Rd. • Free, RSVP required
This one is not to be missed – a three-day, all-day party with free cocktails, snacks, live music, and god knows what else. For now, all you have to do is Like the Deep Eddy page on Facebook and you’re on the list. We’ll update with more details as they become available.

On the WAYCL
Time TBD; Friday, Saturday, Sunday • 1800 Barton Springs • Free
Free shows all weekend long, including: FM Campers, Knifight, The Nouns, Bali Yaaah (Friday); Diagonals, Kay Leotard, Sleep Good, Night Viking (Saturday); Shakey Graves, Holy Wave, The Act Rights, Zoltars (Sunday) — plus several others.

GAYCL: The Independent Alternative
6pm–Midnight • Cheer Up Charlie’s, 1104 East 6th St. • Free; donations welcome
Free show with performances by Follow That Bird, Rickey Jean Francois, Boy Friend, Kay Leotard, Agent Ribbons, and The Great Aware. All proceeds benefit Equality Texas.

Peligrosa with Chief Boima
9pm • Scoot Inn, 1308 East 4th St. • $5
Even more dance party goodness.

Disco Dive Party ACL Edition
10pm–2am • Dive Bar & Lounge, 11th and Guadalupe • Free
DJs Czech One and Zack Highwire playing Indie Rock/Pop, 80’s, Old School Hip Hop, R&B, Nu Wave.

80s Dance Party at The Highball
11pm–2am • The Highball, 1142 S. Lamar • Free
A free 80s party for those who didn’t get their fill of dancing on ACL Day 1.


Saturday, Sept. 17
Shiner Biergarten
10am–3pm, Saturday and Sunday • Flipnotics parking lot, Barton Springs Road @ Kinney • Free
Live music, $2 Shiners, and a chill place to hang out when you need a break from the fest.

Ditch the Fest Fest 2
2pm–2am • Cheer Up Charlie’s, Red 7, Beauty Bar, Scoot Inn & Club De Ville • $2 at each venue or $5 for a wristband to get into all venues
Ridiculous amount of bands for ridiculously little money. Free Shiner Bock (while it lasts). Video games, black light painting, performance art, photobooth, screen printing… is this real life?!

Echotone Remix: A Louder Fight for a Louder Night
9pm–2am • The ND at 501 Studios, East 5th and Brushy St. • Free
Three teams of DJs and VJs remix footage and music from the film on a 25-foot screen. Featuring: DJ Orion, 4th Wall, Manolo Black, Jay Smith, and Kid Slyce

Learning Secrets and Silverton Partners Present: Metro Area
10pm–2am • Beauty Bar, 617 East 7th St. • $5 RSVP / $8 Door
Dance party with Metro Area DJ set; performances by Indian Jewelry and Rickey Jean Francois; photo booth

Karaoke Underground Post-ACL Party
10pm–2am • Dive Bar & Lounge, 1703 Guadalupe St. • Free
Free karaoke night with more than 500 punk and indie classics to choose from


Photo by Kevin H. (Flickr)

Friday, Jan. 7

What Made Milwaukee Famous, The Lemurs, Ovenbirds, The Authors, Salesman 

Emo’s (Outside) @ 9 p.m

Soundcheck Magazine hosts this solid lineup of local staples including the ear-friendly tunes of What Made Milwaukee Famous (RIYL: Spoon, The Format, Margot and the Nuclear So And Sos) and The Lemurs (RIYL: The Killers, OK Go). Openers include Ovenbirds, The Authors, and Salesman.

  LISTEN: What Made Milwaukee Famous on Hype Machine
  LISTEN: The Lemurs on Hype Machine

Indian Jewelry, The Laughing, Astronaut Suit

Mohawk (Outside) @ 9 p.m.

Indian Jewelry (RIYL: Liars, Lightning Bolt, Fuck Buttons), the hard-to-Google Houston-based noise rock weirdos with an explosive strobing light show, round out another solid lineup at the Mohawk during Free Week, with Austin’s The Laughing and Astronaut Suit.

  LISTEN: Indian Jewelry on Hype Machine

  LISTEN: The Laughing on Hype Machine

Saturday, Jan. 8

Mother Falcon, Royal Forest, My Golden Calf

Mohawk (Outside @ 9 p.m.)

With as many as 20 members crowded on stage, Mother Falcon (RIYL: Sufjan Stevens, Owen Pallett, Arcade Fire) is not only one of Austin’s largest bands but one of the most unique—with string-driven, sweet songs that swell like mini symphonies. They’re paired perfectly with pop from My Golden Calf and Royal Forest, (RIYL: Pavement, Enon, Menomena) an indie rock band with a slight psych edge.

  LISTEN: Mother Falcon on Hype Machine

  LISTEN: Royal Forest on Bandcamp

T Bird and The Breaks, East Cameron Folklore, Guns of Navarone

Mohawk (Outside) @ 7 p.m.

Soul band T Bird and The Breaks (recommended if you like: James Brown, Black Joe Lewis and the Honey Bears, The Black Crowes) headline this launch party for Revival Fund, a fund designed to provide temporary financial assistance to Austin-area musicians and their families in times of crisis. As if T Bird and his bad-ass brass section wasn’t enough to ensure a good time, food from Frank, drinks from Sailor Jerry, Thunderbird coffee and giveaways throughout the night should seal the deal.

 LISTEN: T Bird and The Breaks on Daytrotter

Ringo Deathstarr, The Carrots, The Ugly Beats, The Hi-Tones

Emo’s (Outside) @ 9 p.m

The Ugly Beats (RIYL: sunny vintage pop-rock a la The Kinks) play earlier in the night sandwiched between The Hi-Tones and ’60s girl group The Carrots. The evening comes to a loud and fuzzy head with the droning guitar of shoegazers Ringo Deathstarr (RIYL: My Bloody Valentine, The Jesus and Mary Chain).

 LISTEN: Ringo Deathstarr on Hype Machine 

 LISTEN: The Carrots on Hype Machine 

 WATCH: The Ugly Beats on Vimeo