Lite + Brite: 30 Twilit Austin Events 8/25
Hello, what’s up, and welcome to the Lite + Brite newsletter.
For you lifelong learners out there, this week offers the chance to learn about voiceover acting and about what kind of psychic you are. We are not officially listing the following event because it costs $997, but we can’t NOT mention that this weekend Austin is hosting an old-timey strongman bootcamp. If you want to spend two days learning to tear a deck of cards in half and twist a horseshoe, and you’ve got $1k burning a hole in your pocket, then do not miss this opportunity (and please tell us all about it).
In more affordable entertainments, this week also brings us tonight’s No Lights No Lycra, the last Die Felicia ever, the last Float Film of the summer, Austin’s annual LGBTQ+ film festival, and an indoor goth beach party. The Little Gay Shop is officially opening in their new home, and across town a parade of cyclists is accompanying Top Drawer Thrift on their move. You can get new clothes through swaps or through bargains, and it should probably go without saying that you can attend an Edward Cullen + Bella Swan party. (Before writing that sentence, I googled both their names to make sure I was spelling them right, and the first Google result was “What is so special about Bella Swan?” SICK BURN, Google!)
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Let’s do fun stuff!
—Leila + Brian
liteandbriteatx.com
OUR STUFF
Tonight from 8-9:30pm we’ll be at West China Tea House for the last of No Lights No Lycra’s Summer Sunset Sessions. We’ll be dancing through the dusk into the dark, and we’ve been using some creative lighting ideas and sunset-appropriate tunes. You can listen to a playlist of music from our last edition here or scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for a track listing.
Sometimes it’s tough to stay optimistic in a world of climate crises, misbehaving tech billionaires, and strongman politicians. But somehow No Humans Allowed managed to tap into some misplaced optimism from the past so we can vicariously remember what it was like to look at the world with ruby colored glasses and a ruby-hued mix of italo, vaporwave, + electro. Listen to Digital Optimism on the KPISS archives, or scroll down for the full tracklist + art. NHA is live every Wednesday at 6pm CT on kpiss.fm.
What is No Lights No Lycra?
Austin’s twice-monthly, judgment-free, substance-free, high-impact dance thing in the dark. It’s a DJ night that’s not at the club, a workout that’s not at the gym, a personal meditation that’s anything but silent. It’s produced by us, your kindly L+B overlords, and usually one or the other of us is on the hook for DJ duties. Read more about us in the Austin Chronicle. You can listen the kind of music we play over on Brian’s Mixcloud.
EVENTS WE’RE EYEING
Friday 8/25
- Die Felicia’s Last Rites at Elysium
The final edition of this horror-themed burlesque mainstay - Float Films at the Austin Motel Pool
Float + watch a classic Dolly flick set in Texas - Cyber Queen at Cheer Up Charlie’s
High-tech DJs + drag performers want to upgrade your OS - Vancerts at Delilah’s Front Porch
Meet a lizardman/”professional freak,” see bands, drink free beer - Critical Mass at 25 Pedernales
Convivial convoy of wheeled vehicles of all sorts - What Kind of Psychic Are You? at the Velvet Casket
Learn about all kinds of psychics + find your own sixth sense - aGLIFF’s PRISM 36 at AFS Cinema and Galaxy Theaters
Fest devoted to films about + relevant to the LGTBQ community - PBR Teams: Gambler Days at the Moody Center
PBR as in professional bull riding, not the beer Dennis Hopper loves
Saturday 8/26
- Bat Fest at the Congress Ave Bridge
Take in Austin’s local bat horde w/some live music - Tones Fest at the Asian American Resource Center
Tons of tones at this “all-azn music and maker celebration” - Endless Summer at Elysium
“Nighttime Gothic Beach Party” w/parasols, performers, hot dogs - Grand Opening at the Little Gay Shop (new location)
Giveaways, drag story time, pet-friendly Queer photobooth - Summer Sesh V at Independence Brewing
Slip-n-slides, water balloons, screen printing, + live music - Record Play: Divas Edition at Pershing Hall
Celebrate your fave divas by singing, dancing, + lip-syncing - Static Fanatics Retro Pop-Up at Batch
Retro arcade, + vendors selling vintage, vinyl + VHS goodies - Totally Wired at Drinks Lounge
Vinyl DJs spinning a mix of punk, glam, mod + soul - Texas Woodworking Festival at the Palmer Events Center
A whole lot of furniture makers, tool makers, antique dealers, + more - Le Garage Sale at the Palmer Events Center
A fashion shopping bonanza with an eye for gallic naming - aGLIFF’s PRISM 36 at AFS Cinema and Galaxy Theaters
Fest devoted to films about + relevant to the LGTBQ community - PBR Teams: Gambler Days at the Moody Center
PBR as in professional bull riding, not the beer Dennis Hopper loves
Sunday 8/27
- Twilight Sip ‘n’ Shop at the Velvet Casket
Twilight (the film) screenings, costumes, tarot, + discounts - Bike Parade at Top Drawer Thrift
Celebrate the moving of a local thrift institution w/a bike parade - Splash Dance at the Austin Motel Pool
Poolside aerobics with Austin’s most creative aerobics instructor - Soap Creek Saloon Reunion Show at Sagebrush
Remember a storied old Austin venue w/music, auction, prizes - Cool to Care Clothing Swap at Skinny’s
“It’s cool to be sustainable” so trade up some of yr wardrobe - Texas Woodworking Festival at the Palmer Events Center
A whole lot of furniture makers, tool makers, antique dealers, + more - Le Garage Sale at the Palmer Events Center
A fashion shopping bonanza with an eye for gallic naming - aGLIFF’s PRISM 36 at AFS Cinema and Galaxy Theaters
Fest devoted to films about + relevant to the LGTBQ community - PBR Teams: Gambler Days at the Moody Center
PBR as in professional bull riding, not the beer Dennis Hopper loves
Monday 8/28
- (weekly) Hyperreal Film Club at Hotel Vegas
Check out a film about Thai cowboys with rocket launchers
Wednesday 8/30
- Games of the Month Meetup at the Museum of Human Achievement
“It’s like a book club, but for games” !!! - Mothertree at the Vortex
“Newly devised dance theatre” about the wisdom of trees
Thursday 8/31
- Night Birds at the Cathedral
“Unique immersive ballet experience surrounded by local art” - Voiceover Workshop at the Texas Immersive Lab
Free workshop on the ins and outs of becoming a voice actor - Jigglewatts Burlesque Revue at the Spider House Ballroom
Classic burlesque performances + standup comedy - The Front Festival Opening Party at the Line Hotel
Celebrate the start of art/film fest w/a pool party - Mothertree at the Vortex
“Newly devised dance theatre” about the wisdom of trees
No Humans Allowed 161
Digital Optimism
The Future: what could go wrong? Tech has brought us so much optimism, misplaced or otherwise. This week we dig deep into the retrofuture with synthpop, italo, + electro songs full of digital optimism.
Tracklist
Runners Club 95 – Good Time
De-Regulator – Manifest Destiny
Plustwo – Melody
Flamingosis – Two Steppin’ into Fantasy
Donald Fagen – I.G.Y.
Jang Pil-Soon – No One Knows (Mori-Ra Edit)
Aax Donnell & Eric Malone – Golden Cage
Pleasure Voyage – Return of the Discotheque
Romain FX – Le Sucre d’Adam
DJ Oetker – Sombrero Love
Kattch – Será
Nude Disco – Remind Me of U
Brian Blackout’s award-winning, dodgy European news coverage receivingweekly robots-themed radio show on internet station KPISS.fm. Machine vibes 4 machines. Songs for robots, androids, mandroids, cyborgs, AIs, cylons, skinjobs, roombas, wifi routers, smart devices, anything colored Bondi blue, and virtual assistants. Humans not required. Broadcasts live every Wednesday at 6pm CT on kpiss.fm, with over 150 episodes now streamable in the archives on topics like and Beach Simulations, Roomba dance parties, undersea adventures + Cyber Texas.
No Lights No Lycra ATX 153
w/Brian Blackout
August 10th at West China Tea House
Listen to No Lights No Lycra 153
Tracklist
Gemma – As Ever (Mr Twin Sister Remix)
John Carroll Kirby – P64 by My Side
Lucifer’s Friend – Stardancer (In Flagranti Edit)
Todd Terje – Swing Star part 2
Róisín Murphy – Simulation
Rudy Norman – Back to the Streets (Flying Mojito Bros Refrito)
The Doobie Brothers – Long Train Runnin’
Eddie Kendricks – Goin’ up in Smoke
Tony Joe White – I Get Off on It (Flying Mojito Bros Refrito)
Carly Simon – Tranquillo (Melt My Heart) (Young Pulse Rework)
Talking Heads – Girlfriend Is Better (Bit Funk Edit)
B Beat Girls – For the Same Man
The Dare – Girls
Justin Timberlake – My Love (DFA Remix)
Lauer – Make It Stay (Gerd Janson Remix)
Goldfrapp – Strict Machine
Chicks on Speed – Glamour Girl
Crystal Waters – Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless)
Young Galaxy – Body
Fleetwood Mac – You Make Loving Fun (Trailmix Remix)
The Outfield – Your Love (Discotech Remix)
The Killers – Somebody Told Me
The Jesus & Mary Chain – Head On
Bruce Springsteen – Dancing in the Dark
INXS – Never Tear Us Apart
Home – All at Once
PATREON THANKS
A huge thank-you to our Patreon subscribers Amalia Litsa, Jacob Rosenberg, Alexander Freed, Spencer, Kristen Backor, Timon A., Kate Murray, and Amy Wilde. We’re deeply grateful for your support, which allows us to do things like “pay our Mailchimp fee” and “spend hours researching Austin events when technically we should be working.”
If you’d like to support us on Patreon and get access to exclusive member-only benefits, you may do so here.
SOCIALS
Follow Lite + Brite on Instagram to keep up with our adventures. Recent weeks brought us to a fiber artists’ talk at ArtUs Co., a backyard carnival and variety show, and a flock of Purple Martins in a Round Rock parking lot. And come chat with us and the rest of the L+B community on our Discord server!
ABOUT US
How do we choose which events to feature?
Honestly, it’s pretty random. We might include anything in Austin that we, personally, would conceivably want to go to, generally excluding normal concerts, comedy shows, and movie showtimes because there are many other good resources for finding those. (We especially recommend Showlist for live music, The Darker Side of Austin for goth and metal stuff, and the 60+ Weirdest Things in Austin for exactly what it sounds like). This list is by no means exhaustive; it’s just stuff that caught our eye this week. If you have an event that you want us to consider including, send it over.
Who are we?
We make this newsletter. We put on No Lights No Lycra every second and fourth Thursday of the month. We do some other stuff here and there. We love going out to creative events in Austin, and we want you to join us. Visit us at liteandbriteatx.com, and support us on Patreon if you like what we do.