Lite + Brite: 41 Fresh-Squeezed Austin Events 2/23
Hello, what’s up, and welcome to the Lite + Brite newsletter.
The first Lite + Brite newsletter came out almost five years ago + since then there’s something we’ve often talked about doing but until this week never actually got around to doing, and that is hold a subscriber meetup. We’ve mentioned it a bunch but here it is again: we finally got around to doing this. I mean, technically the first meetup was a party we had at our apartment in 2019 where we twisted everyone’s arm until they signed up. Nowadays, there are so many of you and we don’t know most of you IRL. Sometimes people will come say hi to us at No Lights No Lycra but mostly we have never met y’all, and that’s a shame because I’m pretty sure you’re great. So we (Leila + Brian) will be hanging out at Bobo’s Snack Bar this Sunday and we hope to see some of you there. Please say hi and tell us which of the events Leila finds you love, or which of Brian’s jokes about short Texan filmmakers you like best. 5:30 – 6:30pm on Sunday we’ll be hanging out, and 6:30 – 8:30pm we’re holding a YouTube party (scroll for more info, as is the usual). Any questions? Our Discord server would be of use in getting answers.
What else, what else…oh that’s right, you opened this email for events! Well since we get an extra day this year, it makes sense that this week would be packed with stuff. There’s a Chili Cook-off cook-off (just kidding they’re entirely separate events and the winners don’t take on each other but please leave me my dreams), leap day crafting, leaping ballerinas + frogs, touring modern homes or weird homes (but never both!), a rodeo exclusively for Ryans (and presumably friends of Ryans), or you might partake in a vast array of small things including (but not limited to) micro-operas, 20 second performances, + tiny goats. That, or thirty-odd other things, just scroll down I’m tellin ya.
If you’re not already a subscriber to this newsletter and you want to be, click here. We do one newsletter a week, usually on Fridays, plus a bonus edition around the start of each month. If you enjoy this newsletter, please support us by contributing to our Patreon and by forwarding this email to your friends who enjoy things like listening to music and leaving the house sometimes.
Let’s do fun stuff!
—Leila + Brian
liteandbriteatx.com
OUR STUFF
This Sunday (February 25th), as we’ve screamed from various digital mountains, after our subscriber meetup we’re organizing a party where we watch very good YouTubes together, all at Bobo’s Snack Bar, a spot we really love hanging out at and are excited to be able to support. The Youtube party’s going to work a little bit like karaoke, where folks will send us YouTube submissions throughout the night and we will carefully arrange them for maximum effect and confirm none of them are rickrolls (see, just like karaoke). We hope to see some of you there and we hope you bring your favorite memes, animations, music videos, VHS highlights, old commercials + animal-themed Texas lawyer ads. We’re bringing our favorites and we can’t wait to see yours. Videos will run from 6:30 – 8:30. The event will be free and a great opportunity to chat with us and with other Austinites who like doing fun stuff and leaving the house sometimes (aka you, probably).
We did No Lights No Lycra last night and we’ve already put a recording up on Mixcloud if you’d like to hear it. We’ll have the tracklist with more info below. The next NLNL will be on March 14th, smack in the middle of SxSW, and DJ Phildoesit will once again be gracing us with his two-stepping DJ skills.
We were stuck in an airport in Dallas during Brian’s No Humans Allowed slot so no new radio shows this week, but next week is going to be full of French synthpop. Zut alors, hon hon hon, etc. In the meantime there are over 180 episodes archived on Kpiss. NHA broadcasts 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 2/23
- Critical Mass at 25 Pedernales
Convivial convoy of wheeled vehicles of all sorts - Cocktales at Pershing Hall
A storytelling event about sex + dating (not the r-rated version of Ducktales) - Live Mural Painting at Delilah’s Front Porch
This event does what it says on the tin - Unstill Life at Wolf House
“Self-guided durational movement performance” in 19th C mansion - Nosferatu Festival at Kick Butt Coffee and Come and Take It Live
Celebrate the first horror/vampire film w/performers, contests, + vendors - Fresh Squeezed Ounce of Orchestra at the Museum of Human Achievement
Everything’s getting smaller these days, even operas, I mean “micro-operas” - Leap! at First Street Studio
Both ballerinas + frogs like to leap, so this is a natural collab fit - Portal into the Mind: The Starseed Experience at 10203 Old Manchaca Rd.
Art + sculpture meets live visuals, DJs, + performers
Saturday 2/24
- Slam Portal at Blue Norther
Interdimensional comedic pro wrestling at its very finest - Fusebash at Distribution Hall
Lots of futuristic artists performing extremely expediently - Jugglefest at Navarro High School
Juggling “workshops, games, demonstrations, trick trading” + an auction - Twin Peaks Party at Hotel Vegas
Not just a breastarant, also a great TV show + party theme - Ryan Rodeo at Buck Wild
Rodeo exclusively for Ryans. I’m only one letter off, sadly - Byte Night at ColdTowne
Are humans better at puns than ChatGPT? - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in Concert at Bass Concert Hall
See the film that started it all w/a live symphonic score - Celebrate Black Austin at Kenny Dorham’s Backyard
Walking tour of Austin’s Black history + maker’s market - 40th Anniversary of Ghostbusters at We Luv Video
Watch the film + hang out with some real life Ghostbusters - Gospel on the Lawn at the Neill-Cochran House Museum
Outdoor gospel concert in lovely architectural surroundings - Book Roasts at the Spider House Ballroom
Merciless roast-style mockery of books + topics literary - Ira Glass at the Paramount
Listen to a talk by one of America’s most recognizable voices - Open Hours at Sherwood Forest Zine Library
Read from Sherwood Forest’s extensive library of zines - Austin Modern Home Tour at various houses throughout town
Tour and see the insides of some fancy modern houses in Austin - Vast Is the Sea at Co-Lab Projects
Sound artists doing nautical presentations w/musical, dance, + video - Totally Wired at Drinks Lounge
Vinyl DJs spinning a mix of punk, glam, mod + soul - House Tour at Casa Neverlandia
Get a tour of a unique Austin home + the cover of “Weird Homes” - Live Mural Painting at Delilah’s Front Porch
This event does what it says on the tin - Unstill Life at Wolf House
“Self-guided durational movement performance” in 19th C mansion - Nosferatu Festival at Kick Butt Coffee and Come and Take It Live
Celebrate the first horror/vampire film w/performers, contests, + vendors - Fresh Squeezed Ounce of Orchestra at the Museum of Human Achievement
Everything’s getting smaller these days, even operas, I mean “micro-operas” - Leap! at First Street Studio
Both ballerinas + frogs like to leap, so this is a natural collab fit - Portal into the Mind: The Starseed Experience at 10203 Old Manchaca Rd.
Art + sculpture meets live visuals, DJs, + performers
Sunday 2/25
- Lite + Brite Meetup and BYOT (Bring YouTubes, OK? Thanks) at Bobo’s Snack Bar
A meetup for readers (you!) + a party where we watch some very good YouTubes - Cold Blood Chili Cook-Off at the Sagebrush
A chili cook-off to raise cancer awareness + celebrate local musicians - 13th Annual Chili Cook-Off at the Liberty Bar
A chili cook-off that also involves belts - Baby Goats + Brunch at Vista Brewing
Satisfy your itch for baby goats + your itch for brunch in one fell swoop - Nosferatu Festival at Kick Butt Coffee and Come and Take It Live
Celebrate the first horror/vampire film w/performers, contests, + vendors - Fresh Squeezed Ounce of Orchestra at the Museum of Human Achievement
Everything’s getting smaller these days, even operas, I mean “micro-operas” - Leap! at First Street Studio
Both ballerinas + frogs like to leap, so this is a natural collab fit - Portal into the Mind: The Starseed Experience at 10203 Old Manchaca Rd.
Art + sculpture meets live visuals, DJs, + performers
Monday 2/26
- (weekly) Hyperreal Film Club at Hotel Vegas
Watch a buddy cop action flick w/JCVD, Dennis Rodman, + lots of techno
Tuesday 2/27
- Greetings from Queer Mountain at Cheer Up Charlie’s
“Free LGBTQ Storytelling Showcase” + ASL interpreter - Non-Binary Square Dancing at Cheer Up Charlie’s
It’s high time square dancing thought outside the box - SXSW Austin Community Meetup at the SXSW Center
Meet the folks behind the thing Austinites love or love to complain about - Games Y’all at the Museum of Human Achievement
Play + discuss indie games under development + meet the teams - Silent Book Club at Vintage Bookstore and Wine Bar
Thursday 2/29
- Glamp Glamp at Lynny’s
“Queer performative weirdness” a la camp talent shows - Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! at Bass Concert Hall
Live version of the comedy/news/game show fusion Leila’s always listening to - Leap Day Happy Hour at Make at Rosie
Bring beverages + snacks, utilize rhinestones + other crafting supplies - The Jigglewatts Burlesque Revue at the Spider House Ballroom
Classic burlesque troupe celebrates Miss Nude Universe 1975 - Line Upon Line Percussion Festival 2.0 at Crashbox
Percussion played on a wide array of objects + instruments - Undark: A Radioactive Puppet Play at the Vortex
Puppets perform a play about radioactivity, unfettered capitalism, + factories
Our SxSW 2024 Picks
SxSW is nearly upon us, and resident wristbands are now available! $169 for a Music Festival wristband and $120 for a Film Festival Wristband—it’s 1/10th as expensive as a badge, and all of us Austin residents are eligible.
Brian’s Pick
Bodega
Imagine if Sonic Youth or Gang of Four loved fun, from NYC
Leila’s Pick
Bleach Lab
Pretty, Mazzy Star-inspired, “sad-core” dreampop out of London
Previous Picks
Los Premios
Catchy psych-infused indie rock a la Tame Impala, from Valencia, Spain
kvn
Energetic Austin-based threesome reminiscent of a more ironic HAIM
La Securité
Icy female-fronted post-punk from the Great White North
Discovery Zone
Berlin-based Bedroom synthpop with a unique sense of wonder. A highlight from SxSW 2022
The View
Scottish indie rock ‘n’ roll. I last saw this band in 2008 and am so excited to see them again
No Lights No Lycra ATX 163
w/Brian Blackout
Recorded live in the dark at West China Tea House on February 22, 2024.
Listen to No Lights No Lycra 163
Tracklist
Telex – Rendez-Vous dans l’Espace (Morgan Geist Remix)
The Preatures – Is This How You Feel? (Classixx Remix)
Zapp & Roger – Heartbreaker
Japanese Breakfast – Be Sweet
Caroline Rose – Feel the Way I Want
Jean-Philippe Goude – Energie
Friendly Fires – Paris (Aeroplane Remix)
Holy Ghost! – Hold On
C+C Music Factory – Gonna Make You Sweat
Kate Boy – Self Control
Sophie Ellis Bextor – Murder on the Dancefloor
Dolly Parton – 9 to 5 (Butch le Butch Remix)
Tata Vega – (I’ve Got My) Second Wind
Teddy Pendergrass – The More I Get, the More I Want
LCD Soundsystem – Tonite
Ssion – Comeback
K.W.S. – Please Don’t Go
Everything But the Girl – Missing (Todd Terry Club Mix)
Confidence Man – C.O.O.L. Party
La Bouche – Sweet Dreams
Nelly Furtado – Maneater
Peter Bjorn and John – Young Folks (Cousin Cole re-edit)
The The – This Is the Day
David Bowie & Queen – Under Pressure
Home – All at Once
PATREON THANKS
A huge thank-you to our Patreon subscribers Amy Hayes, Katie Green, Christina Jue, Colleen MB, Lilly Ettinger, Lena Long, Amalia Litsa, 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
Recent weeks found us celebrating “Bouncemas” at UT, partying with Art Island at the Coral Snake, and admiring art lamps at Highland Collective. Follow Lite + Brite on Instagram to keep up with our adventures. 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 do our own events, most prominently No Lights No Lycra (every second and fourth Thursday of the month). We once got called “local Austin couple” by KXAN. 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.