Lite + Brite: 60 Nocturnal Austin Events 3/7

Hello, what’s up, and welcome to the Lite + Brite newsletter.

As I write this intro we begin the week where Austin + its nightlife are in the public eye all over the world. We know that everyone approaches this week differently. Since we’re obsessed with music and events, we approach this week like a contact sport. It’s basically our Super Bowl. But we know some of you will be heading for the hills, others will be hunkering down, and still others will look to partake in the chaos of SxSW with as light a touch as possible. We’ve tried to provide something for everyone here, even if you just want to hear about all the stuff but stay home.

As you peruse the events below you’ll see some stuff that’s far from downtown and the buzzy band vibes, like Yeast by Sweet Beast. You’ll also find some things that are in the heart of downtown event sprawl like the Texas Film Experience. You’ll probably notice for this week only we relaxed our normal rule about listing live music that doesn’t have some other component. Usually, we leave that to others who specialize, but this week a few things caught our eye, like the Texas School for the Blind + Visually Impaired’s school electronic band. Plus all the “normal” L+B stuff you come here for like turtle races, fantasy cowpoke costume parties, surreal clown cabaret, + pickle-themed drag.

If you want to dive into SxSW we have our playlist of bands to watch, Brian’s gigantic spreadsheet of who’s playing where when, and Leila’s guide to SxSW for locals. Lastly, we mentioned this in our monthly newsletter but we are collaborating with Art Island on a SxSW event and we’re crafting up some fun surprises in store for it. More info on that below, but we’d love to see + interact with newsletter subscribers of you there if you come, so be sure to say hi if you do. Also we’re giving away tickets to it!

We’re very excited to see lots of amazing music, do some goofy stuff, + hang with friends old + new. Enjoy this week however you’d like to tackle it, we’ll see you on the other side.

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

On Wednesday, we’re co-hosting Austin Edge, an all-day mini-fest, with our pals at Art Island. The event includes panels, performers, a sauna, a sound bath, vendors, drinks, and DJs—including our very own Brian Blackout. Right now we’re giving away two free pairs of tickets to Austin Edge, valued at $40 each, on our Instagram. We’ll be selecting a winner at noon on Monday, so get in your entry before then. You can also purchase a ticket here.

Brian is taking next week off from No Humans Allowed because of the fest, but this past week he played a bunch of library, downtempo, + disco records on his radio show. Stream Zero Insertion Force from the Kpiss archives, and tune into No Humans Allowed live on Tuesdays at 6pm central.

DoMORE

// A true statement paid for by the sponsor of this week’s newsletter. //

We’ve been finding events through Do512 and other DoStuff sites for years. We appreciate their work so much that we’ve officially joined their membership program, DoMORE. What this means is that every few weeks DoStuff sends us a curated list of upcoming local events, and we can claim a pair of free tickets to any one of them. We recently used our DoMORE membership to see Holy Wire at Chess Club. There was so much synthesizer! We didn’t pay for any of it!

If you, too, would like to regularly do fun stuff for free, you can also become a DoMORE member. It’s $7/month, and you can cancel anytime (like at whatever point you no longer like doing fun stuff for free, I guess). If you want to try it out, this link gives you a week-long free trial.

We always say that we do L+B for people who enjoy “listening to music and leaving the house sometimes.” What’s great about DoMORE is that it makes it easier for folks to do exactly that.

// Do you want to sponsor an upcoming issue of this newsletter? Email us for our ad rates! //

LITE + BRITE’S SxSW 2025 PICKS

SxSW starts today! Check out our guide to doing the fest as a local, listen to our playlist of 20 bands we’re excited to see, and schedule your shows with our highly detailed spreadsheet. Below is a list of some of our top SXSW band picks:

Brian’s Pick of the Week
Fantasy of a Broken Heart
Catchy off-kilter NYC indiepop w/great sense of quiet + loud

Leila’s Pick of the Week
Master Peace
Indie sleaze revival for all you Bloc Party fans

Past Weeks’ Picks
The K’s
Indie rock from a Northern English town. It’s giving Arctic Monkeys.
Kap Bambino
Hyperactive French synth punks evoke Bis, 00s sleaze, + horror soundtracks
Confidence Man
Singers “Janet Planet” + “Sugar Bones” prove 90s eurodance is thriving
Pivots
Very new UK trio mixing post-punk + shoegaze to great effect
Borderline
Upbeat, hook-laden Kiwi pop band. RIYL the 1975
Los Eclipses
Franco-Mexican duo deftly slides between slinky downtempo + cumbia, French + Spanish

EVENTS WE’RE EYEING

Friday 3/7

Saturday 3/8

  • Nocturne at Shield Ranch
    “Part music, part theatre, part collective exploration” into the stars
  • 24 Carrot Show at Cheer Up Charlie’s
    “Dance party ritual + surreal clown cabaret with aerials, drag, live art”
  • Everybody Draw Everybody at the Museum of Human Achievement
    Speedrun drawing portraits while portraits of you are drawn
  • Curse the King at Tiny Minotaur
    “Music, catharsis, + (simulated) regicide” I think we can all appreciate that…
  • Yeehaw for Abortion at Future Front
    Talks, activities, DJ, + live art to help support reproductive rights in Texas
  • Preheat Fest at Hyperreal Film Club
    Screenings of works that are experimental intersections of film + dance
  • Recovery Lounge at Swift Fit Events
    Massage, aromatherapy, cold plunge, IV therapy, + DJ
  • Passport to Canopy at Canopy
    A scavenger hunt through art studios and galleries w/prizes
  • Closing Sale at Big Medium
    Help say goodbye to Big Medium by getting cheap art + office supplies
  • Little Pieces of a New World at Butterfly Bar
    Quiltmaking workshop, live music, Ofrenda, + Loteria w/prizes
  • Volunteer Day at Central Texas Pig Rescue
    Hang with rescue pigs, learn about their care + do some light volunteering
  • Mayhem at Cheer Up Charlie’s
    Hear the new Lady Gaga record + watch Gaga-inspired drag performers
  • Austin VHS Swap at We Luv Video + Double Trouble
    Watch classic John Waters flick, costume contest, VHS swap + live music
  • Waistbeads and Headwraps at Fanm Djanm
    Headrap demos, stylists, custom cocktails, DJ, raffle
  • Blanton All Day at the Blanton Museum
    Art talks, live music, tours, storytime, + demos
  • Open Studio at Art Hub ATX
    Open artists studios, vendors, + happy hour priced bevs
  • The Art-In Exhibition at Good Dad
    Lock yourself in with a bunch of art + artists for fun and community
  • NASA House CreateSpace at the Central Library
    Learn about space via immersive activities, live music, + games
  • Alice in Wonderland Aerial Showcase at Marbridge Gymnasium
    Aerialists aplenty inspired by Alice in Wonderland
  • Yeast by Sweet Beast at Carousel Lounge
    Sorta the anti-SxSW, hours of live experimental music far from downtown
  • New Bloom at Open House Austin
    Live music, art vendors, + bowling
  • Vernardos Circus at Buck’s Backyard
    Travelling acrobatic-forward circus returns to Buck’s
  • Satellite Ranch at 719 Shady Lane
    “Ten acres of art, music, performance, installations, + clownery”
  • Privy Privy at RichesArt
    Just your standard combination ice cream cone / glory hole
  • (weekly thru 4/20) Sherwood Forest Faire
    Central Texas’ renaissance faire w/medieval food, arts, fun, + dress
  • (weekly thru 5/31) Doom Metal Goat Yoga at Jester King
    “We call out to the beasts of the land to come forth and JOIN US!”

Sunday 3/9

  • Ghouls at the Garage II at Tex Tune Automotive
    Live garage bands playing in a garage, DJ, artfully described hot dogs
  • Pinoy Potluck at Kenny Dorham’s
    Filipino-American musicians, vendors, + Filipino food potluck
  • Purim Pickle Party at Lynny’s
    In honor of Purim, it’s a pickle drag party 
  • Dev Patel Lookalike Contest at the Texas State Capitol
    Do you look like the English actor or want to see others who do?
  • Livecode at dadaLab
    Live musicians + visual artists give us a look behind their coding curtains
  • Sunday Sanctuary at 2922 E. Cesar Chavez
    Panels, wellness, + immersive experiences to recharge
  • Remaining Native x NIKE Running at Mañana Dos
    5k run followed by native dances, DJ, giveaway, “Indian Tacos”
  • Fantasy Figure Drawing Class at Tiny Minotaur
    Do some figure drawing in a fantasy tavern
  • ATX Game Makers Showcase at Valhalla
    Hear talks + meet local game devs, play games in development
  • NASA House CreateSpace at the Central Library
    Learn about space via immersive activities, live music, + games
  • Vernardos Circus at Buck’s Backyard
    Travelling acrobatic-forward circus returns to Buck’s
  • Satellite Ranch at 719 Shady Lane
    “Ten acres of art, music, performance, installations, + clownery”
  • Privy Privy at RichesArt
    Just your standard combination ice cream cone / glory hole
  • (weekly thru 4/20) Sherwood Forest Faire
    Central Texas’ renaissance faire w/medieval food, arts, fun, + dress

Monday 3/10

  • The Semi-Modulars at Central Presbyterian Church
    Hear live electronic music composed by students at the TX School for the Blind
  • ATX Game Makers Showcase at Valhalla
    Hear talks + meet local game devs, play games in development
  • ATX Short Film Showcase at Spider House Ballroom
    The films are short, the filmmakers are Texan + of varying heights
  • Privy Privy at RichesArt
    Just your standard combination ice cream cone / glory hole

Tuesday 3/11

  • Astronomy on Tap at Celis Brewery
    Learn astronomy + hang w/astronomers while surrounded by beer
  • Flatstock at the Austin Convention Center
    View + purchase a dizzying array of concert posters
  • Privy Privy at RichesArt
    Just your standard combination ice cream cone / glory hole

Wednesday 3/12

  • Austin Edge at Sapien Center
    Panels, workshops, DJs, aerialists, sound bath, + cold plunge
  • Austin Industry Day at the Austin Convention Center
    SxSW’s expo center opens to the public for one day w/booths + talks
  • Rawstin at Delilah’s Front Porch
    “Panels, musicians, vendors, + artists who’ve experienced homelessness”
  • The Texas Film Experience at the State Capitol
    Go on set for a live demonstration of every stage of making a film
  • Paws for Public Art at UT Austin
    Public art + pettable critters combine forces for mental health
  • Magick + Mischief at the Hideaway
    Join in a table top role-playing game w/experienced dungeon masters
  • Soundtrack Karaoke at Hyperreal Film Club
    Karaoke party where every song must have been on a film soundtrack
  • Politics House at Cheer Up Charlie’s
    Live music, DJs, + drag performers supporting lefty politics
  • Flatstock at the Austin Convention Center
    View + purchase a dizzying array of concert posters
  • Vernardos Circus at Buck’s Backyard
    Travelling acrobatic-forward circus returns to Buck’s
  • Satellite Ranch at 719 Shady Lane
    “Ten acres of art, music, performance, installations, + clownery”
  • Privy Privy at RichesArt
    Just your standard combination ice cream cone / glory hole

Thursday 3/13

  • The Bigger in Texas Ball at Cheer Up Charlie’s
    Big TX-themed ballroom party w/MCs + drag performers
  • Turtle Racing at Little Woodrow’s Southpark
    Cheer for the fastest slow shelled buddy (no hares involved)
  • Create + Heal at the Carver Museum
    Meditation workshop, sound bath, + other mental resources
  • NOWISWHENWEARE at the McCullough Theatre
    Immersive art installation full of thousands of points of light + sound
  • The Creative Fest at Haus of Talents
    Successive film screenings, art openings, live music, + fashion show
  • All Things Food at Barr Mansion
    Eat free food outdoors, + hear many talks about food + beyond
  • Flatstock at the Austin Convention Center
    View + purchase a dizzying array of concert posters
  • Vernardos Circus at Buck’s Backyard
    Travelling acrobatic-forward circus returns to Buck’s
  • Satellite Ranch at 719 Shady Lane
    “Ten acres of art, music, performance, installations, + clownery”
  • Privy Privy at RichesArt
    Just your standard combination ice cream cone / glory hole

No Humans Allowed 226
Zero Insertion Force

Next week we’ll be taking a quick break from NHA to get into SxSW hijinx, so it’s your last chance for a minute to fire up that Pentium processor, load up your floppies, + get your fix of kitschy italo, disco, + library grooves from asundry bygone eras.

Stream Zero Insertion Force

Tracklist
18 Carat Affair – Timeshares
James Asher – Braindrained
Ilija Rudman – Who’s Crying Now
Public Service Broadcasting – Go! (Kauf Remix)
Puccio Roelens – Northern Lights
Alessandro Alessandroni – Dialogues
Bufi & Juan Soto – Monrovia
The Webboes – Under the Wear (Chrissy Edit)
Kompleks – Scream (Edit)
Bernard Fevre – Polyster
Dig It Al(l) – Digi Nights (Basso Edit)
Juan Manuel Cidron – Vendré Aquí Cuantas Veces Lo Desée (WLDV Edit)

No Humans Allowed is Brian Blackout’s award-winning, dodgy European news coverage receiving, weekly 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 200 episodes now streamable in the archives on topics like and Beach Simulations, Roomba dance parties, undersea adventures + Cyber Texas.

No Lights No Lycra ATX 179
w/Brian Blackout

Recorded live in the dark in 3rd Eye Meditation Lounge on February 12th, 2025

Listen to NLNL ATX 179 on Mixcloud

Tracklist
Airbird – Trust
The Paradise – In Love with You
Midnight Star – Midas Touch (CFCF Remix)
Nude Disco – Remind Me of U
Diana Ross – Love Hangover (DJ Apt One Edit)
Charli xcx – Boom Clap (Aeroplane Remix)
Tamiko Jones – Can’t Live Without Your Love
Stevie Wonder – Do I Do (U-Tern Edit)
Conway & Temple – Love Lights (Young Pulse Rework)
Crystal Waters – 100% Pure Love
Whitney Houston – Love Will Save the Day
Aroop Roy – Save Our Love
The Source – You’ve Got the Love ft. Candi Staton
Heavy D & the Boyz – Now That We Found Love
Stardust – Music Sounds Better with You
Cut Copy – Saturdays
The Presets – This Boys in Love (Lifelike Remix)
Fleetwood Mac – You Make Loving Fun (Trailmix Remix)
The Outfield – Your Love (DiscoTech Remix)
The Monroes – What Do All the People Know?
The Cure – Just Like Heaven
Prince and the Revolution – I Would Die 4 U
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell – Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
Home – All at Once
Mayer Hawthorne – Green Eyed Love (Classixx Remix)
Electric Light Orchestra – Letter from Spain

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 it in the Austin Chronicle. You can listen to the kind of music we play over on Brian’s Mixcloud.

PATREON THANKS

A huge thank-you to our Patreon subscribers Lilly Ettinger, Michael Sales, Zach, Gino Scaramuzza, Erica Speegle, Jarrett Holtz, Thomas Refferson, Dale Markowitz, Bones Malones, Amy Hayes, Katie Green, Christina Jue, Colleen MB, Lena Long, Amalia Litsa, Alexander Freed, 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 catching Faux Real’s show at Hotel Vegas, attending a book launch at Justine’s, and enjoying 1-800-CLOWN-TOWN at Kick Butt Coffee. Follow Lite + Brite on Instagram to keep up with our adventures. We’re now on Bluesky too. Yay federation! 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, Concept Animals’ ATX Art for You for gallery openings + artist talks, 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 are Leila + Brian. We make this newsletter. We do our own events, most often No Lights No Lycra, + also BYOT, a party where we share very good YouTubes (here’s a playlist from the last one). We go very hard seeing bands at SxSW (here are playlists of our favorites from 2024). 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.

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK, CHAMPIONS

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