Lite + Brite Monthly: May
Hello, what’s up, and welcome to the monthly edition of the Lite + Brite newsletter.
Happy May, y’all! Or sad May. You do you. All feelings are valid. In this issue of the Monthly, we’re bringing you a few dozen upcoming events that are worth keeping an eye on (including Brian’s debut Elysium DJ gig!), an exclusive interview with one of the founders of ATX TV Fest, a summertime playlist, and of course our recs for all-the-time Austin fun. Scroll down for all the intel you need to win at May. (Or to lose, if that’s your vibe. Again, you do you.)
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Let’s do fun stuff!
—Leila + Brian
liteandbriteatx.com
Looking Ahead to Upcoming Events
Our weekly newsletters will include many more listings, but here are a handful of events that we know are planned for the next month. We’re giving you the heads up now in case you want to pre-buy tickets or block off the time.
- May 1: Soundtrack Party at Hotel Vegas
Local bands covering some of our favorite film soundtracks - May 1-4: Texas Dungeon Siege at Elysium + Tiny Minotaur
Dungeon synth artists from all over the world invade Austin’s stages - May 1-4: Doc Days at AFS
Watch documentaries from around the world w/directors in attendance - May 1-4, 8-11, 15-18, + 22-27: Touch the Art at Almost Real Things HQ
“Finally, you can touch all of the art on the walls” – couldn’t agree more - May 2: Filth at the Museum of Human Achievement
An evening of filthy queer underground erotic cinema past + present - May 2-3: Texas Burlesque Festival at the Rollins Theater
A big celebration of all things burlesque + vaudeville - May 2-3: Marginalia at Sterling Stage
Some very silly medieval-themed burlesque, pole performers, + “gender fuckery” - May 2-3: Vampire Masquerade Ball at Texas Halloween Museum
We’re halfway to Halloween! Dress up like a vamp to mark the occasion - May 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, 14, 16, + 17: Adventure Party: TPK at the Vortex
Theatrical production inspired by fantasy TTRPGs + video game RPGs - May 3: ASL Slam at the Highball
Performers “rap, rhapsodize, + rehash” in ASL on stage - May 3: Violet Crown Festival in Brentwood Park
Live music, food vendors + competitive team BBQ in the park - May 3: CelebrASIA at the Asian American Resource Center
Celebrate AAPI heritage month w/live music, food, + traditional dance - May 3: La Fête de Cinco de Mayo at Republic Square
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo w/music, dancers, arts n crafts, + vendors - May 3: Synesthesia at Propaganda HQ
“Arts-based dance party” w/DJs, aerialists, “floor to ceiling projection art” - May 3: Hyde Park Storytelling at Batch Craft Beer
Storytellers ply their trade w/ASL interpreters in local craft beer spot - May 3-4: Austin Record Convention at the Palmer Events Center
A riot of records, a cavalcade of vinyl, + even the odd CD, cassette etc - May 3-4: Art04 Studio Tour at artists’ studios in South Austin
Explore artists studios all across the 78704 zip code - May 3-4: The Front Market at Distribution Hall
Giant assemblage of vendors, DJs, workshops, + demos - May 4: The Roast of Darth Vader at 29th St. Ballroom
Comics dress up like Star Wars characters to roast everyone’s favorite baddie - May 4: TreeFolks Picnic at Live Oak Brewing Co.
Tree-themed live music, tarot, dance performances, + seed swapping - May 8-10: Thee Gay Agenda at Crashbox
Justice system-themed “queer variety show” w/drag, DJs, + costumes - May 10: Pun-Off World Championships at Brush Sq. Park
Pun lovers nationwide flock to Austin to be crowned the punniest - May 10: Slam Portal at Central Machine Works
Interdimensional wrestling wreaks havoc after tax season - May 10: Overheard on a Train on the Red Line
Participate in immersive theatre while exploring public transit - May 10: IMOLE at Tiny Minotaur
Vendors, performances, quests about “Black mysticism, fairy tales, folklore, + joy” - May 10: Austin Witchfest at the Palmer Events Center
“A day full of workshops, shopping, divination, entertainment + more” - May 10: Corporate Cookout at the Flower Shop
“Leopard print billiard table,” poolside DJs + hot dogs, + w/an incredible website - May 10: Varta Festival at the Hampton Branch Library
Puppets, podcasts, dancers, + more around the theme of SE Asian storytelling - May 10: Woodland Faerie Trail Grand Opening at Zilker Botanical Garden
Explore artist-crafted faerie homes throughout the park - May 10: Art-O-Rama at the Dougherty Arts Center
Futuristic eco-friendly art party w/themed installations, workshops, activities, more - May 13: The Austin Salon at 1109 Angelina St.
Discussions about income inequality + ways to rethink it in the future - May 14: No Lights No Lycra at 3rd Eye Meditation Lounge
Our very own dance party in near complete darkness - May 14-18: Cine Las Americas at AFS=
View films of all kinds made by Latinx filmmakers from Texas + beyond - May 15-17: Friends Fair at the Loren Hotel
Galleries local + abroad curate hotel rooms with contemporary art - May 15-18: The Affordable Art Fair at the Palmer Events Center
A large-scale art fair focusing on affordable art pieces for sale - May 16-17: Hump! Film Fest at Hyperreal Film Club
Film fest of inclusive “hot, heavy, and hilarious adult short films” - May 17: Mermaid Capital of Texas Fest in San Marcos
Fest + costumed parade in “the mermaid capital of Texas” - May 17: Rituals at 2324 Studios
AAPI performers, live music, curated art show, panel talks, + food vendors - May 22-25: Austin Sketch Fest at Coldtowne
Fest celebrating some of the best local + out-of-town sketch comedy - May 24-25: Here Be Monsters at Radio East
An “exploration of Austin’s most celebrated indie-classical artists + creators” - May 25: Henry VI.i at Pease Park
An outdoor performance of barely-rehearsed Shakespeare in Pease Park - May 25: It’s Gonna Be May at the Vortex
A competition to find the best drag boy band performers in town - May 28: No Lights No Lycra at 3rd Eye Meditation Lounge
Our final regularly scheduled dance party in the dark at 3rd Eye - May 29: Prick Up Your Ears at Elysium
Brian joins DJs spinning 00s dancepunk, electro, + indie sleaze - May 29-June 1: ATX TV Festival at various downtown venues
“TV camp for grown ups” w/panels, premieres, stars, + screenings - May 30: 1-800-CLOWN-TOWN at Kick Butt Coffee
Wild circus-themed burlesque, comedy, + “all pole clown show”
L+B Playlist 12
Summer 2025
We know, we know, May isn’t the beginning of the Summer, technically. But it’s certainly the start of Summer weather in Austin so we couldn’t resist the urge to put together a playlist that’s dripping with summer jams before the melting actually starts up.
Listen on: Spotify / Apple / YouTube
Tracklist
No Zu – “Phone Call Meltdown”
Little Dragon – “Lover Chanting”
T-Pain, Yaeji, + Girl Talk – “Believe in Ya”
Kings of Convenience – “Gold for the Price of Silver”
Carly Simon – “Why”
Dr. Dog – “Heart It Races”
Sloan – “People of the Sky”
Lilys – “Any Place I’ve Lived”
Seam – “Bunch”
Shocking Pinks – “Second Hand Girl”
Scott + Charlene’s Wedding – “Gammy Leg”
The Lemonheads – “It’s a Shame About Ray”
Aztec Camera – “All I Need Is Everything”
The 6ths – “Aging Spinsters”
Ruf Dug x Private Joy – “Don’t Give in”
Sly Dunbar – “Rent a Car”
Miami Sound Machine – “Falling in Love (Uh Oh)”
M Like Moon – “Sunlight”
Muriel Dacq – “Tropique”
Pet Shop Boys – “Domino Dancing”
Beat Connection – “In the Water”
The Midnight – “Sunset”
Eden Ahbez “Full Moon”
Sextile – “Crash”
Night Drive “Summerwaves”
Discovery Zone – “Qubit Lite”
Games – “Strawberry Skies” ft. Laurel Halo
Dream 2 Science “My Love Turns to Liquid”
Bryan Ferry – “Slave to Love”
Snowden – “My Murmuring Darling”
The Austinites Behind the Curtain: ATX TV Festival
We love spotlighting local creatives who are responsible for the events that we list. Remember, there would be no pig parades, facial hair competitions, dance shows in quarries, or sound installations in tree houses without the individual people who organize and promote them.
This month, we’re speaking with Emily Gipson, Co-Founder of ATX TV Festival. As we approach this year’s festival (May 29 – June 1; tickets available here with big discounts for Austin residents!), we asked Emily to tell us about how she and her team put together this massive event.
Lite + Brite: Can you describe ATX TV Fest for folks who haven’t been?
Emily Gipson, Co-Founder, ATX TV Festival: ATX TV Festival is a four-day festival in downtown Austin that celebrates all things TV. It’s four days of panels, screenings, happy hours, and special events (like TV Trivia!) that all center around television. Our programming spans past, present, and future, so we have reunions of old shows, premieres of new shows, and also spotlight what is airing right now (or between seasons), along with a number of topical conversations about the behind-the-scenes of the TV series you love so much. It is a place where TV fans and industry (cast, creatives, etc.) hang out as one community, and it has lovingly been dubbed at “TV Camp for Grown Ups.”
L+B: What’s ATX TV’s origin story?
EG: My co-founder, Caitlin McFarland, and I met and became friends as assistants on the Fox lot in Los Angeles in the early 2000’s. In 2011, Cait was looking for a job in Austin in festivals and realized she really wanted to work for a TV festival… but there weren’t any. So, we started talking about what that would look like.
At the time, we were more interested in our DVRs (yes, this dates us!) than the movie theatre, so we started dreaming what a perfect TV festival could be. After we had written down our ideas, we went to old bosses and friends in the entertainment industry to get their thoughts and join an Advisory Board. Since no one knew who we were, we needed to curate a list of “names.” Then in early 2012 we launched a Kickstarter campaign to sell badges and raise money. The first one happened in June 2012!
L+B: What’s a brief overview of your process for figuring out each year’s festival lineup?
EB: It all starts with what our team is watching and loving, what shows and creatives are we most excited about at this moment. We have great relationships with most of the major studios and networks, and an incredibly supportive Advisory Board, so we start by asking them for representation from the shows we love, and then also what they have coming up they’d want to showcase. We also look to see which shows are having a 5, 10, 15, year etc. anniversary. That’s how this year’s Mad Men retrospective with Jon Hamm came about. It’s been ten years since the show ended!
L+B: What’s the most memorable or unexpected thing to ever happen at ATX TV Fest event?
EB: In 2015 we re-united the cast of Gilmore Girls. The part that I loved the most is that we had the fictional band from the show, Hep Alien, play a concert at Hotel San Jose. We didn’t announce they were playing until about ten minutes before they went on, and it turned into a version of Beatle-mania. The parking lot was PACKED. It was so much fun to watch and be part of.
L+B: Obviously, your job means working with a lot of celebrities. Can you share one of your favorite celebrity stories from the fest?
EB: We gave Henry Winkler, the nicest man in Hollywood, our first Achievement in Television eXcellence Award in 2013. Years later, Cait and I saw him the night he won his very first Emmy (for Barry). When we went up to congratulate him on his award, he looked us straight in the eyes, smiled, and said “You gave me one first.” It doesn’t get much cooler than that.
L+B: Out of all the programming at the upcoming festival, which piece are you proudest of putting together?
EB: My heart and soul goes into our annual Pitch Competition. These are the only submissions we officially take, and it’s for emerging writers trying to get to the next step in their career. Through a screening process we select ten finalists who pitch their TV show ideas at the Festival. I then work with them all year long to develop their series further and get it in front of decision makers. I love working with these writers and watching them pitch their show ideas is always so exciting.
As for the major Programming Pieces, this year I am very excited about The Late Show with Greg Iwinski, who is putting together a live late night show with special guests and music, and The Leftovers reunion… because I still think it’s one of the best shows ever.
L+B: This is one of the only TV festivals in the country. Why hold it in ATX (rather than LA)?
EB: Cait and I are born and raised Texans, and we love Austin. We wanted a place outside of the industry hub, so that people would come to “get away” and enjoy being out of “work mode.” We lean into Austin any chance we get, with our big marquee events at the Paramount, showcasing the local food and beverage, and using the word “y’all” as often as we can!
L+B: If money and logistics were no object, what would be your dream ATX TV event or panel to organize?
EB: A Survivor-type challenge for our attendees. We try to lean into “experiencing TV” as much as possible during the four days of the Festival, and I would love to have some sort of challenge or activity to bring TV to life. It would be really fun to take over Congress in front of the Paramount and create obstacles and puzzles for people to compete against each other for prizes. With Jeff Probst hosting of course!
L+B: What are some of your favorite Austin events or experiences that you don’t produce?
EB: I love attending ACL Tapings. I think the Moody Theater is the best place to see music, and I love that the policy at the tapings is for everyone to put their phones away. It makes the entire audience be present in the moment, and with the robust history of the TV show you always feel like you’re experiencing something iconic.
All-the-Time Austin Artsy Fun
Our weekly newsletter features upcoming events, but sometimes the activity you’re looking for isn’t an event at all—it’s a place that’s always there. Next time you find yourself with an afternoon when nothing special seems to be going on, you could consider checking out one of these evergreen options.
- Mesmerize
An interactive dream-like world made of site-specific installations by 15+ local artists - Hyperreal Film Club
A clubhouse for weird cinema, with oddball screenings four nights a week - Tiny Minotaur
Drinking and costumed LARPing, Dungeonsynths performing in the dungeon w/lots of lore - The Eureka Room
Uniquely goofy, silly, + fun immersive games you play with a group. No spoilers! - Escape the Box on South Congress
So you think you can escape boxes. Sure, but what about time traveling boxes? - We Luv Video
The Alexandria Library of video rental. It’s community-run, you can rent movies or watch them in a cinema while literally surrounded by VHS tapes and DVDs. - The Goats at Jester King Brewery
More a theme park geared towards folks who like refermented cherries in their beer (me) than a brewery. I have not experienced the Goat Experience, but I have seen their goats, and I approve. - Cathedral of Junk
A towering achievement to collecting weird old stuff that will spark nostalgia and cause you to wonder at your last tetanus shot timing - West China Tea House
In addition to their events, West China is a wonderful place just to chat with interesting and welcoming people and drink some delicious tea - Mayfield Park and Nature Preserve
A lovely park + nature walk that is protected by a crack corps of dedicated peacocks and peahens. Good luck escaping without some flashy, feathery displays. - Laguna Gloria
The Contemporary Austin’s outdoor sculpture garden. Culture + Nature = Profit. - Austin Creative Reuse Center
A nonprofit shop where you can get any art, craft, or office supplies you can imagine for literal pennies. Eat your heart out, Office Despot. - Museum of the Weird
It’s right there on Dirty 6th but worth a visit. From famous fake paleontology to recreations of horror film sets, there’s lots to see. - James Turrell’s Skyspace
Like Turrell’s best works, this is an art experience which unfolds slowly over time. Watch as the changing colors of sunset remake the space.
Thanks to our Patreon subscribers
A huge thank-you to our Patreon subscribers Molly Fonseca, 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.”
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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 (every second and fourth Wednesday of the month), + 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’s a playlist of some of our favorites from 2025). 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.