Lite + Brite: 54 Infernal Austin Events 6/26
Hello, what’s up, and welcome to the Lite + Brite newsletter.
What are you up to tonight? Are you coming to our indie dance party, Prick Up Your Ears, at Elysium? We sure hope so! Come say hi to us if you’re there. Brian will be the one with glasses at the DJ controls. Leila will be the one on the dance floor getting way too excited about the Ting Tings.
Other then our own party, which we somewhat biasedly consider to be the highlight of the week, the next seven days are stacked with competitive air guitar, competitive belly flops, “surreal clown cabaret,” an aerial circus reimagining The Odyssey, two one-year anniversary parties, one twenty-year anniversary party, an African American book festival, an Asian American film festival, a party in the park marking the end of Pride month, a massive free party hosted by the incredible team at Almost Real Things, and a roast of someone who doesn’t totally seem to deserve it? Scroll down for details on all this and more, or just ask us about it at Prick Up Your Ears.
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Let’s do fun stuff!
—Leila + Brian
liteandbriteatx.com
OUR STUFF
In case you skipped the intro, we’ll say it again here: TONIGHT at Elysium we’re hosting a dancepunk, electroclash, + indie dance music party called Prick Up Your Ears, and we want to see you there! Our own Brian Blackout will be DJing along with Roi (from Midnight Sabers) and DJ Sinsekt. Think MGMT, Hot Chip, the Rapture, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Classixx, the Juan Maclean, or anyone else from this playlist Brian put together. We love the indie dance music of the 00s, and we can’t wait to dance to it tonight with YOU and all of your friends! Or at least some of your friends. Or at least you. Come through!
No Humans Allowed, Brian’s radio show, went a little italo disco crazy this week. Maybe a lot crazy. Listen to All Night Passion in the Kpiss archives here.
EVENTS WE’RE EYEING
Thursday 6/26
- Prick Up Your Ears at Elysium
Brian joins DJs spinning 00s dancepunk, electro, + indie sleaze - Glamp Glamp at Lynny’s
“Queer performative weirdness” a la camp talent shows - Summer of Friendship at Laguna Gloria
Line-dancing, karaoke, food vendors, + family activities - Geekgasm Revue at Kick Butt Coffee
Video game-themed burlesque, trivia, raffle, + costume contest - Natural Navigation Workshop at the Buzz Mill
Learn to navigate without tools in case you’re ever lost in the wilderness - PowerPints at Radio East
“Drink + learn things” at comedic talks on a variety of esoteric topics - Nerd Nite at Barrel O’ Fun
Hear nerdy high-caliber talks on a variety of topics - Turtle Races at Little Woodrow’s Southpark
“The slowest, most exciting race” that no hare could win - Swim Sessions at the Line Hotel
Hang out poolside to hear a “100% women and LGBTQ+ lineup” of DJs - Weekend at Bernie’s at Downright Austin
Watch everyone’s favorite comedic corpse film while poolside - 24 Carrot Cabaret at the Vortex
“Satirical, sex-positive clownery,” burlesque, + lots of carrots - Austin Asian American Film Festival at AFS
Fest that “highlights new Asian and Asian American film” - (weekly) Float-In Theater at Mozart’s
Watch movies deck-side or while floating on the lake
Friday 6/27
- Legend of the Realms at Sky Candy
Competitive fantasy-themed performances w/aerialists, burlesque, + more - Infernal Night at Tiny Minotaur
Fantasy costume party for demons + “horny devil mommies” w/shanties + TTRPGs - Culturas de Todo el Mundo at Swan Dive
A variety of performers of different sorts celebrating diverse global cultures - Critical Mass Four-Year Anniversary at Parque Zaragoza
Group ride culminating in a party w/games like “limbo skate” + “track stand” - Glee Drag Tribute Show at Cheer Up Charlie’s
Drag performers riffing on everyone’s fave show about high school glee club - Story-oke at the Highball
Sing a song + talk about it. Basically DIY VH1 Storytellers - B Scene: Get Into the Groove at the Blanton
80s-themed party w/live music, screen prints, photo booth, vintage games - Body Mechanics at 4211 Todd Lane
DJs happily blurring the lines between a dance party + a fetish party - Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the Austin Motel
Watch a cult classic rock opera about love + being different while in a pool - Hot Donna’s Disco at Community Garden
Hang while DJs spin disco of italo & non-italo varieties - 24 Carrot Cabaret at the Vortex
“Satirical, sex-positive clownery,” burlesque, + lots of carrots - Austin Asian American Film Festival at AFS
Fest that “highlights new Asian and Asian American film”
Saturday 6/28
- Pride Picnic at Pease Park
Picnic in the park w/vendors, info, vinyl DJs, activations, + art installations - Party at the People’s House at City Hall
Live music, other performers, + art activities celebrate diversity in Austin - Austin African American Book Festival at the Carver Museum
Book fest focusing on preserving Black voices, empowering aspiring authors - Dead of Summer at Chess Club
Trade VHS tapes while you watch some of our fave bands + DJs in Austin - US Air Guitar Regional Championships at Jackalope
Shred some air for the chance to win a paid trip the national air guitar finals - Drag Me to the Tavern at Tiny Minotaur
Drag kings, queens, + knights in fantasy costumes - People’s Pride March at Auditorium Shores
Empowering pride march w/drag performers - Mystique Masquerade at ArtUs Co.
Art opening w/“live painting, ceremonial storytelling, + sultry dance music” - Texas Roller Derby at the Travis County Expo Center
Roller derbyists murderously smash their way through a banked track - Dance Walking at the Long Center
A locomoting dance party jiggles its way across Austin - Banned Bodies at Hotel Vegas
Pride fundraiser w/“live drag, live queer + trans punk bands” - Circus Day at the Jungle Movement Academy
Workshops + performances of circus arts, aerialists, hula hoopers, + fire spinners - Die Felicia at Elysium
Monster-themed drag performers get you ready for Halloween way early - PowerPints at the Highball
“Drink + learn things” at comedic talks on a variety of esoteric topics - Opening Hours at the Sherwood Forest Zine Library
An extensive library of zines in someone’s house, friendly cat included - Austin Asian American Film Festival at AFS
Fest that “highlights new Asian and Asian American film”
Sunday 6/29
- Les Ballets Trockadero at the Long Center
Travelling male ballet troupe pokes fun at classical ballet tropes - Pride Celebration at RichesArt Gallery
Pride party w/drag, DJs, panels, activations + activities - Belly Flop Competition at Woody’s Bar
Splash your way into the pool + win some cash - First Birthday Party at Casa de Luz East
“Superfood birthday cake,” plants, + lots of wellness activities - One-Year Anniversary at Aurora House
Bday party w/crafting, photo booth, raffle, readings, + cake - 20-Year Anniversary at Genuine Joe Coffeehouse
Celebrate 20 years (now in new location), w/DJs, bands, tats, vendors - A-Z Benefit Show at Alienated Majesty Books
Local live bands covering indie vets to support a good cause - Sombresa Launch Party at Keep Looking Shop
Magazine launch w/food, sweets, + cocktails - Austin Asian American Film Festival at AFS
Fest that “highlights new Asian and Asian American film” - (weekly thru 7/20) Splashdance at the Austin Motel
Poolside aerobics with Austin’s most creative aerobics instructor
Tuesday 7/1
- Animals Are Over at AFS
Extremely chaotic screening touting animal home vids + the end of animals
Thursday 7/3
- The Roast of Superman at 29th St. Ballroom
Comics playing superheroes + villains roast the Man of Steel - Park + Swim at the Austin Motel
Free swimming, free vinyl DJ + live music, paid glizzies - Our Flag Means Pride at Sky Candy
Student aerialists put on a Pride + pirate-themed production - Calm Your T!ts at the Vortex
Musical comedy that reflects on feminism’s travails here in 2025 - Divine Carnival at Ground Floor Theater
“An aerial circus reimagining of Homer’s the Odyssey” - (weekly) Float-In Theater at Mozart’s
Watch movies deck-side or while floating on the lake
No Humans Allowed 239
All Night Passion
This week we’ve got an hour of passionate italo and italo-influenced dancefloor fillers for your dancing pleasure.
Tracklist
Judie Tzuke – Shoot from the Heart (Louis de Tomaso Edit)
Lime – Extrasensory Perception (Chrissy Edit)
1000 Ohm – Love in Motion (Alkalino Edit)
Five Star – Love Take Over
Gary Low – You Dream a Lot (Hysteric Edit)
Dhuo – The Baby Was You (Captain’ Edit)
Sandra – Hi! Hi! Hi! (James Rod Re-edit)
Alisha – All Night Passion
Moses – We Just (Italo Brutalo Edit)
Dharma – Plastic Doll (Venice Beach Rework)
Visage – Move Up (PÄA Edit by TRS)
Black Spuma – Skettino
Kornel Kovács – Pantalón
Isamar & Compañia – No Estás
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.
PATREON THANKS
A huge thank-you to our Patreon subscribers Robert B., Roman Gonzalez, Nick Ivons, Molly Fonseca, Lilly Ettinger, Michael Sales, Zach, Gino Scaramuzza, Erica Speegle, Jarrett Holtz, Thomas Refferson, Bones Malones, Amy Hayes, Katie Green, Christina Jue, Colleen MB, Lena Long, 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 getting ready for Prick Up Your Ears, watching the Buda Wiener Dog Races, and experiencing a toy art exhibit at Collection Rert. 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 (where we sometimes post stuff early too).
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 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.