Lite + Brite Monthly: August
Hello, what’s up, and welcome to the monthly edition of the Lite + Brite newsletter.
We’re in peak summer, y’all! In addition to our monthly listing of what’s happening we’ve got a playlist of hot new music, including five acts from Austin with killer new offerings. We’ve also got an updated listing of our post keeping tabs on events in the Austin area helping to raise money for flood relief. Rebuilding is a tough job, and we commend folks for doing their part.
If you’re not already a subscriber to this newsletter and you want to be, click here. We send out one email a week, usually on Fridays, plus this bonus edition around the start of each month. 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
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.
- Aug. 8-9: Black Art Airways at Distribution Hall
Celebration of Black art w/panels, galleries, live music, + DJ sets - Aug. 8-9: Freak Chic at Sterling Stage
Burlesque performers inspired by 90s Black Southern culture - Aug. 8-17: Suspensivo at the Vortex
A play performed in Spanish (w/subtitles) about loneliness in the digital age - Aug. 8 + 22: Float Films at Austin Motel
Close out Austin Motel’s summer poolside film series w/disco or gospel - Aug. 9: Local Queer Pride Boat Party at Highland Lakes Marina
Board the Large Marge for drag, games, + “queer jams” - Aug. 9: Uhauler Room at Cheer Up Charlie’s
“A dyke party w/DJ sets in the back of a Uhaul truck” - Aug. 9: Metropolis at the Austin Central Library
Watch the early silent sci-fi film scored by live musician - Aug. 9: Brisketfest 2025 at the Far Out Lounge
Enjoy occasionally bbq-themed live music + eat some BBQ - Aug. 10: FlirtSpace at FAILSPACE
Practice flirting at “experiment in connection, play, and, of course, flirting” - Aug. 12: Lone Star Three at AFS}
Watch a doc about Texas college students whose actions led to Roe v. Wade - Aug. 14: Splash at Deep Eddy
Watch a beloved mermaid-themed romcom poolside w/free popcorn - Aug. 16: Tones Fest at the Asian American Resource Center
“All-Azn music + maker celebration” w/live music, crafting stations, art, + community - Aug. 16: Austin Shorts Fest at Hyperreal Film Club
“One-day celebration of independent short films” across genres w/Q+As - Aug. 16: Realms of Fungi at ArtUs Co.
Fungus-inspired art, speakers, DJ, + costume contest w/”spore-tacular prizes” - Aug. 16: Nocturne of the Slammed at Highland Lounge
All-inclusive gothic wrestling w/”undead warriors,” + horror-inspired wrestlers - Aug. 16-17: Anthropocene at Austin Ventures Studio Theater
Modern dance performers explore humanity’s impact on the world - Aug. 16-17: POP Cats at the Palmer Events Center
Celebrating cats + pop culture w/adoptions, photo ops, workshops - Aug. 17: Let’s Have a Kiki at Austin Motel
“Campy chaos” w/poolside tropical-themed clown drag, DJ, + games - Aug. 18: Bit Brigade at Come and Take It Live
Video game speedrunners perform w/live responsive chiptune band - Aug. 22: Dice + Debauchery in Obojima at the Vortex
Drag performers play live Dungeons & Dragons w/improv DM - Aug. 22-24: Nostalgia at Sky Candy
A fusion of circus arts, modern dance, + acrobatics - Aug. 23: Austin Pride at Fiesta Gardens
Big pride festival focusing on protest w/performers + parade - Aug. 23: ATX Trans Pride at Cheer Up Charlie’s
Celebrate Austin’s trans community w/live music, drag, + vendors - Aug. 23: Endless Summer Gothic Beach Party at Empire
Goths in hot weather congregate w/burlesque, aerials, DJs, vendors, photo ops - Aug. 23: Summer Sorcery at the Highball
Live dungeon synth + synthwave acts, costumes, + dance-off w/prizes - Aug. 23: Texas Rollergirls Championship at Austin Sports Center
Austin’s flat track roller derby teams compete for champion status - Aug. 23-24: Le Garage Sale at the Palmer Events Center
Fashion shopping bonanza with an eye for gallic naming - Aug. 24: 29th Street Block Party at 29th Street Ballroom
Live music, DJ, screen printing, food trucks, + “subculture swap” - Aug. 24: Central Texas Custom Bicycle Festival at Parque Zaragoza
Custom bike competition w/DJs, live music, comedy, bike swap meet - Aug. 28: The Austin Seance at First Spiritualist Church of Austin
Commune with spirits in the form of supernatural voice recordings - Aug. 28-31: The Front Festival at various venues
Films, music, + experiences by Texas women + LGBTQ+ folks - Aug. 30: Slam Portal at Celis Brewery
Space-themed interdimensional wrestling teleports to a new locale - Aug. 30: World Oddities Expo at the Palmer Events Center
A convention of oddities + curios w/vendors, performers, + speakers - Aug. 31: TXRD Calvello Cup Championship at the Palmer Events Center
Banked track roller derby finalists collide in season finale - Sep. 1: Free Day of Yoga at studios throughout the city
Free yoga classes for every level of experience across town
L+B Playlist 14
New Arrivals
With so many Austin based bands hawking hot new records, we decided it was a good month for a playlist of all new stuff. Here are 21 tunes, all of which came out in 2025 (ok one came out in 2023 but it just got re-released with an incredible new video). As noted, a quarter of these bands are from Austin, plus another from the RGV.
Listen on: Spotify / Apple / YouTube
Tracklist
Gunship – Tech Noir 2 ft. John Carpenter, Charlie Simpson, + Tim Cappello
Nation of Language – I’m Not Ready for the Change
Nuclear Daisies – Infinite Joy
Past Model – State
Harsh Symmetry – Quiet Pill
Temptrix – As I Bleed
Nuovo Testamento – Picture Perfect
Vantage – I’m in Love Again (Future Funk Mix) ft. Hibiya
Foliage & .com – Everything’s Okay
Cut Copy – When This Is Over
Modernform. – French 75
Almost Heaven – Love on the Run
J’cuuzi – Fame by Death
Snapped Ankles – Raoul
The CDSM – Slug Fucker
The Moonlandingz – The Sign of a Man
Bell Towers – Overload
Proper Monday Number – High Horse
Pacific Coliseum – Understanding
dog+night – Reuben’s New Digs
Goldenfang Records – Replace You ft. Palace
Austin Area Events for Flood Relief
With the recent flooding in the Texas Hill Country, folks all across the region and the nation are looking for ways to help victims of the disaster. We’re nightlife + events people ourselves, so we gravitated towards event creators and curators here in Austin who are seeking to raise money. That’s not the only way to do it of course, and you can find lots of good ways to help without leaving the house in this article in the Austin Chronicle. 365thingsaustin compiled a list of restaurants donating sales or profits to flood relief. Austin Business Review compiled a list of local business donating proceeds to flood relief. Lastly, we’re not the only ones to compile a list of events—Do512 also has a list of benefit shows for flood relief. All of these events give some or all proceeds to flood relief and provide opportunities to contribute support in the form of money or donated items. Our list is permanently housed here, and we’ll keep updating it as we find more events.
Friday August 8th
Backyard BBQ at Meanwhile Brewing
Eat fare from local chefs, all proceeds donated
Wednesday August 12th
Song in the Storm at the Paramount Theatre
Lyle Lovett & Michael Martin Murphey raise money for rebuilding
Friday August 15th
Backyard BBQ at Meanwhile Brewing
Eat fare from local chefs, all proceeds donated
Friday August 17th
Band Together Texas at Moody Center
See country music performers + raise funds
Luck on the Lawn at Hotel Magdalena
Lyle Lovett + variety of performers raise money for flood relief
Friday August 28th
Applause for the Cause at Whitewater Amphitheater (New Braunfels)
Big bill of country musicians raises money for Kerr Cty nonprofit
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 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.
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, like No Lights No Lycra and 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.