Lite + Brite: 51 Unbecoming Austin Events 3/13
Hello, what’s up, and welcome to the Lite + Brite newsletter.
We are here. It’s South by Southwest, and Austin is going to be full of tourists and full of things to do. You may be heading for the hills, in which case enjoy the break. You may be diving in and riding the lightning like us, in which case we recommend our free (as in beer) band tracking/scheduling web app FestWiz. Or, you may be looking to find something to do far from the chaos and churn of the official happenings of the SxSW juggernaut, and for this third group of y’all, we have more than 50 events to check out which require zero festival credentials.
Let it be known that we’re experiencing major festival creep. Red River and 6th Street will be denuded of parking and inundated with partygoers as usual, but also expect some of that to seep out in all directions. The icy grip of fun is firmly clutching the 29th Street Ballroom/Tweedy’s nexus in a viselike grip of stuff to do. Moreover, the folks at Smash by Smashwest are counter-programming the official fest with events like a punk television channel and a video roulette game in the orbit of campus and North Loop. Dungeon synth nerds and DnB heads will be taking over Blazer Tag, and VGM + chiptune enthusiasts will be flying their nerd flags at Kick Butt Coffee.
If you just wanna plug your ears and pretend like it’s an ordinary weekend, you can engage in a fry bobbing competition, lube wrestle with clowns, be in a music video, observe full contact sword fighting, or roll around Austin with wheeled DJs. You know, normal stuff.
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Let’s do fun stuff!
—Leila + Brian
liteandbriteatx.com
WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO
We probably should’ve given ourselves a quiet week in the lead-up to SxSW, but guess what, we didn’t. Instead, here’s what we did:
We went to the Ransom Center to see the Lorne Michaels / Saturday Night Live exhibition before it closes on March 22. Entry is free, and it includes so many cool artifacts, including the actual gift box from “Dick in a Box” and the actual cowbell from “More Cowbell,” plus a lot of delightful correspondence about how many fart jokes are allowed on network TV before Standards + Practices gets involved.
We saw a performance by Ouiness, a local improvisational band comprising an unknown number of members playing an unknown variety of instruments. This particular show was an in-store at Love Wheel Records, whose petite stage was in no way large enough to fit the ever-expanding Ouiness. At one point a baby was brought up for a guest solo. Ouiness is playing again at Yepfest today.
We learned about compatibility at the Austin Salon, thanks to presentations from a professional matchmaker, a former OkCupid employee, and a self-identified person who has been in a lot of long-term relationships.
We were taken in by new conspiracy theories at the Museum of Human Achievement’s PowerPoint Without Computers night, and now finally everything makes sense. We can’t walk you through the whole thing in one email, but the bottom line is, of course, lizard people. Leila won a trophy for crafting a meta-narrative that links together all of the presented conspiracy theories. We are very proud.
Anyway, so glad we really took it easy this week so we can approach SxSW well-rested and ready to go!
EVENTS WE’RE EYEING
Thursday 3/12
- Monster’s Ball at 4211 Todd Ln.
Monstrous “installation filled warehouse” w/games, photobooth, DJ - Eco-Printing and Dyes at Buzz Mill
“Learn the art of dyeing natural fabrics with flowers, leaves + more” - Texas Futures Summit at an unannounced location
Science fair + talks about how to approach the future of food, energy, + AI - Stories on the Lawn at Neill-Cochran House Museum
Comedians + storytellers w/Moth-style stories about doggos - Nerdcore Dayz at Kick Butt Coffee
Live VGM, chiptune, + nerdcore artists w/live visuals, giveaways - Congress Ave Block Party at Congress + 9th St.
You don’t need a badge to get free snacks + swag. Free snacks for all!
Friday 3/13
- Scream Grackula SCREAM at Tiny Minotaur
Enter a “fry bobbing competition” while dressed as a grackle (or its snacks) - Burnout Turnout at HowMuch?! Studios
Pyjama-clad festivities w/self-care vendors, food vendors, DJs, + visuals - Friday the 13th Paranormal Investigations at Pioneer Farms
Investigate some spirits on a moonlit living history farm + environs - EFF-Austin Interactive at the Butterfly Bar
Talks on privacy, tech, SxSW, + Austin w/live music + cocktails - Rolling Rave at an unannounced location
Cycle along through Austin’s streets w/wheeled DJs - House of Yes at Bathe
NYC art venue visits w/dancing, bathing, brunching, + interactive performances - ErotiQueer BurlesQue at Austin Playhouse
Theatrical burlesque “with and for Queer people of all identities” - Flatstock at the Marriott
View + purchase a dizzying array of concert posters - Nerdcore Dayz at Kick Butt Coffee
Live VGM, chiptune, + nerdcore artists w/live visuals, giveaways - Congress Ave Block Party at Congress + 9th St.
You don’t need a badge to get free snacks + swag. Free snacks for all!
Saturday 3/14
- Fight Opera at Austin Beerwork
Pro wrestlers travel back in time to discover “Slammurabi’s Code” - Mischief Night Scavenger Hunt at Lamkin Pavillion
“Romp around the city seeking out incidents” …sounds like our cats! - Arts + Parks Tour at Waterloo Park
Guided bike tour of downtown’s parks + murals - Grout + About at Eastside Pedal Pushers
Guided bike tour of Austin’s mosaics + mosaic workshop - International Innovations at the Fairmont
Check out a bunch of international tech companies w/no badge - Spring Break Block Party at 29th St. Ballroom + Tweedy’s
29th St takeover w/live bands, vintage vendors, tarot, + tats - Weird West at Tiny Minotaur
Dress up as a fantasy cowboy + hear live “lonesome cowpoke laments” - Blowco Boogiedown at Batch
70s-themed fundraiser for Blowcomotion w/live brass bands + disco balls - Pool Party at 1705 Hether St.
Swimming + vinyl DJ, absolutely zero bands performing - Neko Rave at Cheer Up Charlie’s
DJs, karaoke, + vendors for lovers of anime + cats supporting Austin Pets Alive - Blanton All Day at the Blanton
Art activities, storytime, discussions on art, tours, + live music - Buggg Launch Party at RichesArt
New social media app launch w/DJ, giveaways, postcards, “unplugged zones” - Black Makers Market at the Carver
Curated vendor market w/works by Black makers + creatives - Larry McMurtry’s Cowboy Cavalcade at Fallout Theater
“Touching and at times comedic tribute to the American west” - Storybook Ball at Austin Scottish Rite Theater
Storytime w/local children’s book authors, free books, live music, costumes - Experience Japanese Culture at the Millbrook Branch Library
Family friendly sharing of trad Japanese crafts, arts, clothes, snacks, + toys - House of Yes at Bathe
NYC art venue visits w/dancing, bathing, brunching, + interactive performances - Flatstock at the Marriott
View + purchase a dizzying array of concert posters - Congress Ave Block Party at Congress + 9th St.
You don’t need a badge to get free snacks + swag. Free snacks for all!
Sunday 3/15
- Renossaince at the Far Out Lounge
Ren fest w/live music, cosplay, role play, “mischief” + “full contact sword fighting” - Jungle DnB Dungeon Synth + Lazer Tag at Blazer Tag
VGM-inspired Drum & Bass/Dungeon Synth musicians perform amidst blazer tagging - Pinoy Potluck at Kenny Dorham’s Backyard
All-Pinoy live music, vendors, + Filipino potluck - am/pm House at RSRV
DJs, activations, dance class, conversations, + vinyl listening station - Peelander-Fest at Zilker Brewing
Free outdoor live music + live art from “Japanese Action Comic Punk band” - The Punk Channel at Moneywrench Books
Watch epic punk scifi all-access tv, music vids, and docs on skating + graffiti - Cherries Wheels Mini Ramp Jam at House Park
Skating, live music, + be in the background for music vid recording - Flatstock at the Marriott
View + purchase a dizzying array of concert posters - Congress Ave Block Party at Congress + 9th St.
You don’t need a badge to get free snacks + swag. Free snacks for all!
Monday 3/16
- Video Roulette at We Luv Video
A whirlwind of “short films of all themes, genres, + style” - Congress Ave Block Party at Congress + 9th St.
You don’t need a badge to get free snacks + swag. Free snacks for all!
Tuesday 3/17
- SXSFOU at Cheer Up Charlie’s
“Clown cabaret,” for adults, “lube wrestling,” DJs + vendors - Sound Patterns at DASA
Art exhibition by Austin-based artists, w/DJ, free bites + bevs - Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling at the Palmer Events Center
Colorful, theatrical female Japanese pro wrestlers on int’l tour - Congress Ave Block Party at Congress + 9th St.
You don’t need a badge to get free snacks + swag. Free snacks for all!
Wednesday 3/18
- Synth Soundbath Communal Drone Session at Tiny Minotaur
BYO synths to “harmonize with the infinite” or just take it in - HOPE Lounge at HOPE Outdoor Gallery
Check out some new immersive art installations + panel, networking - Keep Black Austin Weird at 301 Congress
“Fashion + music showcase for Austin’s Black alternative scene” - The Emerging Tech Expo at the Fairmont
Check out some future tech even if you have no SxSW badge - Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling at the Palmer Events Center
Colorful, theatrical female Japanese pro wrestlers on int’l tour
Thursday 3/19
- Erica’s First Holy Shit at Barrett’s Too
Our fave workout guru / mayoral candidate’s film + squeerdancing - Wuthering Heights Drag Tribute at Elysium
Head to the wily, windy moors for a drag tribute to all that Wuthers - Queer Film Theory at the Highball
“Basically, we ruin films for straight people + yell about the characters that made us feel gay” - Fusebox March Artists Salon at dadaLab
Chat w/upcoming Fusebox artists + learn about their creative process - Unbecoming at East Side Performing Arts
“Runway fashion meets contemporary dance” w/live music, spoken word
NHA272
A New Machine
On this episode of No Humans Allowed we explore formative post-punk, synthpop, + new wave sounds of the early 80s and late 70s.
Tracklist
Young Marble Giants – N.I.T.A.
Gary Myrick & the Figures – She Talks in Stereo
Wide Boy Awake – Slang Teacher
Gina X Performance – No G.D.M.
Genesis – Keep It Dark
The Flying Lizards – Move on up
The Aller Værste – Dans Til Musikken (Rune Lindbæk Edit)
Tuxedomoon – New Machine
Chumbawamba – Unilever
K.U.K.L. – Dismembered
Section 25 – The Process
Patrick Moraz – Primitvisation
No Humans Allowed is Brian Blackout’s award-winning, 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.
Lite+Brite’s SxSW 2026 Picks
SxSW has begun! Music Festival wristbands are available for a walkup price of $189. This year, you DO NOT need to be an Austin resident to purchase a wristband, and there are no Film Festival wristbands. You can track all your favorite bands’ SxSW schedules on our web app FestWiz. Listen to our playlist of SxSW picks here, or read about some of the bands we’re most excited to see this week:
Brian’s Pick of the Week
Packaging
Seattleites ride a precise motorik beat into a future full of chiming guitars
Leila’s Pick of the Week
MEEK
It’s giving Mika. It’s giving Eurovision. Dare I say it’s giving Adele?
Our Prior Picks
Adult DVD
UK synth sickos who aren’t afraid of ghilly suits and bombastic catchy tunes
Adult Leisure
Bristol-based indie band with catchy melodies, RIYL the 1975, the Midnight
The Tullamarines
Catchy Australian indie pop, RIYL the Wombats
The Haunted Youth
Big majestic M83 style pop w/post-punk edge to it, from Belgium
Tipa Tipo
Luscious technicolor “tropical yacht rock” from Peru
Gwenno
Formerly in girl-group revival act the Pipettes, now making Cornish dream pop
Panic Shack
Shouty gal pals here for a good time, for fans of HINDS or Lambrini Girls
Sassy 009
Norwegians blending shoegaze + trip hop for frosty late night vibes
PATREON THANKS
A huge thank-you to our Patreon subscribers Liz, Melissa Dunn, Kat, James Gray, Emily Heddleson, Andrew Creswell, Robert B., Roman Gonzalez, Nick Ivons, Molly Fonseca, Lilly Ettinger, Michael Sales, Zach, Gino Scaramuzza, Erica Speegle, Thomas Refferson, Bones Malones, Katie Green, Christina Jue, Colleen MB, Alexander Freed, Kristen Backor, and Timon A. 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 attending a dance party in a storage unit, marching in a Greek mythology-themed Halloween parade thrown by a bat crew and a rat crew, and watching a troupe of gigantic leftist puppets from New England. 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 and Side by Sideshows for live music, The Darker Side of Austin for goth and metal stuff, Concept Animals’ ATX Art for You for gallery openings + artist talks, ATX Theatre for plays, 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.