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People are PISSED these days about Alamo’s recent slew of changes: Mandatory phone ordering, an 18% "service fee" that reportedly bypasses staff, and a tacked-on 5% if you don't close your tab before the credits roll. The most-cited comparison amongst the mountains of furious comments was Whataburger after the 2019 PE sale. It’s puzzling how our beloved institutions are gutting the exact thing that made it itself: the no-phones theater, requiring a phone to eat.
Also last week, the Austin Chronicle reported that city officials have been scrutinizing Waymo's track record. There were hundreds of reported incidents, AISD citations, and gaps in how the robotaxis interact with emergency response. I know I’ve had at least a couple of confused moments waiting for the Waymo in front of me to figure out where it is and/or what it’s doing.
We’ve been having some very interesting weather these days: the split-sky storm on Friday was a nice kind of shared experience; hammock tanning in north Austin while lightning hit the ground two miles south. The storm reportedly didn't even roll in on radar, it just appeared. People online even traded some poetic folk sayings about it. Some standouts: the devil is dancing with his wife, a witch getting married, angels bowling.
Elsewhere on the cultural beat, the Chronicle ran a piece on Work to Do, a new novel set in the messy underside of Austin grocery-store labor: Shop-local culture from inside the walk-in cooler. Worth your time if you want something to read instead of doomscroll.
There’s been a lot of news on the food truck front! Parish Barbecue, one of the buzziest pits of the last year, is leaving Batch Craft Beer for a bigger trailer at Austin Beerworks. Bésame is leaving Meanwhile Brewing. Patrizi's retired its 12-year-old East Austin pasta truck and reopened in the same spot behind the Vortex four days later. Superdaily Fusion Pasta announced an indefinite "pause" effective after May 10. And Kalimera, a Greek street food trailer in East Austin that just opened in January, has been broken into three times in the past month! Co-owner Semih Yigit told KVUE he's out about $4,000 in damage and stolen equipment, including one break-in where thieves cut through the door. He's asking people to stop by, so go get some Greek food! Also closing this week after twenty-five years: CoCo's Cafe on the Drag, the longtime Taiwanese spot and boba shop, with final service on Sunday May 10 (the North Austin location stays open). The brighter notes: SugarWolf opened on West 4th with from-scratch croissants and sourdough on organic flour, the Austin Asian Restaurant Passport returned for its 10th year with $350 in deals across 45+ AAPI-owned spots, and Lutie's hosted Copenhagen chef Mark Lundgaard for two nights of guest dinners.
The early week picks are a little light, but we’ve got a pretty jam packed weekend coming up. Hopefully the wacky weather cooperates!
We asked, you responded: working on putting together two fabulous events, the first at the end of May! Here’s a hint ☀ 🌱 🐦 Watch out for an announcement next week!
Monday, May 11
Cannibal Man Screening w/ Goremet Cinema Gang
6:30PM (doors) @ Oddwood Brewing - $8
The Goremet Cinema Gang screens The Week of the Killer: the queer proto-slasher shot under Franco's fascist Spain, so subversive it landed on the UK's Video Nasty list. Transgressive filmmaker Eloy de la Iglesia packed genuine political critique into what looks like a body-count film, which makes it more interesting than 99% of what's streaming. Eight bucks, a craft beer, and a slice of banned cinema history.
Kicking the Bucket Listening Club
6:00PM–7:00PM @ Austin Public Library Hampton Branch, FREE!
Part of an 8-week series: basket weaving, shared listening, and expert-led exploration of end-of-life questions. The name tells you exactly what it is, and the fact that it's happening at a library with craft projects makes it somehow both more approachable and more poignant.
ATX Short Film Showcase
8pm - 10pm @ SpiderHouse Ballroom - $12 advance / $15 door
Austin's monthly film festival returns to the legendary Ballroom ATX with eight locally made short films followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers. Full bar and food trucks on site — doors open at 7:30, so arrive early to network with the Texas talent behind the screen.
More interesting events on Monday @ WhatsGoodATX!
Tuesday, May 12
Tassel Techniques: Foundation of the Twirl
6:45–8:15 PM @ Brass Ovaries Pole Dancing, $30
The Austin Academy of Burlesque presents Sherry Bomb teaching the foundational mechanics of the iconic tassel twirl: pasty selection, swivel weight, adhesive options, and the posture and momentum needed to make those things actually spin. Borrowable pasties provided if you don't have your own.
Afro-Latin Night: Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia y Tradicional Bachata
7:00 – 10:00 PM @ The Secret Lantern Books & Games, $7
A 30-minute Tradicional Dominican Bachata lesson kicks off the night at 7 PM; no partner necessary! Followed by open dancing through the Afro-Latin diaspora: Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, and more. A bookshop hosting a salsa night is exactly the kind of Austin genre-collision worth showing up for.
Sun Catchers
5:00–7:00 PM @ Holiday on 7th, $35
A hands-on workshop where you design and assemble your own sun catcher using crystals, chains, and charms. It’s the kind of low-key Tuesday craft evening that's genuinely relaxing and sends you home with something to hang in a window.
Future of Downtown 2026
6pm @ 800 Congress Ave, $71
The Downtown Austin Alliance brings its annual celebration of Austin's urban core to two iconic Congress Ave venues for an evening of networking, live music, local art, and light bites before the program moves into the historic Paramount. New DAA CEO Davon Barbour will present highlights from the State of Downtown report, and chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph of Emmer & Rye Hospitality will deliver the keynote. Tickets include the reception hour, downtown swag, and the annual Ambassador of the Year Award ceremony.
More interesting events on Tuesday @ WhatsGoodATX!
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Wednesday, May 13
Austin's Great Curious Cocktail Party
6:30 – 8:30 PM @ Hanghart ATX, $20
Part of a simultaneous 100-city booze-free bash, Austin's stop is at Hanghart: a low-key neighborhood bar run by veteran local bartenders. The $20 ticket covers a family-style "girl dinner" spread (that famous chicken Caesar wrap, fries, rotating apps) plus Curious Elixirs, craft non-alcoholic cocktails loaded with adaptogens and organic herbs. You don't have to be sober to attend; you just have to want a sophisticated night without the next-day tax.
Memory Static: Mystery Movie Screening & Live Podcast Taping
8:30 PM (7PM Doors) @ The Tiny Minotaur Tavern, $5
Host Bailey Moore digs up forgotten films from the millennial VHS subconscious, watches them with a live crowd, and discusses what went wrong (or gloriously right). Tonight features a secret 1980s animated fantasy film involving a legendary fantasy painter and an underground animator, with special guest Bear on hand to unpack the gender politics. Costumes purely optional.
Georgia O'Keeffe Tote Bag Paint & Sip
7 – 9 PM @ Oddwood Brewing – $40 individual / $60 pair
Paint a 100% cotton tote bag in the style of O'Keeffe's abstract florals while Oddwood runs all-night happy hour specials ($5 brews, $5 snacks). Studio Billie Arts provides all materials and guided instruction — more experienced painters can work from fresh flowers as reference. Functional art, cold beer, low stakes.
Weird Wednesday: Extraterrestrial Visitors
9:30 PM @ Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar, $15.35
The long-running Weird Wednesday series does exactly what it says: tonight's screening promises an alien-invasion something-or-other, title kept deliberately mysterious, because that's the whole point. Come for the cult-movie communal experience, stay because you had nothing better to do on a Wednesday night and now you genuinely cannot stop thinking about it.
Cine Las Americas International Film Festival
May 13–17 @ AFS Cinema & multiple venues, $13+
Now in its 28th year, CLAIFF brings five days of narratives, docs, shorts, music videos, red carpets, and parties celebrating Latine/x, Indigenous, and Latin American cinema from over 25 countries. Highlights include the opening night premiere of American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez, a Lou Diamond Phillips Q&A, a 35mm screening of La Bamba, the Hecho en Tejas showcase, and the returning CLAIFF Conference on May 16. A portion of screenings are always free and open to the public.
More interesting events on Wednesday @ WhatsGoodATX!
Thursday, May 14
Far Out Prom Night
7:00 PM @ The Far Out Lounge & Stage, $18
Three Austin musicians (Gracie May Robertson, AnaBelle E, and Amethyst Jonquille) are throwing a joint birthday bash styled as a full 80s prom: retro decor, vintage vendors, a photo booth, prom punch, and '85-era covers. Get your ticket, dig out the prom dress you never got to wear, and let's dance like Reagan is still in office.
2026 HUMP! Film Festival
6:30 PM @ Hyperreal Film Club, $25+ (through Saturday)
Dan Savage's beloved amateur erotic short film festival is back for its Spring 2026 lineup, described by organizers as "jaw-dropping artistry, laugh-out-loud moments, and daring scenes that will have you cheering right alongside the crowd." Hosted by Austin's own Brigitte Bandit, best Drag Performer in the Austin Chronicle two years running and a successful plaintiff in the lawsuit that blocked the Texas drag ban. A genuinely one-of-a-kind theatrical experience, running through Saturday.
The Avett Brothers and Mike Patton: AVTT/PTTN
7:00 PM @ Moody Center, $74+
Two of rock's most distinctly weird creative forces finally sharing a stage: the Avetts bringing their grief-soaked Americana and Mike Patton dragging in everything from death metal to opera that made him a legend with Faith No More and Mr. Bungle. Grab tickets here: this collaboration exists nowhere else on the touring calendar right now. Either you get it or you don't, but Austin absolutely gets it.
Earth Paints & Mineral Pigments Workshop
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM @ Buzz Mill, $34
Make your own inks, paints, and crayons from raw earth minerals at Buzz Mill. This hands-on class comes with a free drink token and a Lumber Society badge. Dress to get dirty, bring a notebook, and arrive early. It's a genuinely weird and tactile way to spend a Thursday evening.
Affordable Art Fair Austin
6pm @ Palmer Events Center - $24+ (through Sunday)
Now in its third Austin edition, this beloved global fair packs 55+ local, national, and international galleries under one roof at the Palmer Events Center, with thousands of original works (paintings, prints, sculpture, photography) all priced between $100 and $12,000. The weekend runs the gamut from a Thursday Private View (All-Access Pass) to family-friendly morning hours on Saturday and Sunday, and Art After Hours evening sessions on Friday and Saturday.
Bite-Sized
8pm @ Klərjē Coffee (1614 E 6th St), $36 (through Saturday)
Sea Legs Dance serves up contemporary movement with a side of complimentary snacks in this short, sweet performance where every dance has a flavor. Running just 30–40 minutes, Bite-Sized is the perfect entry point for curious non-dance-goers and seasoned fans alike. Catch it May 14 & 15 at 8pm, or May 16 at 6pm or 8pm — early bird tickets at $30 are available through April 22.
Find more fun stuff on Thursday @ WhatsGoodATX!
Friday, May 15
KUTX 98.9's Rock the Park — May Edition
6:45 PM @ Mueller Lake Park Amphitheater, FREE!
The 16th season of Austin's most reliable free outdoor concert series wraps its spring run tonight with DJ Jester the Filipino Fist at 6:45 followed by The Animeros at 7:30: a high-energy cumbia/psych-rock fusion act that earns its headline slot. Bring a blanket, bring kids, bring a cooler. Mueller Lake Park at golden hour is as good as Austin gets.
Rhapsody in Blue: Austin Symphony / Steinway Spirio
8:00 PM @ Long Center for the Performing Arts, $39+
The Austin Symphony pulls off something genuinely unusual tonight: Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue performed in sync with Steinway's Spirio|r player piano system reproducing Gershwin's own recorded keystrokes from the 1920s — meaning the composer himself, in a sense, plays the piano with the orchestra. The program also includes Copland's Rodeo and Ives' Symphony No. 1 with multimedia visuals by Westwater Arts. A conceptually weird enough premise to earn its place here.
Texas Burlesque Festival
7:00 PM @ Rollins Theater at the Long Center, $46+
The 2026 Texas Burlesque Festival continues with back-to-back showcase nights at the Long Center's Rollins Theater, featuring performers from across the state and beyond. This is the legitimately theatrical end of the burlesque spectrum: not bar-show tassels, but full production numbers in a proper venue. Friday's lineup runs through Saturday, so tonight gets two bites at the apple.
Blue Genie May Market 2026
10:00 AM–8:00 PM @ 6100 Airport Blvd, FREE!
Nearly 200 artists and artisans under one roof at the Blue Genie space, running all weekend with original work at every price point. The May Market is a low-pressure, high-quality alternative to gift shops and online browsing — the kind of event where you'll find something weird and handmade that you didn't know you needed. Daytime start makes it a good opener before an evening show.
Impala Super Sport: An Album Listening Party
8:00 PM – 12:00 AM @ DAWA, FREE!
six4velour unveils his new album Impala Super Sport with free food and drinks while supplies last, a jungle DJ set from Flobama to close the night, and, most importantly, two or three classic Chevy Impalas parked outside for admiration. Poster art by Cat Barrera.
FUR & Eagle's Ark: A Rave for Furries, Pups, and Critters
9:30 PM @ The Austin Eagle
Hosted by Austin Eagle Kennel Club and Alamo City Furry Invasion, this is exactly what it sounds like: a rave built for the furry and pup community, with handlers, critters, and anyone else who wants in. The Austin Eagle is the right venue for this energy. Accepting, weird, and probably a better dance floor than wherever you were going instead.
More amazingness on Friday @ WhatsGoodATX !
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Saturday, May 16
Write Together at the Typewriter Table
1:00PM – 4:00PM @ Fortune Teller, FREE!
A long table of vintage manual typewriters set up inside Fortune Teller bar, with short prompts available and zero expectations. RSVP at this link to guarantee a seat; novelists stuck on chapter three, people who used to write and stopped, and first-timers are all equally welcome to stay for twenty minutes or three hours.
GLOWDEO®
6:30pm - Midnight @ The Far Out Lounge, $32
Austin's neon-lit honky tonk is back and bigger! GLOWDEO® brings an all-ages electric country throwdown to The Far Out Lounge with live sets from Reyna Roberts, Ashley Walls, and Lane Smith, followed by a YEEDM afterparty with Disko Cowboy. Dress for the neon glow Wild West and expect a curated western market, cold margs, and photo ops to match. Tickets are limited.
Doom Metal Goat Yoga
9:30AM @ Jester King Brewery, $25
The premise is exactly what it sounds like: a yoga session in the goat pen, scored to heavy doom metal, at a farmhouse brewery on the outskirts of town. Book your spot before it sells out; season passes are $200 for 13 sessions if you've found your calling. No dogs, no outside food, just you, the riffs, and a goat that has absolutely no opinions about your downward dog.
Eurovision Song Contest 2026 Watch Party
2:00PM @ Marlow
The 70th anniversary edition of the world's most gloriously unhinged music competition, watched communally with Austin's European expat community. No prior familiarity with Eurovision required, but you will leave a convert.
Drag Trivia: Shrek Edition
4:20PM @ Lazydaze South Austin, $10
Hosted by Natasha Versace, this Shrek-themed drag trivia covers all the films, which means your intimate familiarity with "Duloc" and "Farquaad" is finally an asset. Grab a ticket at this link and show up with friends or solo; it's a cannabis-friendly, deliberately chaotic 4:20 start at one of South Austin's chillest spots.
Saucey's Crawfish Boil feat. Supersuckers & Scott H. Biram
11:00AM @ The Lost Well
An all-day crawfish boil with Supersuckers and the inimitable Scott H. Biram on the bill; full details on Facebook. The Lost Well is the kind of venue that makes this kind of lineup happen on a Saturday afternoon, and the combination of mudbugs, outlaw country, and cowpunk is aggressively Austin.
Austin Witches Market @ The Brewtorium
11:00AM – 4:00PM @ The Brewtorium Brewery & Kitchen, FREE!
Crystals, tarot, herbs, and craft beer under one roof on a Saturday afternoon. RSVP and get details on Facebook; it's a market that takes the mystical seriously without being precious about it, and the Brewtorium's patio is an excellent place to acquire something you didn't know you needed.
Dance With The Dead & Magic Sword
8:00PM @ Mohawk Austin, $72+
Two synth-heavy acts that essentially invented the aesthetic of driving fast through a neon-soaked tunnel: Magic Sword performs in full costume, no photos, pure theatrical synth spectacle, and Dance With The Dead brings the horror-inflected electronic muscle. If you want to feel like you're inside a 1980s sci-fi soundtrack, this is your Saturday night.
Other cool stuff happening on Saturday @ WhatsGoodATX !
Sunday, May 17
Mahjong Mafia x Lau Lau
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM @ Lau Lau, FREE!
A collaboration between Austin's Mahjong Mafia and Lau Lau restaurant in honor of AAPI Heritage Month! Open play, food from Lao'd Bar, music from 2e3_4evr, and no RSVP required. New to Chinese Mahjong? They'll teach you. It's a rare combination of community, cuisine, and tile strategy that you won't find replicated anywhere else this Sunday.
Juvenile's Boiling Point Album Release Tour w/ The 400 Degreez Band
5:00 PM (doors) @ The Far Out Lounge & Stage, $49.38+
The New Orleans bounce legend returns with his first solo album in 11 years, Boiling Point, backed by the 400 Degreez Band, the same crew that made his Tiny Desk concert one of the most unhinged in NPR history. Special guests Blackillac, Geto Gala, Blakchyl, and Ben Buck open the night. If Coachella called this a highlight, Austin is going to lose its mind.
Lotus in Bloom — An AAPI Drag Showcase
7:00 PM @ Oilcan Harry's, FREE!
In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, Oilcan Harry's hosts an all-AAPI drag lineup: Leia Sakura, Petty Cakes, Sirena Mirage, Star Anise, and Yu Phoric, hosted by Celia Light. It's a night built around visibility, heritage, and keeping Austin's queer cultural calendar genuinely representative. Produced by Petty Cakes, flyers by Yu Phoric — this one's made by and for the community.
Tatted Up Pottery!
10:30 AM – 1:00 PM @ Spokesman, $35+
The premise is exactly what it sounds like: ceramics meets tattoo aesthetics in a slow-paced morning workshop at Spokesman St. Elmo, where you choose your clay canvas, sketch a design, and apply transfer tattoos directly to the piece before it gets glazed and fired offsite. No experience needed, and everything's included in the ticket price. Pickup in South Austin within two weeks — or pay extra for shipping.
Sweet History: American Cakes with Anne Byrn
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM @ Bullock Texas State History Museum, $18
NYT bestselling author Anne Byrn traces American history through 12 iconic cakes: Martha Washington's Great Cake, Texas sheet cake, German chocolate, tres leches as part of the country's 250th anniversary year. Tickets here, and stay after for a cake tasting from local baker Cupprimo, plus a book signing.
Bollywood Meets Borscht Belt 2026
4:00 PM @ JCC Austin, $50+
In its 13th year, this family-friendly collision of Bollywood dance and Jewish comedic tradition remains one of Austin's most joyfully improbable annual events. Cultures collide, rhythms soar, and it's the kind of evening that's impossible to summarize in a single genre. Just go.
Thelemic Coffee Night
6:00 PM @ Epoch Coffee
OTO, SWL, EGC, general occult theory, or just vigorous gabbing about the nature of will and existence. Thelemic Coffee Night welcomes all comers for a surprisingly convivial evening of esoteric discussion at one of Austin's late-night cafés. The weirdest book club that doesn't call itself a book club.
DIVAS — Panoramic Voices & Density512
7:00 PM @ Bullock Texas State History Museum, $17.85+ 🔥
What happens when a full choir and orchestra decide to tackle pop anthems? Panoramic Voices and Density512 find out together in this one-night concert reimagining iconic pop through choral and orchestral arrangements. A genuinely unusual combination, happening in one of Austin's most architecturally striking venues.
More interesting events on Sunday @ WhatsGoodATX!
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