Results tagged “canada”

Norman McLaren and Evelyn Lambart's miraculous-and meticulous-1949 film Begone Dull Care/Caprice En Couleurs was a groundbreaking detour from conventional modes of animated expression: an eight minute visual interpretation of a boogie woogie, painted directly on the celluloid. Piano lines traipse across the frame, pulled perfectly to the rhythms; when the rolling bass of the main theme hit, colors explode to the beat. Yet, even dulled to innovation in the age of Pixar and Dreamworks' CG blockbusters, instead of appearing dated, one is impressed with the extraordinary resiliency of McLaren's work. By eschewing more tractable mediums, he had created something immortal, something worthy of eternal respect and fascination.

Oh America, sometimes the Western democracy living in your attic just wants to be invited downstairs for breakfast—instead of scrounging for the crumbs you left on the chesterfield after going to work.

• Viva Geithner, ostensibly.
• Forbes: Meow!
• Who will Bush pardon?

Canada, the Austin of North America, let loose its reigning metaphorical exporters at the Mohawk last night for a solid crowd enjoying an unusually crisp September night outdoors. They got everyone hot and bothered, opening with a new song called "Black Swan," as the vocals soared above 17 layers of sound, pleasing fans of a band whose lyrics demand audibility.

Offensive, hilarious and meaningful, the male members of Stars kept us laughing and inspired throughout our Sunday morning discussion of pedophiles and music. The group performed at ACL on Sunday afternoon and took a break with us to chat. Austinist contributing writer Candace Birkelbach spoke with Torquil Campbell, Evan Cranley and Chris Seligman.

The Daily Texan has announced its list of endorsed candidates, with one glaring omission.

The good thing about Bush's State of the Union speech tonight: it will be his last! St. Austin's Church turns 100. Judge decides against landowners in Brownsville border fence dispute. This has us baffled: Harris County assistant district attorney sends out e-mail using "Canadian" as a racial slur.

This just in: Naughtier-than-Nice News from the North Pole Police Blotter. Criminals filled with the spirit of Christmas have outdone themselves this week. We have only one question: what in the Ebenezer Scrooge is wrong with people?

Image courtesy of Tegan and Sara’s MySpace Tegan and SaraWednesday, November 7Stubbs (801 Red River)$18 (Advance) / $20 (Day Of Show), 7 p.m.[info] | [tickets]It’s not the middle of SxSW, it’s not the weekend of Austin City Limits Music Festival, heck it’s not even Fun Fun Fun Fest anymore, but November 7th might just be one of those evenings where the stars align to bring our city a number of ridiculously appealing concerts. Symphonic rock...

Photo by Ray Soto $2 Music Mondays: Punk’s Not DeadMonday, November 5thAlamo Drafthouse Downtown [map]9:45pm, $2[info] | [tickets]After a painful four month hiatus, the Music Mondays film series has finally returned to the Alamo Drafthouse! Huzzah! The series will no longer be curated/hosted by Kier-La Janisse (who has left Austin to return to the wilds of Canada), but the first batch of programming looks strong, beginning tonight with Susan Dynner's Punk's Not Dead, a documentary...

Contrary to popular opinion, feminism and romance are not incompatible and feminism may actually improve the quality of heterosexual relationships. The Statesman reports that the ACLU and LULAC have complained about the location of the new municipal court. US House of Representatives has voted overwhelmingly to renew the ban on taxing Internet access — but only for 4 years, not permanently. MySpace will offer members of its popular social network free Internet phone calls...

Tonight, Canada will officially move south, as Spencer Krug's beautiful brainchild Sunset Rubdown will grace this Texas town with crazy keyboards, arcane guitars, and a variety of other weapons of musicanery. Their just-released Random Spirit Lover, appreciated by critics all the continent-wide, is certain not to disappoint...unless, of course, you hate eerily strange pop music wrapped danger-tight with eccentricity. Follow the jump for more information on this event and the chance to win a...

Part of the Anticon hip-hop collective, Odd Nosdam (a.k.a. David P. Madson) is a DJ and an audio chemist whose credits include work with cLOUDDEAD, remixing Boards of Canada, and five full lengths under his own name. A label as much as it is consortium of like-minds, Anticon is known for taking a collaborative and fresh approach to hip-hop and turntable-ism, two genres that, despite the many realms of possibility, can often be strikingly homogeneous....

What a difference a year makes—certainly in the case of this fledgling music festival. Last December's inaugural Fun Fun Fun Fest featured over two dozen bands and DJs, and showcased a good variety of indie rock, punk, and electronic music. This year, they've grown even bigger, better, and bolder: the second annual installment will span two days and has been pushed ahead by a month, to November 3rd and 4th. Staying true to their...

Canadian researchers believe they have identified the Unknown Child who perished aboard the Titanic Walmart cuts costs in Mexico ... by hiring thousands of teenagers without pay or benefits Self-described Luddite Sir Elton John wants to close the internet—but only for a few years An English headteacher causes 400 schoolchildren to simultaneously freak out when she reads aloud the last page of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows The Discovery Channel acquires #1 green...

We know you've heard the name, and we know you know they're not Japanese. Or police. They're actually just some kids from Canada who met in fourth grade and are living the dream: playing in an awesome, fun, and increasingly popular band. Elementary friends David Monks (vocals, bass), Graham Wright (keyboard), and Josh Hook (guitar) met Greg Alsop (drummer) in high school and formed Tokyo Police Club. Shortly thereafter, and totally out of the...

Dandi Wind - Concrete Igloo (Summer Lovers Unlimited Music) Ok, we are fond of electronic duos. Even more so when they hail from Canada. Dandi Wind (comprised of Dandelion Wind Opaine and Szam Findlay) tests our undying affection with their hit or miss debut, Concrete Igloo. The duo combines a variety of genres to conjure up an adrenaline fueled, almost destructive sound that clicks wonderfully on songs like “Slumlord” and “Apotemnophilia.” The insistent “Hitch-Hiker” could...

Monday, July 2film"Clash By Night" and "The Asphalt Jungle" at The Paramount Theatre filmLast day of "Labyrinth" at Dobie Theatre film/awesomeRobosaurus Live with "Transformers" at Alamo South Lamar foodCentral Market Cooking Class: Empanada Workshop at Central Market Cooking School, 4001 N Lamar ($65, 6:30-9:30pm)musicCanada, Our Solar System, Ryan Anderson at Emo’s musicBurning Brides, Strange Boys, Black Earth, Blackmarket at Emo’s musicBurning Brides at Waterloo Records (Free, 5pm)...

First things first, people: enough of this “stop shilling Emo’s all the time” nonsense! You can shout “scene/lifestyle” all you want, but the fact remains that there just aren’t many clubs downtown that attract big-time touring bands and assemble kickass local bills for under $20. Case in point: tonight’s performance by Toronto avant-punks F*cked Up. The notoriously obscurist five-piece, who write 8-minute progressive hardcore anthems about things like anarchist computer hackers and the Chinese...

Whether you like Michael Moore or think he's an anti-American nutjob, the guy's coming out with a new movie. Sicko is a study of America's (failing) health care system. Moore talks to victims (like a man who had to choose which of his two severed fingers to reattach, because he couldn't afford both) and perpetrators (oft-repentant health insurance agents) of the U.S. health care system, then trots (okay, maybe plods) around the globe in search...

New Visions/Works in Progress: Bringing Texas to the Latino Film Map. Hideout Upstairs Cabaret, 11 AM A new program section at the festival, New Visions/ Works in Progress showcases films that are looking for production or completion funds, as well as case studies that represent examples of Latino or indigenous filmmaking in Texas. These projects are brought to the consideration of investors, producers, distributors, and artists with the goal of fomenting industry participation and...

It's opening night! Tonight at 7pm, Austin's historic Paramount Theatre will host the opening of the Cine Las Americas International Film Festival. Now in its 10th year, the festival has expanded to an eight-day program, featuring a wide range of Narrative Features, Documentary Features, Shorts, and Youth Films from 20 countries (including Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Germany, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Spain, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Venezuela...

We should probably preface this whole thing by saying that we absolutely love Don McKellar. And not in a cute, innocent, forgivable way—in a nerdy, fawning, obsessive kind of way. And so while much of the following interview does relate directly to Reg Harkema’s new film Monkey Warfare (which Don is in, and which will be screening at SXSW), we also couldn’t resist occasionally veering way off topic, randomly blurting out years worth of pent-up...

Do Make Say Think You, You're a History In Rust (Constellation) It might just be a coincidence that Do Make Say Think release their latest full length just one week after local favorites Explosions in the Sky, but even without the timing to consider, both albums (and their eager fans) confirm the post-rock instrumental movement's throbbing heart. At the core of this kind of thing must be a conscious effort to avoid the trappings...

Boutiques are opening, changing or moving everywhere you look around Austin. We found these when we hit the streets this week: Guys into New York’s streetwear look will love Complete Clothing. The men’s boutique carries limited-edition and independent lines geared to people in their 20s, says owner Zaul Zamora. Look around and you’ll find Crayola-colored hoodies, patent-leather sneakers (easier to clean but crease, Zamora says) and graphics-heavy T-shirts from Los Angeles, New York, London...

Austin-based Peel have been together since late 2004, and Austinist writers have recommended that you catch their show for almost two years! A youthful blend of indie pop with noisy drums, keyboards, and multiple vocalists, Peel wouldn't sound at all out of place on late 80's college radio. Their self-titled debut album finally arrives in early April. Last week, we spoke to Peel's Allison Moore about favorite bands, dive bars, and the business of...

Yet another emerging indie act from Canada, Shapes and Sizes’ self-titled debut blends earnest pop-rock with somewhat abnormal meter. Out now on Asthmatic Kitty, the record kicks off with “Island’s Gone Band”, a peculiar two songs in one introduction to the band. “I Am Cold” builds from a sparse arrangement into a multi-instrumental crescendo while “Wilderness” features the band’s trait of melding melody with noise. Caila Thompson-Hannant’s vocal chops rank up there with the...

By and large, Canada has never been seen, in the eyes of the world, as quite the bastion of excess that the United States is. But until relatively recently, the world had not seen the spectacle of the Canadian indie scene. A tradition of ridiculous extravagance, borderline nepotistic chumminess, and overlapping personnel in the style of European royalty or American boards of directors is proudly continued in Beast Moans, the outstanding debut from Swan...