Every once in a while a band manages to completely surpass the local initiation, breaking out into the national or international scene seemingly out of the blue. Though it's often the case that these bands -- despite well-educated marketing teams by their side -- fling themselves out into the wilds of pop fancy only to be thrown back home to local audiences who have never heard of them, it's not necessarily the rule. ...

A Straight Dope message board member attempted to waterboard himself, then shared all the details. It's as close to feeling tortured as most of us will ever experience. A hundred years after Freud, one man may have figured out why we dream. You'll never think the same way about nightmares again. Exhaustive Sesame Street video archive makes searching for your favorite old clips easier than ever. Oh, and maybe your kid will be into......

Image from Drafthouse website Army of Darkness Quote-AlongNovember 29; December 6Alamo Drafthouse Downtown (320 E 6th Street)$10, 7:15 PM[info] | [tickets] The Campbell man would really like what's about to go down on Thursday at the Alamo Drafthouse Downtown: an "Army of Darkness" quote-along. This is the third film in the "Evil Dead" trilogy, which was directed by Sam Raimi before he kinda sold out. Way before Rose McGowan got fitted with a machine gun......

Alamo Drafthouse Micro Roadshow Presents: TampopoSaturday, November 17thLocation TBA $60, includes movie, dinner and beverages[info] | [tickets]There is a fine line between loving your food and loving your food. Well, actually no, it's a big, fat freakin' line, one which the Japanese are not afraid to catapult themselves over with gusto filled oyster/face licking, giving pork slices the ole' bedroom eyes and even some egg yolk fellatio. (Yes, the school yard taunt "Go suck......

We remember Austin Tinius over a year ago, peddling his Burger and Friends line at Circa 77, a boutique in Denton, Texas. Everything was made with a light-hearted, punk-rock sense of humor—from acid colored T-shirts silkscreened with line-drawings of Playboy models posing with a grizzly bear, to Star Wars-inspired wallets and purses. We knew he was on to something. Sure enough, Burger and Friends (finally) got some attention shortly after last year's Stitch. Austin......

Once upon a time, in a gallery just up the road, 14 female artists gathered their works together to be viewed by all in the land. There were paintings, and photographs, moving images and performances. There were Indian princesses, people with bunny rabbit faces, and clowns riding rocket ships. Ok, enough cutesy talk, but you get our drift. Fairytales, myths, legends, and fantasies are celebrated in the new exhibit, Femme Fantastique, at Volitant Gallery. The......

An earthquake in Indonesia brings fears of possible tsunami in Indian Ocean. One year into serving as Japan's Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe is resigning. Another government shakeup: Putin is dissolving Russia's current government in preparation for upcoming elections. Aviator Fossett still lost, but six other lost planes have been found in the search for his plane. US Senate will hold hearing on toy safety today. Doesn't Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson deserve better than playing Carrie......

Mars Restaurant & Bar (Asian Fusion) Location: 1400 South Congress Avenue (map) Phone: (512) 472-3901 Cost: Brunch plates $4-6 dollars Atmosphere: Sleek, modern décor; airy and sunlit; nice people-watching from the spacious deck; attentive waitstaff Food: This just in: if you wake up on the weekend with a craving for a la carte Chinese hors d’ouevres, you no longer have to travel north of the river to get them! Mars, South Congress’ newest culinary addition,......

Given that Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" has become resolutely unfunny over the past month (even before she canceled), the title of "band with that one hit song that everyone loves" at ACL has fallen squarely on the shoulders of Sweden's Peter, Bjorn, and John. The group have been plugging away at their charming blend of pop, rock, and indie since 1999, and are anything but an overnight sensation. Their breakthrough hit "Young Folks" is actually......

日本語を話すか? Parlez-Vous Francais? No? Well, unless you are highly skilled in the art of deciphering body language and deducing plot lines from contextual clues, you should definitely be prepared to do some heavy reading this week as the Paramount brings you classics from the foreign lands of France and Japan. Unsentimental love stories, vengeful Samurai and punk kids make you want to spar, pout and spar some more! KWAIDAN Tuesday, August 14 @ 7:15 pm......

If you happened to be downtown two weekends ago, you might have found yourself startled, amused, or even aroused (it’s okay, you’ll be totally accepted at some clubs in Japan) by the sight of four human forms wandering the streets in golden, skin-tight zentai suits. There must be something in the way head-to-toe spandex outfits cling to one’s body, because clubbers all over downtown were completely enamored with the mysterious beings - perhaps it......

When we first heard about literary movie night, we naturally assumed that the film would be Hellraiser. We mean, how many other book-turned-films have so thoroughly and entertainingly explored sadomasochism and moral confusion? Not many, we think. Anyway, it's not our event, and the folks at Bookpeople decided to go with something a little lighter, which is their prerogative, we guess. Rob Marshall's Memoirs of a Geisha--based on Arthur Golden's 1997 book of the same......

Lady Bird joins LBJ, but her legacy lives on. Take a lap around Town Lake for her, and be sure to stop and smell the flowers. Pray for rain--in Alabama. Lord knows we've had enough of it here, and we may even get more. While you're at it, pray for grocery stores--Detroit doesn't have any. Maybe Whole Foods could move in if Mackey weren't so busy online. Feeling broke? Head to Japan, where they......

Austin native Rebecca Rosenberg has been living in South Korea teaching English, and she wants to share her experiences abroad with all of Austin. Austinist believes that we could all use some Korean culture. After nine months away from Austin, working as an English teacher in South Korea, I most miss lying on the grass with a margarita, relaxing at the meat market that is Barton Springs, with a Shady Thing pilfered from the......

30 seconds on American Idol are worth more than you will ever be. (Also, the girl won. Apologies to those who Tivoed the finale to watch later. Actually, we don't apologize -- we recommend getting a life, instead.) Veganism kills (sometimes), so make your own burgers this Memorial Day weekend. We're not sure if anyone would want to eat these creatures from the abyss, but the dumbo octopus is totally the Nabaztag of the......

The following films played Saturday, March 10th as part of the SXSW Film Festival: Campaign - This Japanese doc follows the travails of a "parachute" candidate for the Kawasaki city council. He's called that because he moved to the city specifically to run for office through his allegiance to the powerful LDP party. Japan is as big a character as the candidate, as the candid shots of life there offer revealing snippets of the......

SXSW has truly built a strong reputation around the world, and every year various countries send their top-notch artists to Austin to display their nation’s talent. Scandinavia is one such area with a booming music scene. Danish band Mew and Sverige’s own Loney, Dear (Emil Svanängen) will bring their best to the festival this year. Finland, too, is doing its bit, with the Finnish Moosic Tour. Featuring punk rock from Disco Ensemble and electro-pop from......

For those of you keeping up with casual SXSW events that don't require badges or (hopefully) redonkulous lines, we've got an update on local in-store events from End of an Ear record store on S. 1st. For more information on all of the artists scheduled to perform, head over to the Instore information page on End of an Ear's site and follow the links. All of the events are free, so mark your calendar.......

For 15 years, Yokohama's Luminous Orange have been crafting a sound of equal parts gentle Kim Deal-style female vocals, noisy guitar feedback, and rhythms that owe debts to both shoegaze and Sonic Youth. The resolutely indie-rock Japanese outfit makes a return visit to SXSW next month after a successful trip in 2006. Austinist spoke with Luminous Orange founder and vocalist/guitarist Rie Takeuchi about the band's SXSW experiences, along with their general distaste for Texas'......

SXSW Asia’s Japan Nite has become a staple of the music festival in Austin. In the past, festival-goers have been able to access acts like Petty Booka and Ellegarden, and this year is no different as a wide variety of Japanese talent invades our city. The 50 Kaitens (pronounced Go Jyu Kaitenzu) will put forth their brand of cheeky garage-punk rock, with maximum comic entertainment promised. Their self titled record boasts song-titles like “Thank......

Despite mammoth popularity in the UK, Europe, and Japan, Paul Weller remains largely unknown in America. Since forming The Jam in the late 70's, Weller has been the UK's answer to Neil Young, the "Modfather", perpetually moving forward while always showing his fandom for bands like The Who, The Small Faces, and the English 'Northern Soul' music so popular in Weller's youth. At once a member of the same musical spaces as 'London Calling'-era......

Tonight, Alamo Music Mondays presents a rare 16mm print of the 1971 British film Melody. Starring Mark Lester, Jack Wild and Tracy Hyde, Melody is the story of two pre-teen children who fall in love and declare their intention to get married – an announcement that is (of course) met with ridicule by overbearing parents and teachers. All we’ve actually seen of this film is the Japanese trailer (that has now been removed from Youtube),......

Are you ready for football, world? The American Football World Cup will take place in one of football’s hottest of beds, Japan. The event, in its third year, is organized by the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), which is based in another hotbed for American football, France. IFAF consists of 45 member nations, including good ol’ USA Football. The American entry to the cup will consist of players who have exhausted their college eligibility......

This weekend the Austin Lyric Opera presents their production of Puccini's Madama Butterfly to open their twentieth season. This early twentieth-century opera is still quite popular; it has been one of the most-performed operas in North America for the past twenty years. Set in 1904, the Italian opera tells the story of a young Japanese girl who falls in love with (and marries) an American sailor in Japan. They make beautiful music together, she......

Considered the “great film” of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, an early indicator of its Oscar potential, Babel is a film which shares notable characteristics with recent successful indies capable of garnering the full attention of Hollywood. Looking like Syriana in its scope, feeling like an international version of Crash, Babel is the interweaving of stories about people in crisis – their crises arising from misunderstandings and failed communication – culminating in a......

We hardly think Wal-Mart will help revitalize anything. Say goodbye to the little shops in North Austin. Save Terra Toys! Dunkin' Donuts better step on the bandwagon. They're going to lose their biggest market to some greasy burgers. Anticipate headlines that read: Murders, Pedophiles and Stalkers on the Rise in Japan. They're getting MySpace. Soccer moms not the US Military will soon invade Iraq. Its safer than the suburbs. The FCC has decided that......

ABDUCTION: The Megumi Yokota Story Documentary Feature Competition Screening Info: 7:00 PM October 25th at IMAX Regional Premiere. Japan, 1977 - A dark, lonely road leads to the windswept shores. This is the remarkable story of a 13-year-old Japanese girl abducted on her way home from school by North Korean spies. Her parents had no idea what had happened to her or if she was even alive for 20 years. Then one day the......

An engrossing and timely documentary, Abduction tells the story of young Megumi Yokota, a Japanese teenager who vanishes while walking home from school one afternoon in 1977. While her parents and the police initially suspect a typical runaway or child abduction scenario, two decades go by without any clue as to her whereabouts. The film lets the viewer know that a larger conspiracy is at play, namely that North Korea has kidnapped Yokota along......

Fantastic Fest continues this week at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar. So many great movies are playing at this festival that it’s a little overwhelming to try to take them all in. For our first four days at the fest, we decided to concentrate on the low-budget indies and international. After all, the major label flicks will be in theaters or on DVD soon. But who knows when we might have another opportunity......

Fantastic Fest kicks off tonight at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar. The big events lined up for opening night include: an advance screening of Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning attended by the director and cast-members, including R. Lee Ermey (Full Metal Jacket) The Full Moon Travelling Roadshow hosted by Puppetmaster creator Charles Band, who promises a “live” decapitation a 3-D screening of Parasite 3-D, one of the worst movies ever made about an......