Next Comic Up

A vote for Chris Cubas is a vote for Austin comedy

Chris Cubas at Moontower Comedy Festival Austin Show

Chris Cubas performing at the 2013 Moontower Comedy and Oddity Festival

Photo by Jon Shapley

Barely a week ago, Austin voters went to the polls to cast their ballots on important issues facing the city and the state of Texas, including water security and affordable housing. Now, another important issue is in the hands of local voters — and this time, they can easily avoid lines or having to show one of seven acceptable forms of photo ID.

What’s the important issue at hand? It’s a campaign to boost local comedian Chris Cubas to new heights of stand-up comedy. Comedy Central has been touring the country for its Up Next Talent Search, and Cubas was one of the lucky few to make it all the way to the final round of talent. On November 6, Cubas and eight other finalists each performed a short set at the New York Comedy Festival’s Comics to Watch showcase.

A vote for Chris Cubas, who's in the running to win Comedy Central's Up Next Talent Search, is a vote for Austin. Nay, it’s a vote for America.

Voting for the winner of the grand prize is now open to anyone through Thursday, November 14. You can vote once every 24 hours. The entire hourlong showcase is available online, with Cubas’ set starting at around the 37:10 mark, or you can watch a short clip of his material here if that's what suits your attention span. A warning: the videos contain NSFW language about some touchy subjects, so don't forget the earbuds if you watch in public.

If you’ve spent anytime at local comedy clubs, at the Moontower Comedy Festival or even at the Yellow Stage at past Fun Fun Fun Fests, you don’t need to be convinced to vote for Cubas. He already has the full support of the Austin comedy lobby, and a look at all the tweets that are sent in his defense when an anonymous troll says that he sucks is how you can be sure that a vote for Cubas is a vote for Austin. Nay, it’s a vote for America.

With the grand prize, Cubas would win $2,500, an appearance on a future Comedy Central series, an exclusive deal for Comedy Central Records and much more. It’s a great opportunity for a talented and hardworking comedian to gain a wider audience — and to perhaps start convincing people that in fact it’s Reggie Watts who looks like Chris Cubas.

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Interactive art space Meow Wolf broadcasts Texas opening, radio theme

Photo by Tarick Foteh

Travel to another dimension at Meow Wolf.

Art-loving Texans will soon have a new venue to explore. Houston’s Meow Wolf has set its opening date and revealed the theme that governs its interactive installations.

Set to open on October 31, Houston’s Meow Wolf will be called Radio Tave — a riff on “radio wave.” Described in press materials as a radio station that’s been transported to another dimension, Meow Wolf visitors will be able to explore dozens of rooms filled with interactive elements such as hidden doors, paths, and portals.

For those unfamiliar, Meow Wolf is a Santa Fe, New Mexico-based art collective that’s opening its fifth installation in Houston’s Fifth Ward. Think of it as a choose your own adventure contemporary art museum loaded with sculptures, murals, video, and light and sound artworks that each contribute a small piece of the overall theme.

Towards that end, Radio Tave will be stocked with a mix of characters — some created for the venue and others that nod to Meow Wolf’s installations in four other U.S. cities, including the Dallas suburb of Grapevine. That includes a radio station with the call letters ETNL and its own slogan, “Big Sounds From Little Thicket.” As seen in the photos above, the radio station already has a website with a placeholder page.

“Houston is a powerhouse of creativity, and our artists and collaborators have been channeling that electric energy into this exhibition for years,” Meow Wolf CEO Jose Tolosa said in a statement. “They've taken it to the next level, capturing the city's vibrancy in every corner of the experience. We can't wait for you to step inside and explore it for yourself.”

As CultureMap has previously reported, a diverse ensemble of more than 50 contributing artists from Texas has collaborated with Meow Wolf’s in-house artist team to bring the facility to life. The list of local creative superstars included such well know artists as innovative theatrical set and puppet designer Afsaneh Aayani, art activist Kill Joy, and two longtime pillars of Houston’s installation and immersive art community in Dan Havel and Dean Ruck of Havel Ruck Projects.

"The visuals and soundscapes of Radio Tave are on another level,” senior creative producer Susie Cowan added. “Visitors will be immersed in a rich, multi-sensory experience that invites them to explore a world that feels both vast and deeply personal."

Meow Wolf Cowboix Hevvven jukebox Cowboix Hevvven's jukebox will feature 30 tracks recorded by Texas artists. Photo by Kate Russell

Meow Wolf will feature a venue space, a gift shop, and Cowboix Hevvven, a dive bar-inspired bar and restaurant that will offer “otherworldly Texan hospitality and comfort food.” Cole Bee Wilson, a fifth generation Texan and Meow Wolf’s lead artist, took the lead in creating Cowboix Hevvven. True to the venue’s theme, it will feature a jukebox with 30 songs created by Texas artists for Meow Wolf.

Annual season passes are currently on sale for $84. They include unlimited visits to the venue and perks such as a 10-percent discount at both the gift shop and Cowboix Hevvven.

Subscribers to Meow Wolf’s email list may purchase single-day passes beginning September 24. General tickets will go on sale October 1.

Photo by Tarick Foteh

Travel to another dimension at Meow Wolf.

meow wolf openings visual-art