Weekend Roundup

Our top 5 event picks for a relaxing (or raging) holiday weekend

There are still bazaars for buying art and tchotchkes and trails of lights to traipse, but if you’re on top of your game (and read this column last week), then you’ve bought and you’ve traipsed and you’re ready for something else.

We think the last weekend before the mash-up of big holidays is a good one for more casual affairs — or if you think the world’s about to end, going hard. Here's our roundup of the weekend’s top events:

Live Music and Dead Clubs at the South Austin Popular Culture Center

What we wear can say a lot. Like, "It’s Sunday, leave me alone." Or, "Yeah, I haven’t gone home yet, what of it?" Or for the more intellectually highbrow, clothing can capture a moment, an era or a movement. This exhibit, Live Music and Dead Clubs at the South Austin Popular Culture Center (It’s real! We swear! The cartoonish signage is misleading!), traces the musical currents from the ‘60s and ‘70s across more than 130 T-shirts. The exhibit is open through the weekend, starting at 1 p.m. each day.

Party at the End of the World at Red 7

The world is supposed to end Friday, if the Mayans knew anything. It’s unlikely, given how vocal the academic and scientific community has been, but contingency plans are always smart. Friday night starting at 7 p.m., Red 7 is convening the bigger names in local metal, punk and rock for what could be their final show. Ever. Or everyone will live and it’ll just be one heavy night of rawk.

LBJ Presidential Library Reopening

After a year-long renovation, the LBJ Presidential Library is reopening Saturday morning at 10 a.m., on what would have been Lady Bird Johnson’s 100th birthday. The new library has a downloadable app, features an interactive Vietnam War exhibit and access to telephones conversations of the late president. Opening day festivities include live music, book signings and a performance by the Austin Children’s Choir; free and open to the public.

Divergent Space at the Tiny Park Gallery

Leah Haney, who earned her BFA from the University of Texas and was recently featured at AMOA-Arthouse, has a new exhibit at Tiny Park Gallery that turns geometry into art. Or as the gallery puts it, her work “explores the malleability of space and architectural structures on a two-dimensional plane.” Cool! Take a look at some of the pieces from the display and decide for yourself. The gallery opens at noon on Saturday.

A Christmas Story at the Alamo Ritz

Because we just couldn’t help ourselves. Yes, this classic will be running on a loop Christmas Day on TBS, but there’s something special about experiencing young Ralphie’s unwavering exuberance for the Red Rider BB gun that’s better enjoyed communally. The Alamo Ritz has a few showings this weekend, but we think the Sunday evening showing at 4:15 p.m. would make for the perfect close to what was probably a hectic weekend of shopping, family discourse and standing in long, long lines.

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Self-driving Roller Coaster

More self-driving cars expected to roll out in Austin for 2025

Photo courtesy of Waymo via KVUE

Various brands offering self-driving cars are on-and-off in Austin.

Expect to see more self-driving rideshare vehicles, also known as robotaxis, on Austin roads next year.

Robotaxi company Waymo, which you may have already seen on Austin's roads, is partnering with Uber. At some point next year, customers will be able to use the Uber app to call a self-driving ride.

Austin-based company Avride is in the testing phase and plans to roll out its robotaxis next year.

Currently, Volkswagen ADMT and Amazon's Zoox are in the testing phase in Austin, while Hyundai's Motional is in the mapping phase.

Last year, robotaxi company Cruise paused operations in Austin after the California Department of Motor Vehicles revoked the company's permits to operate driverless vehicles in the state. And last week, General Motors said it would no longer fund the company because of the time and resources needed.

This way of getting around has come with its safety concerns and issues. The city is tracking those concerns. According to the Transportation Department, the problems span from blocking the roads and parking in front of people's homes for weeks with lights beaming through their windows, to actual wrecks.

Since July 2023, robotaxis have been involved in 75 incidents. Only 21 of those incidents happened in 2024. It's important to note that Cruise has not been operating in Austin this year.

Since July 2023, driverless rideshare vehicles have been involved in 22 near collisions, eight collisions and seven instances where driverless taxis ignored directions from the Austin Police Department (APD).

According to the data, at least four of those Austin police incidents happened in recent months. The issues varied from driving through police checkpoints, to malfunctioning and getting stuck at an APD road closure near pedestrians, causing safety concerns.

A Waymo spokesperson said their vehicles have gesture recognition capabilities, which they've been training APD officers on using.

As the report shows, sometimes it does not work and Waymo said it is working to improve that. The spokesperson said that as of just last week, Waymo's First Responder Program has been independently verified by TÜV SÜD, making Waymo the first autonomous vehicle (AV) company to receive third-party validation for our emergency response protocols. They also said the data to date indicates the Waymo Driver is already reducing traffic injuries and fatalities in the places where the company currently operates.

Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

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