Derek Udensi

SXSW-adjacent lineups and other shows worth seeing By Rachel Rascoe, Carys Anderson, Derek Udensi, and Miranda Garza, Fri., March 15, 2024

Reuniting audiences on the second official day of SXSW Music certainly had plenty to chat about: the wave of dropouts from protesting acts, leading to plenty of schedule shuffling, and what about that Greg Abbott tweet?

A little hair of the dog for your post-SXSW listening pleasure By Rachel Rascoe, Carys Anderson, Derek Udensi, Jay Trachtenberg, Michael Toland, and James Scott, Fri., March 22, 2024

Recommended happenings around town

After Chelsea Cutler’s headline, keep the feelings-fueled melodies going with Austin act Madison Baker’s indoor aftershow. One-third of new self-proclaimed “cult country” trio Next of Kin, Baker strikes the perfect balance between danceable pop beats and soul-baring lyrics. The wordsmith delves into all corners of coming-of-age anxieties, like debilitating uncertainty (“Get It Wrong”) and growing pains (“Day Job”) that’ll leave you teary-eyed on the dance floor. Entrance is free with the wristband from Cutler’s outdoor show. With new songs and a special guest, Baker’s set won’t be one to miss. – Miranda Garza

Invited recently to the Austin Music Commission, yours truly testified about journalism and all-ages music ops. Burned into my soul remains the image of my preschooler sneaking a surreptitious blow on a Honk!TX tuba pre-pandemic. Year 12 now, the marching band summit crescendos the capital’s best free music festival, a four-day brass fantasy of honking, whistling, thumping mania. Thursday: “pre-clipse” takeover of the Ballroom, 8pm. Friday: 6-10pm at Central Machine Works, as well as East Cesar Chavez diner Sawyer & Co. and French brasserie Justine’s. Saturday: all day, for the main event at Mueller Lake Park. Then Sunday’s Pan Am Park parade, 1-6pm. HONK. – Raoul Hernandez

The Boot ranch outside of Gonzales kicks off its first Cattle Country Music Festival with a stacked lineup anchored by Texas stars. Koe Wetzel leads Friday with his country and alternative rock blend, setting up a Saturday with new Country Music HOFer Tanya Tucker preambling red-dirt superstars Whiskey Myers and the Randy Rogers Band. Sunday aptly delivers Eric Church, along with Austin’s

Having avoided a third consecutive snowpocalypse, Austin’s enjoying a spectacular spring, so KUTX’s four-part Rock the Park concert series continues soundtracking perfect weather and a seasonal music harvest akin to wildflowers. Lesly Reynaga whipped up millennial mariachi pop the week following SXSW and now Austin rap duo Geto Gala follows up HonkTX! at Mueller lakeside. Jake Lloyd’s genre-blind soul rock and Deezie Brown’s upbeat rhymeslaying double down. “Interspersing tuneful hooks with clever, inspired bars, the project spotlights struggle as subtext to a rejoicing of Black excellence, perseverance, and ownership,” opined the Chronicle upon Geto Gala’s debut EP in 2021. Singing zoologist Lucas Miller opens. – Raoul Hernandez

Choose your fest: Psych, Death, or Blues

With soft, intentional singing and comforting guitar ruminations, Chicago’s Nico Play blows into town once again – toting his on-point indie acoustic catalog, very friendly for fans of João Gilberto or Natalia Lafourcade. Real name Nicolás Perea, the Mexico City-born artist most recently released March soother “Vente a Cenar.” An opening set from gooey Austin psych-popper Redbud resets their prior pairing last September at Cheer Ups. Luckily, it’s a bill absolutely worth repeat listens. – Rachel Rascoe