August 2018 – Page 2 – Austin Music Source

This week’s music picks: Graham Reynolds, Flynt Flossy, Carolina Story

Monday: Graham Reynolds at Dive Bar. Tucked away on Guadalupe Street just south of the UT campus, across from where the Dog & Duck Pub used to be, the Dive Bar is a cool hideaway hangout not generally known for live music. But Reynolds, one of Austin’s most talented and accomplished composers with extensive credits on Richard Linklater films, has been holing up here every Monday this month for workshop gigs with a handful of supporting musicians. The final night will feature horn player Mark Gonzales, singer Paul Sanchez, bassist Utah Hamrick and drummer Jeremy Bruch. Free. 8 p.m. 1703 Guadalupe St. diveaustin.com. — P.B.

Tuesday: Flynt Flossy with Turquoise Jeep at North Door. In a hip-hop landscape dominated by mumble rappers and hip-pop crossovers, Flynt Flossy drives his Turquoise Jeep crew way off the beaten path to drop a mix of catchy tongue and cheek dance songs laid over sparse electro beats and swaggering slow jams crafted to make you snicker even as you swoon. $15. 8 p.m. doors. 502 Brushy St. ndvenue.com — D.S.S.

Wednesday: Carolina Story at Cactus Cafe. Husband-wife duo Ben and Emily Roberts have been mainstays on the Nashville Americana scene for about a decade now, with a handful of releases including the new “Lay Your Head Down.” Their easygoing folk-rock songs and instantly pleasing vocal harmonies make for a nice pairing with local openers Beth Chrisman and Doug Strahan, known for their work with the Carper Family and Good Neighbors, respectively, but teaming up on this occasion. $10. 8:30 p.m. 2247 Guadalupe St. cactuscafe.org. — P.B.

The Bluebonnets take part in Thursday’s “Women Who Rock” show on the indoor stage at Stubb’s. Contributed/Holly Reed

ALSO PLAYING

Monday

Dale Watson, Peterson Brothers at Continental Club
Lonelyland at Saxon Pub
Wendy Colonna at Hilton Cannon & Belle
Dayeater, Gully Boys at Hotel Vegas

Tuesday

Small Houses, Ben Ballinger at Mohawk indoor
Mike Stinson, Whitney Rose at Continental Club
Ephraim Owens Experience, James McMurtry at Continental Gallery
OhGr + Lead into Gold at Barracuda
Tomato Dodgers, Carrie Fussel at Hotel Vegas

Wednesday

Waterloo Fest Wednesdays with Bourgeois Mystics, Los Coast, Big Wy’s Brass Band at Parish
Wine Down with Love & Chaos at 3Ten
Sterling Morrison birthday celebration with Kay Odyssey, Being Dead, Batty Jr., more at Hotel Vegas
James McMurtry, Jon Dee Graham, William Harries Graham at Continental Club
Eve Monsees, David Holt, Bill Carter at Antone’s
Warren Hood at ABGB
Michael Cross Peace Band at Scoot Inn
Timothy Eerie at Barracuda
Matt McCormack, Walt Wilkins at Saxon Pub
John Inmon at Threadgill’s North

Thursday

Corb Lund, Mayeux & Broussard, John Evans at Scoot Inn
Chief Perch, Yuma at Empire
Women Who Rock with Bluebonnets, Jocelyn Donegan, One World (R)Evolution at Stubb’s indoor
Unplugged at the Grove with Charley Crockett at Shady Grove
Tony Bray Quartet CD release at Elephant Room
Lightnin’ Malcolm, Jabo & the Old Dogs at Antone’s
Smiile at Hotel Vegas (happy hour show)
Bonnie Whitmore, Monte Warden & the Dangerous Few at Continental Gallery
Emily Grace Clark, Patrice Pike at Saxon Pub

Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit begin 3-night run at Bass Concert Hall with grace and grit

Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit performing at Bass Concert Hall on Friday, Aug. 24, 2018. Peter Blackstock/American-Statesman

Peak musical magic in Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit’s first of three nights at Bass Concert Hall on Friday came in the exact middle of the set — somewhat surprisingly on a song that wasn’t an uproarious rocker but rather a gentle acoustic number.

When Isbell said he was about to play a tune that’ll appear on a live album due out in October, his fans probably expected something like the blistering “Super 8” from his 2013 breakthrough disc “Southeastern,” or maybe the Drive-By Truckers-era burner “Never Gonna Change.” Instead, he graced the crowd with “Last of My Kind,” the subtle yet deeply affecting first track on last year’s Grammy-winning album “The Nashville Sound.”

The recorded version runs four and a half minutes, but onstage Isbell and his four 400 Unit bandmates stretched it out quite a bit longer — not with pointless or meandering jams, but by exquisitely supporting and extending the song’s beautiful melody. As Isbell backed away from the microphone in the middle of the last line of the chorus, he handed off to his crew, letting Derry deBorja’s rich keyboard accents, Sadler Vaden’s tasteful slide guitar and the steady rhythms of bassist Jimbo Hart and drummer Chad Gamble swing low to carry it home.

If you noticed one key name missing from that lineup, the band’s fans certainly missed her on this night too. Isbell’s wife, fiddler and singer Amanda Shires, is in the Pacific Northwest this weekend, touring behind her own acclaimed new album “To the Sunset.”

The 400 Unit can carry the show without her — Vaden’s slide work and backing vocals help to cover for her fiddle parts and harmonies — but there’s a spark that’s clearly missing without her presence. It may or may not be a good idea to add a fill-in fiddler/singer when Shires is otherwise occupied, but it’s intriguing to think of how they’d sound with, say, longtime Alejandro Escovedo cohort Susan Voelz stepping in as a ringer of a sub.

Isbell prides himself on presenting a live show that bends from full-throttle rock ’n’ roll to more contemplative country-folk with a sonic clarity that always serves his lyrics. That balance worked well at Bass Concert Hall as he supplemented highlights from “The Nashville Sound” (playing more than half the album) with tunes from four of his five previous records plus two standouts from his Drive-By Truckers days.

Bass was less ideal of an environment for serving the varied concert-experience preferences of Isbell’s audience. His multi-night stands at ACL Live in recent years more easily accommodated the mix of older and younger fans with that venue’s standing-room floor and seated balcony options. It’s all seats at Bass, and while the crowd was polite throughout, the energy in the room felt a little flat for most of the night. It wasn’t until the finale and encore — when the aforementioned rockers “Never Gonna Change” and “Super 8” finally got their due — that the majority of the crowd rose to their feet and let loose.

Thanking his fans at the end of the night, Isbell welcomed them back for more on Saturday and Sunday. Many of his most fervent followers no doubt did buy tickets for multiple nights, and he promised that there’d be some changes in the set for those who returned. Expect such obvious highlights as “Hope the High Road,” “24 Frames,” “Cover Me Up” and “If We Were Vampires” (which closed the show Friday on a beautifully tender note much like that grand mid-set “Last of My Kind” moment) to be repeated. But there’s plenty of room to work in standouts such as “Traveling Alone,” “Speed Trap Town” and “Outfit” that didn’t make it into the first night’s set list.

Isbell also extended a sincere thanks to opening act Marie/Lepanto, which featured Austin-based indie singer-songwriter Will Johnson on guitar. A partnership between Johnson and Justin Peter Kinkel-Schuster of Arkansas (who mostly played bass on this night), the group was joined for the occasion by drummer Matt Pence, who previously teamed with Johnson in the long-running Denton band Centro-Matic. Isbell’s 2015 song “To a Band That I Loved” was written for Centro-Matic, so it’s clear that having Marie/Lepanto on the bill meant a lot to him.

Their 40-minute set seamlessly blurred the line between melodic country-folk and atmospheric noise-rock. In brief and kind comments to the crowd, Johnson acknowledged his local bona fides. “I live about 10 blocks from here,” he said. “I take the 5 bus to the concert.”

Marie/Lepanto also opens Saturday’s show. Sunday’s opening act will be Oklahoma singer-songwriter John Moreland.

Set list:
1. Hope the High Road
2. 24 Frames
3. White Man’s World
4. Decoration Day
5. Molotov
6. Something More Than Free
7. Alabama Pines
8. Last of My Kind
9. Tour of Duty
10. Dress Blues
11. Cumberland Gap
12. Tupelo
13. Hudson Commodore
14. Stockholm
15. Flying Over Water
16. Cover Me Up
17. Never Gonna Change
Encore:
18. Super 8
19. If We Were Vampires

Jason Isbell on the state of the union: ‘I think we’re addicted to fear right now’

Jason Isbell brings his band the 400 Unite to Bass Concert Hall for shows Friday through Sunday. Erika Rich for American-Statesman 2015

In Friday’s American-Statesman, we take a long look at the music Jason Isbell has made over the past decade as he has risen to become one of American music’s most prominent artists. Isbell and his band the 400 Unit are setting up shop Friday at Bass Concert Hall to begin a three-night stand at the University of Texas venue.

Isbell was in the news earlier this week for reasons that went beyond music for his performance at a rally in Nashville for U.S. senate candidate Phil Bredesen (along with pop musician Ben Folds). The National Republican Senatorial Committee suggested in a tweet that Bredesen’s connection to the two musicians constituted a tie to the “unhinged, angry left.” Isbell responded at the show by joking, “I feel so hinged, for the first time in my life I’m hinged.”

On Twitter, in his songs and in interviews, Isbell has been an outspoken musician, though he doesn’t necessarily consider his statements to be political in nature or motivation. Speaking about his song “White Man’s World” with “Austin City Limits” executive producer Terry Lickona after taping the program recently, Isbell observed that “some people call them your politics. I think that’s a word that’s used to try to make them smaller and more manageable. I think the issue really is what do you believe? What do you think is right and wrong?”

WATCH: Jason Isbell’s “Austin City Limits” interview

Like most issues along these lines that all too often get boiled down to catch-phrases and buzz-quotes, a longer look reveals deeper meaning. In our interview with Isbell, we touched on the issue of how he incorporates his beliefs and values into his songwriting. Here’s an extended excerpt from that conversation.

American-Statesman: My sense is that with songs about values and principles, you try to go for empathy and not accusation. Is that reasonable?

Jason Isbell: Yeah, I think in general. Songwriting I consider to be really an extension of the way I look at the world. And yeah, I think that’s a pretty accurate statement on both of those counts. I don’t know if that’s the secret to fixing all of our problems, but it’s certainly the secret to me getting to sleep at night.

I feel a lot better when my general attitude toward the world AND my attitude toward my work is one that’s devoid of fear — really more accepting and more empathetic than it is afraid and worried and anxious. I think my life and my work both go a lot better when I look at it that way. But fear is addictive, and as a nation, I think we’re addicted to fear right now. It’s so easy to think that we’re losing the things that are very important to us.

But if you look at the history of our country, this is not as bad as it’s been. It’s not anywhere near as bad as it’s been. I think we still have the opportunity to make really good, close personal connections with each other, and have a lot of discussions that just weren’t possible 20, 30, 40 years ago. So I enjoy that, and I have the patience for it. I think that’s probably the biggest trick, and the hardest thing to do, is just keep your patience right now while you’re trying to spread whatever your message might be.

Statesman: Your song “I Hope the High Road” really captures a feeling I’ve witnessed directly over the past couple of years in terms of how people are dealing with the current situation in this country, especially the lines in the chorus: “I know you’re tired and you ain’t sleeping well/ Uninspired and likely mad as hell.”

Isbell: When I wrote that song, and even more so now, I feel like we’re at a point where the public is really affecting the personal. And a lot of people that I know that have been able to ignore the political climate or just the social and cultural climate in this country, a lot of those folks are really being affected on a very personal, very private level by it, at this point. It’s hard to see. A lot of people are losing their (expletive).

I guess that’s what has to happen for things to change. I think people have to realize that we are all connected to our representatives, and that they really do have influence over our day-to-day life.

Statesman: You’ve spoken before of an audience demographic that you share with artists such as Margo Price and Sturgill Simpson. What is that demographic exactly?

Isbell: I think all of us share the good fortune of seeing kids with their parents, and sometimes their grandparents, all enjoying the same kind of music. So that’s a really good thing. … But people ask me sometimes, “Do you think you’re going to alienate half of your audience by saying the things that you say?” And that sounds so ridiculous to me. Like, why would it be half? Where is the evidence that half of my audience feels one way and half feels the other way?

There might be 10 people out of a thousand who get up and go to the bathroom during “White Man’s World.” And usually I’ll follow that song with something I know they really like, like “Outfit” or “Decoration Day.” But I do feel like for the most part, we share an open-minded audience, and it’s a group of people who are looking for something honest. They’re looking for the people onstage to be essentially the same people that they were 10 minutes before they walked onstage. And that’s great for me, because I’m not really capable of doing anything else.

Jimmie Vaughan to kick off Longhorn City Limits pregame concert series at UT

Do you bleed orange? Does your heart beats to the rhythm of rock ‘n’ roll? Well, you’re in luck. The University of Texas has launched a new game day concert series called Longhorn City Limits.

Jimmie Vaughan performs with the UT Longhorn Band in 2015.

Each UT home game this season will include a pregame concert on the LBJ Lawn outside the northeast corner of DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. The concerts will be free and open to the public.

The kickoff event on Sept. 8 features iconic blues rocker Jimmie Vaughan, who teamed up with the UT Longhorn Band for a Thanksgiving halftime show in 2015.

“You can’t get any more Texas than that,” he said at the time. “The whole thing is just incredible to me. I could’ve never dreamed it up on my own, to even ask something like that. And why would they even do it?”

Vaughan is thrilled to be returning to the Forty Acres.

“What an honor to play once again for The University Of Texas,” he said about the new concert series.

Local soul ensemble, the Nightowls, opens for Vaughan at the first concert with a set that kicks off at 3:30 p.m. Vaughan is scheduled to play at 5 p.m.

The University of Texas has partnered with Austin City Limits Festival producers C3 Presents for the series. Concessions during the pregame concerts will include Stubb’s BBQ and happy hour-priced beers and wine spritzers.

Avetts at the Wheel? The brothers team with Ray Benson on a song about Willie

The Avett Brothers joined Ray Benson, left, and Asleep at the Wheel at Benson’s 66th birthday party during South by Southwest 2017. JAY JANNER / AMERICAN-STATESMAN

With more than 30 albums since 1973, Asleep at the Wheel always seems to have another record around the corner. But next month’s “New Routes” is worthy of special attention, as it’s the band’s first collection of primarily new original material in more than a decade.

After 2007’s “Reinventing the Wheel,” bandleader Ray Benson and his crew stayed plenty busy with projects that included another Bob Wills tribute, a Christmas album and collaborations with Willie Nelson and Texas Playboys legend Leon Rausch. Benson also made a solo record (plus a duo disc with Dale Watson), and fiddler Katie Shore did an album of her own as well.

“New Routes” mixes new tunes (with both Benson and Shore as featured vocalists) with a handful of carefully chosen covers, including Guy Clark’s classic “Dublin Blues” and the rockabilly gem “Seven Nights to Rock.” But there’s a bonus track at the end that’s likely to generate significant attention.

“Willie Got There First” features Seth and Scott Avett of the Avett Brothers, who’ve become good friends with Benson in recent years. They appeared on the Wheel’s 2016 “Still the King” tribute to Wills, and performed with the band as part of Benson’s 66th birthday bash during South by Southwest last year (a show that also featured Willie Nelson).

Seth Avett wrote “Willie Got There First” as a nod to the Red Headed Stranger, working references to Nelson standards such as “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground,” “Crazy” and “Yesterday’s Wine” into a tune about how Willie is a “renaissance master” of country songwriting. Benson chimes in to sing the final verse. Here’s the track:

It must be noted that the song’s initial verse and chorus feel a little off-base. The narrator sings of being inspired to write a song about his loved one’s crying blue eyes, only to realize that “Willie got there first.” The beautiful “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” was, of course, written by Fred Rose, though Nelson’s rendition of the song is iconic.

Asleep at the Wheel’s “New Routes” comes out Sept. 14 via Bismeaux/Thirty Tigers. The band once again will kick off the Austin City Limits Music Festival on Oct. 5, their 17th straight year in that role.

Long Center celebrates 10 years with free Grupo Fantasma concerts, goat yoga

The Long Center, turns 10 this year and the downtown performing arts hub is throwing a free, family-friendly bash to celebrate. The party takes place September 9 from 1 to 5 p.m.

Austin Latino funk maestros Grupo Fantasma.

The event will feature two live sets from Austin’s world class Latin ensemble, Grupo Fantasma. Seating for the shows is general admission and doors to Dell Hall will open at 1:45 and 3:45 p.m.

In addition to the music the Long Center has curated a roster of fun activities, including goat yoga presented by GOGA. (You can sign up for a slot to get your downward dog on with friendly goats here.)

The festivities will also include a bounce house, face painters bubbles and more on the Long Center’s front lawn.

More information.

Norah Jones, Boz Scaggs, Gary Clark Jr., more added to Austin City Limits Hall of Fame show

Norah Jones is among the performers taking part in October’s Austin City Limits Hall of Fame show at ACL Live. Scott Newton for KLRU-TV/Austin City Limits

Norah Jones, Boz Scaggs and Gary Clark Jr. are among those who will take part in the fifth annual Austin City Limits Hall of Fame Inductions and Celebration at ACL Live on Oct. 25, the long-running TV show announced Wednesday. The performers’ names follow a previous announcement that this year’s honorees will be Ray Charles, Los Lobos and Marcia Ball.

Other performers announced Wednesday include Ruthie Foster, Robert Randolph, Lou Ann Barton, Shelley King and Carolyn Wonderland, adding to previously revealed guests Irma Thomas and Tracy Nelson. One other guest previously announced, Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, had to cancel because of a scheduling conflict, according to the show’s publicist.

Also taking part will be filmmaker Robert Rodriguez. Musician Chris Isaak returns as the event’s emcee for the second year, with Austin instrumentalist and producer Lloyd Maines serving as musical director of the house band.

Tickets, $50-$300, are available via the venue’s website.

Sound Style: Cultivate your ‘rebellious elegance’ at the RAS DAY vendor market

RAS Day, the annual east side festival hosted by husband/wife hip-hop duo Riders Against the Storm, has always been about more than just music. It’s a coming together of families, a celebration of community, a daylong, mind-body exploration carefully crafted to nurture the soul.

[cmg_anvato video=”3921654″]

The fifth edition of RAS Day is scheduled to go down Saturday at Kenny Dorham’s Backyard with cerebral rapper/activist/poet Saul Williams leading a bill that also includes powerful NYC rapper Nitty Scott, Afro-Brazilian dance duo Gato Preto and local electro-tribalists Trouble in the Streets.

Qi Dada, half of Riders Against The Storm (RAS), right, and Happyfania Andrew of the multicultural clothing brand, Shavanthe, at Kenny Dorham’s Backyard. AMANDA VOISARD / AMERICAN-STATESMAN

Celebrating the event’s unique style, Qi Dada, half of RAS, curates a vibrant artist marketplace. Expect to see “things that are bright, that are fun, that are colorful,” she says.

We caught up with Qi Dada, alongside Happyfania Andrew of the multi-cultural clothing line Shavanthe and Amy Galvez Deayon of Bella Flambeau Mobile Boutique, to preview some of the wares.

READ THE FULL STORY ON MYSTATESMAN.COM

The earrings Amy Galvez Deayon creates for her jewelry line, Bella Flambeau, are made from found objects. Her pieces are generally oversize, but she made smaller earrings for her daughter, Olivia Deayon. AMANDA VOISARD / AMERICAN-STATESMAN

Riders Against the Storm also stopped by the I Love You So Much podcast this week.

Qi Dada says her personal style is influenced by her affranchi roots. “There’s like a rebellious elegance. (That’s) what I’m feeling,” she says. “Holding a rebellion with a curtsy.” AMANDA VOISARD / AMERICAN-STATESMAN

Austin360 On The Record: White Denim, Teddy Glass, more

Mike Schoenfeld (second from left) celebrates the release of his new EP “Little Feet” at Kitty Cohen’s on Thursday, Aug. 23. Peter Blackstock/American-Statesman

OUT THIS WEEK

White Denim, “Performance” (City Slang). The seventh album from the longtime local faves further explores leader James Petralli’s penchant for high-energy groove-rock with a largely recast backing crew. Check out our interview with Petralli at mystatesman.com. Release show Aug. 25 at Mohawk outdoor. Here’s the video for the opening track, “Magazin”:

Teddy Glass, “Nights and Weekends.” The duo of Josh Halpern (Marmalakes) and Peter Shults (Hello Wheels) makes music that’s hard to pin down but easy to like, mixing elements of bright pop, sweet soul and electro-groove on this eight-song debut recorded with producer Danny Reisch. In-store Aug. 22 (5 p.m.) at Waterloo Records, release show after at Cheer Up Charlie’s. Here’s the title track:

Mike Schoenfeld, “Little Feet” EP. A longtime presence on the Austin scene with the band So Long, Problems and other ventures, Schoenfeld got a boost locally when alt-country rockers Harvest Thieves recorded his song “Little Feet.” That memorable tune is the centerpiece here, opening and closing the five-song set in electric and acoustic versions. In between, his distinctive tenor adds drama to vivid tales of often desperate characters, most auspiciously on the Petty-esque rocker “Story With a Girl.” Contributing musicians include guitarist Nick Gardner, keyboardist Eric Baker, drummer Bryan McGrath and backing vocalists Jane Ellen Bryant and Jaimee Harris. Release show Aug. 23 at Kitty Cohen. Here’s the track “Soften Your Gaze”:

Otis Wilkins, “Strangest Place” EP. Known for his work with local rockers Otis the Destroyer, Wilkins steps out with more acoustic-oriented material on this five-song set that was partly an outgrowth of Wilkins’ participation in last year’s Project ATX6 class of local musicians representing Austin at international music festivals. Contributing musicians include guitarist/keyboardist Luke Dalton, bassist Andrew Dalton and drummer Aric Garcia. Release show Aug. 24 at Stubb’s indoor. Here’s the track “Karma Is a Big Killer”:

COMING SOON

AUG. 31: Extreme Heat, “All the Way Gone” EP, release show Aug. 31 at One-2-One Bar.
SEPT. 5: Buhu, “Tenets,” release show Sept. 5 at Barracuda.
SEPT. 7: Ghostland Observatory, “See You Later Simulator,” playing Oct. 25 at Stubb’s.
SEPT. 7: Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, “The Difference Between Me and You,” release show Sept. 7 at Continental Club.
SEPT. 7: Ray Bonneville, “At King Electric” (Stonefly).
SEPT. 7: The Mrs., “Five Minutes” EP, release show Sept. 8 at Lamberts.
SEPT. 7: Collective Thought, “Rise.”
SEPT. 14: Willie Nelson, “My Way” (Legacy).
SEPT. 14: Asleep at the Wheel, “New Routes.”
SEPT. 14: Band of Heathens, “A Message From the People Revisited.”
SEPT. 14: Gina Chavez, “Lightbeam” EP, release show Sept. 15 at Antone’s.
SEPT. 14: Johnny Goudie, “Leper Hands” EP, release show Sept. 13 at One-2-One Bar.
SEPT. 14: Ben Millburn, “Sunglass Moustache.”
SEPT. 21: “Blaze” Original Cast Recording soundtrack (Cinewax/Light in the Attic).
SEPT. 21: Western Youth, self-titled, release show Sept. 21 at Spider House Ballroom.
SEPT. 21: Will Courtney, “Crazy Love” (Super Secret).
SEPT. 21: Jonathon Zemek, “Hillcrest.”
SEPT. 28: Jerry David DeCicca, “Burning Daylight” (Super Secret).
OCT. 5: Molly Burch, “First Flower” (Captured Tracks).
OCT. 5: Max Frost, “Gold Rush” (Atlantic).
OCT. 5: Michael Martin Murphey, “Austinology: Alleys of Austin.”

Weekend music picks: Large times with Lyle Lovett, RAS Day, Hot Sauce and more

These live music events are worth braving the heat for.

OUR TOP PICKS

Lyle Lovett & His Large Band at ACL Live on Aug. 25, 2016. Photo by Suzanne Cordeiro for American-Statesman

Friday: Lyle Lovett & His Large Band at ACL Live. Might there be a new record from Lovett coming soon? It’s been six years since his last one, 2012’s “Release Me.” No word yet on more new music, but in the meantime, he’s been a reliable regular visitor to ACL Live with his much-loved Large Band. One thing he hasn’t done there yet is tape “Austin City Limits” since the show moved downtown; he did the very last taping at the old KLRU Studio 6A digs, and overall has appeared on the show more than a dozen times. This appearance is a standard concert and not a taping, but if and when another album does arise, a TV-show slot seems a sure bet. $49-$99. 8 p.m. 310 Willie Nelson Blvd. acl-live.com. — P.B.

Saturday: RAS Day at Kenny Dorham’s Backyard. Cerebral R&B artist/activist/poet Saul Williams leads a bill that also includes powerful NYC rapper Nitty Scott, Afro-Brazilian dance duo Gato Preto and local electro-tribalists Trouble in the Streets. But the family-friendly Eastside get-down hosted by husband/wife hip-hop team Riders Against the Storm is about much more than music. There also will be workshops in yoga, martial arts and swordplay, a vibrant vendors market, a children’s market and a silent Afro-fit disco. And, of course, Riders Against the Storm will perform. $25 ($30 with Friday night Body Rock party at the North Door). 3 p.m. gates. 1106 E. 11th St. rasdayfest.com — D.S.S.

Saturday: “Stand With Russ” benefit at Antone’s. Russ Hartman, editor of the local ‘zine Austin Daze and longtime Austin music die-hard, needs a new wheelchair and the bands he’s spent decades supporting are chipping in to help. The new chair will allow Hartman to stand (and dance with all the ladies, he jokes on Facebook). The power bill features Latin funk all-stars Brownout, their acid washed sister act, Money Chicha, the Guy Forsyth Band, Greg Izor and more. They also promise special guests all night long. $25.7 p.m. doors. 305 E. Fifth St. antonesnightclub.com — D.S.S.

Sunday: Belle Sounds, Ali Holder at One-2-One Bar. Part of the South Lamar venue’s new “Wonder Women Afternoon Listening Sessions” series with host Barbara Nesbitt, this double bill teams two notable Austin acts for music and discussion. Singer-songwriter Holder’s Americana-oriented music has been featured on three albums since 2012, including last year’s “Huntress Moon.” There’s more of a pop slant on the new record “The Sea Within” from the Belle Sounds, which features Noelle Hampton and Emily Shirley as well as Hampton’s husband, ace guitarist Andre Moran. $15-$20. 3 p.m. 1509 S. Lamar Blvd. one2onebar.com. — P.B.

Little Joe y La Familia at SXSW 2018. Tom McCarthy Jr. for AMERICAN-STATESMAN

Sunday: Hot Sauce Festival at Fiesta Gardens. The salsa might be the hottest thing at this annual benefit for Central Texas Food Bank, but the Austin Chronicle has assembled a solid musical roster that will also bring the heat. The bill is anchored by five-time Grammy winner Little Joe y La Familia. It also includes performances from cumbia/salsa band El Tule, rockers Altamesa, DJ collective Chulita Vinyl Club and more. $5 donation to the food bank. 11 a.m. gates. 2101 Jesse E. Segovia St. austinchronicle.com/hotsauce — D.S.S.

ALSO PLAYING

Friday

Kansas at Nutty Brown Amphitheatre

Papadosio, Higher Learning, Ryan Viser at Mohawk outdoor

Bruce Robison & Kelly Willis, Jomo & the Possum Posse at Antone’s

Body Rock ATX tribute to Michael Jackson at the North Door

Levitation screen print pop-up with Annabelle Chairlegs at Volcom Garden

Motograter, Band of Julez, Crowned at 3Ten

Walter Beasley at One World Theatre

Mike Flanigin Trio with Jimmie Vaughan & George Rains, Rosie Flores Revue at C-Boy’s

Dossey, Signy at Empire

Papadosio at Mohawk indoor

Boyfrndz, Megafauna, Think No Think at Barracuda

Otis Wilkins EP release, Blood Pumps, Little Mazarn at Stubb’s indoor

Wrenfro, Blues Specialists at Continental Club

Croy and the Boys at Hotel Vegas

Los Skarnales at Flamingo Cantina

Ray Prim Quartet, Natalie Price at Townsend

Cari Hutson & Good Company album release at One-2-One Bar

Churchwood, Pong at Sahara Lounge

Toni Price at Threadgill’s North

Extreme Heat at Threadgill’s South

Renee Austin, Denny Freeman at Saxon Pub

Saturday

Wiz Khalifa, Re Sremmurd, Lil Skies, O.T. Genasis at Austin360 Amphitheater

Badfish (Sublime tribute), Full Service, Audic Empire at Stubb’s outdoor

Marcus King Band, Bishop Gunn at Mohawk outdoor (sold out)

White Denim at Mohawk indoor (two shows, both sold out)

“Beto Days Ahead” fundraiser with Quiet Company, Eric Tessmer, Harvest Thieves, Western Youth, Lowin, A. Sinclair, Ben Ballinger, Ali Holder, Curtis Roush, more at Cheer Up Charlie’s

Wuki at Empire

Flatland Cavalry, Kody West, Shotgun Rider at Scoot Inn

Will Taylor & Strings attached play Joni Mitchell at Townsend

Zoso (Led Zeppelin tribute) at 3Ten

Temple of Angels at Hotel Vegas

Federico7, Zoumounchi at Sahara Lounge

Twrp with Planet Booty at Barracuda

Hail Marley, Ter’rell Shahid at Flamingo Cantina

Mike Flanigin Trio with Jimmie Vaughan & George Rains, Soul Man Sam at C-Boy’s

Johnny Nicholas & Hell Bent, Bobby Whitlock & CoCo Carmel at Saxon Pub

Booze Weasels, Garrett Lebeau at Continental Club

Albert & Gage Band at Donn’s Depot

Sunday

Ana Popovic at One World Theatre

Antone’s Record Shop 31st anniversary with Nakia & the Blues Grifters, Damn Times at Antone’s Record Shop

Katie Herzig, Sawyer at 3Ten

Resentments, John Gaar at Saxon Pub

Savage Poor at One-2-One Bar

Peterson Brothers at Hilton Cannon & Belle

The Millbrook Estates at Hotel Vegas

Bells of Joy at Threadgill’s South