Laurie Gallardo

This is how to recharge after one hell of a Monday. Swing on by The White Horse, 500 Comal, to get you back on track with sets by this awesome bunch:

-Roping in that cosmic country from the heavens, James Moritz (featured on today’s AMM) will get you feeling good about life again. 10 p.m.

-Paul Minor leads the way with the all-star Texas Tycoons, starting out the night. Dynamic performers honoring the Lone Star State’s musical legacy. 8 p.m.

-The Blake Whitmire Band takes over the stage at the witching hour to get you through the night.

-Photo of James Moritz courtesy of the artist.

This is how you work up a sweat. And no endless amount of photos scattered throughout social media will ever do it justice.

Welcome to Africa Night, a Saturday night mainstay at the “jewel of the Eastside,” The Sahara Lounge, 1413 Webberville Rd. It’s simultaneously one of the most electrifying, invigorating and very relaxed nights around. Following a buffet feast open to all guests, Sahara patrons fill up the floor with nonstop dancing to the eternally groovy African psych house band Zoumountchi into the wee hours.

Tonight, Zoumountchi shares the bill with mighty funk/rock/reggae/Latin outfit Frederico7 (featured on today’s AMM). Afro jazz musician Ibrahim Aminou kicks off night’s festivities at 8:30 p.m.

Make sure you can dance in those shoes. You’ll need them. A longtime treasure that must be experienced in person. Recommended.

-Photo courtesy of The Sahara Lounge.

Full disclosure: Though already a fan, your humble Austin Music Minute host had the honor and pleasure of traveling with songwriter/vocalist/musician Grace Park, front woman of The Deer, through Project ATX6 in 2016. What began as a musical adventure soon flourished into an overall incredible journey, with a much deeper appreciation for all the work of each of the six Project ATX 6 musicians.

From Angers, France to Toronto, Park could stop audiences in their tracks with a quiet intensity. It was apparent that something bigger was brewing, and The Deer’s new LP Do No Harm shows it without question. It brings to life something fluid, vast, sometimes indescribable, a redefining cinematic soundscape of breathtaking emotional moments. It took some time to make the album, but experimenting outside of any preexisting comfort zones has paid off tremendously.

Don’t miss The Deer as they celebrate the new album with a release show tonight at Antone’s, 305 E. 5th St. The KUTX October Artist of the Month Ley Line and classic western string swing band Big Cedar Fever share the bill. Doors open at 8 p.m., and the music starts at 9 p.m. Very recommended.

-Photography by Julia Reihs for KUTX.

There’s nothing so simultaneously invigorating and rewarding as musical discovery, on so many levels. Case in point: Austin Uncharted, essentially a crew of ATX-based creatives that produces live in-studio performances by local artists at King Electric Recording Co. The spotlight is on local music. These performances are filmed and recorded with a lot of hard work – and, most obviously, a lot of love.

Tonight, Austin Uncharted celebrates two years of this work with the 2nd Annual Austin Uncharted Showcase at Barracuda, 611 E. 7th St. Catch performances by A.U. alumni Coattails, Honey Made, Löwin (featured on today’s AMM), Jake Lloyd, Otis Wilkins, The Matters, Aubrey Hays, and McMeta. Doors at 8 p.m., and the music starts at 9 p.m. So recommended.

-Photo of Löwin by Kate Blaising.

Get hip, music lover. Carrie Rodriguez’s Laboratorio returns tonight to the Cactus Café. It’s an all-star collaborative concert series exploring – and especially expanding – the boundaries of Latin music in America.

Tonight’s celebration is perhaps even more special than usual, by the way. In addition to the line up featuring Rodriguez, Michael Ramos, Roscoe Beck, Alex Marrero and David Pulkingham, there’s a featured guest bringing some classic vocals into the mix – La Voz de Oro himself, legendary Tejano vocalist David Marez. Yes, that Marez – of The Royal Jesters back in the early ’70s, and a major solo artist through the ’80s, ’90s and beyond. We’re talking a genuine treasure here who spans the decades. (Dude. Play “Entre Mas Lejos Me Vaya” for your buddies in El Paso or San Antonio, or…c’mon, you’re gonna have them going crazy with memory-overflow…)

Doors open at 8 p.m. at the Cactus, and the music starts at 8:30 p.m. – but make sure you have your tickets now. This one comes very recommended.

The praises for L.A.-based band The Distillers on the Third Man Records site, where the band’s single “Man vs. Magnet” is available on vinyl, set the record straight. “To call The Distillers simply a punk band doesn’t do justice to either the band or the word ‘punk,'” runs the narrative, and it’s on point. Songwriter/vocalist/guitarist Brody Dalle takes the whole damn thing to several cerebral levels, making it clear that having depth amidst the debauchery is not a bad thing. There’s a reflective mind working within the wreckage and chaos, an intellect clicking with all the explosiveness.

Since reuniting last year for a run of dates, The Distillers have been going nonstop on a tour rush, and their current run includes a gig in Austin this Wednesday night at Emo’s, 2015 E. Riverside Dr., with Death Valley Girls opening the show. That’s a whole lotta hell yes. Doors at 8 p.m. Very recommended.

-Photo courtesy of the artist.

There are countless moments for personal reflection. But this time, Justin Townes Earle turned his keen eye outward. It’s one of the most beautiful and unsettling things you’ll hear.

The momentum behind The Saint of Lost Causes is fueled by one singular underlying, unwavering message: All are welcome. Earle cut to the quick recently. “I was trying to look through the eyes of America, because I believe in the idea of America – that everybody’s welcome here and has a right to be here,” he said about his latest album. This potent mix of gritty country, haunted folk and atmospheric melody deliver the bitingly blunt but world-weary observations striking both a personal chord, and something far bigger than us all.

Don’t miss Justin Townes Earle tonight at 3Ten at ACL Live, 310 Willie Nelson Blvd. London folk trio The Wandering Hearts and Bowling Green, KY alt.-country/rock outfit The Josephines start out the evening. Doors at 7 p.m. Very recommended.

-Photo courtesy of the artist.

Your Austin Music Minute host first got word of ATX folk-pop outfit Large Brush Collection through a winsome, wistful single released this summer, “Stand Tall.” Too heart-achingly good to resist a longing that beckons with, “…drowned out by the night/waiting for your light/to carry me another way.”

Damn. And on that note, keep in mind that more music is on the way, and LBC has a couple more shows in town before heading out for some dates in Chicago. Don’t miss Large Brush Collection tonight at Cheer Up Charlie’s, 901 Red River, on a bill that includes Samantha Lee and the Family Tree, The Naked Tungs and Rosie Tucker. The music starts at 8 p.m. Recommended.

-Photo courtesy of the artist.

Your Austin Music Minute host keeps emphasizing this over and over, and will do so again: A Peterson Brothers performance is something you need to witness live. Then it’ll be easy to understand why, at a young age, they boast a long and impressive resume.

Glen, Jr. and Alex (ages 21 and 19, respectively) have played with, and opened for, the likes of Gary Clark, Jr., Kenny Wayne Sheppard, Buddy Guy, B.B. King…it goes on and on. New fans are finding out about them at music festivals throughout the country, from the Chicago Blues Festival to the Austin City Limits Music Festival. They’re artists with talents beyond their years, finding inspiration in numerous genres – soul, blues, funk and jazz. But the impact is huge because they bring something fresh to every performance.

Catch The Peterson Brothers Band at their new weekly residency Wednesday nights at The Far Out Lounge, 8504 S. Congress Ave. Doors at 7 p.m., music starts at 8 p.m. So recommended.

-Photo of The Peterson Brothers by Lu Jansen.

There’s no doubt Red On Yellow is fueled by rock ‘n’ roll, but do not dismiss the mad love for that high grain Delta blues that feeds their ravenous souls. This fire will never go out.

The band is wrapping up a Monday night residency tonight at Antone’s, 305 E. 5th St., before they head out to Clarksdale, Mississippi to perform at the 2019 Deep Blues Festival in just a matter of days. Come on out and show some love and support before they’re southbound. Perfect Monday night. Recommended.

-Photo courtesy of the artist.

Here are a few more Austin Music Minute picks for ACL Fest 2019 for tonight, as well as a few alternative selections off the beaten path. Stay hydrated, freak:

-ACL Fest picks tonight include Billie Eilish, James Blake, Metric, Childish Gambino (rather easy looking around and about the festival grounds, thinking, “…this is America…”), and holy hell, The Cure. Triple YES.

-Tonight also marks the second night of Austin Corn Lovers Fiesta at The Lost Well, including sets by PONG, DiNOLA, Pocket FishRmen, The Swishbucklers and more.

-Don’t forget that tonight, Golden Dawn Arkestra has an official ACL Fest Late Night show at Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater, their album release show, with Nilufer Yanya.

-And speaking of release shows tonight, AMM fave The Ghost Wolves are having their EP vinyl release party at The ABGB, 1305 W. Oltorf.

—Photo of The Cure courtesy of the artist.

It’s overwhelming, but you’ve gotta start somewhere! These are but a handful of selections for your ACL Fest 2019 adventures today from your Austin Music Minute, as well as picks for fest alternatives:

-Start the ACL Fest day off at Zilker Park with Asleep At the Wheel (12:45 p.m.), Alesia Lani (1:15 p.m.), Cherry Glazerr (2:45 p.m.), and Black Pistol Fire (3 p.m.). The heavy hitters tonight include include Jenny Lewis, The Raconteurs, Thom Yorke, RL Grime, and Tame Impala.

-Also tonight, it’s the first night of Austin Corn Lovers Fiesta at The Continental Club, 1315 S. Congress Ave, with The Sloths, Pat Todd and The Rankoutsiders, Fiesta founders Hickoids featuring Frontier Dan, and Zofo, a major glam/garage outfit featuring Javier Escovedo, Glenn Benavides, David Fairchild and Thierry Lecoz. Daaaamn.

-Looking ahead to tomorrow afternoon at ACL Fest, catch early sets by Diamante Eléctrico, The Aquadolls, Sigrid, and bigtime AMM fave Brittany Howard.

—Photography by David James Swanson.

And so…it begins. Your Austin Music Minute is kicking off coverage of ACL Fest 2019, which will feature festival picks, and unofficial shows off the beaten path.

-Starting things out with some badass official ACL Fest Late Night shows tonight, including Gary Clark, Jr. (featured on today’s AMM) and Jackie Venson at Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater, 801 Red River, with an aftershow by Magna Carda on Stubb’s indoor stage.

-And check out another official late night show tonight with FIDLAR and Xetas at the Scoot Inn, 1308 E. 4th St.

-Looking ahead to tomorrow at the festival at Zilker Park, catch early sets by Alesia Lani, Cherry Glazerr, Black Pistol Fire, and Jai Wolf.

—Photo courtesy of the artist.

Thunderous. Mighty. Loud. And in your face. As it should be.

Longtime AMM fave Bridge Farmers is part of an all-around badass bill you won’t want to miss tonight at the Sahara Lounge, 1413 Webberville Rd. The line-up features Butthole Surfers bassist JD Pinkus, as well as guitar icon Danny B. Harvey with bassist Casino Frap. The music starts at 8 p.m.

And for cryin’ out loud, don’t leave the earplugs at home. Very recommended.

-Photo by Michael Minasi for KUTX.

Getting Memory Bleach out to the masses, Wurve heads out for an October West Coast tour that includes a string of dates in Texas and California. But before they hit the road, catch Wurve when they play tonight at the Mohawk, 912 Red River, on the inside stage. Dream pop/shoegaze bands Blushing and Single Lash share the bill, which follows the show featuring RIDE, Spirit of the Beehive and Ringo Deathstarr outside.

Doors for the inside set at 10 p.m. Do it. You know you’ll love it.

-Photography by by Belicia Luevano.

Quite simply, it’s an evening of beautiful music.

You’re in for a night of fantastic solo sets by three local artists tonight at Cheer Up Charlie’s, 901 Red River. Carry Illinois front woman Lizzy Lehman shares the bill with songwriter Daisy O’Connor (featured on today’s Austin Music Minute), and Pelvis Wrestley songwriter/vocalist Benjamin Rowe Violet.

Doors open at 8:30 p.m., and the music starts at 9 p.m. Very recommended.

-Photo of Daisy O’Connor by Vinnie Fallico.

You’ve likely heard your Austin Music Minute maven rave about this meeting of talented minds. Iron & Wine songwriter Sam Beam first collaborated with Calexico‘s John Convertino and Joey Burns on the 7-track EP In the Reins back in 2005, and it proved to be a perfect pairing of aesthetics. Fourteen years later, it’s apparent they continue to inspire each other on the beautiful arrangements of their latest release, Years to Burn.

Calexico and Iron & Wine perform tonight at Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater, 801 Red River. Doors open at 7 p.m., and special guest Natalie Prass opens the show, followed by a must-see aftershow performance by Little Mazarn on Stubb’s indoor stage at 10 p.m. Recommended.

-Photography by Piper Ferguson.

Hace calor esta noche. That’s because Grupo Fantasma is taking over the house tonight at the Mohawk, 912 Red River, on the outside stage. They share the bill with Brooklyn-based rhythm, funk and soul boogie dynamic duo Walk Talk, and local reggae/ska/rocksteady outfit Heart & Soul Sound System. Plus – local artists The Collection, Löwin, and Quiet Company front man/songwriter Taylor Muse perform on the inside stage.

Electrifying. Doors open at 8 p.m. Friday night done right. Recomendado.

-Photography by Juan Figueroa for KUTX.

Seriously, here are all of the good things. KUTX September Artist of the Month Flora and Fawna‘s EP release performance is part of this fantastic line-up tonight at Cheer Up Charlie’s, 901 Red River. Featuring all the fabulousness of:

-Dreamy dance/synthwave collaborative TC Superstar

-The glamorous “roséwave” electro-pop of Dossey

-Chill-tastic glitch-pop artistes Indoor Creature

-Electronic ethereal shoegaze duo Dream Data

Doors open at 9 p.m. Go for it. Recommended.

-Photo of Flora and Fawna by Gabriel C. Pérez for KUTX.

Here’s one you won’t want to miss – and one of the reasons why your Austin Music Minute host is giving you a heads-up about this one a day early.

After making their debut with the EP Karaoke Superstar, Denton, TX psych-pop garage rockers Pearl Earl followed up with their badass self-titled LP, and it looks like more is on the way. They return to the ATX for a show tomorrow night at The Far Out Lounge, 8504 S. Congress, on another hoppin’ bill with fellow Denton psych/occult pop hoodlums (and “a production snob’s worst nightmare…,” in their own words) Acid Carousel, and Austin-based trio of warriors Nevil.

Magic is afoot, freaks. Doors open at 7 p.m. tomorrow. You need to see all three bands. Very recommended.

-Photo courtesy of the artist.