Laurie Gallardo

This Memorial Day weekend, the SIMS Foundation Feel Good Music Festival is taking over The Far Out Lounge and Stage, all in support of SIMS providing access to mental health and substance use recovery services for musicians, music industry professionals and their dependent family members.

Round one of this event tonight features performances by Money Chicha, Caramelo Haze (featured on today’s AMM), Easy Compadre and Megafauna. Tomorrow, dynamic duo Graham Wilkinson and Graham Weber present Grahams Give Back: Bob vs. Bob – local artists performing the music of Bob Dylan and Bob Marley. It’s a who’s-who list of ATX superstars, including Kalu James, Suzanna Choffel, Tony Kamel, Cory Reinsich (Harvest Thieves), Courtney Santana, Evan Charles (Altamesa), Patrice Pike, Ali Holder, Scott Strickland and many others.

It’s all happening tonight and tomorrow at the Far Out Lounge and Stage, 8504 S. Congress Ave. Doors at 6 p.m. tonight, and at noon tomorrow.

More of the hot stuff for ya. Hot Luck Festival 2023 continues its Memorial Day weekend run today through Sunday, and in addition to all the delicious bites prepared by top chefs, the fest brings a lot of great live music to the experience, from local and touring artists.

• The big one on the AMM’s radar is the show tonight with Detroit garage rock fiends The Gories (thanks for the intro, Third Man Records) on a badass bill with Riverboat Gamblers and Gus Baldwin and The Sketch at Mohawk. If RG’s Mike Wiebe doesn’t bring down the rafters, The Gories’ set will.
• Tomorrow afternoon, Texas piano man Robert Ellis performs on Mohawk’s indoor stage, and at night, Frankie and The Witch Fingers are on the outdoor stage with Philly rockers Sheer Mag and ATX punk warriors Pleasure Venom. Tomorrow’s shows also include Tear Dungeon (is it “tear” or “tear” – and who mops up after the set?) at Hotel Vegas, and Lafayette band Vermillion Whiskey at The Coral Snake.
• Sunday’s shows include a day party with Jonathan Terrell and Country Worms at High Noon; The Ghost Wolves, Billy King and the Bad Bad Bad and Sam Pace at The Coral Snake; and Annabelle Chairlegs, Deezie Brown, and Sailor Poon storming Hotel Vegas.

Hot Luck, of course the food’s great, but the music’s fantastic. Chef’s kiss.

Smell it! It’s in the air! All that delicious live music! (See what I did there?)

Along with a dazzling array of culinary delights presented by world-class chefs at tastings at Franklin Barbecue, Fair Market and Wild Onion Ranch, Hot Luck Fest 2023 is also bringing the live music with line-ups featuring local and touring artists at four Austin venues.

Tonight’s shows include Shinyribs at Mohawk, Cortége at High Noon, Thin Lizzy cover band Think Lizzy and Queen tribute band Magnifico at The Coral Snake (formerly Stay Gold/Long Play East), and noise rockers Venus Twins at Hotel Vegas. Tomorrow, catch Detroit garage rock trio The Gories with Austin hoodlums Riverboat Gamblers at Mohawk, Superfónicos at Hotel Vegas (featured on today’s AMM), and The Oxys at The Coral Snake.

More AMM Hot Luck picks coming your way tomorrow. Check Hot Luck’s website for ticket info.

[Insert Rod Serling voice here.] Imagine, if you will, an extreme upheaval in your existence, one that you took on willingly, but without considering the consequences. It’s a drastic change in your surroundings that ultimately changes your entire way of life, your work, and your relationships. What will this new terrain, this new atmosphere, bring? This is not a move to a different city, state, or even country. You’re literally on a different planet. Forget the Twilight Zone. You’ve now entered Static Dynamic.

The forthcoming LP by Austin-based collaborative performance group TC Superstar is songwriter/frontperson Connor McCampbell‘s exploration of life evolving/dissolving as one may know it, in terms of romance, job, home environment and even the entirety of humanity. The album is based on the idea of colonizing Mars; the first half tells the story of one character going off to that new life in space, while the other remains on Earth, and the second half takes a look at their different paths. “I wanted to imagine the effects of a Mars work-assignment on a romantic relationship to explore the severance the characters experience from each other’s reality,” McCampbell says.

Today’s featured AMM track is “Some Nights.” Let that disco beat sink in and join TC Superstar for their single release show tomorrow night, Thursday May 25, at Hotel Vegas. Doors at 6 p.m., with sets by KindKeith and Cloud Companion on the bill.

In addition to coming from a musical family, growing up in NYC meant that Emily King was surrounded by a number of influences that shaped the artist she is today, from jazz to R&B to hip-hop. King made her official debut with the album East Side Story in 2007, and since then, the Grammy-nominated songwriter has captivated audiences with a rich musical tapestry that includes soul and multi-faceted pop. This month, King released her first album in four years, Special Occasion, a revelatory exploration of the infinite forms that heartbreak can take on, and of the long-winding journey toward understanding oneself.

King’s current tour brings her back to Austin for a performance tonight, Tuesday May 23, at Antone’s, with special guest Joseph Solomon opening the show. Doors at 7 p.m.

Originally from Seattle, Darci Carlson has mad love for outlaw country, with just a bit of punk coursing through her veins, having done some time as lead guitarist in The Dolly Rottens and co-fronting bassist/vocalist in Brent Amaker Deathsquad. Call it hardcore twang if you like, but these days, it’s not so much punk country as it is…well, country. No need for pop or the other bells and whistles, just country. Carlson reveres the spirit of the outlaw women in the country realm, and lives by this rule: “If you ain’t got haters, you ain’t doin’ it right.”

Truth. Join Darci Carlson tonight, Monday May 22, for the Monday Night Country Club at The Far Out Lounge and Stage in South Austin. Special guest Ellis Bullard shares the bill. Doors at 7 p.m.

It was during the height of the pandemic that CAELIN experienced this full-on writing storm, all the while focusing on sharpening her process and discovering where various music influences were taking her. It was a lot to rein in, and so she began a collaboration with musician, producer, visual artist and longtime AMM fave Mobley to explore how it all could possibly take shape. It felt like an intuitive selection because both artists channel their storytelling into deep-cutting narratives.

After working together the next year and a half, CAELIN’s new EP Save Me From Me emerged from the emotional depths, documenting CAELIN’s experiences in relationships both platonic and romantic, as well as her relationship with herself; and showing CAELIN’s versatility as a producer tackling a number of musical styles.

CAELIN celebrates Save Me From Me with a release show tonight, Saturday May 20, at Stubb’s indoor venue on Red River. Doors open at 10:30 p.m.

So. Damn. Heavy. Bid welcome to your doom metal overlords. (insert AMM host making metal sign with both hands)

But on another note: Seriously, that damn pandemic. Many musicians have their own stories about experiencing delays over tours, album releases, and merch, especially bands awaiting some sweet, sweet vinyl in ultra-cool color variants. Austin-based doom masters and longtime AMM fave Bridge Farmers had to wait a year and a half for their LP Cosmic Trigger in mystical lavender haze to arrive, but the results are totally worth it.

KUTX’s Ryan Wen recently gave a listen to the four-piece doom rockers’ latest, and was struck by its glorious heaviosity. And this is a quote: “…it will be the heaviest thing you’ve heard all year. Count on it.” The AMM enthusiastically concurs. Celebrate Cosmic Trigger with Bridge Farmers at their show tonight, Friday May 19, at The Lost Well, 2421 Webberville Rd. Experimental doom outfit Deep Cross and trad doom fiends Slumbering Sun are on the bill. Doors at 9 p.m. It’s all gonna rattle your ribcage.

Bring the excellent music, and they will come. Amplify LIVE presents a big benefit show supporting the work of I Live Here, I Give Here, a nonprofit connecting the Austin community to organizations and causes they care about. There are so many nonprofits in Austin alone that it’s sometimes difficult to know where to start, so I Live Here, I Give Here provides information (missions, goals), data (statistical info), and personal stories/testimonies from these organizations to help direct supporters to them.

Tonight’s Amplify LIVE event features three outstanding artists, all featured on KUTX: Jackie Venson, Tameca Jones, and Mélat, performing at the Historic Scoot Inn on E. 4th St. Doors at 6:30 p.m. You can find a ticket link at I Live Here, I Give Here’s website. Can you say FABULOUS?

Okay, seriously; this is another one of those line-ups where it’s like, did you let the Austin Music Minute book this one? Did you?

This week, Cheer Up Charlie’s puts three Austin-based songwriters in the spotlight. Excellent, one and all: Ry Black, a member of Batty Jr., Redbud, and songwriter for his own project Sunroom Sounds; artist and BluMoon front person Kendra Sells’ anti-pop/club punk project Egaux Sells (featured on today’s AMM); and Trapdoor Band/Idyl founder and Keeled Scales artist Alex Dupree. See them all tonight, Wednesday May 17, at Cheer Up Charlies on Red River. Doors at 7 p.m.

When We Were Friends by The Backseat Lovers is one of those impossibly good albums making it difficult to pick just one favorite track. Not fair. The ears are coaxed in with the beautiful opener “Watch Your Mouth” and that’s it. It keeps going. You’re hooked. How could it be possible that this 2019 release would be reminding you of memories from years ago? It’s that kind of magic.

No sophomore slump for this quartet. Along comes the amazing Waiting To Spill, and again, the cohesiveness of the entire work – the attention to every minute DIY detail, the lyrical process, all make it another striking LP. Experience some of that beauty by checking out The Backseat Lovers’ Studio 1A performance, then check out their show tomorrow night, Wednesday May 17, at Moody Amphitheater. Doors at 6:30 p.m., and Chicago-based artist Sofia Jensen‘s indie folk project Free Range opens the show.

It wasn’t as if Danielle Ponder didn’t like her job. Her work as a public defender in her hometown of Rochester, NY reflects a soul that’s passionate about supporting her community and using her voice to do so. But that voice is also strongly connected to music. Ponder grew up with music. When it’s in the blood, it’s not about to go away. And it was definitely calling Ponder back.

“We formed a family band when I was 16 and when I would come back from college breaks, I would play with them,” Ponder recalls. “I was in a band in law school too and part of me knew that I loved being on stage. But I always had this fear of being a starving artist. I grew up with a father whose income wasn’t always stable so, I wanted a solid job. But through law school and even practicing, I would still play. I can’t believe how much I was doing. I would do a small tour in Europe, come back, and on Monday I’d be in court like nothing happened. But it just got to the point where I was like, “Man, I can’t do both.” And the choice could never be giving up music, I am absolutely in love with the stage. I knew it was time to completely surrender. This is what I need to be doing.”

And surrender to it, she did. After quitting her job, Ponder began to write the songs that would eventually be on her debut LP, Some Of Us Are Brave. And Ponder’s voice is still a powerful tool elevating the unseen and underrepresented. The title track itself is an homage to Black women and their unique stories.

If you haven’t gotten your tickets to Danielle Ponder’s performance tomorrow night, Tuesday May 16 at Antone’s, you better hurry. Austin’s very own Chief Cleopatra opens the show. Doors at 7 p.m.

Luz Elena Mendoza Ramos says the title of Y La Bamba‘s seventh LP Lucha has two meanings. “Lucha,” a nickname for Luz, btw, translates into “fight.” But “luz” can also mean “light.” Both apply to the album’s exploration of an existence in multiplicity – love, queerness, la familia, Mexican-American roots and Chicanx identity, confronting a familial history fraught with violence, and of course, the struggle and growth within this journey. It’s a diary of the emotion and solitude in pursuit of deeper relationships for Mendoza Ramos, as both an artist and a human being who simply wants to be.

Following this week’s fantastic Studio 1A set, Y La Bamba performs tonight, Saturday May 13, at The Ballroom, 2906 Fruth St. Doors at 7 p.m., and San Antonio-based artist Andria Rose opens the show.

In an Austin Chronicle 2022 cover story, J Soulja didn’t hesitate expressing his gratitude in an interview with Derek Udensi. For the Austin-based hip-hop artist, having struggled to make ends meet in his life, understanding the importance of lifting others around him felt like a revelation. And from helping others comes a fulfillment, an empowerment far outreaching his own success. “I done put my 10,000 hours in,” he explained to Udensi. “I don’t mind you rap better, get farther, whatever. I don’t give a f–k. I want to see you win! Let’s open these doors up, that way [people] can walk through them because there’s n—-s out here who don’t rap anywhere close to me but are surpassing things a lot more than what I may have ever been able to touch…”

The reality for J Soulja is about empowering the community at large. From media coverage to performing at festivals, to getting statewide and national attention, he continues utilizing his platform to uplift his peers in the industry. Organizing shows like the Smoke Out, representing during SXSW, preserving the African American cultural legacy as Director of Cultural and Artistic Liberation for Austin’s Six Square, all of it contributes to this goal.

J Soulja’s next show immediately follows the Get Busy Or Die Tour show going down tonight, Friday May 12, at Stubb’s on Red River. After you catch $NOT, Night Lovell, EEM Triplin, DC the Don and Micro, head on over to J Soulja’s set at Stubb’s indoor venue. Doors at 10:30 p.m.

-Special thanks to Fresh Knight for his assistance with today’s AMM.

Jason Isbell’s forthcoming LP Weathervanes, his first album of originals since 2020’s Reunions, takes a hard look at…having some growing up to do. At its core, it’s songs played for, and by, grown ass people, as Isbell might put it. Whereas some music connects to the eternal youth in us all (“I Don’t Wanna Grow Up”), Weathervanes faces the inevitable, and the choices we make in dealing with it all: Life and death, the myths and dangers, regret and redemption, and ultimately – and this is the hardest one – learning to love oneself.

Weathervanes will be out June 9, but before that, you have a few opportunities to see Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit at ACL Live at The Moody Theater. They perform tonight, tomorrow night and Saturday. Doors at 6:30 p.m. all three nights, and AMM fave Amythyst Kiah opens the show each night.

In the wake of so much pain, Grammy Award-winning band La Santa Cecilia expresses one overarching wish for all: They want to see you happy. And who better for lead vocalist La Marisoul to sing the title track of Quiero Verte Feliz with than one of the most unique and influential voices in the world, Lila Downs? Everything is collapsing around you, but taking that sacred moment to pause is crucial to the healing: “El mundo se ahoga en un mar de injusticia / Yo necesito parar y sentir / El olor de la hierba y las flores / Quiero bailar, quiero echarme a reír…”

La Santa Cecilia presents a bold musical hybrid of bicultural experiences. Taking their name from the patron saint of music, they combine Latin American musical influences and their Mexican heritage for their own unique take on modern music. And, if you haven’t heard by now, La Marisoul’s voice is a show-stopper. Don’t miss their performance tomorrow night, Thursday May 11, at the Parish. Mexico City-based songwriter Maya Burns opens. Doors at 7 p.m.

Lindsey Verrill knows the water holds its own magic. Even the poster she created for tonight’s show at Hole In the Wall shares that wisdom: “The river moves my heart to lose these blues.” And Thor Harris himself once described Verrill and Jeff Johnston‘s Little Mazarn as “…a cool float a few feet from the ground through a dimly lit, almost familiar forest,” a most fitting description for the talent flowing through the shimmering and mystical Texas River Song LP. It’s as if Little Mazarn encapsulates the beauty of the natural world with a supernatural sound.

On this misty Tuesday night, Little Mazarn brings that otherworldly magic to the Hole stage along with a couple other Austin legends: Former Bad Livers fiddler/accordionist, multi-talented multi-instrumentalist, and avant-folk maestro Ralph White; and published poet, songwriter, former Zookeeper guitarist, and prolific solo artist Alex Dupree (you need to add You Winsome, You Lonesome and Thieves to your music collection already). Doors at 8 p.m., and the music starts at 9 p.m.

Near and dear to your Austin Music Minute host’s dark little heart. LA darkwave artist Mareux dives deep into the unsettling murky depths of unrequited passion on the new LP Lovers From the Past. Musician and producer Aryan Ashtiani created a haunting soundtrack for a haunted memory, making it almost impossible to move on.

Mareux’s current tour includes a stop in Austin for a show tomorrow night, Tuesday May 9, at The Parish, 501 Brushy St. And presenting a perfect opener for the evening, Urban Heat. Doors at 7:30 p.m. The AMM recommends donning anything black in your wardrobe.

It’s many things, coming at you from different directions. Maybe Austin-based band Megafauna is given all the descriptions because of this killer musicianship that owns it. All insanely brilliant live performances aside, it’s never been more apparent than on their sixth full-length release Olympica. This thing is tight yet flies across the board. To hell with any restrictive construct; from every groove to every surge, time signatures throwing you for a loop, you pick up on the coolest pop, sun-drenched psych, undeniable prog power. But the bottom line? Rock. Straight up rock, as vocalist/guitarist Dani Neff delivers the wicked shreds and lyrical prowess that’s always given the band an extra edge.

Don’t sleep on this one. Megafauna’s album release party is tonight, Saturday May 6, at Sagebrush, 5500 S. Congress. The line-up includes Holy Death Trio and The Dead Coats. DJ Dead Flowers starts out the night at 8 p.m.

Throwing shapes! All the colors! Action packed! Well, not quite the same action taking you on a whirlwind ride in the 1986 spy thriller Vikram, but the essence of the film’s irresistible theme song is captured to perfection on The Octopus Project‘s kaleidoscopic electro-pop spree “Vikram Vikram,” now with a new video that’s equally as dazzling and shapeshifting as their cover. Imagine our protagonist (as played by eternal badass Kamal Haasan) on his getaway motorbike – or white horse – escaping explosions or sword-wielding assassins, but amped up by Octo Proj’s prismatic vibrance. It’s quite like the film’s energy – you’re fighting bad guys, but the fight’s got a good beat and you can dance to it…

Check out the new video for “Vikram Vikram” below, and see The Octopus Project tonight, Friday May 5, at the Parish, 501 Brushy St. And talk about action-packed – the bill features an outrageously spectacular set by hardcore renegades F__k Money, and a performance by musician/producer Bryan Richie’s new solo project, Galactic Protector. Doors at 7:30 p.m.

But seriously, in the film’s trailer…that still frame of the pigeon, though…epic.