austin music

A special SXSW 2026 show from Scholz Garten

We kicked off South by Southwest 2026 with a special, live one-hour show at Scholz Garten.
We’ll speak with Austin artists Shakey Graves and Kydd Jones about the things they’re working on this year.

We’ll also be joined by the director and producer of the upcoming Netflix documentary “The Truth and Tragedy of Moriah Wilson,” about a top-class cyclist murdered on a trip to Austin.

Plus, a roundtable of chefs from Michelin Guide-recognized restaurants Dai Due, La Santa Barbacha and Ramen del Barrio about the cost of a meal in Austin and the ways they’re working to keep them accessible to more Austinites.

One of the musical artists at SXSW is joining us now is a 2026 SXSW official artist, we’ll welcome Kydd Jones to the stage!

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Deer Fellow: “Fool For You”

Sonic ingenuity with ruffles imbued with love is the thesis of Austin indie duo Deer Fellow. Blending sonic loops and synth-sibilities with violin intimacy, they set a romantic mood that can’t help but creep in from the background. Newly married, Matt Salois and Alyssa Kelly are well into their season of love, beautifully illustrated through their latest single “Fool For You.” As the duo puts it, “the song is an old-fashioned style of love song, a nod to the Great American Songbook with a modern twist, blending bedroom pop with indie soul.”

Deer Fellow are playing a charity event on Monday, March 16th at Wolfhouse ATX on E. Cesar Chavez raising awareness for type 1 diabetes, pancreatic cancer, and the Whipple Warriors. They also have an early show on Saturday, March 28th at Batch on Manor Rd.

Paxton targets Austin ISD over alleged ‘bathroom bill’ violation

Board members for the Austin Independent School District are considering an outside nonprofit to handle three of its middle schools with chronic failing grades. Another failing grade for these campuses would give the Texas Education Agency the authority to take over the district as a whole. We’ll have more about community meetings happening this week. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has notified AISD of a complaint alleging the district violated the state’s bathroom bill. We’ll dig into the story.

Since the start of the second trump administration. Immigration crack downs have been in the news and affecting communities and families across the nation, as well as here in Texas. Austin-based documentarian Louise Van Assche has taken a closer look at this by talking with the folks being directly affected.

South by Southwest officially kicks off tomorrow, but the unofficial showcases and house shows have plenty to offer up as well. We’ll share details about one benefitting a women’s correctional facility here in the Austin area.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

New changes to smokeable hemp rules could be coming

George Davis Jr. is one of the victims who had to be hospitalized after the deadly shooting at Buford’s on West Sixth Street. He reached out to 911 for assistance, but had to turn to help of strangers to get him to the hospital. Davis is recovering now and trying to find the people who he says helped save his life. We’ll hear more about his experience that early morning and his recovery journey since.

Possible changes for smokable hemp in Texas could be happening sooner rather than later. We’ll go over what could be changing and the reaction from those in the industry.

And the City of Austin is looking for ways to save every nickel and dime after cuts to the budget. We’ll go over the latest way they’ve saved some money.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Francene Rouelle: “september bby”

One of the fastest ways to know that you’re changed is how those around you change. Austin-based pop Francene Rouelle, tackles this in her latest single, “september bby,” a brief, punchy dance tune reminiscent of hyperpop phenoms 100 gecs. Speaking to an unnamed character about her upgraded hair and wardrobe, she drives home the most important change of all – a more self-assured, confident persona.

Buford’s reopens a week after deadly shooting

Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden was open for business over the weekend, just days after a shooting left three people dead and more than a dozen injured. Some Austin residents felt the opening was rushed after such a tragedy. We’ll hear from others who felt showing up was the right thing to do.

The Austin Police Department has new rules for how its officers contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We’ll hear more about the change.

After the suspected shooter in the attack was identified, a woman from Buda is alleging she was assaulted by the suspect in a separate incident last year at the Tesla Gigafactory. We’ll dig into what we know about the incident and lawsuit.

Plus, South By Southwest starts its takeover of Austin this Thursday. Our sister station KUTX is gearing up to bring you plenty of live music — from right here in Austin and from around the world.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

This Or That?

On this episode we discuss who had the bigger impact on hip-hop, James Brown or Michael Jackson. We also talk about the difference, musically, in both Dallas and Houston and the emerging artists from both cities. Hip-Hop facts this week are about Bubba Sparxxx, Zach Brauf, Nelly and more. Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion this week is that media will eventually give hip-hop a seat at the table.

More background on Buford’s shooting suspect released

We’re learning more about the alleged shooter in Sunday morning’s deadly incident at a West Sixth Street bar. The suspect had no prior interactions with police in Austin, but that wasn’t true for other agencies in Texas. We’ll share more about that history, and why it wasn’t enough to keep him from legally acquiring firearms.

The Texas Department of Transportation has not started construction on a new boardwalk along Lady Bird Lake. TxDOT pledged $25 million for the project as part of the expansion of I-35. Now it’s warning the City of Austin to accept its terms or lose the project altogether. We’ll have more from a KUT News investigation.

We’ve got a little Austin music history for your day.

And this group of women in Austin have a shared interest in skateboarding. We’ll hear more about their story.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Glass Mansions: “Sunsetting”

Austin dark pop trio Glass Mansions, known for their lush, electronic leaden, pop-driven rhythms, are back with their most emotional and close-to-the-chest song to date. Following the sudden loss of both of her parents and disenchanted with the notion that you’ll always get to create “the next thing,” frontwoman Jayna Doyle asks herself, “what would I say, what would I deliver, how would I represent myself as an artist if I had one last song to write?” “Sunsetting” is the anthemic answer.

In the intimate new music video, also directed by Doyle, it’s all in her eyes, largely filmed with the camera held steady and focused in a close-up before Doyle emerges from a pool of water, symbolizing liberation and rebirth.

Glass Mansions play the Art Decade Creatives SXSW Showcase Friday 3/13 @ 13th Floor with Grocery Bag, MUGGER, Lola Tried, and Subpar Snatch. You can hear a full preview of the event tomorrow night at 6PM on My KUTX.

UT students hold vigil for victims of Buford’s shooting

We are continuing to follow developments after Sunday’s shooting at Buford’s that killed three people.

We’ll hear the latest update from the Austin Police Department that just wrapped up in the last hour…we have an update on the number of people shot and victims still in hospital, and there was a vigil last night on the University of Texas campus to honor the victims at least two are confirmed UT students.

And later imagine your local box store parking lot as it’s own thriving ecosystem,and now think about how that might be conveyed as an art installation in cardboard.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

How the primaries played out amid Williamson County confusion

Election Night is over in Texas, but we’re still figuring out exactly what happened yesterday in Williamson County. Some voters waited in line for hours, only to be told they’d have to go to an entirely different polling site to vote. Others made an after-hours trip to cast a ballot, only to find out their vote may not be counted.

Our team of county reporters was covering the most important races in Central Texas. They join us in the studio with their latest reporting.

And the City of Austin is ending a rental assistance program; it’s a byproduct of a trimmed budget. We’ll have more about the help that’s going out for the last time and the future of other assistance programs.

The people of Austin have voted Soundfounder on KUTX Radio Show of the Year! The host of the show, Andrew Brown, is with us today on Austin Signal

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Central Texas voters head to the polls on primary Election Day

We’re getting more information about the three victims from Sunday morning’s shooting at Buford’s. We’ll have the latest from the KUT newsroom.

It’s primary Election Day here in Texas. Four Austin-area Texas legislators are vying for the Democratic nomination of various positions. In addition to the statewide offices, there’s lots going on in the Central Texas area. KUT’s county reporters for Hays, Travis and Williamson counties are out in the field talking to voters. We’ll hear about the reasons they’re coming out to cast a ballot this Election Day.

Plus, Austin wouldn’t be Austin without its wacky cast of characters. Who’s the guy who used to write and read poems before concerts across town? We’ll have the answer from our ATXplained project.

The Breaks LIVE!

On this episode we are LIVE at Central Machine Works with a special episode featuring fellow KUT/KUTX personalities. Our first two segments we have Miles Bloxson (KUT) and Ryan Wen (KUTX) to discuss topics about the culture of hip-hop. For Hip-Hop Facts and Unpopular Opinion we have on Soundfounder (KUTX) and DJ Shani (KUTX) of The Groove Temple.

A Central Texas voters’ guide as primary Election Day nears

There are still a few hours left to vote early ahead of Tuesday’s Texas party primaries. We’ll tell you what you need to know before heading to the polls to vote today or Election Day on Tuesday.

We’ll also have closer look at races for two Travis County Commissioner seats and go over what exactly commissioners do.

Also, the federal government is now challenging a court order to repatriate college student Any López Belloza, who was deported after trying to fly to Austin last year.

Huston-Tillotson’s group of jazz musicians with fresh roots on the east side of Austin have already gained national recognition.

And it’s going to get loud at Circuit of the Americas this weekend: NASCAR is in town.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Alex Maas: “Honey Bee” [The Hole Story]

The Hole Story is a new series from KUTX. Taped live on the front stage of Hole in the Wall – we’ve invited artists to not just perform, but also share the inspiration, meaning, or backstory behind each one.

Opened in 1974, Hole in the Wall is one of Austin’s most legendary dive bars. It’s a launchpad for generations of Texas songwriters. It also happens to be right across the street from the KUTX Studios.

Season one features stories and sets from Shinyribs, Paige Renée Berry (Half Dream), Jonathan Terrell, Grace Sorensen, Hayes Carll, Carrie Fussell (BRUCE, Calliope Musicals), and Alex Maas (The Black Angels). Watch more episodes on the KUTX YouTube Channel here.

For the final episode of this season’s The Hole Story, we welcome Alex Maas – the voice behind The Black Angels, and one of the original founders of Austin Psych Fest (alongside Rob Fitzpatrick, and Oswald James, and Black Angels guitarist – Christian Bland).

In this set from Hole in the Wall, Alex shares the personal stories behind the songs he brought to our stage – including a new piece written with help from his young son and the presence of his newborn daughter. It’s a glimpse into how becoming a parent has influenced his songwriting in unexpected and tender ways.

With The Black Angels preparing to celebrate 20 years of their debut album Passover by performing it front-to-back at Austin Psych Fest on May 9, this episode arrives at the perfect moment to revisit the roots, inspirations, and evolution of Alex’s songwriting.

Austin Police may be handing out more speeding tickets

We’ve all seen it: People speeding down Mopac or neighborhood streets in Austin. Maybe you’ve thought, “shouldn’t they be getting a speeding ticket?” Well, new data shows Austin Police may be handing out more of those.

Austin’s Live Music Fund is about to grant another round of funding after two years of controversy and complaints over the how those funding decisions are made.

Speaking of music, you can’t pin down local band The Animeros to just one genre. They span beyond bolero, psychedelic, and cumbia, and their music will get you out on the dance floor. We’ll talk with a couple of band members from our sister station KUTX’s Artist of the Month.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Grocery Bag: “Stop Calling Me Out”

Austin garage-punk darlings Grocery Bag are back baby! Ahead of their shows as official SXSW 2026 artists, today they release “Stop Calling Me Out,” a song that hits you in the face with the group’s signature garage-psych brashness, but this time a little more melody has been added to the cauldron, one slightly reminiscent of 90’s Green Day hooks. Like a hellish heralding, it sidesteps to give way for Bella Martinez’s cavernous vocals to ascend from the underworld to get to the point: stop calling me out, man! I’m just doing the dang!

Grocery Bag SXSW shows:
Saturday, March 14 @ 13th Floor
Tuesday, March 17 @ Zilker Brewing

What’s driving Central Texas early voters to the polls

Early voting in the March 3 primary wraps up Friday. Turnout is trending upward across Central Texas, with more voters casting ballots in Travis, Hays and Williamson counties compared to previous primaries. We’ll taking a closer look at who’s showing up and what patterns are beginning to emerge at polling locations locally and across the state.

Questions about how ballots should be counted continue to spark debate. We’ll tell you about Republicans in one Texas county who are planning to hand count election day ballots.

We’ll also hear the story of the Texas musician known as the “Jimi Hendrix of the accordion.”

Plus, KUTX’s Ryan Wen stops by with the Austin music you need to know about.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Magna Carda: “Digging You More”

Austin’s Magna Carda’s new single “Digging you more” has a smooth, intentional ease — blending soulful R&B textures with hip-hop in a way that feels intimate without being overstated. There’s a warm, atmospheric quality to the production that creates space rather than filling it. Ahead of their upcoming album ininnoutcheamind, out March 10th, Magna Carda re-visits their roots – crafting compositions with live instrumentation influenced by their jazz inspirations, giving life to a sonic style that truly captures the influences and sounds in their minds to amalgamate into a unique soundscape with no compromises.