Friday, May 15th
Red Young’s Tenor Madness at The Elephant Room
To kick off your weekend, it’s always nice to start off with some jazz. On May 15th you can swing by The Elephant Room to catch Red Young and the Tenor Madness. Always lively with great technique, Red will be a relaxing end to your week if you are looking to experience live music that is more on the mellow side.
Bluu Suede at Flamingo Cantina
Tickets: $5
Former American Idol contestant Bluu Suede is taking over the Flamingo Cantina this Friday night. While the DJ has a voice that is comparable to Usher, his tunes have a lot of soul and plenty of character, which is great for anyone looking to add some spice to their Friday night. If you are hoping not to break the bank when experiencing the Live Music Capitol, this show is only $5, so if you are strapped for cash, catching Bluu Suede is a good option.
Soul Man Sam at Skylark Lounge
If you are looking to experience the blues, you can head to the Skylark Lounge on Airport Blvd to catch Soul Man Sam, a longtime Austin resident who sings and performs like he has been doing it his entire life. In the video below, he takes on the Sam Cook classic, “A Change Is Gonna Come”, with an ease that will make anyone jealous, as he completely nails the performance while giving his audience a show that few musicians can.
Dale Watson at The Broken Spoke
While Texas is known for its country music, Austin is known for welcoming all styles of music, giving the city plenty of variety to suit anyone’s tastes. Though, that isn’t to say that Austin doesn’t have its fair share of country crooners, with Dale Watson being one of them. This coming weekend he will be performing at Austin’s most famous honky tonk The Broken Spoke, where he plays on a regular basis. In addition to watching the performance, audience members can also participate in free dance lessons before the show at 8 pm. So dust off your cowboy boots and get ready to do the 2-step!
Dead Strangers at The Gypsy Lounge
While Austin has an eclectic mix of bands, it also has its fair share of punk groups, and Dead Strangers is one of the city’s best. While punk rock isn’t known for being great music, Dead Strangers are one of Austin’s tightest punk acts around. Consistently catchy and fun, Dead Strangers is not a band you want to miss if you are looking for a genre that has a rowdy edge.
Ghosts of Dixie at The Scoot Inn
Finding a band with soul in Austin isn’t hard, though this weekend you should look no further than local act Ghosts of Dixie. While the band takes on its own version of rock and roll, they also add some funk to their music, giving their songs a colorful feel that fans will love.
Tickets: $5, ages 21+ only.
Saturday, May 16th
W.C. Clark at The Saxon Pub
This Saturday night, the Saxon Pub has a great lineup which includes longtime Austin musician W.C. Clark, who is guaranteed to give his audience a night they won’t forget. Below, you can hear him perform a spritely version of “I Didn’t Know The Meaning of Pain”, from his 2004 album Deep In The Heart. With bold vocals and a rich saxophone throughout to give the track some flavor, we are sure that the Saxon Pub will the place to be come Saturday evening.
Tickets: $10
Anthony Ray Wright at the Rattle Inn
While many country purists will complain that country music has lost its original roots in storytelling and simplicity, that can’t be said for local guitarist Anthony Ray Wright and his band. Assembling a group that brings together acoustic guitars, washboards, and fiddles, Wright’s version of country is soothing and relaxing, while also being authentic, giving newcomers to original country a small taste of the genre’s roots, while making sure that the modern country sound doesn’t creep in.
Sunday, May 17th
Sinner’s Brunch at Jo’s Coffee
The Sinner’s Brunch at Jo’s coffee on South Congress is one of the highlights of Austin’s music scene. Happening every Sunday at noon, the coffee shop features some of Austin’s best musicians, as the group plays long into the afternoon, and while it’s hard to carry on a conversation as the band plays, it is incredibly worth it to grab a coffee and listen to musicians who actually know how to play their instruments with incredible skill. The set changes every week so there is always a nice variety of songs to be heard. While South Congress is always packed with plenty of things to do, The Sinner’s Brunch is certainly a highlight as it makes one of Austin’s most well known streets come alive with a vibrancy that can’t be matched.
The Avocados at Hotel Vegas
The Avocados are a surf band that one should not miss, and while their name might seem a bit comical when you first discover them, their music is lively and most importantly, entertaining. This Sunday the band will be playing with Lake of Fire and Dead Sea, which makes for a show that is guaranteed to be a fun night. Bringing back the sounds of classic surf groups such as the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean, The Avocados take us back in time, as we experience music of the past while also adding a modern twist.
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Get more of Lauren Gribble’s reviews at her website, Listen Here Reviews…
Featured photo: Flickr user pixajen, creative commons licensed.
