“Winning the Grammy was prestigious but it hasn’t necessarily paid off as much as one might expect,” reflects bassist Greg Gonzalez. “The most obvious effect has been that we’ve been playing nicer venues and festivals more regularly with fewer grimy club gigs to fill the gaps between them.”

That continues this weekend with a two-night stand at the ritzy new Beauty Ballroom: an 18-and-older show on Saturday and a family-friendly early show on Sunday. As one of Austin’s hottest bands, fiercely funky and tight enough to back Prince, Grupo preserves a slice of its prime by taping these shows for a DVD and documentary.

In fact, the film is part of a larger regrouping effort. Last year saw guitarist Adrian Quesada release albums with Ocote Soul Sounds and the Echocentrics, the recording of a new album for the band’s mighty instrumental funk offshoot Brownout, and the introduction of drummer John Speice.

“We’ve never lost focus on Grupo, but we had to dedicate our efforts to recovering from the change and getting both bands back up to speed,” says Gonzales, who promises some special guests in the horn section and an acoustic set for both shows.

“The process was painful and arduous, but at this point, the band sounds better than ever and with seven new songs to boot.” – Austin Powell