RECOMMENDED

edited by Christopher Gray

JOHN PRINE
Backyard, Saturday 29

Since Willie Nelson's shotgun kick-off to the Backyard's fifth season on Friday is sold-out, you'll just have to settle for another wizened oracle of a songwriter: anti-Nashville Tennessean John Prine. Long thought of in the same breath as folks like Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, and Steve Earle, Prine's wry humor colors his keen eye for this thing they call life; it's been that way throughout his illustrious, yet undersung, 25-year career. Listening to his songs -- many good ones found on his new release, Live on Tour -- is like sitting with your favorite uncle, laughing through his stories even as you're learning valuable lessons. Priceless, really. -- Raoul Hernandez

MISS XANNA DON'T
& THE WANTED
Jovita's, Friday 28
The hair: Something like Crystal Gayle meets Elsa Lanchester. You must know the hair. Now, for what you may not know: Beneath those raven tresses is a country croon equally silky and luxurious, as well as a rip-snortin' honky-tonk stage show that crosses Patsy Cline with the Rocky Horror Picture Show. And, yeah, the hair.

BLUES BOY HUBBARD & THE JETS, COCO MONTOYA, TAB BENOIT
Antone's, Saturday 29
Since moving to its new Fifth & Lavaca location, Antone's has been positively rockin'. Don't bother knockin' on Saturday night -- just come on in. Get there early for the big-band soul beltin' of Blues Boy Hubbard & the Jets; stay late for the double-edged guitar attack of ex-Bluesbreaker Coco Montoya, for whom Albert Collins was both inspiration and mentor, and Justice Records' Tab Benoit, a Louisianan whose ambient swamp skronk approaches Chris Whitley on Narcan. Four locations, still only one home of the blues.

THE DELTA 72
Emo's, Saturday 29
One would almost never expect to see Foetus and Don Walser share a bill. Or Cannibal Corpse and the Bells of Joy. Get a band like D.C.'s The Delta 72 though, and their lo-fi-a-go-go, retro-gutbucket-cheeseball, post-post-post-modern cyberblues goes with anything. Saturday, TD72, who just recorded the follow-up to their Touch & Go debut The R&B of Membership, precedes locals Herman the German and Frig a Go-Go, and follows the Hamicks. Starts early.

EASTER RISING
Down the Rabbit Hole, Sunday 30
Easter. A time for white shoes and new clothes, as well as a great reason to make joyful noise. Austin should well-nigh resound with praise this holiest of days, as the Fabulous Golden Echoes, the Peyton Brothers, the Southern Jubilettes, the Mainland Gospel Singers, and the Monoah Sisters all descend on Antone's for a heavenly 6-8pm show (Guy Forsyth testifies later), while out at the Backyard, the third annual Easter Benefit and Egg Hunt (benefiting Lake Travis Youth Association) features the Asylum Street Spankers, the Elgin Community Choir, Monte Warden, Michael Fracasso, and the Jubilettes. Also on Sunday, that's the Imperial Golden Crown Harmonizers giving it up at the Continental Club, just as Steamboat has an AIDS Services of Austin benefit and auction hosted by Will Sexton, and featuring performances by Bob Schneider, Lou Ann Barton, Alejandro Escovedo, Bruce Robison and more. A great day for music even if the most religious thing you do is wait for Monday's basketball game to start.

SIR DR. VICTOR UWAIFO
Flamingo Cantina, Sunday 30
Even though the turnout was small, the Tabu Ley Rochereau Orchestra's show at Liberty Lunch a while back had Austinites jerking and twitching in the throes of Diasporan polyrhythmic ecstasy. Recovered, they might just be ready for Nigerian multi-instrumentalist Sir Dr. Victor Uwaifo and his 10-piece band, a legend in his part of the world, and a rare glimpse at some decidedly non-Western music in ours.

HOLY MOELLERS, HEADHUNTERS
Hole in the Wall, Wednesday 2
A side trip to Hole in the Wall isn't quite as short now for the Holy Moellers, Antone's Monday night mainstays, who detour up the strip for a little Hump Day funk action. Opening are the white-hot Headhunters, an incandescent quartet that keeps the Tenderloin blowtorch lit with hard-charging originals, steamrolling covers, and plenty of sweat. Bring lots of ice.

LIBERTY RANCH
Carousel Lounge, Thursday 3
Austin has an absurd overflow of talented country artists, and as we've reported before, that means that many quality musicians get overlooked. Liberty Ranch is one of them; led by honey-voiced songstress Chandler Liberty, they brighten up the darkly lit Carousel Lounge's happy hours every Thursday, 6-8pm, with honky-tonk to do Loretta proud. Wind down after work with a beer and some two-stepping. -- Lee Nichols

ALSO PLAYING
Friday: Cowboys & Indians, Continental Club; Limpopo, Babes; Bruce Robison, Cactus Cafe;
Saturday: Spoon, Hong Kong, Monroe Mustang, Dilli, Electric Lounge; Derailers, Broken Spoke
Sunday: Monte Montgomery, Saxon Pub
Monday: Don Walser, Babes
Tuesday: Hot Buttered Rhythm, Mercury Lounge
Wednesday: Eric Burdon's i Band,
Liberty Lunch; Peter Jefferies, Ritz Lounge
Thursday: Gulf Coast Playboys, Antone's; Jack Ingram, La Zona Rosa; Shiner, Dead and Gone, Norman Mayer Group, Emo's