Crucial Concerts for the Coming Week

Antone's 47th Anniversary

Antone’s, Friday 24 – Thursday 30

Antone's Nightclub already reigned on Sixth Street by the time junior sibling the Chronicle appeared. The businesses bonded instantly as the elder established an initial identity for Austin and the latter documented every note. Hopping through July 23, the Home of the Blues' 47th anniversary touches off week 1 with Zydeco scion C.J. Chenier and Cajun cousin Lynn August (Fri.), Meters guitarist Leo Nocentelli (Sat.), Houston MC Trae tha Truth (Sun.), and hip-hop/neo-soul one-two Magna Carda and Eimaral Sol (Thu.), all of whom we've written about before. – Raoul Hernandez

"[Opening] night in 1975, Clifton Chenier & His Red Hot Louisiana Band tore the night into a 1,000 pieces, blew every mind in the room, and established beyond any reasonable or unreasonable doubt that … Austin would never be the same." – Bill Bentley, 2006

"We were bathed in a steady stream of pure and undiluted funk, tight and smart and built from the nuts and bolts of New Orleans rhythm and jazz. … I don't remember particulars of the show – besides Leo Nocentelli's incredible guitar, Russell Batiste's drumkit held together by chains, and the silent satisfied awe that accompanied a post-show pitcher of Pabst at the Deep Eddy Cabaret." – Jay Hardwig, 1999

And the bio-ready one-liners:

Trae tha Truth: "Proved that word in the streets spreads faster than anything on your FM dial." – Chase Hoffberger, 2011

Magna Carda: "Best homegrown rhyme syndicate since the League of Extraordinary Gz." – Kahron Spearman, 2016

Eimaral Sol: "Best ever hip-hop album by an Austin femcee? Short list … 2019's Sol Soliloquies." – Raoul Hernandez, 2020

Lonestar Unleashed

Far Out Lounge, Friday 24 – Saturday 25

Lonestar Unleashed's annual conclave of Texas heavy invites the brawniest and loudest from Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and beyond to punish innocent cochleas. ATX outsider metal troupe Glassing, still luxuriating in the brilliance of last year's smoky jewel Twin Dream, headlines Friday's pre-party. The main event features Dallas' cosmic acid metal powerhouse Wo Fat, celebrating both their excellent new LP, The Singularity, and the reissue of their 2006 debut, The Gathering Dark. Austin's anthemic stoners High Desert Queen and punk metal vets Skatenigs top a 17-act undercard ready to roar. Show starts at 2pm and runs until your bones can't take no more. – Michael Toland

Sleep Habits, Vonne

Soundspace at Captain Quack's, Saturday 25

Sleep Habits, outlet of NOLA's Alan Howard, draws melty acoustic delicacies under spacious alt-country influence on sophomore effort Ouchie! The lineup pairing presents a prime opportunity to view the gorgeous new video for Vonne's delicately intricate pop piece "Anew." After composing earlier this year for the MXTX: A Cross-Border Exchange project, the energizing April track represents Austin-based Yvonne Goodwyne's first new single since 2017. Shot entirely on film, the dreamy visual captures the introspective moment before a creative awakening, threaded through the interesting match of Vonne's multi-instrumentalism and Greg Clifford's drumming. – Rachel Rascoe

Weed Martyr, Math Judson

Swan Dive, Saturday 25

Who the hell are Jack and Shaun, anyway? Doesn't matter. [Editor's note: It's actually sound engineer Shaun Shawnerson and Bright Light Social Hour bassist Jack O'Brien.] They've ditched the traditional birthday party crap for a wild psychedelic serenade. Shoegaze fivepiece Bad Markings will be presenting a cellophane gift basket filled with experimental mayhem and distorted allegro earworms. The ever-evolving Acid Carousel crew forgot to bring a present, but will make up for it with Badfinger-style retro rowdiness that flows straight-up groovy. Math Judson comes bearing newspaper-wrapped bundles of lo-fi-minded alternative songcraft, and BLSH alter ego Weed Martyr smokes the birthday candles. – Mars Salazar

Country Willie Edwards

Sagebrush, Saturday 25

An East Texas farmer, Country Willie rarely wanders out on extended tours, but with the release of last year's Midnight Cowboy, the prolific throwback songwriter's been scuffing up his stage boots a little more. Edwards' songs tromp through bars, boxcars, ramblin', and heartbreak aplenty, with his smooth, twanging tenor cutting between Merle Haggard and James Hand. Summer Dean launches behind last year's long-awaited debut LP, Bad Romantic, slinging classic Telecaster country that entices and bites in equal measure. Tiger Alley strings up first with the intoxicating jazz-licked roots of Katy Rose Cox's fiddle and Sophia Johnson's guitar. – Doug Freeman

Rakim, GZA/Genius

Empire Garage, Tuesday 28

Rakim should feel lucky that literally nobody ever refers to GZA by his complete, backslash-straddling rap name. It's probably the reason why any sensible debate as to the grand "genius" of old-school hip-hop lyricism will still whittle down to the Leader vs. the Scientist. (Not just a nickname, GZA has actually lectured on astronomy at Harvard.) Though Tuesday's head-to-head may ultimately turn on questions of retained vitality in old dude rap performance, the words themselves – be it the Clansman's brain-beating noir philosophy or the Microphone Fiend's whirlwind boasts – will always be "Living in the World Today." Tone Royal, Harry Edohoukwa, Aux Cutter stack the bill. – Julian Towers

Jackie Venson

Friday 24 – Saturday 25, Bugle Boy

Electric blues guitarist plays a doubleheader weekend set in La Grange. – Derek Udensi

Angélica Rahe (album release)

Saturday 25, 3ten ACL Live

Spanish-bred singer celebrates her follow-up to 2020 debut, Reina. – Derek Udensi

Denzel Curry

Saturday 25, 3ten ACL Live

The Carol City native’s latest album Melt My Eyez See Your Future – a work rich in self-reflection more so than thumping smashes – sees him blend influences such as the Soulquarians and Akira Kurosawa into what he brands as his green lightsaber moment in modern rap. Rapper-producer wonderkid redveil contributes among the openers. – Derek Udensi

Trae tha Truth

Sunday 26, Antone’s

Philanthropic Houston rapper Trae tha Truth adds a backing live band appropriate for the 5th Street nightclub. J Soulja opens. – Derek Udensi