Slow your roll next time you cruise past the Victory Grill on East 11th Street. The storied venue got a makeover this weekend courtesy of the Trust Your Struggle artist collective. The California and New York-based group is touring the country this summer, creating murals in collaboration with local artists. The mural covering the west wall of the Victory Grill honors Austin soul queen Lavelle White, who drove by to see the piece Saturday night. Also pictured is Johnny Holmes, who founded the venue in 1945, and pianist Roosevelt “Grey Ghost” Williams, the first musician Holmes booked to play the juke joint. Mary Lindsey, who helps run the venue, put it best: “When I drove up tonight it blew my mind. They say we're losing our history but when I drove up tonight – there it is.” Click through the gallery for more.

This American Beat series from last year languished under a stack of poorly sorted CDs until my recent excavation. The label’s sense of whimsy and willingness to produce the music pretty much as you got it back then wins my admiration. The Sixties Series divides its music among six genres that distinguished the era, and those distinctions are sometimes muddied in these collections, but it doesn’t hamper the sheer pleasure. Bubblegum Gold, for example, chews up and spits out certified teenybopper treacle like the Archies’ “Sugar Sugar” and Tommy Roe’s “Dizzy” with legitimate soul numbers like Steam’s “Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)” and the vocal pyrotechnics of Lou Christie’s “Lightning Strikes.” The Five Americans’ “Western Union” saves the day.

There was one glaring omission in OTR’s recap of Lollapalooza 2008: Rage Against the Machine. From the opening charge of “Testify,” the reunited quartet’s headlining set on Saturday night was every bit as polemical and vehement as expected, the sheer power of the band magnified through its seven-year absence. Yet, for circumstances outside of Rage’s control, the show was more frustrating than it was entertaining. The volume was lowered considerably in an attempt to keep patrons from getting too riled up (it didn’t work). Making matters worse, the band had to stop on four separate occasions to ask the audience to calm down and look after each others’ safety, frontman Zach de la Rocha repeatedly pleading for everyone to take multiple steps backward to prevent crushing the people in the front. “Save that shit for the streets,” de la Rocha said after “Bulls on Parade,” referring to where the audience’s real struggle should take place. His cause was already lost.

Tributes and benefits are beautiful things. A while back I was involved with a few that were very successful and one was an epiphany. Right now, I’m on the fringes of another most worthy, the Steve Jordan tribute on Sunday at the H&H Ballroom in Southeast Austin, with the makings of one of those legendary Austin ya-shoulda-been-there nights. Here’s why: At the Candye Kane benefit in May at Antone’s, Billy Joe Shaver arrived onstage like he always does: ready to entertain. Only this night, he roared like a runaway train bound for hell if he didn’t save himself and the entire audience from damnation and ruination by singing like the devil had come down to Antone’s from Georgia and demanded a duel. Shaver was on fucking fire, blazing and stomping in tent show glory as if the power of music would purify us all. And it did.

Either Thao Nguyen has covertly moved to Austin or the San Francisco via Washington D.C.-based artist has been on constant tour the past six months. The pop prodigy has played more gigs in town recently than most local acts, including opening for Rilo Kiley at Stubb’s. Given the infectious charm of Thao with the Get Down Stay Down’s 2008 sophomore album, We Brave Bee Stings and All (Kill Rock Stars), they’re a band that Austin should love, and judging by the packed Wednesday night crowd inside at Emo’s, the frequent dates have paid off with a devoted Texas following.

Ever heard of Valdosta, Ga.? I hadn’t until I got familiar with Izza Kizza, Timbaland’s newest addition to his Mosley Music Group. Timba’s got a history of making careers (Missy Elliot, Nelly Furtado, J. Timberlake, maybe Magoo?), but he’s never put his chips on a male rapper until now. Kizza’s recent Kizzaland mixtape, mixed down by Nick Catchdubs, stays close to recent Timbaland trends. “Walk the Dog” finds Missy showing newbie the ropes (“Gotta dance, lemme show you what it do”), Under Construction dialed with “Back in the Day” groove. The Souldiggaz-produced “Here I Iz” oompa-loompas to Kizza’s “devilish flow,” “Fe Fi Fo Fummed”-up on that Dungeon Family mystery. The Timberlake-esque chug that fuels follower “Ooh La La” previews Kizza’s boast: “Ladies love me, girls adore me.” Interestingly, Kizza hits his most dynamic points apart from Timba. Fitz the Art Teacher’s feel-good “Georgie Peorgie” would probably even turn Sleepy Brown’s ear. Georgia gets weird so good.

Don't bother setting your Tivo. Alejandro Escovedo has canceled his appearance tonight on The Late Show with David Letterman, along with a handful of other dates, due to acute exhaustion. His next scheduled performance is at the Austin Child Guidance Center benefit at Antone's, August 28, featuring the reunited Reivers and Ian McLagan & the Bump Band. Fellow True Believer Jon Dee Graham is also on the mend after being discharged from the hospital over the weekend. No further benefits have been announced for Graham, who was involved in a one-car accident on July 25, but cards and well wishes can be sent to: Jon Dee Graham c/o Heinz Geissler Texas Music Group, 805 West Avenue Suite 1, Austin, TX 78701

Last night’s sold out show at the Parish was a study in contradictions. As expected, Brooklyn’s the Hold Steady brought the rambling, shambling rock, but there was lots to puzzle over. First, lead singer Craig Finn is the anti-rock star, a bespectacled schlub with a whiny voice that never really sings. That’s part of the quintet’s charm, though. It allows them to stand apart from others with a big love for 1980s arena rock. On record, this comes across as unadorned affection for Bruce Springsteen, with Finn’s lyrics telling similar tales of rebels and down-and-outers. In person most of the nuance was lost to the caverns of the Parish’s sound system. What remained was discharge of unrelenting power with little between song banter. There was plenty of goofy posing and off-kilter riffs, bringing to mind such disparate influences as Queen and the Replacements, which kept the sweaty faithful pogoing, pumping their fists and screaming along. Near the set’s end, the title track to their latest LP, Stay Positive, seemed like the moment of glory they'd been building to, with Finn beaming and a near mosh pit upfront. Despite the mutual affection, there wasn’t a huge uproar as the band closed the set. Do people just expect an encore these days? Of course THS returned for more, rounding out the set to just about 90 minutes of unrefined energy. No one left disappointed, except maybe those expecting the subtleties of their records brought to life.

For someone claiming to rap about nothing, Wale (pronounced wah-lay) sure has a lot to say. I first heard the DC rapper when he blasted off on the opening track of 2007’s Daptone Records Remixed, packing in obscure references to Seinfeld characters with cocksure flow. In May, Wale took the concept further, dropping a free download coyly titled Mixtape About Nothing. Stitched together with dialogue from his favorite sitcom, the opening track leans on that distinctive slap bass from the Seinfeld theme as Wale riffs on “what’s the deal?” “If you love substance you love Wale but most niggas love nothing so I made this tape,” he declares.