Frank Beard, legendary longtime drummer of ZZ Top, died on Monday, August 17. Born in Frankston, Texas, the famously beardless backbone of the Southern boogie rock group spent time living in Austin and Houston, viewing the former as a second home: He recounted stories of raucous shows at Armadillo World Headquarters and lovely Lake Travis living to the Chronicle in 2013. At 77, he’d been struggling with unspecified health concerns that sidelined him from several shows on the band’s The Big One! tour and landed him in hospice care. Frontman Billy Gibbons and bassist Elwood Francis canceled two shows after announcing the news, but returned to the stage at Austin City Limits on August 22 and 23 to “honor Beard’s extraordinary legacy in the city,” a press release from the venue stated. In a social media post, Gibbons mourned the loss, writing: “Today, Elwood and I lost a great friend and collaborator, and the world lost one of the most naturally innovative drummers and a great and true son of Texas. His signature backbeat was key to keeping ZZ on top.”
Michael “Big Mic” Pereida, local musician and co-founder of label and promoter College of Hip Hop Knowledge, passed away earlier this month. CHHK announced his passing on Tuesday, August 11, reminding his many fans and collaborators that “he loved everyone else in the scene and always did his best to uplift and motivate everyone.” “I really fell in love with that spirit of Austin, of [being] very accepting,” Pereida told the Chronicle in September 2025, before CHHK traveled to SXSW Australia to showcase local artists there. The journey was just one of many ways Pereida empowered Austin’s hip-hop and rap community, keeping the spirit he saw in Austin alive. Bringing artists together was always a critical part of his work, from CHHK to his producing work at Purple Bee Studio and booking role at Flamingo Cantina. Many have gathered in those spaces to celebrate his memory.
Maya Lin, renowned artist and designer of Washington, D.C.’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial, is creating an immersive 3,600-square-foot sculpture at the University of Texas at Austin campus, to be opened next April. Commissioned by UT’s public arts program, Landmarks, the work is set in a restored meadow of natural grasses and plants, located at 24th and San Jacinto, fostered in collaboration with urban design firm Lionheart Places and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Among the greenery, Lin has designed an organic form that people can walk across during the day and, by night, glows with LED lights mapping the constellations in the sky on the date UT was founded. “Much of my work begins with the landscape and the experience of moving through space,” Lin said in a press release. “This project grew out of the ecology of the site and the openness of the Texas sky, creating a gathering place within the daily life of the university.”
Marlow tearfully celebrates their “last stand” on Saturday, August 29. The cocktail bar located at 700 E. Sixth announced their closing on August 10 via Instagram. “Thanks so much to everyone that supported us these last 3 years!” they wrote. A venue for Red River Cultural District festivals Hot Summer Nights and Free Week, the chic space was also known for its happy hour, concert afterparties, and DJ nights. The announcement post did not give a reason for the closure, but invites revelers to enjoy music from Ben Morgan and DJ Diego the Fuego, flash tattoos, food pop-ups, and 50% off everything in their final hours.
This article appears in August 28 • 2026.
