Crucial Concerts for the Coming Week

Grupo Fantasma feat. Joe Bataan

Paramount Theatre, Friday 27

Nine deep and 21 years vested, Austin’s Grammy-winning Latin brass locomotive Grupo Fantasma backs Spanish Harlem soul pioneer Joe Bataan one time only – ¡solamente una vez! – as curated by Paramount booker/music apostle Zach Ernst. Bassist Greg Gonzalez answered a crucial question.

Austin Chronicle: Describe the importance of Joe Bataan and this opportunity for locals to experience him live and in the flesh?

Greg Gonzalez: Joe is an Afro-Filipino, Smithsonian-recognized musician, vocalist, and songwriter who grew up in East Harlem in the Forties and Fifties. He spent time in a local street gang and ended up in prison. Upon release, he turned to music with a conviction to change his life. He soon formed his first band of teenaged Puerto Rican musicians, including Willie Colón and Bobby Valentín, blending the local boogaloo, salsa, and doo-wop.

At 19, he released “Gypsy Woman” on Fania Records and [scored a] crossover hit. In 1973, he combined salsa, disco, and soul, and co-founded the Salsoul label, one of the most memorable imprints of the disco era. A chance encounter there led him to record one of the first rap songs, “Rap-O Clap-O.”

Joe represents one of the last remaining members of the New York music community whose innovations and experimentations led to some of the most influential Latin music. His musical legacy reflected our own as an outlier who embraced a more expansive pan-American sound, unafraid to take chances and mix genres. – Raoul Hernandez

Strand of Oaks, Pat Finnerty

For God’s sake, support newly sober songwriter Timothy Showalter on his eighth album as Strand of Oaks, In Heaven, and see how you don’t have to be in your cups to be or create fun. On his soaring folk-rock-country LP, Showalter tastefully (for rock people) smashes synths while aiming for emotional generosity specifically. He lands on twinkling, comforting Americana and pop constructions alongside Nick Cave- and John Prine-inspired meditations. It’s all optimistic, even when he’s singing about how he doesn’t have his buddy, Stan – his late cat – anymore. Professional shit talker Pat Finnerty opens. – Christina Garcia

Christelle Bofale, Egaux Sells

Christelle Bofale, one of Austin’s most brilliant singer-songwriters/guitarists, is moving on to NYC. With only six recorded tracks on Father/Daughter Records, Bofale’s solo performances and songs are so consistently moving that fans, like myself, likely know all the words to every single one. Not a second spared, her soft works in indie rock move like water (under appropriately titled debut EP Swim Team) through innovative structure, highlighted in the quintessential seven-minute “U Ouchea.” Locally based Egaux Sells, newly titled outlet of BluMoon’s Kendra Sells, joins the goodbye show following last year’s elegantly exploratory LP All in Your Head. – Rachel Rascoe

Live Music Revival Fest

A regionally focused, genre-flexible, affordable ($25-45) fest, LMR kicks off Saturday at Empire with a stacked Black Austin Musicians’ Collective day party (11:30am-5:15pm) including kaleidoscopic rockers Kalu & the Electric Joint; punks Pleasure Venom; lyricists Ifé Neuro, the Teeta, and Magna Carda; and R&B contemporist Daniel Fears. That night, Screwed Up Click veteran Lil Flip (7:15pm) highlights a bill headlined by local crunkstepper Crizzly (midnight). Sunday’s 11-hour run at Antone’s encompasses bedroom-popcrafters Fuvk (3:45pm), punk oddballs Big Bill (7:45pm), and Jackie Venson’s melodic vibrancy (8:45pm). Concurrently, Empire taps laid-back neo-soul jazzer KindKeith (3:15pm) and dynamic singer/rapper Abhi the Nomad (9:30pm). – Kevin Curtin

Women in Jazz Spring Concert

Co-founded by ATX jazz queen Pamela Hart, the Women in Jazz Association promotes not only women in the local jazz arena, but specifically women vocalists, since singers surprisingly get far fewer bookings in town than their instrumental peers. Presented by scene avatar Monks Jazz Club, the organization’s semiannual concert helps fill the gaps. Singers Melissa Briggs and Candance Bellamy and trumpeter Rachael Spencer team up with Hart for round robin showcases, backed by pianist Juliana Silveira, bassist Jessica Valls, and drummer Masumi Jones. In-person tickets went fast, but Monks streams live. – Michael Toland

Jad Fair, On Being an Angel

The convergence of alternative elder statesmen, up-and-coming slowcore, and Sublime covers could only be the variety-packing work of offbeat series Swass Night. Half Japanese half Jad Fair – marking a notable visitor to the increasingly busy little stage at Red River’s new Chess Club – totes last year’s first-time U.S. reissue of Kramer collab A History of Crying. Last month, On Being an Angel vocalist Paige Applin joined the Lemonheads onstage in L.A. for “Bit Part” after befriending Evan Dando during the Nineties act’s South by Southwest visit. Tuesday, Applin plays acoustic after Bradfish, aka Carlton Bostock of Lo Country’s take on Sublime – Quiche DJs. – Rachel Rascoe

Shinglers & Friends

Country outfit Shinglers spearheads a benefit concert for Texas abortion aid fund Buckle Bunnies. – Derek Udensi

Charley Crockett

The reigning Austin Music Awards Musician of the Year opens for Willie Nelson & Family on the first day of Nelson’s Memorial Day weekend triple-header at the New Braunfels venue. – Derek Udensi

Dreamfest

After – or in between – playing some mini-golf, enjoy an all-day music bonanza with local stars such as Gina Chavez, Bob Schneider, and Sir Woman. Carolyn Wonderland headlines. – Derek Udensi

Fidel Nadal

Argentine reggae/rock musician best known for the Latin Grammy-nominated single “Te Robaste Mi Corazón” and his work as part of the rasta-punk band Todos Tus Muertos. – Derek Udensi

This article appears in May 27 • 2022.