Duster
Thursday 7, Emo’s
Duster couldn’t have timed their second act better. The San Jose slowcore masters released two great, but relatively underground, albums during their initial Y2K-era run before disbanding for nearly 20 years. Shortly after reemerging with 2019’s Duster, the kids on TikTok discovered the melancholy guitar noodles and spacey drones of 1998 magnum opus Stratosphere. One well-received Oblivion Access set and five additional albums later – including this year’s In Dreams, as quietly introspective as ever – the newly celebrated, surprisingly prolific indie rockers land at Emo’s alongside Charlotte beatmaker Dirty Art Club. – Carys Anderson
¿La Pregunta?
Thursday 7, Chess Club
A Curious Mix of People, a phrase hatched about the Blue Flamingo at the corner of Seventh and Red River, rioted musically on that spot regularly. The Chess Club follows suit there now, so here’s an amber alert: Los Angeles cyberpunks ¿La Pregunta? will touch off a melee in the tiny corner club. Queer Brown anarcho Taco Guillen and cohorts Daniel James Halaby and Angee Zavala clang and bang digital rhythms, goth/noir synths, and industrial vox into a 21st century DIY frenzy. Pile on San Antonio gothwave project Night Ritualz, Dru Molina’s rrriotous Austin crew Mujeres Podridas, and local synth tensioners Flesh of Morning for maximum mosh. – Raoul Hernandez
Old 97’s and Fastball
Thursday 7, Scoot Inn
Anybody desiring a sociological/anthropological investigation into the musical tastes of Austin’s Gen Xers could do far worse than turn up at 1308 E. Fourth on Thursday. Old 97’s came roaring outta Dallas with a sound that was equal parts Gruene Hall and Emo’s, causing no less than Waylon Jennings to remark in these pages that they were “uncommonly good.” Fastball, meanwhile, parlayed their instant classic “The Way” into a successful power-pop career still bearing musical fruit. Both bands still play with a power, fire, and skill younger bands wish they had, as those at Scoot Inn discover this evening. – Tim Stegall
The Shards of Love
Friday 8, Butler Opera Center
Butler Opera Center’s “Song Re-Imagined” series started as a way for UT singers to share music during COVID, and soon blossomed into a stellar operatic series. For the fifth anniversary this fall they’re showcasing superb talents with a remarkable blend of classical and modern works. It’s beautiful music spanning centuries, held together by a universal question: What is love? Explore the answer through traditional Beethoven works, bumped right against glorious dissonance courtesy of Benjamin Britten. And it’s all closed by a Libby Larsen tale of queenly defiance against Henry VIII, female rage and power long before Six was even a twinkle in Broadway’s eye. It’s an evening full of love, shown through the infinite power of song. – Cat McCarrey
Santiago Jimenez Jr., Garrett T. Capps, Nicky Diamonds
Saturday 9, White Horse
An envoy up from San Antonio brings an eclectic bill of some of Alamo City’s best to the East Austin honky tonk. The legendary Santiago Jimenez Jr. leads the evening, the conjunto pioneer still strapping on his accordion at 80 years old to represent the family tradition. Garrett T. Capps, who produced Jimenez’s 2021 Still Kicking LP, serves the entree with his incomparable brand of cosmic cowboy psychedelic Tex-Americana that rips this year’s Everyone Is Everyone. Sweet-twangin’ Nicky Diamonds closes behind the highly anticipated debut of his 2024 country album Perdido en La Salsa. – Doug Freeman
Luxury Television
Saturday 9, Hotel Vegas
You never know what you’re going to get with Luxury Television. At their live shows, the genre-agnostic fivepiece sometimes plays jittery, guitar-based post-punk and sometimes plays abstract, tortured electronica. That the tone-shifting locals have readied a full-length album, then, comes as a welcome surprise. Two singles preview the LP and this weekend’s release show: “Live Action Remake,” a dreamy swirl of guitars, synths, and faraway vocals, and “The No Humor Man, He Sees Everything Like This,” which sharpens those fuzzy corners with staccato guitar riffs. Breezy indie poppers Matador Sphere (rebranded from Fading Yellow) and irreverent art-punks J’cuuzi open. – Carys Anderson
Exodus, Havok, Candy
Saturday 9, Empire Garage
Exodus dropped a Day of the Dead tribute to Bon Scott and Malcolm Young with a cover of AC/DC’s Highway to Hell snarl “Beating Around the Bush.” That proved a wiry encore to the thrash metal co-founders’ May fan find, British Disaster: The Battle of ’89 (Live at the Astoria), documenting remaining originator/drummer Tom Hunting, plus mainstays Steve Souza and Gary Holt. Equally Día de los Muertos, Denver thrash trio Havok also struck last Friday with hacking EP New Eyes. Both will have Richmond, Va., hardcores Candy to contend with following last month’s flattening EP Flipping and June Relapse Records crusher It’s Inside You. – Raoul Hernandez
Juvenile
Sunday 10, Stubb’s
Aside from Lil Wayne’s apparent status as New Orleans’ greatest rap export, Juvenile’s unique vocal drawl and grounded lyrics position him among Southern hip-hop’s highest order. After achieving local fame, his second release under the Cash Money label, the quadruple-platinum-selling 400 Degreez, propelled him (and the label) into the mainstream zeitgeist. The record produced two all-time rap singles, “Ha” and “Back That Azz Up.” The album set off a string of Cash Money platinum sellers and a run of hit records, including “Slow Motion” from 2003’s Juve the Great. Juve’s recent resurgence culminated in a much-requested and finally executed Tiny Desk Concerts performance at NPR. Mannie Fresh opens. – Kahron Spearman
Pleasure P
Tuesday 12, Antone’s
Pleasure P (born Marcus Ramone Cooper) started in Miami as a member of the popular and sexually suggestive R&B group Pretty Ricky, named after a bit character from the Nineties sitcom Martin. The group prospered through the early Aughts with RIAA gold-selling albums, 2005’s Bluestars, and the 2007 Billboard chart-topper Late Night Special. Pleasure’s setlist will surely include his platinum singles “Grind With Me” and “On the Hotline” and gold-seller “Your Body.” His profile as a solo artist was boosted with a feature on Flo Rida’s 2009 hit single “Shone.” But he has his 2009 debut, Grammy Award-nominated The Introduction of Marcus Cooper, to work from, including top 10 R&B charter, “Under.” – Kahron Spearman
Sampha
Wednesday 13, Emo’s
Born Sampha Lahai Sisay, the talented South London vocalist and producer first gained notoriety as a somewhat mysterious figure. Armed with an angelic voice, he released two highly acclaimed bedroom-recorded extended plays, 2010’s Sundanza and especially 2013’s Dual. But it would be 2017’s Mercury Prize-winning Process, a courageous and gorgeous meditation on the grief he felt following his mother’s passing, that launched him into full-on critical success as one of music’s leading artistic figures. 2023’s emotional and optimistic Lahai further confirmed his high-table status, creating an even tighter, more sophisticated Afro-futurist collage of jazz, jungle, and various alternative modes of soul. – Kahron Spearman
Cyndi Lauper
Thursday 14, Moody Center
On June 22, Cyndi Lauper turned 71 years old, so it’s not surprising that this tour is billed as her farewell run. She was 30 when her bombshell solo debut, She’s So Unusual, vaulted her onto the charts, and she handled overnight stardom better than most – as the terrific 2023 documentary Cyndi Lauper: Let the Canary Sing reminded everyone, in spite of seismic career downs (including most of the 1990s) and ups (writing the music and lyrics for the Tony-winning hit musical Kinky Boots), she remains a class act and can sing, credibly, anything in any genre. Expect audience weeping. – Joe Gross
Music Notes
by Derek Udensi
KUTX & Mueller Rock the Park
Friday 8, Mueller Lake Park Outdoor Amphitheater
The final 2024 event of the family-friendly music series spotlights neon noir duo Jane Leo and twangy teenager Pedal Steel Noah.
The Breakfast Boogie
Saturday 9, the Far Out Lounge and Stage
Enjoy more kid-oriented fun with morning rhymes courtesy of the erudite Bavu Blakes. This edition of the Breakfast Boogie keys in on hip-hop, with Blakes also hosting a writing challenge before inviting a select group of children to join him onstage for an open mic. Other elements of the culture are represented in the form of kids’ breaking crew Cap City Rockers and graffiti painting with Remote One.
Great Hope Festival
Saturday 9, Radio/East
Lunar Gold, Ben Kweller, and Heartless Bastards’ Erika Wennerstrom perform at this event benefiting the advocacy efforts of nonprofit organization HEAL (Health, Education, Advocacy, Linkage) Trafficking. HEAL aims to combat human trafficking from what it describes as a “health perspective.”
KASE 100.7 Friendsgiving
Wednesday 13, Cheatham Street Warehouse
Several noteworthy country musicians descend upon San Marcos for this event benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Artists set to perform include Jon Pardi and Megan Moroney.
Want to see all of our listings broken down by day? Go to austinchronicle.com/calendar and see what’s happening now or in the coming week.
This article appears in November 8 • 2024.
