Austin revived both Blues Festival and Psych Fest this time three years ago – a tough feat from the jump in an oversaturated live market, and one made trickier each year as the shindigs’ distinct genres fall further in the cultural consciousness’ rearview.
No longer on the same schedule, the Antone’s affair had local music lovers’ full attention last weekend, and officially perfected its approach to a contemporary blues showcase in the process. Requisite elder statesmen commingled with country crooners, Latin groovers, and funk innovators outdoors at Moody Amphitheater, expanding the festival’s titular mission to celebrate all corners of American music. Mercifully rain-free and delightfully diverse, there was a whole lot of rhythm going round.
Los Amigos Invisibles Make Friends With the Blues
An infectious breeze from south of the border flitted through the festival grounds on Saturday afternoon, echoing a global embrace of Latin influence across genres.
“We know we are not a blues band,” laughed Los Amigos Invisibles’ lead singer Julio “Chulius” Briceño in one of few breaks in the sixpiece’s late-afternoon set. The charismatic performer extended his gratitude for Austin Blues Fest’s warm welcome, assuring the crowd that they were happy to provide some “Caribbean funk.”
In colorful tinted shades and patterned button-downs, the outfit from Caracas, Venezuela, lived up to their reputation for electric live performances. Their blend of Latin-infused, synthy acid jazz kept an intergenerational crowd shaking and grooving in the shade of the stage and bobbing along deep into the lawn. Coordinated jumps, swaying and clapping, even a brief dance lesson found dedicated fans singing passionately and fans-to-be grinning and playing along with Briceño’s antics.
Pulling from across their lush and expansive 12-album discography, the seasoned musicians leaned into their funky side in some moments and their disco heart at others – with a surprise chorus of Chic’s “Le Freak” and a distortion-embracing rock & roll finish. – Caroline Drew
Adrian Quesada’s Collaborators Tap Into the Theatrics of Boleros Psicodélicos II
“They said blues fest, I came with psychedelic ballads in Spanish,” deadpanned Adrian Quesada halfway through his Boleros Psicodélicos set. “I’m here to bring part of my culture, part of my music, part of my upbringing. I’m so glad that they’re so open-minded to bring this music as part of Austin Blues Festival music,” he then added sincerely. “And in the spirit of following instructions, now we’re going to play some cumbia.”
Casual, confident, and clearly at home on the Moody Amphitheater stage, the Black Pumas multi-instrumentalist plucked and strummed the heart of his project’s impassioned serenades. Laid-back cumbia tracks and kaleidoscopic instrumental performances in the hands of Quesada and his band, including bassist Terin Ector, drummer Jay Mumford, and keyboardist Joshy Soul, felt like a refreshing intermission. Once joined by vocalists, the group became something of an emotional backdrop to the operatic performances of Trish Toledo, Angélica Garcia, and Mireya Ramos.
Where Toledo and Ramos’ sonorous voices drew from a deep reserve of feeling, deliberately revealed over the duration of their ballads, the sprightly Garcia drew the audience into her palm with a dynamic, near theatrical attitude. Seemingly puppeted by sheer emotion, the singer laughed, looking abashed, at the crowd’s enthusiastic ovation following her first number. The potent performer drew out the boleros’ psychedelic side, leaning into their occasional hip-hop stanzas and rock elements. – Caroline Drew
Eric Johnson Is Still Austin’s Guitar God
Eric Johnson is no secret to Chronicle readers, having won several Austin Music Awards over his four-decade career. His Saturday night set marked the genre-bender’s Austin Blues Festival debut. Johnson, alongside bassist Daniel Kimbro and drummer Tal Bergman, got to work on a show that jolted even the most relaxed sunbathers on the lawn. He scrapped the acoustic material he’s been showcasing in recent performances in favor of a powerfully technical mix of blues and jazz fusion. A cover of Duke Ellington’s “Caravan” made it clear early on that nobody in the trio was holding back. Johnson’s dexterous explorations gave way to a masterful electric bass solo from Kimbro, while Bergman – justifiably accompanied by a stank face – held things down with drums that fluttered yet still had the muscle to feel like a punch in the gut. (His solo during “On Green Dolphin Street” practically summoned something.) Remarkably, the 71-year-old Johnson’s boy-band-ready vocals haven’t diminished much at all, and he got to show them off during his Eighties ballads “Friends” and “Desert Rose” – I don’t know how popular “Desert Rose” is for karaoke, but it’s not popular enough. The Grammy-winning “Cliffs of Dover” concluded the set in a whirlwind of melodic shredding and drunk crowd chatter about how this guy can “rip.” – Joseph Gonzalez
Jimmie Vaughan and Special Guests Craft Love Letter to Blues, Soul, and Austin Music
From its inaugural 1999 event and every year since its 2023 revival, Jimmie Vaughan has lent his smooth, classic blues stylings to ABF, usually bringing some special friends along. Vaughan and his Tilt-A-Whirl Band, alongside the Texas Horns, rolled through classic covers and favorites from his solo career and time with the Fabulous Thunderbirds – including “Scratch My Back,” “Roll, Roll, Roll,” and “The Crawl,” where the 75-year-old guitarist played behind his back without missing a beat. Behind Vaughan’s impassioned vocals and thoughtful licks, the set delivered on its promise of slick blues and golden-era rock. Midway through, Vaughan’s legendary contributions to the Texas music industry – and his recent birthday – were recognized with a special commemoration from the Texas Music Office. Guest Soul Man Sam jokingly pointed out that he just turned 78 with no such recognition, then locked in the audience with Gospel-like preaching and a raucous “Let the Good Times Roll.” Tomar Williams followed, showing off on powerful renditions of the Vaughan Brothers’ “Tick Tock” and Eddie Floyd’s “Knock on Wood.” After much anticipation, Gary Clark Jr. joined the band, singing on “Oh, Pretty Woman (Can’t Make You Love Me)” and trading solos with Vaughan on “I Like It Like That” and “Wine, Wine, Wine.” The collaborative marathon set couldn’t have captured the ethos of the Austin Blues Festival any better. – Joseph Gonzalez
Chaparelle Enchants
Fresh off their wedding – and last week’s Chronicle cover story – Chaparelle’s Zella Day and Jesse Woods spent their Sunday afternoon charming the festival crowd with dreamy vintage country and unmistakable chemistry. The easy danceability of “Devil’s Music” set the tone as Day worked a headless tambourine, while Woods, stoic and mysterious, strummed an acoustic guitar and third member Beau Bedford played electric. Woods’ hardened demeanor contrasted with his wife’s explosive vocals and electric stage presence, but they came together naturally in sweet harmonies and playful flirtation. “If I could talk to my youngеr self today/ I’d say, ‘Find yourself an older man who can lеad the way,’” Day sang, leaning her backside on her husband. All Chaparelle’s released material combined wouldn’t be enough to fill the hour set, but luckily the newlyweds each have albums of originals, including Day’s “Girls,” in reserve. Raw vocal power was an understatement as the frontwoman blasted through her microphone and led a sing-along of the lyric, “I love a freaky girl.” A sax solo fully transformed the pop recording into the high-octane climax of the show. They paid tribute to Whitney Houston with a romantic cover of “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” and closed out with the Woods-led “Playing Diamonds Cashing Checks,” leaving the stage just a little bit warmer. – Joseph Gonzalez
The War and Treaty’s Forcefield of Love
There are married couple musicians who shy away from sharing their relationships onstage – and then there’s the War and Treaty. At the Austin Blues Festival, Michael and Tanya Trotter vigorously imparted the power of their love story: through duets about finding connection in difficult moments (fan favorite “Five More Minutes” and unreleased track “Made a Big Mistake”), triumphant tales of romance (“Can I Get an Amen”), and more.
As they serenaded the crowd, the couple also serenaded each other, holding hands and playfully sharing sensual promises in “Are You Ready to Love Me?” and reveling in a broader, affectionate belief in love’s healing potential on songs like “Beyond the Galaxy” and feminist set closer “High Heels.”
“Don’t you ever let anyone make you believe that there’s more people that hate than [people] that love,” keyboardist Michael instructed, before encouraging audience members to take one another’s hands in a pledge to lead with kindness. The pair’s endearing sincerity, beautifully delivered by their silky rich voices, twirled into danceable blues-based party tracks with energetic horn lines, spry guitar licks, and upbeat keys that made the earnestness of their dynamic even more contagious. – Caroline Drew
Parliament-Funkadelic Builds One Nation Under Many Grooves
George Clinton formed his first group, the New Jersey doo-wop outfit the Parliaments, in 1956. Performing in Austin seven decades later, the bandleader and his intergenerational, constantly regenerating funk-rock collective laid claim to nearly every genre of popular music developed since.
Around 15 people flanked the singer onstage Sunday: dancing, singing, shredding, hyping, even painting a portrait of Clinton in the corner. The main man, while agile for 84, often sat down, chiming in with an impassioned, gravelly “yeow” while additional singers, including daughter Scottie Clinton, took the lead. Yet the elder Clinton, in a sparkling captain’s hat and a T-shirt with his face on it, adeptly maintained his role as ringleader, a lively figure as thrilled to see his bandmates jam as they were to celebrate their founder.
The set list induced sonic whiplash. Fifty-year P-Funk veteran Mike “Kidd Funkadelic” Hampton and fellow guitarist God’s Weapon delivered a truly transcendent “Maggot Brain,” yet the band followed the slow, reflective instrumental with a fist-bumping cover of House of Pain’s squealing “Jump Around.” Interpolations of other rap hits (Big Sean’s “I Don’t Fuck With You,” Lil Jon’s “Get Low”), latter-day Funkadelic trap tryouts, and an ear-splitting, devil horn-raising heavy metal section likewise surprised, even in light of the blazing rock & roll of “Super Stupid.”
Joyfully disjointed, the set made good on Clinton’s 70-year mission to realize Black ascendance – from the ground floor of American culture up to the Cosmic Slop. – Carys Anderson
Austin Blues Festival
Moody Amphitheater
April 25-26
See more photos from Austin Blues Festival 2026 here.
This article appears in May 1 • 2026.
