Summer Calendar for Outdoor Music

Austin’s balmy weather and outdoor music seem to naturally gambol hand in
hand through the summer months here in Central Texas. Many’s the time that this
writer has lifted his eyes to the nighttime sky as the music plays and thought:
“It doesn’t get much better than this.” Here’s a partial listing of what’s
happening in the coming months.

• Outdoor Summer Concert Series: These free concerts take place at
  Auditorium Shores every Wednesday at 7pm, and Zilker Hillside on Sunday
  afternoons at 3pm.

• Auditorium Shores: Beto y Los Fairlanes
  (5/24), former Rocket Baby
  Johnny Goudie (5/31), a “June Is Jazz” celebration on June 14 (acts tba), Ponty
  Bone and the Squeezetones and the Austin Lounge Lizards (6/21), Ro-Tel &
  the Hot Tomatoes (6/28), and Mary Cutrufello (7/6).

• Zilker Hillside: Emily
  Kaitz and Mary Reynolds, and the Austin Klezmorim (6/4), the Rhythm Rats
  (6/18), and Gary Primich and Christine Albert (6/25).

• DMO Noontime Concerts: On Tuesdays through June in Regents Plaza at 6th
  and Colorado, the upcoming acts include: Extreme Heat (5/30), Martin Banks
  (6/6), Will Taylor (6/13), and the Walt Lewis Band (6/27). On Fridays through
  early June in Franklin Plaza at Congress and E. Cesar Chavez, Equity Properties
  sponsors acts like Denim (5/26), and John Arthur Martinez (7/2).

• Symphony Square Summer Music Series: With a budget price ($6-8), and a
  setting in one of downtown’s lovelier enclaves (at 1101 Red River), the
  Saturday night fare includes: Beto y Los Fairlanes
  (6/3), The
  Geezinslaws (6/10), Domestic Science Club (6/17), Ro-Tel & the Hot Tomatoes
  (6/24), Toni Price (7/1), Shake Russell & Jack Saunders (7/8), Omar and the
  Howlers (7/22), Susanna Sharpe & the Samba Police (7/29), Sebastian
  Whittaker (8/5), Monte Warden (8/12), Austin Lounge Lizards (8/19), and Jimmy
  LaFave (8/26).

• The Backyard: The Backyard at Bee Cave offers a
  comfortably rural atmosphere and some of the best concert sound in Central
  Texas. For Memorial Day weekend, Jerry Jeff Walker entertains on Saturday
  
  (5/27), with the First Annual Doyle Bramhall Barbecue taking place the
  following evening (5/28). Also slated to play are Widespread Panic and Little
  Sister (6/3), Little Feat and Omar and the Howlers (6/4), Hal Ketchum (6/8),
  Reggae Sunsplash starring Dennis Brown and Buju Banton (6/17), and Alison
  Krauss (7/14).

• Summer Jazz: In addition to their regular shows, the folks at the
  Backyard also present a jazz series this summer with: Spyro Gyra (6/2),
  Acoustic Alchemy (6/23), David Benoit (7/20), and Hiroshima (9/15). In fact,
  open-air jazz seems to be on the rise in Austin. Cedar Street has become a
  popular downtown hangout with seven nights of outdoor jazz (at 208 West 4th),
  while the Oasis overlooking Lake Travis is presenting jazz acts on its outdoor
  decks at sunset from Wednesdays to Sundays, with plans for concerts there as
  well. Also, the Clarksville Jazz Festival will return to Pease Park on June 10
  & 11, with T.S. Monk signing on as a national headliner in a slate of local
  and other name artists

• Summer Festivals: Such summer stalwarts as Freedom Fest in Zilker Park and
  the Austin Aqua Festival at Auditorium Shores return this year, although the
  talent line-ups have yet to be announced. The July 1 Freedom Fest will probably
  sound more like R.E.M. than REO this year, as promoter French Smith of Roadstar
  Productions promises a move towards alternative rock, and away from classic
  rock for the Fourth of July weekend celebration. Aqua Fest’s 23rd year will
  repeat its return to theme nights like country, Tejano, rock and R&B, Black
  heritage, and Czech/German night starting on July 28 and continuing through
  August 5. Roadstar will also be mounting its first annual Sixth Street Cajun
  and Crawfish Festival on June 10 & 11 with national and local Cajun and
  zydeco talent to be announced, as well as the second annual Sixth Street Music
  & Heritage Festival from August 2-5. Look too for a possible show at
  Auditorium Shores on August 26. Another new edition to the festival scene this
  year is the Texas Culture Bash celebrating 10 years of Texas Folklife Resources
  on July 23 at Laguna Gloria. Along with crafts demonstrations, literary
  readings, and a slew of other features, the Bash will present Johnny Gimble,
  Accordion Kings Mingo Saldivar, Ponty Bone, and Johnny Degollado, the Austin
  Klezmorim, fiddlers Valerie and Jimmie Don Bates, and others. As well, Willie
  Nelson will be throwing his legendary Fourth of July Picnic, this year at the
  equally-legendary burg of Luckenbach on Independence Day.

• KGSR Unplugged: These shows every Thursday evening at Shady Grove are
  always a solid bet, among those slated to perform are: Charlie Sexton
  Sextet (5/25), Apaches of Paris (6/1), Kevin Welch (6/8), Stephen Bruton
  (6/15), Sarah Brown Trio (6/22), David Halley (2/29) and Ian McLagan &
  Monkey Jump (7/27).