Weekend music picks: Cilantro Boombox, Against Me!, Son Volt and more

OUR TOP PICKS

Friday: Cilantro Boombox at Waterloo Records. The eight-man crew has a fantastic knack for layering brassy blasts and funky bass lines onto rich polyrhythms to create booty-moving experiences. Their new eight-song release “Shine”captures the rollicking vibe of their Afro-Latin-reggae-funk mashups, but do yourself a favor and catch it live. Free. 5 p.m. 600 N Lamar Blvd. waterloorecords.com — D.S.S.

Friday: Against Me! At the Mohawk outdoor. On the band’s 2014 album “Transgender Dysphoria Blues,” lead singer Laura Jane Grace explored the process of rebirth as she transitioned into a woman. The 2016 followup, “Shape Shift With Me,” tackles love and relationships. The tightly wound collection is written from a trans woman’s perspective, but the songs, with anarchic fury, capture the emotional turbulence that marks all heartbreak and loss. Lemuria and Mobina Galore at Mohawk open. (technically sold out) 7 p.m. 912 Red River St. mohawkaustin.com — D.S.S.

Saturday: Son Volt, Johnny Irion at Scoot Inn. Few living musicians are more responsible for the collision of underground rock ’n’ roll with old-school country than Jay Farrar. From his early work with Jeff Tweedy in Uncle Tupelo through more than two decades fronting Son Volt, as well as issuing occasional solo records, Farrar has continued to make music that’s deeply rooted and forward-looking at the same time. The new Son Volt record, “Notes of Blue,” draws more from Farrar’s interest in blues music, and the current touring lineup features an Austin-grounded rhythm section in bassist Andrew Duplantis and drummer Mark Patterson. Arrive early for Johnny Irion, who’s taking a detour from making records with his longtime partner Sarah Lee Guthrie for a solo album to be released soon. $20. 7 p.m. 1308 E. Fourth St. scootinnaustin.com. — P.B.

Saturday: Joe Eddy Hines benefit at Saxon Pub. A longtime fixture in the Austin music scene who played with Alejandro Escovedo for many years, guitarist Joe Eddy Hines is fighting cancer. A bunch of his friends have rallied to help him out with this benefit, including the Remissions, a band of cancer survivors including guitarists Bradley Kopp and John Rey Reed, bassist Jimmy Pettit and drummer Ian Bailey. Others taking part include Van Wilks and Eric Larson & Peacemaker. $20. 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. 1320 S. Lamar Blvd. thesaxonpub.com. — P.B.

Saturday: Gurf Morlix record release at El Mercado Backstage. Renowned guitarist and producer for many of the finest roots-music performers in Austin (and beyond), Morlix is now 10 albums into a two-decade run of making his own music as well. Self-produced at his home studio west of town, “The Soul & the Heal” is well titled, as these songs are a good fit for times that try men’s souls, even as they seek redemption. Playing most of the instruments himself — with assists from Rick Richards (drums), Ray Bonneville (harmonica) and Nick Connolly (B3 organ) — Morlix digs deep into the blues and scars of life on tracks such as “Bad Things,” “Cold Here Too” and “I’m Bruised, I’m Bleedin’.” Not everything is so heavy: “Move Someone” celebrates the simple epiphany of making an emotional connection, while “Quicksilver Kiss” sets a memory of romantic reverie to a bittersweet melody that his former collaborator Lucinda Williams could turn into gold. Every Morlix album seems to have an instant classic, and here it’s “Love Remains Unbroken”; if it’s not quite an antidote to the harsh realities faced on much of the record, it’s still a welcome affirmation of what matters most in the long run. $15. 8:30 p.m. 1302 S. First St. elmercadorestaurant.com. — P.B.

Sunday: Tim Henderson tribute and record release at Threadgill’s South. No less an authority than Townes Van Zandt once called the late Tim Henderson “the best songwriter I know.” A native of West Virginia who moved to Austin around 1970, Henderson became one of the great chroniclers of Texas culture with songs such as “Jesus Would Have Loved El Paso,” “Galveston Shrimper,” “Austin in the Summer” and “Rusty Old Red River.” Dozens of his tunes are gathered on “The Legacy Collection,” a new six-disc set that aims to give long-overdue recognition to a Lone Star hidden treasure. Shelley King, Ed Miller, Tish Hinojosa and more than a dozen others will sing Henderson’s songs at this afternoon event. Free. 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. 301 W. Riverside Drive. threadgills.com. — P.B.

Sunday: Christina Cavazos EP release at Lemon Lounge. Just 17 and a junior at the Austin School for Performing and Visual Arts, Cavazos follows up last year’s five-song debut with a seven-song set that suggests she’s not just a future name to watch, but a captivating singer-songwriter who has already arrived. Working with producer Louie Lino plus a backing crew that includes South Austin Moonlighters rhythm section Lonnie Trevino Jr. and Phil Bass, Cavazos casts beautifully dreamy spells with her clear, high voice drifting above smartly low-key arrangements that allow the compelling melodies of her original tunes to shine. $12. 8:30 p.m. 908 E. Fifth St. facebook.com/lemonatx. — P.B.