OUR TOP PICKS
Friday-Saturday: Urban Music Fest at Auditorium Shores. Now in its 12th year, UMF has not abandoned its roots, programming soul legacy acts of the ‘60s and ‘70s. “The Beat Goes On” this year with Saturday night act the Whispers. But these days, the fest is just as focused on luring in grown and sexy 30- and 40-somethings ready to move and groove to ‘90s hip-hop and R&B. Original gangsta of New Jack Swing, Keith Sweat, headlines on Saturday, and Friday night’s lineup features R&B innovators Tony! Toni! Tone! with two of three original members (sadly, not Raphael Saadiq) and feminist hip-hop pioneer, MC Lyte. Former Destiny’s Child member Letoya Luckett and local hip-hop artist Troy Noka round out the bill on Friday, and jazz artists Kyle Turner and Althea Rene play Saturday. Two-day pass is $73.99 + fees; Friday $36.99 + fees; Saturday $40.00 + fees. Gates at 3 p.m. Friday, noon Saturday. 900 W. Riverside Drive. urbanmusicfest.com. — D.S.S.
MC Lyte performs in Los Angeles in 2015. (Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for BET)
Friday-Sunday: Honk!TX Community Street Band Festival. The little D-I-Y festival that could struts back into Austin for three days of low-brow musical merrymaking and mayhem. The party kicks off Friday with a “Night on South Congress” featuring performances at Jo’s Coffee and other nearby locations. On Saturday the event moves over to the North Campus area with a day party in the Hemphill Parks area by Spiderhouse Cafe and Wheatsville Co-op. Then on Sunday, the costumed crusaders march through East Austin before landing at the hillside amphitheater at Pan Am Park. All events are family-friendly and free. See honktx.org for schedule and details. — D.S.S.
Friday-Saturday: Sweet Spirit album release at Barracuda. The latest from Sabrina Ellis and Andrew Cashen’s pop powerhouse,“St. Mojo,” covers a lot of musical ground. Lead track “Power” is a hard-driving rock ‘n’ roll call to arms. Followup single “The Mighty” turns a wistful, power ballad interpretation of a Beatitude into an underdog anthem. Ellis channels Dolly Parton on a sweet little country ditty, “Far From Home,” and the album also includes a pop ode to Pamela Anderson. The album’s title conjures a mythical island in the band’s imagination. “Mojo is like the ‘Austin Powers,’ sex power and sex drive. Adding the saint to it makes it kind of this oxymoron,” Ellis says. So behave, or don’t. But sweat it out on the dance floor either way. (with Har Mar Superstar and Tinnarose on Friday, Absolutely Not and Fools on Saturday) Friday is technically sold out. Saturday tickets are $15. 9 p.m. doors. 611 E. Seventh St. barracudaaustin.com
Saturday: The Last Waltz 40 Tour at Bass Concert Hall. Subtitled “A Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Last Waltz,” this revue-styled show revisits the Band’s classic 1976 final performance, which Martin Scorsese turned into one of the great concert films of all time. A late and fortuitous add to the Austin show is the group’s keyboardist, Garth Hudson. He joins a cast that includes Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dr. John, former Allman Brothers guitarist Warren Haynes, golden-voiced country singer Jamey Johnson, producer/musician Don Was and Neville Brothers percussionist Cyril Neville. $59-$225. 8:30 p.m. 2350 Robert Dedman Drive. texasperformingarts.org. — P.B.
Saturday: Ruthie Foster album release at the Paramount. Foster isn’t quite a blues artist, but she’s been nominated for a blues Grammy three times. She’s not really a country artist, but Chris Stapleton wrote the first song on her new album, “Joy Comes Back.” She’s not exactly a rock artist, but yes, that is Derek Trucks of the Tedeschi Trucks Band playing slide on the title track. And nobody would call her music heavy metal, but there’s Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs,” jumping out from the middle of the record in a completely reimagined style. By now it’s clear that Foster pushes the broad umbrella of Americana to its limits in every direction. That’s pretty much been the case since her 1997 debut album, but it’s especially apparent here, as Foster’s soulful, gospel-informed voice ties together material that reflects the breadth of her talent and perspective. Carolyn Wonderland, David Grissom, Warren Hood and others are special guests on this night. $20-$44.50. 8 p.m. 713 Congress Ave. austintheatre.org. — P.B.
Saturday: Soul Rebels Sound System with Big Freedia at the Mohawk. How much NOLA can you handle? The mighty Soul Rebels, one of New Orleans’ finest brass bands, maintains a buzzing side business laying sound beds for rap’s lyrical heavyweights like Nas, Talib Kweli and Joey Bada$$. But for this gig, it’s all about the booty as they bring Queen of Bounce Big Freedia. Expect to see big bad brass and “Azz Everywhere.” $20. 7 p.m. doors. 912 Red River St. mohawkaustin.com. — D.S.S.
ALSO PLAYING
Friday-Saturday
Lotus at Emo’s (with CloudChord on Friday, Thibault on Saturday)
Mike Flanigin Trio with Jimmie Vaughan & George Rains at C-Boy’s
Katchafire, Inna Vision at Flamingo Cantina
Friday
St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Israel Nash at Stubb’s outdoor
Rickie Lee Jones at One World Theatre
Big Sam’s Funky Nation, A-Town Getdown, Tomar and the FCs at Mohawk outside
Erika Wennerstrom, Jess Williamson at Cactus Cafe
Eric Prydz at Kingdom
Mike & the Moonpies, Tahoma, Kathryn Legendre at Antone’s
Hector Ward & the Big Time, South Austin Moonlighters, Denny Freeman at Saxon Pub
Dale Watson, Rosie Flores at White Horse
Don Harvey & A Is Red, Stefano Intelisano & Nagavalli Medicharla at Townsend
LeRoi Brothers at ABGB
Mingo Fishtrap, Moorea Masa at 3Ten at ACL Live
Saturday
Victor Wooten Trio with Dennis Chambers & Bob Franceschini, Henry + the Invisibles at Empire
Walter “Wolfman” Washington & the Roadmasters, Nightowls, Omar & the Howlers at Antone’s
Electric Lady Planned Parenthood benefit with Kady Rain, Megafauna and more at Swan Dive
Raelyn Nelson Band, Jane Ellen Bryant, Nathan Edge at Townsend
Micky & the Motorcars at Saxon Pub
Nakia, Rochelle & the Sidewinders at Threadgill’s South
Sounds Del Mar, David Beck at ABGB
Van Wilks at One-2-One Bar
Sunday
Panic! At the Disco at Erwin Center
Ghetto Twiinz at Given Recreation Center
Knife in the Water at End of an Ear
Guilty Simpson, Nick Cruz of MDK, more at North Door
Avoid at Grizzly Hall
Soul of a Musician series with Ray Prim at Iron Cactus North
Dylan Bishop Band, Miss Lavelle White at Antone’s
James Hand at ABGB
