Music and family-friendly fun at Austin’s birthday bash, plus a benefit for a local guitar slinger and more.
OUR TOP PICKS
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Friday-Saturday: Ian Moore’s 50th birthday celebration at Antone’s. A native Austinite who moved to the Northwest two decades ago, Moore has made a point to keep strong ties with his hometown. So it’s no surprise that he’s returning to mark a major-milestone birthday at the blues club that helped shape his musical identity as a youth. Moore’s own music has tended more toward rock than blues, especially his new EP “Toronto,” a six-song blast of energy and exuberance that highlights his guitar playing. Local blues guitar mainstay Eric Tessmer opens both nights. $20-$22. 9 p.m. 305 E. Fifth St. antonesnightclub.com. — P.B.
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Saturday: Omar Apollo at Barracuda. The young singer-songwriter from Indiana was a wayward college dropout when he started releasing soulful bedroom pop on Soundcloud roughly a year ago. With Spanglish ballads that layer lovesick lyricism dripping with heart-on-sleeve sincerity over sunny meandering guitars, he rapidly started racking streams in the tens of thousands. He’s been remixing the songs for a larger release and this debut U.S. tour will probably be your last chance to catch him in such an intimate venue. $13-$15. Doors at 9 p.m. 611 E. Seventh St. barracudaaustin.com. — D.S.S.
Night Drive at ACL Fest 2015. (Suzanne Cordeiro for American-Statesman)
Saturday: Austin’s Birthday Bash at Republic Square. Back in 1839, the first plots of land in Austin were auctioned under a group of oak trees in a space that would eventually become Republic Square. Celebrate our city’s 179th birthday and the grand re-opening of the park with an all-day, family-friendly bash that includes sets from Night Drive, Los Coast, Patricia Vonne, Chulita Vinyl Club and more. Free and open to the public. The party kicks off with the Farmer’s Market at 9 a.m. and runs to 10 p.m. 422 Guadalupe St. facebook.com/RepublicSquare. — D.S.S.
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Sunday: Benefit for Omar Kent Dykes at Antone’s. Transplants from Hattiesburg, Miss., in the 1970s, Omar & the Howlers quickly became one of Austin’s liveliest and most successful blues-rock bands, releasing more than a dozen albums and touring internationally. Dykes, the band’s singer and guitar slinger and a distinctive, imposing frontman, hasn’t been able to play shows for more than a year because of a rare skin disease. Members of the Howlers will rally to help him on this Sunday afternoon, with guests including Marcia Ball, the LeRoi Brothers and Casper Rawls. $15-$20. 2 p.m. 305 E. Fifth St. antonesnightclub.com. — P.B.
ALSO PLAYING
Friday
Coheed & Cambria, Taking Back Sunday, Story So Far at Austin360 Amphitheater
Kabah, JNS at ACL Live
Jim Lauderdale at Threadgill’s North
Dave Koz & Friends at One World Theatre
Gorilla Vs Bear presents Sales, No Vacation at Mohawk outdoor
Kevin Galloway album release at Continental Club (also 5 p.m. at Waterloo Records)
Slomo Drags album release, Sometimes a Legend at Mohawk indoor
Nightowls, Tameca Jones, Jai Malano, Aaron Stephens at Scoot Inn
Nicolay & the Hot at Nights, Wes Haynes Band at Stubb’s indoor
Mike Flanigin Trio with Jimmie Vaughan & George Rains, Rosie Flores Revue at C-Boy’s
South Austin Moonlighters, Denny Freeman at Saxon Pub
Will Courtney, Dan Whitaker & the Shinebenders at Sam’s Town Point
Body Rock ATX at Empire
Lost Cosmos, Van Wilks at One-2-One Bar
James Polk’s CenterPeace at Elephant Room
Friday-Saturday
JerryFest with Deadeye at Threadgill’s World Headquarters
Saturday
311, Offspring at Austin360 Amphitheater
Jeff Williams’ Freelance Orchestra at ACL Live
Randy Rogers Band, Jon Wolfe, Kody West at Nutty Brown Amphitheatre
Alkaline Trio, Together Pangea, Ogikubo Station at Emo’s
Chingo Bling at Stateside at the Paramount
Nora En Pure at Vulcan Gas Company
Mike Flanigin Trio with Jimmie Vaughan & George Rains, Kathy & the Kilowatts at C-Boy’s
Christian Bland & the Revelators, Leather Girls, Stacks, Mean Jolene at Hotel Vegas
Graham Wilkinson, Ray Prim, Paul Oscher at Continental Club
Charlie Mars, Guy Forsyth at Saxon Pub
Ramsay Midwood at Sam’s Town Point
Wild Moccasins at Cheer Up Charlie’s
Roni Size at Empire
Graham Weber, Ali Holder at Cactus Cafe
Tomas Ramirez at Elephant Room
Tyler Hilton, Corey Balsamo at Stubb’s indoor
Bodega, Big Bill, Chronophage at Mohawk indoor
Sunday
Lil B, Keyboard Kid, Pnthn at Mohawk outdoor
Resentments, John Gaar at Saxon Pub
Savage Poor at One-2-One Bar
Rosie Flores at ABGB
Lo Jinx Supper Club, Purgatory Players at El Mercado Backstage