FRIDAY
Los Texmaniacs featuring Flaco Jimenez at the Bullock Museum. The second of three free “Music Under the Star” concerts on the state history museum’s Lone Star Plaza is the most family friendly installment of the series. It’s hard to imagine a better blend of Texan and Mexican cultures than the eclectic, conjunto-centered sounds of Los Texmaniacs. The ringer is the addition of Jimenez, a living legend of the accordion whose accomplishments range from receiving Grammys for his own albums and with Texas Tornados to serving as the official Texas State Musician in 2014. Free parking is available in the museum’s garage. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. 1800 Congress Ave. thestoryoftexas.com. — P.B.
Also: You can choose just one of Strange Brew’s evening shows, but if you bought tickets to both Joe Ely at 7 p.m. and Jim Lauderdale at 9 p.m., it’d cost you about $60 combined — and what a deal, for two of Americana music’s top-tier greats. Compare that to a theater or festival ticket, and remember you’re sitting a few feet from the stage in a room with AC and sterling sound. Win. Ely, the 2016 Texas State Musician, also plays at 7 p.m. on Saturday. … Last year’s Texas State Musician was blues guitar great Jimmie Vaughan, whose Tilt-A-Whirl Band kicks off the final weekend of Antone’s 41st-anniversary run with the Mike Flanigin Trio. … Austin’s musician-for-all-seasons Bob Schneider teams up with the Tosca String Quartet at the Long Center. … Indie hip-hop lifer Aesop Rock brings the tour for his new album “The Impossible Kid” to Barracuda. … New Orleans funk-jazz crew Naughty Professor plays the Parish with A-Town GetDown. … Local EP-release shows find Aaron McDonnell at the White Horse and the Nightowls at Scoot Inn, while State School features its new album at One-2-One Bar. … Other top local options include the W.C. Clark Blues Revue at El Mercado Backstage, Bonnie Whitmore and South Austin Moonlighters at the Continental Club, Altamesa at Cactus Cafe, the Watters at Geraldine’s and Cornell Hurd at the Broken Spoke.
SATURDAY
Santigold performs at Stubbs on Friday, March 18, 2016 in Austin, Texas. Erika Rich for American Statesman
Float Fest at Cool River Ranch. It’s not one of the area’s biggest music festivals, but it’s literally one of the coolest: You can tube down the San Marcos River before the bands play, not to mention that the venue is called the Cool River Ranch. This year’s lineup is pretty cool, too, if you’re into a broad range of indie-oriented sounds. Top draws include Chromeo, Future Islands, Santigold, Bleachers and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, with local and regional representation including Riders Against the Storm, Nina Diaz and Holiday Mountain. Bands perform on two stages to keep the music going constantly, beginning at 2 p.m. each day and running till midnight Saturday and 11 p.m. Sunday. $60 single-day ticket, $99 two-day pass. Ticket includes float pass; camping extra. 601 Dupuy Ranch Road, Martindale. floatfest.net. —P.B.
Also: The two-week celebration of Antone’s 41st anniversary ends with a bang as New Orleans’ vaunted Dirty Dozen Brass Band team up with soul man Bobby Patterson & the Disciples at 10 p.m. Come early for a Tex-Mex dance and tribute to bass legend Keith Ferguson with music from Conjunto Los Pinkys with Isidro Samilpa at 6:30 p.m. … X co-leader John Doe brings the tour for his new solo album “The Westerner” to the Continental Club, with Austin guitarist Jesse Dayton both playing in his band and opening the 8:30 p.m. show. Local Afrobeat band Hard Proof plays afterward. … Riot-grrrl pioneers L7, whose tales are told in the new documentary “Pretend We’re Dead,” play the Mohawk’s outdoor stage with John Wesley Coleman. … Brazilian psych-rockers Boogarins are at Hotel Vegas with Jean andCrocodile Tears. … The songs of R.E.M. get the tribute treatment from hometown group Recovering in an 8:30 p.m. hourlong set at the Highball. … ABGB features a Love Your Rescue Pet Day fundraiser with a 6 p.m. set from Suzanna Choffel. … Release parties for local acts include Will Courtney for his new CD “Planning Escapes” at the Carousel Lounge with the Ugly Beats, and Ruby & the Reckless for their new single and video “Rainbow” at Scoot Inn with Major Major Major and Smile.
SUNDAY
“Carmen Loves Ella” at One World Theatre. Women in Jazz, a local group dedicated to providing more opportunities for female artists in a genre that often flies under the radar here, presents a night of classics from the Ella Fitzgerald songbook. Accomplished singer Carmen Bradford fronts a quintet of local musicians, with vocalist Karen Tennison opening the show. $25-$40. 7 p.m. 7701 Bee Caves Road. onewordltheatre.org. — P.B.
Also: New band Monte Warden & the Dangerous Few, fronted by the longtime Wagoneers leader, take the 7:30 p.m. slot at the Continental Club, with country mainstay Heybale in their usual slot afterward. Come early for guitarist Casper Rawls’ weekly “Planet Casper” gig at 3:30 p.m. … Upstairs in the Continental Gallery, Jon Dee Graham is back from a Midwest tour to host his Lo Jinx Orchestra show. … Other quality roots-music options include David Holt at El Mercado Backstage, the Resentments at the Saxon Pub, and Mike Stinson at 4 p.m. at Little Longhorn Saloon. … A Queens of the Stone Age tribute night on the Mohawk’s indoor stage features members of the Midnight Stroll, Young Tongue, Megafauna and more. … Kacy Crowley hosts Strange Brew’s monthly New Artists Showcase at 8 p.m. featuring Jake Farr, the Jacksonville Kid, Patric D’Eimon and Sonya Uddin, with an open mic following at 10 p.m. … Come and take his $50 club-show tickets, because nobody else will: Once an arena act, Ted Nugent now apparently can’t sell out the Scoot Inn.
