FRIDAY
Izzy Fest at Spider House Ballroom. Voodoobilly firebrand and steampunk romantic Izzy Cox’s bluesy bar busters and beguiling gypsy jazz draw on her colorful backstory of a renegade youth spent in traveling circuses, religious marching bands and mosh pits. Recently, Cox, a regular at Austin haunts like Beerland and the Carousel Lounge, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Her musical friends are throwing this two-day extravaganza to benefit Cox and the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, which is helping with her treatment. Rockabilly lifers Flametrick Subs headline a Friday bill that also includes Worm Suicide & the Devil Club; Saturday’s lineup features the Hickoids, the Hormones and Black Irish Texas. $10 suggested donation. 6:30 p.m. doors Friday, 9 p.m. doors Saturday. 2908 Fruth St. spiderhouseaustin.com. —D.S.S.
Ian Moore plays an acoustic show at Strange Brew. Photo by Curtis W. Millard
Also: Experimental metal outfit Inter Arma brings sludgey riffs and guttural growls to Sidewinder. … Kay Odyssey, featuring dreamy vocals from Kristina Boswell and Kelsey Wickliffe and mean guitar licks from longtime scene standout Liz Herrera, play a tour kickoff at Hotel Vegas. …The Continental Club presents a night of hot Texas R&B and soul with San Benito’s Charley Crockett and Austin’s own Tomar & the FCs. … Vancouver producer Ekali, who has worked with Drake, plays Kingdom. … 1970s folk-rockers Firefall visit One World Theatre. … Texas-bred, Seattle-based blues-rocker Ian Moore does an acoustic show at Strange Brew, while Texas-bred, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Ryan Beaver plays indoors at Stubb’s. … Enigmatic indie-pop outfit Magia Negra celebrates the release of a new video at Empire, and blues rocker Eric Tessmer introduces his new EP at Antone’s. … The two-night “Jerry Fest” at Threadgill’s features Grateful Dead covers from Deadeye. … Hole in the Wall presents one of its best nights of local rock ’n’ roll in a while with Wrenfro, Moonlight Towers and the Luminarios. … For home-cooked blues chops, it’s hard to beat the Mike Flanigin Trio with Jimmie Vaughan, starting a two-night stand at C-Boy’s. Keyboardist Emily Gimble opens on Saturday. … Other top local options include the Bluebonnets with Denny Freeman at the Townsend, Rosie Flores and Kathryn Legendre at the White Horse and Graham Wilkinson at Geraldine’s.
SATURDAY
Sean McConnell at the Parish. McConnell’s self-titled Rounder Records debut, issued earlier this month, follows more than a decade of DIY releases. Early cuts on records by Texas country mainstays Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen helped lead the Boston-raised singer-songwriter toward greener pastures in Nashville, where major acts such as Tim McGraw and Rascal Flatts recorded his tunes. Under his own name, McConnell is more folk-pop than commercial country, but the instant appeal of his singing and his instinctive songwriting chops make him a can’t-miss talent. Expect to find him at venues much larger than the Parish soon. Dallas upstart Troy Cartwright opens. $13. 8 p.m. 214 E. Sixth St. theparishaustin.com. — P.B.
Also: Electric blues guitarist and singer Jonny Lang plays ACL Live with Patrice Pike opening. … Southern-rock mainstay Edwin McCain visits One World Theatre. … Members of Austin bands Moving Panoramas, American Sharks and more pay tribute to art-rock queen Kate Bush at Barracuda. … Emotional indie-rocker Jonathan Fox and harmonious folk-rockers the Gents play Stubb’s indoors. … Vaden Todd Lewis, known for his long tenure with Fort Worth alt-rockers the Toadies, stops in at 3Ten. … Lamberts presents a solid bill of locals with Daniel Eyes & the Vibes, Harvest Thieves and Ruby & the Reckless. … Houston metal band Helstar tops a Grizzly Hall bill with Omen and Death of a Dream. … Get your honky-tonk fix with Dale Watson at the Broken Spoke and Aaron McDonnell at Geraldine’s, or go for the blues with W.C. Clark at Antone’s and Omar & the Howlers at the Saxon Pub. … Local group Torrejon plays songs from its new EP “The Art of Emptiness” at the Townsend.
SUNDAY
Shinedown at HEB Center. Hard rock outfit Shinedown has a knack for aggressive anthems with catchy hooks. The radio faves headline the Carnival of Madness at the venue formerly known as Cedar Park Center. The event is billed as a “celebration of rock” and includes the furious Pennsylvania brother/sister-led Pennsylvania metal act Halestorm alongside Black Stone Cherry and red dirt rockers Whiskey Myers. $35-$49.50. Parking is $15-$20 cash only. 5:30 p.m. doors. 2100 Avenue of the Stars, Cedar Park. hebcenter.com. — D.S.S.
Also: New York roots-rocker Greg Trooper plays the 6 p.m. slot at Strange Brew. … Longtime Austin blues-rock guitarist David Holt continues his new Sunday residency at El Mercado Backstage. … Darius Jackson & the Mighty Texas Blues Band play songs from their upcoming debut album at Antone’s, which also features an early show with Miss Lavelle White. … Midafternoon on South Congress finds honky-tonker Dale Watson at C-Boy’s and guitar ace Casper Rawls at the Continental Club, both at 3:30 p.m.
