MONDAY
Blue Monday at Kenny Dorham’s Backyard. Helmed by Harold McMillan, every Monday, the Eastside Blues Syndicate brings together some of Austin’s elder statesmen of jazz and blues and young guns who are picking up the torch for a laid-back blues jam in the rolling open air venue next door to the historic Victory Grill. It’s a low-key, family-friendly event with food trucks and vendors on site. Pay what you can afford. 7 p.m. 1106 E. 11th St. facebook.com/kennydorhamsbackyard. — D.S.S.
Dale Watson, Don Pawlak and the rest of the Lone Stars play C-Boy’s. Photo by Suzanne Cordeiro for American-Statesman
Also: The Continental Club is undergoing renovations for a few days, so Dale Watson & His Lone Stars are taking their Monday residency down the street to C-Boy’s Heart & Soul for a night. … Hotel Vegas celebrates Michael Jackson’s birthday party with DJ Dennis Jimenez. … Prog rockers Finite Fidelity headline an inside show at the Mohawk. … Joining host Christine Albert for Mystery Monday at El Mercado Backstage are first-class local instrumentalists Rich Brotherton and Kym Warner. … Singer-songwriter Jane Ellen Bryant wraps up a month of Mondays at Geraldine’s.
TUESDAY
Durawa with Chris Duarte at Strange Brew. Drummer Ernie Durawa, whose distinguished career has included tenures in the Texas Tornados and Delbert McClinton’s band, is so beloved at Strange Brew that the club officially named its stage after him last year. He holds down a weekly early evening-slot that features a different special guest each week, often bringing in friends who are ringers for a small-room performance. This week he welcomes hot guitarist Chris Duarte, who recently moved back to Austin after many years in Atlanta. $6. 6 p.m. (Separate-ticket shows later feature Bruce Hughes at 8 p.m. and Band of Babies at 10 p.m.) 5326 Manchaca Road. strangebrewloungeside.com. — P.B.
Also: Eclectic four-string talent Linda Akinkunm, a.k.a. Violinda, plays an inside show at Stubb’s. … Beerland hosts a 9/11 Noisefest Fundraiser with Aunt’s Analog, Quttiniripaaq, Kiran Arora and more. … Spider House’s Sun Sets series presents a free early show with Leticia Rodriguez. … The Continental Club may be closed for a few days, but the upstairs Continental Gallery is still open, with James McMurtry holding court for his usual Tuesday acoustic show. … There’s great talent all evening long at the Saxon Pub, starting with Casper Rawls‘ happy-hour set followed by Sunny Sweeney & Brennen Leigh at 8 p.m. and then Bonnie Whitmore at 10 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals at ACL Live. Harper’s new record “Call It What It Is” is a broad musical platter that serves up his signature folksy but soulful rock with a hearty double helping of blues. Harper tackles the hard issues, the polarizing racial strife and police brutality that have defined the past few years, on an album that’s a deeply reflective portrait of the artist who has gracefully matured into a thoughtful middle aged man. This tour finds Harper reuniting with his longtime touring band the Innocent Criminals for the first time in seven years. (They’ll stick around to tape an episode of “Austin City Limits” on Thursday.) It’s worth noting that the Dixie Chicks have been closing their current tour with Harper’s tune “Better Way.” $49.50-$65. 8 p.m. 310 W. Willie Nelson Blvd. acl-live.com. — D.S.S.
Also: Sun Radio’s “Texas Radio Live” series at Guero’s features Bob Livingston’s outfit Cowboys & Indians plus honky-tonker Weldon Henson. … 3Ten’s free summer series “The Wine Down” is indeed winding down, with Blue Healer playing the next-to-last event. … You can’t go wrong all night at Antone’s, with Bill Carter and the Tommy Shannon Blues Band early plus Eve & the Exiles late.
THURSDAY
Krewella at Parish. It’s been a busy summer for EDM artists Krewella. Following a contentious split with a third member, sisters Jahan and Yasmine Yousaf released their first EP as a duo, landed a residency at a Vegas mega-club and even took a break to cover the Democratic National Convention for Billboard. The new songs blend melodic pop hooks into an electro-grinder of beat-drop EDM. This is the duo’s tour kickoff. Technically sold out. 8 p.m. doors. 214 E. Sixth St. theparishaustin.com. — D.S.S.
Also: It’s a big night for KGSR’s “Unplugged at the Grove” at Shady Grove as local treasures Marcia Ball, Carolyn Wonderland and Shelley King team up. … Americana artist Rob Baird is at 3Ten. …Alt-hip-hop producer the Gaslamp Killer plays Kingdom. … Flatulent punks Beltones play Grizzly Hall with Punks on Parade. … Husband-wife duo the Stacks mix up old-timey blues and gospel at Barracuda on a bill that also includes great local party-punk band Basketball Shorts. … Cactus Cafe features rising local stars Carson McHone and Ben Ballinger plus Jake Paleschic. … Sweetheart Studios celebrates one year with JD Clark, Slow Motion Cowboys and more at Hotel Vegas.
