Not festing? Here are a few music options that are not Austin City Limits Festival.
Friday: Survive at Barracuda. The Austin electro band was suddenly in the national spotlight this summer for their ominous scene settings on the soundtrack to the hit Netflix show “Stranger Things,” which made their debut release on Relapse Records, “RR7349,” a significantly higher profile affair than anticipated. After this show the band embarks on a national tour. Curved Light, Future Blondes and others join the bill. Technically sold out. 9 p.m. 611 E. Seventh St. barracudaaustin.com. — D.S.S.
RELATED: Check out SURVIVE on the Statesman Shots podcast
Kyle Dixon (left) and Michael Stein, members of the Austin band Survive. Alyssa Vidales / AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Friday-Saturday: Utopia Fest in Utopia. Overlapping with weekend one of ACL Fest might be a gamble, but this hill country gathering a couple hours southwest of town has always marched to a different drumbeat. The eighth annual iteration features Ratatat, Victor Wooten, Thao & the Get Down Stay Down, White Denim, the Deer and more. $109-$189. Gats open at 9 a.m. each day. 1555 Lemond Road, Utopia. utopiafest.com. — P.B.
Friday-Saturday: Austin Corn Lovers Fiesta at Lost Well and White Horse. A closer-in, more humorous and much cheaper ACL Fest alternative is this seventh annual creatively named ritual from Jeff Smith’s Saustex Records. Friday’s show at the Lost Well, billed as “The Monsters of Costume Rock,” features Chasca, the Upper Crust, Pocket FishRmen and more. Saturday, the action moves to the White Horse for roots-garage bands including the Hickoids and New Mystery Girl. Friday: $10, 8 p.m., 2421 Webberville Road. Saturday: $5, 9 p.m., 500 Comal St. (And yes, there’s another round next weekend, at Hole in the Wall and Spider House.) saustex.com. — P.B.
Also this weekend:
Friday
- The annual “KUTX Live” morning show at 9:30 a.m. at the Four Seasons gets ACL Fest-goers in the mood with locals Israel Nash, Walker Lukens, Gina Chavez and Lincoln Durham.
- It’s not an official afterparty but Body Rock ATX’s Tribute to the Booty at Empire is the best place to take that “Bubble Butt” after warming up during Major Lazer’s ACL Fest set.
- Indie band Chakra Khan plays a vinyl release show at Cheer Up Charlie’s with Rose Selavy and others.
- Former Austin mainstay Papa Mali returns from New Orleans for a One-2-One Bar gig with Jeff Plankenhorn and Shinyribs.
- Blues-rock guitar burner Carolyn Wonderland is at Strange Brew.
Saturday
- Always-a-Friend-to-Austin Alejandro Escovedo returns from Dallas for a Continental Club show with Los Coast.
- Bollywood musicians Sonu Nigam of India and Atif Aslam of Pakistan play Cedar Park’s HEB Center.
- Los Angeles DJ Gnash visits Grizzly Hall.
- Roots-rocker Ramsay Midwood plays ABGB with DD Dagger.
Sunday
- Fred & Toody, from iconic Northwest garage-rockers Dead Moon, play the Lost Well.
- Guitar rocker John Evans plays the Soul of a Musician series at Iron Cactus North.
- Soul singer Miss Lavelle White plays early at Antone’s, with harp belter Greg Izor & the Box Kickers late.
