Happy Holidays, awesome Austinites! Not to terrify you or anything, but as of this article, there are 13 shopping days left until Christmas. But don’t panic! There’s relief from the madness in the form of killer Austin music. This weekend, we suggest snarling Southern rock, a beautiful Christmas party, and high-quality ’70s psych rock. Stay cool, Austin, and always listen local!
Friday, Dec. 13
Cowboy Diplomacy w/The Lewd Dudes
@ Empire Control Room & Garage (606 E. 7th) – 8. p.m. – Facebook event
Snarling rock-a-blues with a distinctively Texas lean, Cowboy Diplomacy jumped off the concert listings and into my earholes with authority. “No Alibi’s” Southern rock strut saunters and preens, while “Follow Me” slithers and crawls like a snake charmer’s viper.
The group’s latest single, “Mountain Man,” is a triumph. Part Black Angels psych groove, part Lincoln Durham stomp-stomp-smash, the track’s good time growl is infectious. And spoiler alert for the song’s final 45 seconds. Good Lord, it slaps!
If “Mountain Man” is a precursor of what’s to come on the upcoming record “Burn Down the Road,” then expect something special. For a sneak peak, swing by Empire this Friday.
Molly Burch’s Holiday Party
@ Scholz Garten (1607 San Jacinto) – 9 p.m. – Tickets
Those close to me know a deep, dark secret. I love holiday music. My Spotify list gets cranked up two seconds after Santa rolls down 34th Street on Thanksgiving, and doesn’t stop until the ball drops. Based on her new Christmas record, Molly Burch shares my enthusiasm.
Opening with a sparse rendition of Ella Fitzgerald’s “The Secret of Christmas,” Burch’s jazz-inspired vocals wraps well-well worn classics like “Last Christmas” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” in a velvety bow. As for my playlist, the bouncy, hopeful “Holiday Dreaming” and “What Do the Lonely Do at Christmas?” sullen portrayal of the holiday doldrums are new additions.
Jump-start your holiday season with this fun and festive performance.
Saturday, Dec. 14
Good Field w/Royal Forest, Union Specific
@ Stubb’s Indoors (801 Red River) – 10 p.m. – Tickets
Fresh off snagging a grant at last week’s Black Fret Ball, Good Field takes its brand of fuzzed out pop rock to Stubb’s indoor stage. Tunes like “Business” bounce atop a shaggy Velvet Underground-inspired pop/rock jam, while “Necessary Feeling” off 2018’s “Surface Tension” balances Paul Price’s reckless, wandering vocals with expansive and pure ’70s head music.
If the band’s two-song set at Black Fret Ball was an appetizer, then consider this Saturday show at Stubb’s a four-course meal.
➡️ Keep reading: Austin Musicians Granted $250,000 at 2019 Black Fret Ball
@BillTuckerTSP wants to know:
Where are you going for live, local music this weekend in Austin?
