Here’s what’s happening in the Live Music Capital of the World this week.
OUR TOP PICKS
Saturday: Delbert McClinton at Paramount Theatre. Fresh off his fourth Grammy Award (in the traditional blues album category for 2019’s "Tall, Dark & Handsome"), the Lubbock-born, Fort Worth-raised blues-rocker is revered enough in Austin to be one of less than a half-dozen greats whose names are engraved in stars on the sidewalk outside the Paramount. A special bonus on the bill is longtime pal Glen Clark, who partnered with Delbert on his 1972 country-blues debut album, "Delbert & Glen." $28-$63. 8 p.m. 713 Congress Ave. austintheatre.org. — P.B.
Saturday: Frida Friday ATX’s Bidi Bidi Bday at Symphony Square. Austin’s premiere women of color-focused mercado celebrates International Women's Day and its third birthday with an afternoon Bidi Bidi bash. The all-female musical lineup, programmed and anchored by ATX talents Stephanie Bergara (Bidi Bidi Banda) and Leti Garza, includes appearances from Tiarra Girls, Elizabeth McQueen, Naga Valli and Courtney Santana. The event also will include food pop-ups and a makers market. Donation-based tickets are $15-$25, and partial proceeds benefit Angry Tias and Abuelas of the RGV. 11 a.m. 1111 Red River St. fridafridayatx.org.
Saturday: Cheer Up Charlies 10th anniversary party. The lesbian-owned music venue and dance club — self-described as a "gay bar/not a gay bar/is it a gay bar?" — aims to be whatever you need it to be. The club celebrates 10 years of making the Austin music scene more interesting for all of us with a dance party featuring Mouthfeel, Dylan Reese and Cap’n Tits on the outside stage and DJ Girlfriend, P1nkstar and more mixing it up inside. The event will include a "midnight drag spectacular." 9 p.m. doors. 900 Red River St. cheerupcharlies.com. — D.S.S.
Sunday: Kamasi Washington at Empire. A longtime sideman who’s put in features with everyone from Kendrick Lamar to St. Vincent, the 39-year-old saxophonist established himself as one of the great bandleaders of his generation with the mind-bogglingly good 2015 release "The Epic." His 2018 full-length followup, "Heaven and Earth," is a sprawling masterwork that fuses jazz, funk and soul with the experimental reach of Miles Davis’ "Bitches Brew" and the sociopolitical urgency of Marvin Gaye’s "What’s Going On." His past few tours have skipped Austin, making this a fine opportunity to catch up with one of the most exciting talents in modern jazz. $30. 6 p.m. 606 E. Seventh St. empireatx.com. — D.S.S.
Sunday: Celebration of Life for Brenden Foster at Hanover’s 2.0. Billed as a "memorial tribe concert," the family of Chameleon Brenden Foster invites friends, family and members of the community to celebrate the life of the young musician who died in February. Featuring bands who collaborated with the singer during his life, the concert aims to raise money for a memorial in his hometown, Oakland, Calif., next month. $10; kids free. 3 p.m. 16912 N. Interstate 35. Check the event’s Facebook page for more details. — D.S.S.
Wednesday: Austin Music Awards at ACL Live. The 38th annual event unveils winners in dozens of musical categories, alongside performances from some of Austin’s longtime luminaries and younger up-and-comers. This year’s show will feature performances by Bill Carter (recipient of the 2020 Townes Van Zandt Songwriter Award with his wife, Ruth Ellsworth), Charlie Sexton, Jack Ingram, Grupo Fantasma, Tameca Jones, Jon Dee Graham, Blackillac, Kathy McCarty & Rich Brotherton, Sir Woman, J.J. Johnson, Hard Proof, Walker Lukens, Big Wy’s Horns, Lolita Lynne, the Well, Harry & Emmy, DJ Chorizo Funk and others. Chris Cubas and Jackie Venson are hosts, with Michael Ramos serving as musical director. $30-$60. 7:25 p.m. 310 Willie Nelson Blvd. austinmusicawards.org. — P.B.
Thursday: Chris Stapleton with Jamey Johnson and Yola at Erwin Center. South by Southwest takes over Austin from March 13-22, but the day before the madness begins, one of the best triple bills of the year will set a high bar for SXSW acts to clear. Big-bearded, big-voiced singers Stapleton, whose recent albums have topped the charts and won Grammy and CMA awards, and Johnson, a mainstay of Willie Nelson’s Fourth of July Picnic, represent the high upside of country music in the past decade. The ringer is Yola, a soulful British singer whose 2019 solo debut "Walk Through Fire" earned her a Grammy best new artist nomination. $49.75-$99.75. 7 p.m. 1701 Red River St. uterwincenter.org. — P.B.
ALSO PLAYING
Friday-Saturday
Austin Symphony Orchestra at Long Center
Brownout at 3Ten
Friday
Marc Ribot at UT McCullough Theatre
Ross Matthews at Stateside at the Paramount
Shing02 & the Chee-Hoos: A Tribute to Nujabes at Empire Control Room
Mike & the Moonpies, Weary Boys at Antone’s
Avi Kaplan & Paper Wings at 04 Center
Maddy O’Neal, Vincent Antone, Sobbrs at Stubb’s indoor
Ben Buck album release at Empire
The Red Pears at Barracuda
South Austin Moonlighters at Threadgill’s
Longriver at Cactus Cafe
Drakes, Denny Freeman at Saxon Pub
Bamako Airlines, Atash at Sahara Lounge
Lord Buffalo LP release at the Lost Well
Saturday
Jill Scott, Moonchild at ACL Live
Dan Deacon, Ed Schrader’s Music Beat at Scoot Inn
Ice Cube, Trae Tha Truth at the Nutty Brown Amphitheater
Knuckle Puck (sold out) at Barracuda
Townes Van Zandt birthday salute with Butch Hancock and friends at Cactus Cafe
Verite, Arthur Moon at Antone’s
Walter Trout, Peterson Brothers at 04 Center
KOOP Radio benefit with Provision, Lucid Dementia at Elysium
Electric Feels at Emo’s
Fat Tony album release, Trouble in the Streets, 5-D, Nicholas Whipps at Empire
Adam Hood, Guy Forsyth Band, Bobby Whitlock & CoCo Carmel, George Ensle at Saxon Pub
Desert Noises, PR Newman at Stubb’s indoor
Ley Line at Far Out Lounge
Cowboy Diplomacy at Geraldine’s
Surf X Surf East with the Baffles, Los SuperAvengers, more at Indian Roller
Pocket Fishrmen, Sexy Finger Champs at Valhalla
Queue Queue, High Heavens at ABGB
Sunday
Trippie Redd, Blocboy JB, Kodie Shane at Stubb’s outdoor
Music Moves Mountains Foundation benefit at One-2-One
Yves Tumor at the Parish
BLXPLTN single and video release at Coconut Club
Atlanta Rhythm Section at One World Theatre
Resentments, Ulla, Lost Austin Band at Saxon Pub
Jeremy Nail at Cosmic
Monday
Mystery Monday farewell with Christine Albert, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock at El Mercado Backstage
Blue Monday with Jabo & the Old Dogs, James Bullard at Antone’s
Lonelyland, Bonnie Bishop at Saxon Pub
Open mic with Kacy Crowley at Cactus Cafe
Tuesday
Post Malone, Swae Lee, Tyla Yaweh at Erwin Center
Harry Connick Jr. at Long Center
Lindsay Beaver, Antone’s Big Trio, Ruins at Antone’s
Guy Forsyth & Jeska Bailey, David Grissom at Saxon Pub
Warren Hood at Cosmic
Ali Holder at Geraldine’s
Wednesday
Hippie Sabotage, Ilo Ilo at Stubb’s outdoor
Marcia Ball at Long Center Rollins Theatre
Bambara at Barracuda
Eve Monsees & Mike Buck Duo, Lou Ann Barton, Bill Carter at Antone’s
Walt Wilkins, Bill Kirchen at Saxon Pub
Watters Jazz Quartet at Geraldine’s
Jana Pochop, Stephanie Macias Gibson at Threadgill’s
The Acacia Strain, Rotting Out, Creeping Death, more at Empire Control Room
Marshall Hood at ABGB
Thursday
Hotel Vegas 9 year anniversary with Golden Dawn Arkestra, Nolan Potter and Spirit Lasts Forever, Annabelle Chairlegs, more (free party)
Curtis Stigers at Parker Jazz Club
Clan of Xymox, Curse Mackey, Bellwether Syndicate at 3Ten
Lavelle White, Matthew Robinson & the Jelly Kings at Antone’s
Otis the Destroyer, Hey Hey Baby, Lewd Dudes at Stubb’s indoor
Madam Radar, Patrice Pike, Love & Chaos at Saxon Pub
Beth/James at Geraldine’s