Austin, Texas is known for its great food & its great music. Combining the two is Hot Luck, which come to downtown Thursday-Sunday, May 23rd-26th:
THURSDAY, MAY 23rd
Robert Ellis & Friends @ Mohawk, 912 Red River St.
Houston native, Nashville-based Robert Ellis (QRO photos at a festival) channels country & western as much as those cities would indicate, and has played with the likes of Alabama Shakes, Old Crow Medicine Show, Old 97’s, and Deer Tick (QRO photos with Deer Tick). He opens up Hot Luck Festival (QRO photos at Austin festival) after the ‘Giddy Up’ opening party.
Naughty Professor @ Antone’s, 305 E 5th St.
New Breed Brass Band @ Antone’s, 305 E 5th St.
Erika Wennerstrom, Western Youth @ Barracuda, 611 E 7th St.
Heartless Bastards frontwoman Erika Wennerstrom (QRO photos) comes to Hot Luck solo behind last year’s Sweet Unknown (QRO review).
FRIDAY, MAY 24th
PJ Morton, Mélat @ Antone’s, 305 E 5th St.
Leftover Salmon, Mamafesta @ Mohawk, 912 Red River St.
From Boulder, Colorado comes the “Polyethnic Cajun Stamgrass” of Leftover Salmon (QRO photos at a festival), with their unique blend of bluegrass, rock, country, and Cajun zydeco making them a mainstay on the jam-band festival circuit (QRO photos at a festival).
Sunflower Bean, Annabelle Chairlegs, Why Bonnie @ Barracuda, 611 E 7th St.
In the last few years, New York’s Sunflower Bean (QRO photos) has been turning critical & popular heads, thanks to records Human Ceremony and Twentytwo in Blue.
‘Hi, How Are You’ @ Franklin Barbecue, 900 E 11th St.
It’s a BBQ ‘Hi, How Are You’ block party and the famous & popular Franklin Barbecue.
SATURDAY, MAY 25th
Archers of Loaf, Mind Spiders, Broken Gold @ Mohawk, 912 Red River St.
Amidst all of the alt-reunions, of course Archers of Loaf (QRO photos at a festival) would come back (QRO photos at a festival). The Chapel Hill act were as important to the nineties alternative music scene as anybody (QRO photos at a festival).
El Tule, Parranderos de la Kumbia, DJ Albert Carreno @ Barracuda, 611 E 7th St.
Sour Bridges @ Antone’s, 305 E 5th St.
Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band @ Antone’s, 305 E 5th St.
Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band (QRO photos) channel pre-WWII country-blues, and have played everything from blues festivals to Vans Warped Tour to a gig as the house band on a Jerry Springer Pay-Per-View special.
‘Al Fuego’ @ Wild Onion Ranch, 12112 Old San Antonio Rd.
Hot Luck throws ‘Al Fuego’, a live-action, flame-fueled celebration of open-air cooking styles.
SUNDAY, MAY 26th
Lucero, Jonathan Terrell @ Mohawk, 912 Red River St.
These cowpunkers (QRO photos) Lucero arrive at today’s workingman’s punk from the southern, country/punk end of things. Singer/guitarist Ben Nichols did his own thing with a solo record and ‘Revival Tour’ (QRO photos at a festival) with Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music) and Tim Barry (Avail), but the band has since gone big-time, including 2009’s 1372 Overtone Park (QRO review), 2012’s Women & Work (QRO review), 2013’s Texas & Tennessee, 2015’s All a Man Should Do, and last year’s Among the Ghosts. But live & outdoors (QRO photos outdoors), they stay true to their roots (QRO photos at a festival).
The Suffers, Miss Lavelle White @ Antone’s, 305 E 5th St.
In Austin, catch the Gulf Coast Soul of The Suffers (QRO photos), who come to Hot Luck behind last year’s Everything Here.
Harlem, The Stacks, Flesh Light @ Barracuda, 611 E 7th St.
‘Coupe de Grille’ @ Austin Speed Shop, 3507 Chapman Ln.
Food meets the road for ‘Coup de Grille’.
‘Pok Pok-Up’ @ Franklin Barbecue, 900 E 11th St.
Thailand comes to Austin at the ‘Pok Pok-Up’.
For festival website, go here: https://www.hotluckfest.com/
