Shakey Graves Day 2026

Okay but what if I complain about how this show was not hardcore enough? If seeing Shame at the beginning of the year was a reminder that I am old and not comfortable rocking out with the young fans, then Shakey Graves Day is yet another sign that as I approach my forties I am still clinging onto the Goldilocks mentality. Same conclusion, just a different set up that gets us there.

I like his music, and just like any show that I am leading up to I make it a point to listen to the artist’s discography so I do not come off as a poser. This was my first attempt to see this local but loved musician. I just assumed the sudden pop up date at Mohawk’s was because the artist needed the cash (cause they are starving and all for the craft) but it turns out that in 2012 Austin declared a day in his honor and he takes that as a chance to give back to the community. So this, and his previous shows on the anniversary of that declaration, is just the historical context as to why I look like an ass by jumping to those conclusions.

This year was to benefit HAAM (Health Alliance for Austin Musicians) an important organization that stepped up as a safety net during the pandemic. Although most would like (and I am including myself in this) to imagine Covid as thing of the past in this shitty time line, we all should also acknowledge that it is more important then ever to make sure that all within our community are insured and have the means to use their insurance to take care of their health.

Venue was solid, the weather was better, and the reason for the show is commendable. So what could I even bitch about?

It was sold out and the crowd matched the tone of the music. Rich country roots with a modern sense of urban awareness, the crowd was one that you could imagine is awaiting the second coming of Ann Richards to save this state from its stereotypical conservative ways. They believe in this and other socially aware causes, they can also identify with the lyrical content of Shakey Graves. But more importantly the crowd seemed to match where he may be in life, growing up while his daughter grows up, settling down to give the family thing a try, and sobering up as best as you can given your past and what will be needed of you in the future.

Ugh, isn’t it boring to be reminded that time changes and music takes on new meaning as you move from young adulthood, to adulthood, to old adulthood.

He played a mixture from all his albums, with a hint to new things. His set started out solo, but as he played other songs he called up musicians that would be needed to hambone or blow into a harmonica as an accompaniment. It shows that as a musician he may be writing his songs to what his abilities are, but that his abilities may be varied as he thinks about what else is needed to flesh out the song that he is creating. A guitar here, a kick drum there, and working with others to teach them how you play it - it shows more skill than what may be needed now in the age of AI.

My impression of his music has always been that the stories follow three line of thoughts “I am womanizer looking for the one to save me from myself,” “I booze too hard,” and “they only want you when you are 17 (when you are 21 you’re no fun).” And maybe that isn’t incorrect, since he does tell little tales in between songs to encourage a connection with the audience to a meaning. “Chinatown” is about a friend’s dream apartment that allowed him to crash and dirtbag around while finding himself. Another song is about a girl helping him to settle down, but has new meaning now that he has a two year old daughter (with a cliche realization that one day horn dogs will pull some tired tricks on her).

He talks and flirts with the audience, making them feel that they are in an Austin more idealistic than it really is. You were a rascal, but now you are cool family man (or woman). You have a love worth fucking and swaying with. Cool grown up things of happiness and content.

I hated how loved he is, with so many people there to experience that. They may be able to lose themselves in the crowd but all I could think was, “this is what I get for like a popular artist.” Long lines and being forced to touch elbows with happy couples. Barf, but also good for him for being so appealing and talented. May definitely see again, but here is to hoping no one else shows.

My First Show of the Year: Shame at Mohawks

My first show of the year was a Sophie’s Choice of sorts (I love that book, so yes I know what I am doing with my flippancy). I purchased a ticket to Shame at Mohawk’s months ago. I love Resound for the type of shows they have been booking and the price points, but the fear of not getting a ticket in time means I purchase as soon as I see a show is in town. So it was devastating, DEVASTATING, to realize that Meredith Marks was Paris Hiltoning at Empire Control Room the same night.

With a couple of rumor posts on the Austin subreddit about how shitty the owner is for Empire Control Room, the knowledge I already spent money on the Shame show, and the knowledge that Meredith Marks may be the less talented musician of the two groups…I stuck with my plan to see Shame.

And maybe this post is more about how I let fate continue on its way with me.

After starting our year with a real winter, the city was shut down for a week because Ted Cruz boarded a plan to Cali and we have collective PTSD from almost five years ago. By the time Shame was to play, it was a week later and no longer freezing shut down cold, it was just titsicle cold (as opposed to the weather standard for Texas: hot as balls). There was a couple of reminder emails to say the show was being pushed ahead an hour since there is no way that the native Texans and Austinites had adequate clothing. Facts, we all came out with cute hats thinking it was doing something, and it did not.

Which fine, it means that there would be less people out downtown because of the cold (even though it was a Saturday) and I was able to snag the convenient street parking to the side of the venue. I made it just in time to realize that the opener (who I incorrectly named as Wolf Mother, then Ghost Mother, before landing on their correct name GhostWoman cause my brain is old and scrambled from motherhood) did not suck. GhostWoman is the type of alternative rock that I could dig. I could not discern the lyrics, but I also couldn’t help but be into the droning guitar and heavy drums from the two person band.

I thought I would be able to stay warm and bop my way through both sets towards the back of the downstairs pit, securing a spot that allowed my short ass to see the opening act. That delusion started to dissipate after GhostWoman stopped playing and the dude groups started to move in. Taller bodies everywhere appeared out of nowhere and I could hear in clear detail one friend group discuss how they had “four layers of shirts, 3 layers of socks, and enough drugs to stay warm” which transitioned to how MEREDITH MARKS was playing. Proof that many were sadden to not be doing caviar bumps and dancing indoors in their cute fashions.

Would I have been more understanding of the crowd there?

Shame comes on and it seems they had some sound issues to start. But the mens in the crowd did not care or notice, they were true fans of the band and physical contact ensued as they started to thrash forcing the crowd to surge back.

I booked it. I adore dancing, but Robyn style on my own. Do. Not. Touch. Me. I have a personal bubble and it extends several feet to all sides of me, you get in that space and I will tense up like the little roly poly that I am. This tends to work out because people (especially in Austin) do not dance. It has also been at least ten years that I went to a hardcore or punk show by myself so I forgot that goes out the window when young men feel the urge to fuck shit up when listening to music.

Taking to the upper decks, I could people watch and enjoy the band without fear of human contact. The singer lost his shirt, but not his sun glasses, as he belted out the lyrics to a mixture of different hits from their four albums. There was some chatter between songs while one guitarist would get a new instrument handed off to him by the crew. Aside from the sound issues at first, they gave a quality show and kept up the energy that you get from their records.

I think I am just too old and was too cold, but I refused to stay for the whole show. I heard the songs that I am most into, like “Cowards Around” “Nothing Better” and “Tasteless.” They covered one of their weirder sounding songs, a song that seems more like it came from the 80’s and is an unexpected historical Brazilian tale called “Lampião”, it’s a song that brings a smile to my face every time I hear it. But by the time they had hit into their last song (“One Rizla”) before the encore, even though they yelled out their support for Palestine, I had already made a promise to myself that I was going home to my warm bed and was snagging some Whataburger french fries. I walked down the steps yelling with the crowd “Free Palestine” and maneuvered to my car singing out loud and off key about how “my voice aint the best you heard,” lyrics that I love and is a constant in my angsty playlists.

The cold gave me an excuse, but I must concede the show was good and if I thought I was too old for that scene then I would have been disappointed on the amount of money I would have spent feeling that way for Meredith Marks.

At least I got to have my personal moment, to a song I love, on my own terms. I hope this portend wells for the rest of the shows I see this year.

All the shows I have been to but I have not been writing about

This is going to be one of those honest moments in which I admit each band deserves their own post, but I have been so behind on things that I have not written or posted with consistency. So time has passed, my memory is already starting to fade, but at least I lived.

Levitation Day Two (09/27/2025): Blonde Redhead and TV on the Radio

There were many bands that day, but I only had ears for two. On the rare day in which I can escape the children and just be irresponsible again (that is what people mean by carefree right), my personalty is to prepare myself mentally for what I know I will enjoy. These two bands. And time to read.

I arrived halfway through the day so I could catch Blonde Redhead, a band that I discovered through my much cooler friends in high school and has imprinted on me how chic it is to have screechy haunting shoe gazing melodies. This is art rock, but good.

Like all the other bands I am about to gush about, it was my first time and thank the goddesses they did not disappoint. Both sets where indoors at the Palmer Events Center, so I was confident in finding parking and navigating the space. Levitation Fest focuses on rock and harder sounds, meaning it was a bit of a sausage fest (mustached men with long hair as far as the roving eye could see). Another plus was that for once the restrooms for the ladies was not the one overflowing with those waiting a turn, the only real downside was seeing how many people didn’t even bother washing their hands in the shared sink area. If their hands are that dirty I can only imagine what that means for the facial and scalp hair. Oh, and the festival prices.

Back to the band, I was able to find a spot in the middle close enough to shoe gaze my way through some of my favorite songs in what I though was enough space to bop. Except that a much larger listener was tripping balls and swaying to their own musical experience in front of me, so my anxiety was high as I imagined being crushed by one person during the set. It didn’t happen as I am alive to bitch about not being big or high enough to be on his level, and also alive to say that hearing Blonde Redhead play was worth it.

They were the antithesis of the Regina Spektor show, with one of the band members wearing a shirt that in bold letters acknowledging the genocide in Palestine. They play so well together that it was one of those they-sound-just-like-their-albums type of experiences. Perfection.

TV on the Radio came at the end, and as a performer the singer was more raw in person, but the emotional resonance in seeing them play live was still the same.

I used the hours in between to snag food and read Perfect Victims: And the Politics of Appeal by Mohammed el-Kurd. I was able to finish it one day, minutes before I snagged a spot closer to an exit since the crowd was bigger and my fear grew from one person crushing me to several. Tunde Adebimpe came on stage and helped to solidify my read, with a call out on the war on Palestine and the recent passing of a political activist. The songs had more meaning since the joy of performing did not negate for the band the suffering of others, they worked together to perform their hits and they acknowledged their privilege when remembering others. And yes they played “Wolf Like Me” letting us direct the frustration that we all feel. Or at least that is how I left their show feeling.

Going to see these two bands solo helped to wash away some of the smut from my last experience.

Scoot Inn (10/31/2025) JMSN

TikTok got me into the music and then let me know he was coming to town. Adverting works so well, or at least on me, that I abandoned my toddler on Halloween (he was with his dad of course) and dressed up like a clown to drive downtown. Driving through the gentrified East Side, even for the historic Scoot Inn, is always stressful. But the show was early enough (so I am sure the artist could have his own holiday) that I was able to find parking in the numerous expensive parking garages that you see in that part of town. And it would seem that everyone was on dirty sixth anyway,

Okay, so other then knowing it was historic it was also my first time at the venue. It is like Stubb’s, but there is a “sitting” section that you have to pay more for so you can rest and have unlimited popcorn. It seems like you would want to be close to the stage though, so I don’t think that it is worth it.

For his Scared Straight tour, there was not enough people dressed up like they were in the “Dirty Dog” or “Soft Spot” music videos. I know I wasn’t on theme, but I was really hoping everyone else would be. JMSN and all his doppelgänger bandmates however were rocking the white prospector’s onsie which does wonder for the butts (as the Tina Belcher in me comes out). Once you get over how all the other musicians looking exactly like the lead, the art is dropped as the band starts to play from the new album (...it's only about you if you think it is). And then I get it, JMSN is so talented that he has splintered off into others who can exude the rage and sex that oozes from his lyrics.

This album is on the rock side, but JMSN moves between genres like R&B and you can hear it in the music. It was a show that I couldn’t stop swaying my ass to and a rare performance that had the crowd moving. I would for sure see him perform again the next time I get a chance.

Mohawk (11/06/2025) Murder by Death (The Farewell Tour)

Why did I wait until the end to see this band! This is an act that I will claim self discovery, I picked them up from a recommendation in a Spin article almost two decades ago and was into the southern gothic feel of their lyrics. I am a belter of their songs in private and in public apparently, as I couldn’t help but sing along with the others in the crowd.

I love Mohawks for, the ease of finding parking, the affordable pricing, and the set up. I tend to see the outdoor sets and the staggered levels gives you a good vantage point no matter where you squeeze yourself. This was a show in which the merchandise booth was overflowing and had the most amount of people I have ever seen already wearing the band’s shirt (that they bought at a different show). This band has dedicated fans who seem to be mourning the loss of a consistent touring act.

There was a mix of songs from each album and a tongue in cheek we-are-sick-of-this-shit comment before they played “Pizza Party! (at Gloria Estefan's House).” Even as the cringiest of their songs, I did not mind when it was performed since the crowd really dug it.

What I loved about the show was that like JMSN and Blonde Redhead, their live performance was comparable to their recordings. The distinctive use of the cello adds a classical and dramatic tone that bellows beautifully as the band plays. In their music the cello comes through as the second voice to the lead singers plaintive wails of living (a life straight out of Blood Meridian). Why did I wait so long to experience this for myself and when it is too late to get another taste?

I have my sights set on at least one more show before this year ends and I hope it continues to move me through these hectic days. Here is to hoping and to making my life worth it.