Summer is heating up, but Austin’s live music scene is not slowing down. Our favorite shows for July 8-14 run the gamut from cumbia to jazz to hip-hop to folk to blues.
Thursday
Monte Warden & the Dangerous Few at Parker Jazz Club: An Austin360 Artist of the Month not long after forming in 2016, singer-songwriter Warden’s old-school jazz-pop ensemble rarely played gigs outside of its Continental Gallery weekly residency. The pandemic may have changed that routine; they’re not back on the Gallery’s schedule, but this gig at Parker, a relatively new downtown jazz venue, offers a good chance to catch the group in a more upscale setting. A long-awaited debut album finally came out last year. $20. 8 p.m. 117 W. Fourth St. parkerjazzclub.com. — P.B.
More:Monte Warden & the Dangerous Few make classic crooner pop fresh again
Traditional Rueda de Cumbia at Sahara Lounge: Over the past few decades, cumbia — which NPR’s Alt-Latino once described as “the musical backbone Of Latin America” — has grown into a chart-smashing global phenomenon. With this monthly gig, Colombian American artist Kiko Villamizar aims to introduce Austinites to the folkloric Carribean sounds that originated the genre. For the past two months, he says, Grammy-winning artists who perform in the tradition have joined him for these acoustic sets. $5. 7:45 p.m. 1413 Webberville Road. saharalounge.com — D.S.S.
Friday
Magna Carda album release at Belmont: With each release, the full-band hip-hop act helmed by rapper Megz Kelli and producer Dougie Do grows stronger, and their latest, “To the Good People,” is easily one of the top Austin releases of 2021. The engrossing collection is by turns introspective, defiant and seductive. Alternately heady and grimy, it’s a powerful platter that showcases Kelli’s wicked wordplay over a broad range of grooves that defy mainstream hip-hop conventions in the best possible ways. Torre Blake opens and Soy Ella Ella mixes the pre-show. $15. 8 p.m. 305 W. Sixth St. thebelmontaustin.com. — D.S.S.
Photos: Big Freedia and Magna Carda perform at Beyond the Square Festival in Austin
Nikki Lane, Buffalo Hunt at Haute Spot: Nashville country chanteuse Lane spent a couple of years living under the radar in far South Austin, before returning to Tennessee during the pandemic. She still visits often, though, this time to the city’s far north end. Don’t miss opening act Buffalo Hunt, a fast-rising new band fronted by Stephanie Hunt with a debut album due soon on Spaceflight Records. (The last time we saw them, Hunt’s fiancé, Shakey Graves, was on drums.) $29.50-$49.50. 7 p.m. doors. 1501 E. New Hope Drive, Cedar Park. hautespotvenue.com. — P.B.
Saturday
Main Street Music Series with Folk Uke at Inspired Minds Arts Center: Co-sponsored by radio station KUTX and Nine Mile Records, this series puts the spotlight on the south-end suburb of Buda, which has become something of a magnet for artists fleeing Austin’s more expensive core in recent years. Folk Uke, the music-with-humor duo of local musicians Amy Nelson and Cathy Guthrie, plays the first of this month-of-Saturdays series in the arts center’s Chambers Theatre. Coming soon are Kevin Galloway (July 17), Jason Eady (July 24) and Melissa Carper (July 31). $20. 7:30 p.m. inspiredminds,art. — P.B.
Matthew Logan Vasquez birthday bash at Hotel Vegas: The Delta Spirit frontman has assembled an all-star cast to help him celebrate another trip around the sun. For this show, Vasquez, an accomplished singer-songwriter, will be joined by powerhouse singer and Suffers frontwoman Kam Franklin, Sir Woman (Kelsey Wilson from Wild Child), singer-songwriter Israel Nash and more. $20-$25. 8 p.m. texashotelvegas.com. — D.S.S.
Johnny Rodriguez at Buck’s Backyard: A recent Los Angeles Times article addressed the relative dearth of Latino artists in country music, which may make the 1970s rise of Rodriguez all the more significant. Born in Sabinal near Uvalde, Rodriguez racked up six chart-topping country singles from 1973 to 1975, including “That’s the Way Love Goes” and “Ridin’ My Thumb to Mexico.” Rodriguez will turn 70 this year; he doesn’t tour much, so this may be a rare chance to hear him. $25-$350. 9:30 p.m. 1750 S. FM 1626, Buda. bucksbackyard.com. — P.B.
Sunday
Lavelle White birthday bash at Antone’s: The grand dame of Austin’s blues scene is 92 years young and still going strong. White met Clifford Antone in the mid-’70s, and he became an early champion of her work. Decades later, his club is an Austin institution, and she’s still a regular performer. The club is currently in the middle of its 46th anniversary celebration, which includes upcoming gigs by Gary Clark Jr., Jimmie Vaughan and more. White will be joined at the gig by local blues heavy Matthew Robinson and her L Men. $12-$20. 7 p.m. 305 E. Fifth St. antonesnightclub.com. — D.S.S.
More:At 88, Miss Lavelle White still sings the blues and more
Tuesday
Sarah Sharp Quartet at the Elephant Room: We named Sharp’s Tuesday happy hour gigs at Austin’s longtime downtown jazz hot spot our Austin360 Residency of the Month in November 2019, shortly before the pandemic shut down the Elephant for more than a year. It’s back now, with music seven nights a week — including Sharp, an enchanting singer whose backing crew usually includes guitar great Mitch Watkins and drummer Masumi Jones. Free. 6 p.m. 315 Congress Ave. elephantroom.com. — P.B.
More:Sarah Sharp brightens Tuesdays at the Elephant Room
Wednesday
Woody Guthrie’s birthday with the Guthrie Girls at Sam’s Town Point: Austin is the only town in America where you can celebrate the birthday of the 20th-century icon who wrote “This Land Is Your Land” by attending a performance by two of his granddaughters. Cathy Guthrie, a member of Folk Uke, has lived in Austin for many years, but recently her younger sister, accomplished singer-songwriter Sarah Lee Guthrie, moved here, as well. They’ve been doing Wednesday nights at Sam’s for a couple of months now; as fate would have it, this week’s show just happens to fall on what would have been Woody’s 109th birthday. $10. 9 p.m. 2115 Allred Drive. samstownpointatx.com. — P.B.