From El Paso post-hardcore innovator Jim Ward to Kerrville-based one-man-band Possessed by Paul James to Vincent Neal Emerson, a real-deal country singer from here in San Antonio, Texas is well represented in our recommended shows. Let's take a gander, shall we?
Thursday, Sept. 5
Jim Ward, Donella Drive, The Scripts
As a founding member of the seminal El Paso post-hardcore band At The Drive In, Jim Ward and company took the world by storm, only to disband at the height of their hype. Two members went on to form the experimental rock act Mars Volta, while Ward started Sparta, which followed a more song-based path. He’s since explored Americana with his Sleepercar project and also is performing under his own name, plying the same melodic post-hardcore which made him famous. His most recent album is Daggers. $20, 7 p.m., Vibes Underground, 1223 E. Houston St., (210) 255-3833, vibeseventcenter.com. — Bill Baird
Friday, Sept. 6
Vincent Neal Emerson, Croy and the Boys
San Antonio-based Vincent Neal Emerson is one of country music’s new breed, meaning he creates classic, no-bullshit songs with great musicianship and creates a true sense of kinship with the audience. It’s gritty music that does away with the artifice of modern pop-country. Austin’s Croy and the Boys mine a similar vein. Like many modern Americana greats, they began as punk rockers before rediscovering their Texas roots — an origin story that gives their music an edge lacking in most modern country. $15-$20, 8:30 p.m., Floore’s Country Store, 14492 Old Bandera Road, liveatfloores.com. — BB
Ramona, Twin Seas
By infusing ’60s- and ’70s-style American rock with Latin American ballads, Mexican outfit Ramona has built a style all its own. The band emerged from Tijuana, playing what it dubbed “romantic psychedelic rock.” Since then, it’s shared stages with indie bands such as Blonde Redhead and Hello Seahorse and expanded its audience across the U.S. and South America. $20, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — Danny Cervantes
Saturday, Sept. 7
Possessed by Paul James, McMercy Family Band
Kerrville-based Conrad Wert — aka Possessed by Paul James — is a legendary one-man-band who performs his distinct country-blues-punk hybrid on fiddle, banjo and guitar. He’s currently in the middle of a breakthrough moment, having reached No. 12 on Billboard’s bluegrass charts. Austin’s McMercy Family Band specializes in an infectious and joyous kind of roots music that filters old-time string bands through the subculture of a long-gone Austin. $10, 9:30 p.m., The Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St Mary's St., thelonesomerose.com. — BB
Glenn Hughes
Thanks to his stints in mid-’70s Deep Purple and mid-’80s Black Sabbath, singer-bassist Glenn Hughes has been called “the voice of rock.” This concert at the Carver Community Cultural Center is an intriguingly unlikely pairing. Expect soulful vocals as Hughes celebrates the 50th anniversary of Purple’s scorching Burn album. $65, 7 p.m., Carver Community Cultural Center, 226 N. Hackberry St., thecarver.org. — BB
Sunday, Sept. 8
Alex Dupree
Alex Dupree is a Texas original who fuses poetry and songwriting. But don’t expect yet another Townes Van Zandt clone. Dupree also incorporates more left-field influences including Arthur Russell and John Cale. The singer-songwriter has released several albums on the venerable Keeled Scales label that show off his unique approach. This show kicks off the fall season at Echo Bridge, the acoustically fantastic outdoor performance spot Texas Highways magazine called “the coolest venue in Texas.” $15, 6:45 p.m., Echo Bridge, 2617 Texas 536 Spur, instagram.com/echobridgeappreciationsociety. — BB
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