Black Joe Lewis performs at an outdoor festival. The singer-guitarist is known for a raw, funky and sometimes humorous approach to Texas blues.
Black Joe Lewis performs at an outdoor festival. The singer-guitarist is known for a raw, funky and sometimes humorous approach to Texas blues. Credit: Shutterstock / Sterling Munksgard

Even as many of us head back to school, there’s no reason to cut back on consumption of live music. (Get that studying in before the shows, kids!) Especially not when a roster of shows this compelling is headed our way.

Wednesday, Sept. 3

Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears

Black Joe Lewis emerged from 2000s Austin with a raw and sometimes humorous brand of electric blues exemplified by the song “Bitch, I Love You.” The singer-guitarist’s funky-yet-searing approach earned a major label distribution deal through Lost Highway Records, and he’s performed at major festivals, on late-night talk shows and everywhere in between. $10, 8 p.m., Sam’s Burger Joint, 330 E. Grayson St., (210) 223-2830, samsburgerjoint.com. — Bill Baird

Saturday, Sept. 6

EZ Band

TikTok propelled Houston-based Norteño- and cumbia-inspired cover outfit EZ Band toward increasingly larger venues. Led by lead vocalist Jaime Guevara, the group takes hit alternative songs such as The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” and The Smiths’ “This Charming Man” and gives them a catchy Latin makeover featuring accordion accompaniment and vocals that seamlessly switch between Spanish and English. Expect EZ Band to make it feel like Fiesta en Septiembre. $46.25, 7 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — Danny Cervantes

Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms, Spin Doctors

A package tour of ’90s-era alt-pop will offer a feel-good night under the stars for those who still crave such sounds. Blues Traveler, the Gin Blossoms and the Spin Doctors offered a radio-dial respite as grunge dominated the airwaves, and all three were major hitmakers in their own right. $58.49, 6 p.m., Whitewater Amphitheater, 11860 FM 306, New Braunfels, (830) 964-3800, whitewaterrocks.com. — DC

Sunday, Sept. 7

Buttercup

Buttercup rose from the mid-’90s Tacoland scene to craft indelible, timeless indie-rock, and the homegrown group has consistently wowed devoted audiences for decades now. Known for infusing a performance-art spark to shows that deliver plenty of pathos, humor and dynamics, it should be fun to see how they approach one of Texas’ most unique and adventurous music venues, the Echo Bridge. $15, 7:30 p.m., Echo Bridge, 310 Riverside Drive, instagram.com/echobridgeappreciationsociety. — BB

Los Yesterdays, The Charities, The McCharmlies

Los Angeles’Los Yesterdays are a godsend for fans of San Antonio’s West Side Sound, which put a Latin stamp on heartfelt soul and R&B. In keeping with the style, Los Yesterdays are groovy, stirring and rocking in equal measures, showing the kinship between SA and LA — both epicenters of the Xicano movement. $35, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — BB

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This article appears in Aug 21 – Sep 2, 2025.