Walker Lukens

If you pay attention to the Austin music scene, the surprisingly bland landscape that exists just beyond the veneer created by a storied history and a constant barrage of great touring shows, then you have likely heard of Walker Lukens. The talented singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist turned indie-pop delight has dropped two excellent albums and a swell EP since 2013. He, along with his trusty backing band The Side Arms, has killed SXSW, toured extensively, and garnered a shitload of glowing national press. But, all that aside, there are two reasons why you’ll wanna make sure to catch Lukens and company on Thursday night. First, Lukens and his band are truly magnetic performers, with swag-filled stage presence for miles. Secondly, Lukens’ latest release, the recently out Tell it to the Judge LP (which was produced by Spoon’s Jim Eno) is a masterful album that takes itself just the right amount of seriously, rewardingly melding indie-pop, soul, electronic and (even) hip-hop, with a rock ’n’ roll base that falls somewhere between arena-rock and classic rock.