Live music preview: Free Week presented by RRCD takes place first weekend of January
For the first weekend of each year (January 5-6) , Austin non-profit, Red River Cultural District (RRCD) celebrates the new year by inviting music fans to a free, no-strings-attached series of shows from local bands and touring acts as a part of Austin’s annual Free Week. With each consecutive year of door cover-free performances, a wide array of local talent takes the reins to deliver a weekend full of fun and musical discovery. With Austin mainstays like Nolan Potter’s Nightmare Band, Billy Glitter, and Redbud being invited for the parties, Free Week is Austin’s destination to dip into a little bit of everything as the local talent prepares for yet another year in the vibrant Austin music scene. Here are some acts music fans should catch over the first weekend in January. All for free in the Red River Cultural District in the downtown Austin area.
Editor’s note: Red River Cultural District will announce more shows prior to the first week of January while other venues in Austin like Hotel Vegas do their own Free Week programming. Check local listings via Do512 and The Austin Chronicle Music Calendar to find more shows.
Billy Glitter –Friday, January 5 – Cheer Up Charlie’s (outside) – 10:30 p.m.
Hard Rock berserkers Billy Glitter bring a rock n roll energy that’s unmatched. Since being contenders in the Austin music scene, the explosive band always brings their brand of air-tight instrumentals with fast-and-furious intensity. With every live gig, Billy Glitter plugs in and delivers furious riffs that blow the roof off the joint and beyond, small room or big room is irrelevant to the band’s flammable antics. Combining psych-rock influences with classic punk rock ferocity, Billy Glitter never misses a note with fuck-off lyricism and war-waging live shows. If you like The Stooges and MC5, this one’s for you. Billy Glitter will perform at Cheer Up Charlie’s Outdoor Stage on Friday night.
Deep Cross – Friday, January 5 – Mohawk (inside) – 11:45 p.m.
After seeing Deep Cross grow in the local scene since performing a thunderous opening set for experimental powerhouses Xiu Xiu, the droning velocity of Deep Cross has proved to be a worthy rising act. Since releasing a new album, Royal Water, recorded by famed producer Charles Godfrey this past Spring, Deep Cross has performed at various stages around town. These appearances also include underground music festival, Oblivion Access. Deep Cross brings a heavy, foreboding, often unclassifiable form of music to the masses, something drone-metalheads won’t want to miss. Catch Deep Cross on Mohawk’s Indoor Stage on Friday night.
Eagle Claw – Friday, January 5 – Mohawk (outside) – 11:45 p.m.
Sometimes, the music says it all. Stoner metal instrumental act Eagle Claw has had a crush-and-smash trajectory across all of their full-length releases that date back to 2012. Combining the mannerisms of classic heavy metal with modern stoner metal riffage, Eagle Claw is sure to be an introspective presence on an otherwise heavy-as-fuck bill during Free Week. Catch them alongside Glassing, Porcelain, and Neck Bolt on Mohawk’s Outdoor Stage on Friday night.
TV’s Daniel – Friday, January 5 – Chess Club – TBA
The theatrical energy of Austin’s TV’s Daniel is unparalleled. Lead singer Daniel Fried is no stranger to the stage, playing in bands such as Bad Sports, Radioactivity, and VIDEO. The “Daniel,” in TV’s Daniel knows no boundaries; Fried engages the crowd at every turn, making the audience move to every note with a wave of his hand. Combining indie rock explosiveness with an arena-ready stage demeanor, TV’s Daniel is a captivating force that fans will not want to miss, nonetheless, at an intimate setting like Friday night at Chess Club.
Nolan Potter’s Nightmare Band – Friday, January 5 – Cheer Up Charlie’s (outside) – 11:45 p.m.
Okay, you knew this one was coming about one of our favorite local artists. Nolan Potter is a decorated psychedelic swordsman in the Austin scene. Since getting the Castle Face Records deal from the one and only Osees guardian, John Dwyer, Potter and his trusted league of musicians craft a live experience that hits you like a train with a conductor who’s tripping on LSD. Armed with powerhouse musicians like guitarist Raze Regal and drummer Cole Koenning, the Nightmare Band ensemble has a high-degree level of instrumental fuel that manifests into chaotic live jams, punchy Gizzard-esque compositions, and breathtaking psych-meltdowns that allow them to hit stages with monstrous intent. Since this one will be outside at Cheer Up Charlies on Friday night, the evening is sure to be a spectacle that will spill into the streets.
Luxury Television – Saturday, January 6 – Mohawk (inside) – 10 p.m.
If Austin bands like Acid Carousel, Grandmaster, and Gus Baldwin & The Sketch scratch your Psych Rock itch, Luxury Television will bring a potent dose of psych-punk that brings alums from some of our favorite Austin live acts. We’re talking guitar pedal mayhem, speed-freak fuzzy explosivity, and ’60s throwbacks that keep the classic sounds of The 13th Floor Elevators alive and well. Catch Lux TV on Mohawk Inside Stage on Saturday night.
Semihelix – Saturday, January 6 – 13th Floor – TBA
The Cosmic Clash’s own Mike Cosmic is a member of Semihelix. The group has been an Austin music scene staple since the early 2010s. Frontwoman Geannie Friedman is a seasoned musician who has played in numerous bands nationwide before relocating to Austin and forming a band known for its luscious shoegaze sensibilities and 90s indie rock singer/songwriter expertise. The voice of Friedman, as it mixes with the Semihelix instrumentalists, drifts between infectious hooks and dream pop mania, making the band an impeccable mix of influences that go the distance for discerning music fans. Since releasing a handful of singles and memorable performances in 2023, Semihelix’s set at 13th Floor on Saturday is not to be missed.
Large Brush Collection – Saturday, January 6 – Stubb’s – 9:30 p.m.
After a first exposure to Large Brush Collection at Wizard Rodeo 3 this year, the Austin Indie Folk act brings tunes that sit with you and reposition the psyche into a dreamy landscape of ethereal tunes that invite you to sit by the fireplace and listen to the tender storytelling by singer/bassist Nora Predey. Predey brings melancholic sounds of longing and taking the road less traveled, allowing for reflective cool-down sessions that make listeners stop and think about the world beyond. Large Brush Collection will take Red River’s biggest stage, Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheatre, on Saturday night; no, there’s no excuse to miss these vibes during Free Week 2024.
Duel – Saturday, January 6 – Valhalla – 12 a.m.
Dust off your Motorhead records. This one is loud. With local contemporaries like Amplified Heat, Greenbeard, and The Well rounding out the heavy music scene in Austin, Duel brings old-school styles of tube-amped crunch fused by the antics of Black Sabbath, AC/DC, and Accept. Duel pools together their influences to create an acidic concoction of homages to the roots of everything that is heavy. Since growing their catalog on Heavy Psych Sounds Records, Duel has been masters of their craft, appearing on bills all over town with their crushing brand of rattling, hard-rocking, Jack Daniels-chugging method of madness. Catch Duel at Valhalla on Saturday night.
Since we get to kick off every year in Austin with some free music, the event is always a decent indicator of what’s to come in Austin’s robust music sphere. For every annual Free Week, there’s always tons to discover, and making the rounds to the participating venues to see as much as one can is a necessary feat. If you find yourself out in downtown Austin the weekend after New Year’s to cure the post-holiday blues, Free Week is your one-stop to experience the tremendous, assorted talent that populates the ever-growing Austin music scene. We also encourage show-goers to buy some merch and support the performing artists.
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