Live music review: Austin Music Awards performances featured the best in local music at Antone’s
Every musical calendar year in Austin is special. The countless live gigs, new albums released, and fresh talent that emerges every year make Austin one of the most significant music stops in the world. For local publication Austin Chronicle, the alt-weekly curates an evening that captures each respective year in the scene’s prolific, often positively saturated body of work. For 2024, The Austin Chronicle showcased an event that covered essential bases to magnify the widespread musical range of the city and pay homage to Austin legends along the way. For this year’s event, the Chronicle took to the world-famous Austin music staple, Antone’s for a 3-hour event that benefited Austin non-profit, SIMS Foundation to support mental health and substance use recovery services and programs for musicians, music industry professionals, and their dependent family members.
The evening’s opening performance showed S.L. Houser performing cuts from her acclaimed new EP, Hibiscus. The singer/songwriter’s voice, accompanied by a supremely talented backing band, made for an excellent opening, allowing guitarist Taylor Wilkins from Austin act Otis The Destroyer to showcase his heavy rock guitar shredding, adding a rock n roll element to the mellower cuts. Local Noise Pop act Daiistar came next, fresh off their Fuzz Club Records release, Good Time, which propelled the Austin act into psychedelic rock festivals and high-profile bills nationwide last year. The fuzz-pedal-infused instrumentals give the band a wall-of-sound edge, reminiscent of Spaceman 3 or even the fuzz wars of A Place To Bury Strangers. Best Punk Band award-winners Pussy Gillette completed the opening trifecta, appearing in their outspoken, abrasive element. The Austin trio is known for their declarative delivery, hacking through each tune in a hurried, punk rock fashion.
The Butthole Surfers’ legendary King Coffey also appeared onstage during the evening, presenting the Austin Music Hall of Fame award to 90s local punk legends, Cherubs. The Austin band had just performed two nights at psychedelic East Austin staple Hotel Vegas. One of the residency shows also featured the Austin noisegaze act Porcelain for the rising Austin act’s 2024 self-titled debut album release. The new record will likely be a nominee for next year; check it out here. Former Austin Chronicle music editor Kevin Curtin also made periodic hosting appearances, taking care of some comic relief in the longtime Austin resident’s humorous, off-kilter trademark methodology.
Austin all-female punk berserkers Die Spitz were present for the event, joining the stage to sweep three awards that featured accolades for some of the best local music in 2023. The Austin band accepted awards for Best New Album, Best Music Video, and Best Bassist for member Kate Halter. Since embarking on a tour with Australian punk powerhouses Amyl & The Sniffers, Die Spitz has rapidly risen, putting them on the map as one of Austin’s most exciting acts. The band had also just appeared at Hotel Vegas to celebrate the venue’s sale of their millionth Lone Star Beer, the National Beer of Texas. The set featured an at-capacity crowd, showing that the local punk band has a massive local following that shows up and makes for a strong, frequently moshing crowd reaction.
Austin legend Jim Franklin appeared for the festivities, the Armadillo World Headquarters poster artist who was inducted into the Austin Music Industry Hall of Fame, alongside Best Guitarist winner Eve Monsees, Best Blues nominee/keyboardist Henri Herbert, Best Country nominee Theo Lawrence, and Musician of the Year recipient Kevin Russell of Shinyribs. The group performed original material, as well as “Roller Coaster,” written by 60s Austin psychedelic rock pioneers, The 13th Floor Elevators. The homage to the late Roky Erickson was beautiful, giving a worthy presentation of Austin’s rich history.
The awards night also featured a set from rapper and Austin music royalty Ben Buck. Following a cameo appearance at Eric Andre’s spectacle last Fall at Far Out Lounge & Stage, Buck emerged ready to represent Austin with his lick-spitting expertise. Performing a series of sick verses, Buck showed his overall adoration for his hometown and took every chance to interact with the crowd. Buck arrived wearing a cowboy hat, which became a game of catch from the audience back to the Austin rapper who secured an AMA win.
Prolific Austin musician and producer Walker Lukens assembled a band including Best Miscellaneous Instrument winner Zach Wiggs on pedal steel, the Bright Light Social Hour’s Jackie O’Brien on bass and Zac Catanzaro on drums, and the Texas Gentlemen’s Daniel Creamer on keys. The final act of the evening featured an Austin music all-star cast. The musical sit-ins included Ben Kweller, Kalu James, and Sabrina Ellis, all performing cover tunes to pay homage to the world of music. A highlight came when Magic Rockers of Texas frontman Jim Campo joined the stage for a jaw-dropping rendition of “Hold On Tight” by Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra. The grand finale came with an astronomical presentation of Parton-Houston classic “I Will Always Love You.” A Giant Dog co-leader, Sabrina Ellis, took the reins for this one, hitting all of the mountaintop high notes to send the audience off in an emotionally moving manner. When the Walker Lukens ensemble wrapped things up, it felt like yet another epic ceremony had just concluded, hitting reset for what’s going to be another monumental year in Austin music.
See the full list of Austin Music Awards winners here.
All photos and video by Greg Ackerman
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