Live music preview: The Bright Light Social Hour to play Evermore benefit at Radio East November 17
On the heels of Rocktober, as the holidays approach and touring shows become more infrequent, the live music focus in Austin turns towards local acts. Local lineups appear at the Armadillo Christmas Bazar, holiday themed events such at The Last Walz and occasionally worthwhile benefit concerts like the Love is Evermore event taking place at Radio East a week from today on November 17 at Radio East with The Bright Light Social Hour headlining their only Austin Fall performance with Parker Woodland and longtime Austin musician, Oliver Steck’s Squirrel Show. Evermore is a bereavement advocacy group that works on policy initiatives and provides resources to the public. The group is dedicated to making the world a more livable place for bereaved people.
The Sunday lineup presented by The Cosmic Clash and EXPOne begins early with music starting at 4:30 p.m.at an all ages, family friendly venue in Southeast Austin with plenty of free parking, food trucks and good cocktails. Evermore is changing policies and practices within communities — and across America — so that all bereaved people can achieve a healthy, prosperous, and equitable future. The LIFE benefit concert was established on November 11, 2023 to honor the life of Ellis, the son of Evermore team member Jena Kirkpatrick. The event will feature a raffle with goods from a raft of Austin companies and giveaways. All proceeds from the LIFE benefit concert will further Evermore’s mission to make the world a more livable place for bereaved people. Purchase VIP and general admission tickets here.
Austin’s The Bright Light Social Hour have been thrilling fans for 20 years, forming in 2004 at Southwestern University, the group released a couple EPs before dropping their eponymous, debut full-length in 2010 which was a combination of psych and blues rock with a healthy dose of party vibes. The Bright Light Social Hour not only became a hit locally, the following March, the group swept the Austin Music Awards winning an unprecedented six awards, including Band of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year (for their song “Detroit”). They toured hundreds of days a year under the leadership of new manager Alex O’Brien, brother of founding bassist, Jackie. The group opened for Aerosmith and played Austin City Limits Music Festival, Lollapalooza, Sasquatch, Hangout Fest and Wakarusa. The band grew their audience nationally through 2014 gaining audiences on college and Triple A radio before Alex took his own life in January of 2015. The tragedy derailed the band who had little resources to deal with impact of their beloved manager’s death. In March of 2015 the group released Space is the Place to positive reviews and embarked on year-long tour of North America, Canada and Mexico. The group largely had to deal with their manager’s death on their own, with some eventually seeking mental health services from Austin music non-profit SIMS Foundation to cope with the loss.
2018 saw the group release Missing Something an EP dedicated to Alex O’Brien produced by Spoon’s Jim Eno. Read more on that release and Alex in our archives. Bright Light have released three more albums since then, most recently, Emergency Leisure (2023) to more critical acclaim including a positive review from Cosmic Clash writer, Amanda Quraishi. Last year saw the group on their longest tour since 2015 covering much of the same ground with stops across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Most recently TBLSH released a new single and video, “Call My Name” which premiered at The Cosmic Clash last month. The current lineup featuring Curtis Roush, Jackie O’Brien, Mia Carruthers, Zac Cantanzaro and Juan Alfredo Rios is their best yet. If you haven’t already guessed, we’re huge fans.
We’re also big fans of Parker Woodland, led by Erin Walter, a red-headed firebrand singer and guitarist whose band is best described as joyous indie-rock. One thing fans can be sure of is the band has fun on stage, bringing infectious positivity to every stage they appear on. The group recently released their first full-length album, There’s No Such Thing As Time with an album release party September 6 at Mohawk. Since then, the band has played several shows around Austin including an appearance at Radio East last month. Parker Woodland returns to the venue in support of Evermore’s mission and event next weekend. Read more on the new record in our archives.
While we haven’t seen Oliver Steck’s Squirrel Show, judging by the public response to the musician’s inclusion in the lineup, you’re not going to want to miss the gifted artist who is a true multi-instrumentalist, playing piano, keys, trumpet, accordion. He sings as well. Steck has previously recorded and performed with Hot Nut Riveters, Bob Schneider, Sarah Sharp and Chris Chandler among others.
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