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Bun B hops into Antone’s, plus more live music to vibe to in Austin this month

Hip-hop icon Bun B will gift Austin with what's sure to be a memorable performance at Antone's.

Photo courtesy of Bun B

For those hungry for quality local music in this new year, there’s plenty to be had during the remainder of January. Check out our choice selections below. And don’t forget to mask up!

KVN at the Mohawk – Thursday, January 20 and 27
Dossey, Primo the Alien, and Lady Heartwing make up Austin’s very own pop supergroup KVN (pronounced Kevin), and they’re currently in the middle of a residency at the Mohawk. Lena Luca and Kitty Cohen will join the trio this Thursday, January 20, and Urban Heat and Arya will open the final show on Thursday, January 27. Tickets are only $10.

Annabelle Chairlegs at Meanwhile – Saturday, January 22
Meanwhile Brewing Co. is set to host two great local acts — Annabelle Chairlegs and Batty Jr. — this Saturday, January 22. If you’re at all a fan of psych-leaning sounds, this is a show you should be sure to attend. Tickets are $10.

San Gabriel at The Far Out Lounge – Sunday, January 23
Sunday is usually a good day to ride the couch, but San Gabriel is worth rallying for. You can catch the pop act, which is the work of James Bookert, at The Far Out Lounge on January 23 alongside Half Dream and Dena Hope. Tickets are $10. By the way, San Gabriel has a great single titled “Tape Machine” that’s out now.

Eric Tessmer at Antone’s – Friday, January 28
Get yourself a pure dose of rock ’n’ roll via Eric Tessmer, one of Austin’s best guitarists, at Antone’s on Friday, January 28. Joining the veteran shredder will be the soulful, vocal-heavy 80H Project. Tickets are $15.

Bun B at Antone’s – Saturday, January 29
Bun B, who is both Texas and hip-hop royalty, can (and should) be seen at Antone’s on Saturday, January 29. Kydd Jones, Lil Bully, and DJ Kurupt round out the rest of the bill. Tickets are $28 in advance, and $30 the day of the show.

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Reexamining Don Draper

Jon Hamm, Henry Winkler, and more headed to Austin for TV festival

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Jon Hamm is coming to Austin to talk about Don Draper.

From May 29 to June 1, 2025, the ATX TV Festival will take over downtown Austin, and this year Jon Hamm will be joining the festival for the first time.

Hamm will be here for an event called A Mad Men Retrospective, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the show's finale. In this panel (the moderator of which is not yet announced), Hamm will reflect on his Emmy-winning performance as Mad Men's Don Draper, the uniqueness of the character in the TV canon, and the show's influence 10 years after it ended.

Jon Hamm may be best known as Draper, but he's also given celebrated performances in several movies and other shows like Fargo, Black Mirror, and — fun fact! — Gilmore Girls.

Celebrating TV is what the ATX TV Festival is all about. This annual summer event is put on by ATX TV and consists of screenings, Q&As, and panel conversations; plus all sorts of parties, live music, happy hours, and other events. It's known for reunions of classic series and cult hits, and according to the website, it's like "TV camp for grownups."

Jon Hamm isn't the only heavy-hitter in this year's lineup.

Programming also includes an acting class and Q&A with Henry Winkler himself, a live script reading of classic episodes from The Golden Girls and Designing Women (guest actors to be announced), a reunion of the creatives and cast of the HBO hit series The Leftovers, a live recording of the podcast Sidebar: A Suits Watch Podcast with Suits stars and co-hosts Sarah Rafferty and Patrick J. Adams, and much more.

Additionally, the festival's annual Pitch Competition is still accepting open pitch submissions through January 17. This gives creatives in Austin a chance to pitch their show idea in front of some of the industry's biggest showrunners and executives. Those in the top 10 will receive a year of support to make the next steps in their TV careers.

Festival badges and passes ($150-535) are on sale now.

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