festival of greats
Buddy Guy and Brittany Howard headline revival Austin Blues Festival in 2024
Update: This article formerly stated that the lineup was announced on April 9. The lineup has been cemented since October; The April announcement was the full schedule, sharing times for the previously announced performances.
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Among Austin's many mainstream music festivals — each one bigger and less rock-oriented than the last — one champions a more classic small-venue (or even barroom) mentality. Austin Blues Festival is bringing back more soulful artists for the second year of its revival on April 27 and 28 at Waterloo Park's Moody Amphitheater.
That's not to say there aren't some heavy hitters on the schedule, which was announced April 9.
Headlining on Saturday is guitarist Buddy Guy, one of the founding members of the genre as we know it. Guy became famous in Chicago, but his name is often heard around Austin. He's played with or alongside just about every notable blues artist from Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, to Austin's own Gary Clark Jr. and Stevie Ray Vaughan. The latter's older brother, Jimmie Vaughan, is also playing on Saturday with the Tilt-A-Whirl Band.
Sunday all leads up to a headlining set by Brittany Howard, the powerful vocalist and rhythm guitarist at the helm of Alabama Shakes. Howard appears solo on this lineup, with the descriptor "sublimely uplifting avant-soul savant." That might actually be an understatement for this four-time Grammy winner known for her deep, unhurried howls.
There's more going on than 12-bar blues and solo singers at this festival. Other genres include zydeco (Creole blues prominently featuring accordion), Afro-Cuban funk, and bounce (New Orleans hip-hop). The Original Pinettes Brass Band, apparently the world's only all-female brass band (although who's counting?) is playing both days.
The Austin Blues Festival started as the Antone's Blues Festival at Waterloo Park in 1999. Buddy Guy was among those playing at the inaugural performance. Austin has come to enjoy performances by musicians and other performers around the world on a regular basis, but this festival by both of its original hosts marks a promising return to Austin's musical roots.
Single-day ($80) and two-day tickets ($130) are still available, but prices will increase on Friday, April 12. VIP passes are sold out. Tickets are available at austinbluesfestival.com. KUTX is the official radio partner of Austin Blues Festival, and will be airing artist showcases and organizer interviews leading up to the festival.
The Austin Blues Festival lineup for 2024 is as follows:
Saturday, April 27
Gates at noon
- Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas: 1:00 pm
- Blind Boys of Alabama & Bobby Rush: 2:30 pm
- Dumpstaphunk: 4:00 pm
- The Original Pinettes Brass Band 2nd Line Parade: 5:00 pm
- The Altons & Thee Sinseers: 5:30 pm
- Jimmie Vaughan & the Tilt-A-Whirl Band: 7 pm
- Buddy Guy: 9 pm
Sunday, April 28
Gates at noon
- Robert Finley: 1:00 pm
- James Hunter: 2:30 pm
- Cimafunk: 4 pm
- The Original Pinettes Brass Band 2nd Line Parade: 5 pm
- Big Freedia: 5:30 pm
- Robert Glasper: 7 pm
- Brittany Howard: 9 pm