Backstage Pass: F1 music preview
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F1 is upon us, as is the Austin Fan Fest--the source of many street closures, featuring five free stages of music and four pay-to-play concert venues.
Here are some of your best bets:
Fastball, Bud Light Stage, Friday: The free stages kick off Friday night downtown at 6 p.m., and not long after you'll find Fastball representing the hometeam.
The platinum-selling 90's radio stalwarts have been back together a few years now and picked up exactly where they left off- unfurling classic-sounding pop songs drenched in super-tight harmonies.
You'll get "The Way," "Fire Escape" and a bunch of tunes that should've, could've been hits for free. Stick around after for a genuine taste of New Orleans with Ivan Neville's "Dumpstafunk.”
Quiet Company, Belmont, Saturday: Although it's officially called the Bazzarvoice Stage, it's really the Belmont and there's free music there all weekend.
Saturday's show from Quiet Company ought to be a winner. After claiming an armload of Austin Music Awards and playing a huge show at Blues On The Green earlier this summer, they quit their day jobs and have taken to the road for non-stop touring. They return presumably tighter and more potent than ever.
Black Joe Lewis, Bud Light, Saturday: It seems like forever since Austin's seen a proper Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears show.
After some line-up changes, they’re back to bring the funk and classic R&B to the free 8:45 p.m. Bud Light stage set. Stick around after for Bright Light Social Hour, who recently sold out Stubb's and should have the weekend's biggest free draw.
Wallflowers, ACL Live, Sunday: This one you'll have to pay for: The Wallflowers at ACL Live. The Jakob Dylan-led group recently ended a seven year wait between albums with the critically acclaimed “Glad All Over.”
Call it a comeback if you will--their new single, “Reboot The Mission” sounds terrific on the radio and reports from the first leg of the tour suggest it's a night of hit-after-hit. Austin's My Jerusalem, who have their own critically acclaimed new album in stores, open the night.