Jane Leo February Residency

Hotel Vegas, Sunday 12 (w/ Tele Novella, Carruthers & Roush)

The inky New Wave pulses of Jane Leo endure in the Austin duo's black-and-white portraits, stunning command of lo-fi instrumentation, and most recently, their February residency at Hotel Vegas. Flanked by R&B/soul songsters Motenko and funk-pop party Flyer Club, keyboardist Jane Ellen Bryant and guitarist Daniel Leopold launched their Sabbath shindig with 32 minutes of peppy alt-pop. The dance-filled evening shimmered with oscillating bass notes and unreleased ska twinkle "Diamond Hands." Behind a big grin and sparkly synth stand, Bryant announced the Feb. 17 release of Jane Leo's self-titled debut, nodding at the neon "Jane Leo" sign behind her.

From partners to co-songwriters, the singer and Leopold joined forces under the moniker in 2021. The couple's creative fusion solidified with October's Big Life EP, a kaleidoscope of avant-garde lyrics and grandiose soundscapes. The title track's Talking Heads deadpan and lilting rhythms even received buzzy remix treatment from South Africa's Kongos. Additional standouts "Borderline" and "The More You Know" teased lush arrangements and pop-y drones, reinvigorated live throughout the month.  – Kriss Conklin

Tomar & the FCs’ Sharon Jones Tribute

Antone's, Friday 10

Dap-Kings founder Gabe Roth intimated that the 2016 presidential election basically killed Sharon Jones, a Georgia-born soul twister who went out singing. Tomar Williams wrings just such stomp in local R&B dynamos Tomar & the FCs, who enticed five frontwomen to channel Jones: Black Pumas co-force Angela Miller, SugaRee Soul (aka Sheree Smith), Tamara Mack of Ms. Mack & the Daddies, Dayna Nash from local 10-piece funk fiesta Big Britches, and Allegra Fox of the Foxtones. In her last Chronicle interview, Jones regaled, "The American Museum of History has an exhibit of me. Years from now, people are going to be reading about my band and the music [we made]."  – Raoul Hernandez

Bryan & the Haggards

Little Longhorn, Friday 10
Oskar Blues, Saturday 11

Minnesota-based saxophonist Bryan Murray and local guitar genius Jon Lundbom have history, in Lundbom's avant-jazz brigade Big Five Chord and eccentric jazztronica act Balto! The pair also leads Bryan & the Haggards, an "avant country" band that's performed Merle Haggard songs in jazz arrangements across three albums. For the second and third of three ATX gigs, however, the band – with local ringers standing in for the usual rhythm section – turns its focus to material from the next album: the catalog of Texas honky-tonk superstar George Jones, who, like the Hag, was always comfortable with the occasional jazzy turn of phrase.  – Michael Toland

Cécile McLorin Salvant

Bass Concert Hall, Saturday 11

Funded by a MacArthur Genius Grant the jazz singer and visual artist received in 2020, Ghost Song is Cécile McLorin Salvant's first record in which she penned most of the songs, stretching the length of her stunning soprano to even greater depth. Still, the 2022 album mixes stilling versions of an eclectic group of favorites (Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights," nods to The Wizard of Oz soundtrack). Whether tackling Broadway standards or originals onstage, the three-time Grammy winner delivers among the best contemporary vocal jazz performances.  – Abby Johnston

Genuine Joe Fundraiser Show

2200 Justin Ln., Saturday 11

As red-painted wood and a cozy, postered interior is torn down by developers, Genuine Joe Coffeehouse carries its warm, welcoming ambience to a new location off Burnet Road. Coining themselves as "the Austin coffee shop before the Starbucks inspired knock-offs invaded," the since-2005 North Austin staple and Best of Austin winner celebrates its move with five bands and a $10 suggested donation. Half Dream's folksy tunes and Dmitri's hip-swinging psych songs are among the eclectic sounds you can look forward to, plus face-paint, coffee, and food. Thunder People, Redbud (solo), and Middle Sattre round out the bill.  – Katie Karp

White Reaper, Narrow Head

Scoot Inn, Tuesday 14

"Being home for these last two years, I've gotten to play more guitar," Hunter Thompson admitted to the Chronicle mid-pandemic. Released Jan. 27, White Reaper's fourth full-length, Asking for a Ride, unleashes its two guitarists, including the quoted Austinite, who notch another high point in the Kentucky garage fiends' firmament. "Fog Machine" smokes classic rock through contemporary melodicism, while "Funny Farm" burns at a surf tempo. Instant anthem "Pink Slip" ("Hard to believe us when we grow up so slow") vies for top spot with Weezer-esque closer "Pages." Houston melodic nü grungers Narrow Head and L.A. duo Taipei Houston support.  – Raoul Hernandez

Star Parks, Sun June & Friends, Hey Cowboy!

The Volstead, Tuesday 14

"Leave behind the love you lost," croons Andy Bianculli in closing out Star Parks' 2020 ennui-pop opus, The New Sounds of Late Capitalism. Valentine's Day demands a bit of bittersweetness, too, and Star Parks' symphonic bloom caps a lineup bursting with melancholy-tinged love and yearning. Sun June's tight trilling ballads glow on 2021's sophomore platter Somewhere, Laura Colwell heavily exhaling through spacious melodies. The dreamy haze of synth-pop trio Hey Cowboy! opens, riding aptly titled new single "Mesmerize" as they prep an upcoming sophomore LP. Keeled Scales provides between-set DJs to keep the mood.  – Doug Freeman

Girls Who Do Boys Who Do Girls

3ten ACL Live, Thursday 16

There's no more effective way to make a musician blush – or squirm – than to cover one of their songs with them present. Multiply it by 20 and you have the annual Girls Who Do Boys Who Do Girls concert, where each performer interprets a song written by the singer immediately following them onstage. Naturally, it was Betty Soo, known for her sharp lyricism and collaborative spirit, who thought up the premise to fundraise for musician mental health and addiction recovery saints the SIMS Foundation. Tributers include Bill Kirchen, Kelly Willis, Kevin Russell, Sydney Wright, and Akina Adderley.  – Kevin Curtin

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Music Notes

by Derek Udensi

Youth Crusher

Chess Club, Saturday 11

The hardcore rockers arrive Downtown all the way from Athens, with help from fellow Greek outfit Dry Cough.

P1Harmony

ACL Live at Moody Theater, Tuesday 14

K-pop sextet dabbling in hip-hop and R&B hits the penultimate stop of its first stateside tour.

Lovers Lane

Monks Jazz, Tuesday 14

Kalu James sets the Valentine's mood by performing classics from heart-racers such as Sade, Sam Cooke, and Marvin Gaye.

Z-Ro, Slim Thug

Empire Garage, Thursday 16

The two Houstonians co-headline with support from multifaceted local emcee Cha'keeta B ("The Come Up"), who notably used to look over Z-Ro lyrics in class during her beginning years of rhyming.