101 BOLD NIGHTS

Meaningful music comes from trusting what you feel inside and crafting that into a message for others as much as for yourself. We’re celebrating and supporting the conviction of three emerging artists on our stage in Austin. Their music tells bold stories. How will their music inspire you?

Coming soon.

Erika Wennerstrom has trusted her spirit every step of her musical journey. Heartless Bastards originally started as a solo recording project that has since forged a path forward as a full band, with 6 studio albums, a huge summer-long tour, and even a supporting run with the Flaming Lips.

The band got its name from a trivia game question: “Who is Tom Petty’s backing band?” One of the options was “Tom Petty and the Heartless Bastards.” Erika found it bold enough to use as the name when she formed the band.

They’ve always done things their way, whether it was their blues-based sound on 2006’s All This Time, their more polished approach with 2012’s Arrow, or their most stylistically diverse release to date on 2021’s A Beautiful Life. Rolling Stone called The Heartless Bastards “a small-town band who are ready to show the big city no mercy.

Straight out of Austin, Texas, keyboardist Anthony Farrell and guitarist Andrew Trube of the Greyhounds have been forging their own path since 1999. Their unique sound boldly mixes R&B, Soul, Funk, and the Bakersfield Country of Buck Owens.

The band’s latest album “Primates” was called “the most complete offering from the band with relatable, sometimes deeper than expected, lyrics put in front of a backdrop that flows naturally from start to finish.” Having never worked with an outside producer before, they trusted their spirit and collaborated with Steve Berlin to help expand the project. Working with Steve was a new experience for them that “opened up a lot of musical doors that we didn’t know existed.”

The Greyhounds continue to do live shows on their own terms, earning them a large and loyal fan following.

It seems Kalu James and guitarist Jonathan “JT” Holt were meant to forge their own path together from the moment they met. Born in Nigeria, Kalu at age 18 first moved to New York before relocating to Austin, Texas, where he met JT. Soon after, they started writing songs together.

Kalu and the Electric Joint is as bold as music can get. They live up to Austin’s caliber of musicians and infuse their tracks with worldly rhythms that give their music a sound all their own. Their debut album Time Undone (Spaceflight Records) showcased what Billboard called a “blending of both West African and American brands of funk with bluesy grit and psychedelic ambience, along with a chin-out attitude.” And they continue to receive critical praise from NPR’s All Things Considered, American Songwriter and many more.

They trust in doing things their way and are moving forward while still paying homage to their individual roots.