San Antonio's live music options this week span from arena rock to ukuleles — and just about any spot you can imagine in between. Let's dive in and take a look at the diverse sounds Alamo City music fans have to pick from.
Wednesday, May 1
Heart, Cheap Trick
Sisters and rock pioneers Ann and Nancy Wilson have reunited after a four-year hiatus to bring '70s and'80s radio mainstay Heart back on the road. After forming in Seattle, Heart exploded onto the scene with its hard-rocking 1975 debut Dreamboat Annie, buoyed by the singles "Magic Man" and "Crazy On You." The band, immortalized in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016, will be joined by opener Cheap Trick, which charted its own successful mainstream rock career by blending elements of power-pop and hard rock. $75-$171.25, 8 p.m., Frost Bank Center, One AT&T Center, (210) 444-5140, frostbankcenter.com. — Danny Cervantes
Wednesday, May 1 – Thursday, May 2
Shakey Graves
Austin-based Americana artist Alejandro-Rose Garcia — better known by the stage name Shakey Graves — has come a long way since releasing his 2011 first album, Roll the Bones, on Bandcamp when he was 23. At the time, Garcia was in Los Angeles, trying to ignite an acting career. Yet when a Bandcamp editor selected Graves' release as Album of the Week, it unexpectedly launched a music career that eclipsed his acting aspirations. The artist dropped his most recent LP, Movie of the Week, last year. Texas-native folk singer Angel White opens the show. $40-$95, 8 p.m., Stable Hall, 307 Pearl Parkway, stablehall.com. — Dalia Gulca
Thursday, May 2
Heavy Meddo, Thor & Friends, Gary Davenport, Space Available
San Antonio experimental musician Bill Baird will celebrate the release of two solo albums with a performance by his band Heavy Meddo. One album, the Iceland-recorded Astral Suitcase, is an exercise in what Baird calls "mutant pop," while the other, Soundtrack, is a collection of instrumentals. The bill also includes Austin-based percussionist Thor Harris, longtime SA musicmaker Gary Davenport and electro-experimental act Space Available. Sweetening the pot for fans of Alamo City outsider music, Baird also will perform a piece by local composer Phil Krumm. $10, 8 p.m., The Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St. Mary's St., (210) 455-0233, thelonesomerose.com. — Sanford Nowlin
Sunday, May 5
Kerrville Folklife Festival New Folk Winners
Americana enthusiasts love the Kerrville Folk Festival Americana for its aesthetic that leans into earthy authenticity. An essential part of that formula is the Grassy Hill New Folk competition, wherein emerging songwriters compete for recognition and a coveted spot at the fest. Previous New Folk winners have included luminaries Steve Earle, Nanci Griffith, Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen, John Gorka, David Wilcox and James McMurtry. So, yes, it's serious stuff. This year's winners, chosen from nearly 1,000 entries, are taking on a mini-tour that includes an SA stop at Bowman Backyard, a venue in someone's actual backyard. Advance purchase of a ticket gets attendees a gate code to enter. Sounds like an adventure and an intimate backdrop for experiencing songwriting at its finest. $20, 4 p.m., Bowman Backyard, 27650 Wild Bloom, (210) 445-5145, bowmanbackyard.org. — Bill Baird
Sunday, May 5
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
Ricky Skaggs is as important a country artist as they come, having racked up innumerable prizes, awards and honors. An early mastery of the mandolin led to a breakthrough into the '80s country mainstream, where he cut platinum records and scored plenty of hits. Through it all, Skaggs has brought along his hardcore fans and his concerts remain essential for lovers of bluegrass, traditional country music or just fantastic musicianship. For this concert, Skaggs is joined by Kentucky Thunder, the masterful string band that backed him on the Grammy-winning album Bluegrass Rules! $59-$109, 8 p.m., Stable Hall, 307 Pearl Parkway, stablehall.com. — BB
Monday, May 6
Interpol
New York's Interpol serves as an anchor artist for the alternative boom of the early 2000s. The band's breakthrough debut album Turn On The Bright Lights spawned hits such as "Obstacle 1," where off-kilter guitars and Joy Division-inspired bass work offered the perfect foil for lead singer Paul Banks' baritone voice. The opening bass line of "Evil", the 2004 single from Antics, endures as a touchstone of the genre. Interpol continues to release new music, most recently 2022's The Other Side Of Make-Believe. $45-$69.50, 7 p.m., Boeing Center at Tech Port, 3331 General Hudnell Drive, (210) 600-3699, boeingcentertechport.com. — DC
Tuesday, May 7
Jake Shimabukuro
Renowned artist Jake Shimabukuro combines elements of jazz, folk, blues, rock, classical and flamenco — all on the ukulele. Notable for his complex finger work and breadth of expertise, the Hawaiian player has topped the Billboard World Music charts multiple times, played festivals including SXSW and Bonnaroo, released 32 albums and somehow found the time to compose music for two Japanese films. His latest album, Grateful, is regarded as one of his most personal albums so far. $49.50, 7:30 p.m., Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 223-8624, tobincenter.org. — DG
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