March 05, 2020

9:00 PM - $20 / $15

When Jeff Plankenhorn — arguably one of the busiest and most highly regarded guitar players on the Austin music scene — tells you that he “hardly ever takes sideman gigs anymore,” take it with a grain of salt. Yes, it’s true he’s made a concerted effort to carve out more time for his own solo career ever since issuing his breakout second studio set, 2016’s SoulSlide, but he still leaves just enough wiggle room to happily say “yes” when legends (and friends) on the level of Ray Wylie Hubbard or the Flatlanders need a guitar man for a sold-out theater engagement.

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For the better part of the last 17 years, ever since he first moved to Texas, the gifted multi-instrumentalist Columbus, Ohio native has been playing with the best of the best. And the reason so many song poets like Hubbard and Joe Ely like having Plank at their side is not just because of his prodigious chops on all things stringed (especially those played with a slide), but because of his intuitive knack at knowing when to hold back, always allowing the singer room to land a lyric and go for the proverbial kill. Not surprisingly, that particular skill has come to greatly inform Plankenhorn’s own music over the years, and has never been more apparent than it is on his latest album Sleeping Dogs. Half of the songs were born out of co-writing sessions with a handful of his longtime friends, including Hubbard — the “Wylie Llama” of Americana/Texas music, who Plankenhorn still credits as his personal gateway to the whole scene.

March 13, 2020

9:30 PM - $20 / $15

Ward Hayden & the Outliers formed as a way to break from the music so commonly found on popular radio airwaves. Featuring Paul Dilley (upright and electric bass), Josh Kiggans (drums) and Cody Nilsen (guitar and pedal steel), the band has cut its teeth the old-fashioned way…on the road and on the stage. Since their formation, they’ve barnstormed far beyond their Boston hometown, playing honky-tonks, beer joints and more recently, concert venues throughout the U.S. They’ve amassed a loyal legion of fans along the way. The media have noticed too, including Rolling Stone, which heralds them as a “modern-day Buddy Holly plus Dwight Yoakam divided by the Mavericks.”

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Their new album, Can’t Judge a Book, is a collection of songs written by other songwriters that have inspired their journey, including unique covers of songs written by some of the greats like Chuck Berry and Nick Lowe. From heart wrenching ballads to foot-stompin’ rock ‘n’ roll, Ward Hayden & the Outliers will be sure to deliver a fun and engaging evening of music.

April 27, 2020

7:30 PM - $40 / $35

Singer-songwriter, painter, essayist — Tom Russell comes to town for a very special show celebrating Zeppelin Productions’ 25th Anniversary! Russell will perform two sets, which will include “the hits” as well as selections from his latest release October in the Railroad Earth. He will also read some excerpts from his new art book, The Ballad of Western Expressionism, tell some stories and have some original art, prints and books for sale.

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Russell has recorded 37 highly acclaimed records and five published books, and his compositions have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Doug Sahm, Nanci Griffith, K.D. Lang, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Ian Tyson, Iris Dement, Joe Ely and hundreds of others. Tom was recently awarded the 2015 ASCAP Deems Taylor Award for excellence in music journalism and has appeared on Late Night with David Letterman TV show five times. His latest album, October in the Railroad Earth, features Bill Kirchen on lead guitar and includes 10 original compositions. Tom describes the songs and sound as “Jack Kerouac meets Johnny Cash in Bakersfield.”

Zeppelin Productions was founded in 1995 by music aficionado and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame board member Alec Wightman…it was Tom Russell who talked him into doing his first show, and music fans have responded enthusiastically ever since! Congratulations and thanks to Zeppelin and the Wightman family for continuing to present the best in music, and Natalie’s is proud to be a supporter and presenter.

May 12, 2020

8:00 PM - $25 / $20

Amy Rigby has made a life out of writing and singing about life. With bands Last Roundup and The Shams in ’80s NYC East Village to her solo debut Diary Of A Mod Housewife out of ’90s Williamsburg; through a songwriting career in ’00s Nashville and during the past decade with duo partner Wreckless Eric, she’s released records on visionary independent labels Rounder, Matador, Signature Sounds, and reborn Stiff Records, as well as her and Eric’s own Southern Domestic Recordings. The Old Guys, her first solo album in a dozen years, measures the weight of heroes, home, family, friends, and time. Philip Roth and Bob Dylan, CD/cassette players, touring, the wisdom of age and Walter White, groupies, Robert Altman, egg creams, and mentors are paid tribute. 12 songs written by Amy and recorded by Wreckless Eric in upstate New York, The Old Guys is the sound of a good girl grown up, never giving up.

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Amy has also recently published a new book, Girl to City, which follows her progression from Elton John fan in the Pittsburgh suburbs to Manhattan art student; from punk show habitué to fledgling musician to cult singer-songwriter who caused a sensation with 1996 debut solo album Diary Of A Mod Housewife.

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Set in a ramshackle twentieth century New York world of homemade clubs and bands, through love affairs, temp jobs and motherhood, Girl to Citydescribes the screw-ups and charmed moments it took for a girl in the crowd at CBGB to pick up a guitar and sing her truth on stage, creating an identity as an artist back when female musician role models were still rare. For anyone who ever imagined trying to make a life out of what they love.

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Watch Amy's Fresh Air with Terry Gross appearance here!