Lucero, Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears

Lucero isn't the first group to mix punk rock's aggression with country's penchant for twang, but the Memphis, Tennessee, act has spent the last decade becoming the band of choice for PBR-swilling, trucker-hat-wearing fans everywhere. Although the group's latest release, Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers, is more rock-oriented than its early recordings, it's still the bastard son of The Replacements and Uncle Tupelo. (Frontman Ben Nichols' whiskey-soaked vocals can even make driving directions sound introspective.)

The band is currently prepping its major-label debut at the legendary Ardent Studios, but seeing it live always provides the full Lucero experience. Hell, if you're good, they might even cover Jawbreaker's "Kiss the Bottle."

Austin's excellent soul-reviving Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears open.