Stoney LaRue
6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 8, at Lava Cantina, 5805 Grandscape Blvd., $15-$65 at eventbrite.com
Coming from the same Stillwater, Oklahoma, red dirt country scene that produced Jason Boland, Cody Canada and Jimmy LaFave, Stoney LaRue has brought emotion and vulnerability to the genre for nearly two decades. At one point clocking in at 300 shows in a year, LaRue returns to DFW with a full band at The Colony’s Lava Cantina as part of a larger Texas tour that will take the singer through Tyler, Waco and Royse City. LaRue will have support from Dallas-born singer-songwriter Jon Christopher Davis.
Midland
5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 8, at Billy Bob’s Texas, 2520 Rodeo Plaza, $40-$125 at axs.com
From Dripping Springs comes country music group Midland for three nights in celebration of Billy Bob’s Texas 40th anniversary. The Friday and Saturday shows have already sold out, but there is still a chance to catch Midland’s unique brand of country harmony Thursday night while supplies last. While they only emerged in 2016, Midland has made quite the impression on the music and fashion community alike with Vogue calling the band “heartthrobs and fashion risk-takers” due to their preference for wearing suits similar to the Nudie suits worn by Porter Wagoner and Roy Rogers.
Ray Wylie Hubbard
7 p.m. Friday, April 9, at Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave., $42-$60 at prekindle.com
Born in Soper, Oklahoma, raised in Oak Cliff and making his return to the Granada Theater on Friday is Ray Wylie Hubbard. The legend first left his mark on country music in the early '70s writing “Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother,” which was popularized by Jerry Jeff Walker and covered countless times since then. Straddling the thin line that separates country music from rock ‘n’ roll for decades, Hubbard’s wry humor, rocking guitar and salty Southern voice make him a true original in that little subgenre called Texas music.
Justin Cashion
9 p.m. Friday, April 9, at Sundown at Granada, 3520 Greenville Ave., $18-$24 at prekindle.com
Justin Cashion built a name for himself over the course of the pandemic playing porches and patios around town. One of his main performance spots, Sundown at Granada, will host the release show for his debut album Paranoid Narrative. The concept album explores paranoia in all of its forms, from urban legends to conspiracy theories. Helping Cashion get the party started is Austin rock band The Beatnik Bandits.
Shaker Hymns & The 40 Acre Mule
7 p.m. Friday, April 9, at Magnolia Motor Lounge, 3005 Morton St., $12-$110 at amplitix.com
San Marcos’ Shaker Hymns have developed their style over the past few years, eschewing traditional country sounds for the rock ‘n’ soul sounds coming out of Muscle Shoals in the '70s. Touring on the heels of their late 2020 release The Ties That Bind, Shaker Hymns will receive local support Friday night at Fort Worth’s Magnolia Motor Lounge from traditional R&B band The 40 Acre Mule.
Ottoman Turks
9 p.m. Saturday, April 10, at Troy’s, 1650 E Randol Mill Road, No. 100, Free
Still flying high from last week’s album release show at Granada Theater, Ottoman Turks will take the stage at the new Troy’s at Texas Live! at Globe Life Field in Arlington. Known for bringing on the boozy good times, this genre-bending band is sure to bring the jams to the post-game crowd after the Texas Rangers take on the San Diego Padres. There is a reason the Observer named the band “Best Group Act” in the midst of the pandemic. Now is your chance to see why.
Washed Up Rookie & Milky Beatz
7 p.m. Saturday, April 10, at Tulips, 112 St. Louis Ave., $10-$30 at prekindle.com
Fort Worth blues-rocker Washed Up Rookie recently teamed up with Fort Worth rapper and producer Milky Beatz to create the single “Sorry, and Good Luck,” a song whose high-energy music provided a stark contrast to the lyrics’ emotional depth. The song is part of a larger collaboration between the two artists, which we will hopefully be seeing more of later this year. This Saturday, both artists will take the stage to reveal more from this collaboration at Tulips in Fort Worth.
Seth Troxler
9 p.m. Saturday, April 10, at It’ll Do Club, 4322 Elm St., $15-$275 at eventbrite.com
Part of the Visionquest collective, American house DJ Seth Troxler has been laying down beats worldwide since 2002. The founder of three record labels and a London restaurant, Troxler has a clear vision for what he brings to the turntables, and you too can catch the groove Saturday night at It’ll Do Club in Deep Ellum. Troxler will receive support from fellow Visionquest member Shaun Reeves and local DJ Red Eye.
Matt Hillyer & Joshua Ray Walker
6 p.m. Sunday, April 11, at The Post at River East, 2925 Race St., $25-$100 at eventbrite.com
Matt Hillyer, leader of the longstanding Dallas honky-tonk band Eleven Hundred Springs, will join country music singer Joshua Ray Walker for a Sunday night song swap in Fort Worth’s Post at River East. It may be the vocal range, or the musical approach, but whatever it is, this duo makes audiences swoon playing covers and originals whenever they get together. It’s been a few months since their last song swap, but that just means more stories to be told.
Holy Death Trio
8 p.m. Sunday, April 11, at Three Links, 2704 Elm St., $10 at seetickets.us
Coming out of Central Texas, Holy Death Trio gives new life to the genre of stoner metal, borrowing from guitar gods and garage rockers alike. As the band puts the finishing touches on their first album Holy Death Experience, Holy Death Trio will be making a quick run through Dallas with a Sunday top at Deep Ellum’s Three Links. Aiding the trio with even more heavy riffs will be Dallas psychedelic blues rock band Smokey Mirror. Don’t forget your Visine.