Live Music in San Antonio This Week: Jason Isbell, Ring Deathstarr, Moon Tokki, Mugger

From young rockers showing off their chops to a Grammy-winning Americana singer-songwriter, San Antonio is awash in great music this week. Let's dive on in.

Wednesday, July 24

School of Rock All Stars

The School of Rock is more than a hilarious movie starring Jack Black — it’s an actual music school with franchises across major U.S. cities and even cities overseas. For this special concert, young students audition and compete for a coveted slot, then hop on an actual tour bus and experience life as a musician. (Actually, most musicians don’t ride in buses unless you count VIA, but you get the idea.) SA is a stop on this tour, and an ideal one. We love our classic rock, and this is the way it’s meant to be heard — not by Baby Boomer blues lawyers but young folks first experiencing the joy of playing music. $15-$40, 6:30 p.m., Sam’s Burger Joint, 330 E. Grayson St., (210) 223-2830, samsburgerjoint.com. — Bill Baird

Thursday, July 25

Ringo Deathstarr, Elnuh, Sinking

Named after the Beatles’ drummer and the most powerful weapon in a galaxy far, far away, Austin’s Ringo Deathstarr has more than just a good name. The band has emerged as a powerful presence in the shoegaze revival. While often compared to My Bloody Valentine and Ride, the band has evolved with more of a dream pop sound since its 2015 hit “Stare At The Sun”. $17, 7 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — Danny Cervantes

Friday, July 26

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Jason Isbell appears to be on top of his game as he hits the shores of the Guadalupe. His years with the Drive By Truckers and subsequent sobriety have brought a clarity to his Northern Alabama sound, a mix of soulful rock and country. His most recent album with The 400 Unit, 2023’s Grammy-winning Weathervanes , peaked at No. 1 on the indie charts. Pioneering country-rock act Nitty Gritty Dirt Band open the show a with a setlist spanning five decades of material. $65.10-$128.40, 7:30 p.m., Whitewater Amphitheater, 11860 FM 306, New Braunfels, (830) 964-3800, whitewaterrocks.com. — DC

Moon Tokki, Neon Lemon, Mypilotis

Thanks in part to an approach that defies San Antonio’s longtime fixations with heavy metal and roots music, Moon Tokki has emerged as one of the city’s most promising young bands. The group calls its music “awk-rock,” and it’s a mix of post-punk guitar and bubblegum keys with nods to Bowie and Roxy Music. Another promising SA band, catchy indie-rock purveyors Mypilotis, and Austin psych act Neon Lemon round out the bill. $5, 9:30 p.m., Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St. Mary’s St., thelonesomerose.com. — BB

Sunday, July 28

Mugger, Killer Hearts

Mugger are one of the best modern hardcore bands out there, period. If anyone needs proof, they received the ultimate endorsement: being selected as opening act for seminal hardcore legends Negative Approach. The opening band, Houston’s Killer Hearts, bring an unapologetic ’80s rock sensibility to the proceedings. Something like Motörhead meeting “Too Fast For Love”-era Mötley Crüe — you know, back when the Crüe rocked. Bonus points for this being an all-ages show. Free for 21+, $10 for minors, 7 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — BB

Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.

Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed