The Josh Abbott Band brought their signature blend of country and Texas spirit to a packed Moody Theater in Austin, delivering an unforgettable night.
Opening for the Josh Abbott Band is singer-songwriter John Baumann. John has proven to be an excellent one at that. He has released quite a few solo projects but has also landed cuts with the likes of Kenny Chesney and the Randy Rogers Band. He is also a part of the country supergroup The Panhandlers, alongside Josh Abbott, William Green Clark, and Flatland Cavalry’s Cleto Cordero. In October 2024, he released a new single called “The Hat Is Mine.”
John Baumann took the stage with a calm, endearing energy. John told the crowd he lived in Austin but wasn’t far from his hometown having grown up only a few hours away in San Antonio, TX. He performed “Congratulations” before thanking his Mimi for watching the kids so he could come out to ACL Live at the Moody Theater to perform for us. He also played his song “Midland,” from his 2012 EP, West Texas Vernacular.
After John Baumann, the nine members that make up the Josh Abbott Band filed onto the stage. With that many members, the audience could assume they will see every instrument invented to be played on one stage. The original members are Josh Abbott, Edward Villanueva, Jimmy Hartman, Austin Davis, David Fralin, Adam Hill, Kris Farrow, and Cale Richardson but they had an additional musician joining them. The band was founded in Lubbock, TX, in 2006. Their style can be described as red dirt country and draws clear inspiration from bluegrass and rock.The band had a fiddle, banjo, steel guitar, and even a harmonica. With Josh Abbott himself leading the vocals, the band enthusiastically played their Texas hearts out. After the first three songs, Josh Abbott invited two surprise guests onto the stage. When Josh’s two little kids came out onto the stage, the entire crowd awed in unison. Together, his son and daughter performed “Lucky To Be Loved By You.” After the heartwarming performance, the band performed songs such as “Live It While You Got It” and “Wasn’t That Drunk.”
Mid-set, Josh told the crowd it was his mom’s birthday and that instead of singing “Happy Birthday,” he wanted to dedicate “She’s Like Texas” to her. Toward the end, the banjo got its time to shine as the musician shredded a solo. The next song was dedicated to Josh’s old high school classmate. They played “I’ll Sing About Mine,” a song about small hometowns and stereotypical assumptions about them. After performing “Hanging Around,” someone threw a bra onto the stage which was abruptly returned. They played other songs such as “Touch” and “24-7-365” before calling it a night.
The Josh Abbott Band has a few more shows scattered around Texas throughout November.
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