Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor
Waco’s exponential growth as a city is being marked by yet another event likely to draw hundreds into its heart. Shakey Graves, the famous one-man-band native to Austin, is scheduled to headline the “Brazos Nights” Riverfront Concert Series on June 15 at Indian Spring Park next to the historic Suspension Bridge. The concert will be free and open to the public; Shakey Graves’ performance in Waco is the only free show he will play during his 2018 tour, which begins April 19 in Boone, N.C. and ends August 30 in Morrison, Colo.
The announcement of the concert series proceeds a weekend of crowded events, including Magnolia Market’s “Spring at the Silos,” which drew tens of thousands of outsiders into Waco, and the “Annual Texas Food Truck Showdown,” which attracted food trucks from all over the state.
Combining the sounds of blues, folk and rock and roll, artist Shakey Graves, whose real name is Alejandro Rose-Garcia, acted in “Friday Night Lights” and “Spy Kids 3” before pursuing a musical career under his new name. Garcia was also asked to be the official “busker” for the Edward Sharpe and Mumford & Sons Railroad Revival Tour in 2011, where he played music for patrons entering each venue.
Because of its many sponsors, including H-E-B, MetroPCS and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, the City of Waco Parks and Recreation Department is able to draw in names as famous as Shakey Graves, an artist who has previously drawn thousands of fans to his stage at Austin City Limits, and has been featured on variety shows like Conan, The Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Seth Meyers.
“Brazos Nights” concerts will be on April 20, May 4, June 15, and July 4. Three concerts will precede the headliner on June 15: Big Voodoo Daddy and the California Honeydrops, both from California, will perform at Indian Spring Park on April 20. Little Joe y La Familia will perform for a Cinco de Mayo celebration on May 4, also at Indian Spring Park. Dale Watson and His Lone Stars will perform at “Pints in the Park” on May 19 at Brazos Park East, an event featuring BBQ, bands and backyard games.
Fourth on the Brazos, the final event in the series of concerts, is on July 4th and is located at Touchdown Alley next to McClane Stadium. Fourth on the Brazos will feature live music, a Waco community band and H-E-B Fireworks over the Brazos River. Learn more about the event here.
In January, Shakey Graves announced that his new album “Can’t Wake Up” is set for release on May 4, just in time for the free Waco concert in June.
