All Hallow’s Eve is upon us, and as we get ready to put on our costumes, touch up our makeup and beg strangers for candy, we’ve got some news to pass on about the latest brand new episode of Austin City Limits.
We love to present new music and show off current artists hitting their prime. But we’re happy to honor the veterans and the lifers – the folks whose work has stood the test of time. In that light, we welcome Steve Miller Band and Preservation Hall Jazz Band to the ACL stage this Saturday, Oct. 29.
Steve Miller Band don’t need an introduction, do they? Lauded rock guitarist Steve Miller and his various partners-in-crime have been knocking around since the late 60s, leaving a string of indelible hits in their wake. Remember “Abracadabra?” “Fly Like An Eagle?” “Space Cowboy?” Of course you do, and you’ll hear them all on Saturday in front of an enthusiastic crowd that fills ACL Live at The Moody Theater to the gills.
Speaking of The Moody, we’d like to point out that the SMB show was the first-ever ACL taping in our new home. Thanks to the fantastic audience for coming out and making our maiden Moody voyage so memorable! Feel free, home viewers, to join the on-screen audience in singing along, which you’ll be doing it under your breath anyway, right?
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band has been around even longer than Miller – the group’s genesis coincides with the founding of the Hall itself back in 1961, and the style of New Orleans jazz the band plays goes back even further than that. History lives on in PHJB’s performances.
But don’t think that just because this group gets traditional means that they’re preserved in amber. Joining the band onstage this evening are Yim Yames from My Morning Jacket, James Petralli from White Denim and the ever-elegant Del McCoury Band to add their inimitable contemporary mojo. Once you hear “St. James Infirmary” sung by a high-voiced indie rock frontdude, you’ll realize it’s what you’ve always wanted.
Tune in this Saturday for your classic rock ‘n’ jazz fix – as always, check your local PBS listings for the broadcast time in your area. Toggle over to the episode page for biographical info, clips and photos.
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