AUSTIN
Hometown Blues
Gary Clark Jr., the Austin guitar ace who is leading a blues revival, will preview songs from his anticipated major-label LP and play old standards that should inspire fans to sing along like President Obama did during a recent White House performance. Stubb’s Bar-B-Q, October 10, garyclarkjr.com
EL PASO
Chalk It Up
Play Banksy at Chalk the Block, the annual festival of pop-up galleries and aerialist performers, where pro and amateur artists draw on the sidewalks without the threat of getting arrested for vandalism. Downtown, October 14–16, chalktheblock.com
ORANGE
The Orchid Chief
Take a whiff of the dozens of species of orchids blooming in the Victorian-style Lord & Burnham greenhouse at the Orchid Festival and learn how to tend to these beauties, which are often killed by over-attentive owners. Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center, October 6–13, shangrilagardens.org
SPRING
Loose Caboose
The bands caravanning on the Railroad Revival Tour—including Band of Horses and Jamey Johnson—will arrive in Old Town Spring amped up after stops in New Orleans and Memphis and time spent under the influence of the headliner, Willie Nelson. Old Town Spring, October 24, railroadrevival.com
WAXAHACHIE
Storyville
Swap tales with fellow attendees at the Texas Country Reporter Festival, then use that experience to pitch material to Bob Phillips, the host of the weekly syndicated television show the festival is named after. Downtown, October 27, texascountryreporter.com
