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SOME OF OUR FAVORITES

Suggested Artist Donation $35 per person

(or whatever you feel is appropriate)

Doors Open at 6:15pm, Music Starts at 7:00pm

A BIT ABOUT JOE

We first saw Joe Pug in Austin about 15 years ago, and were struck by his songwriting, his musicianship and his unique voice. We went to a few shows and then heard that he had moved form Austin to Maryland (who does that!). We found out much later Joe that grew up in Maryland and when we launched MCC in 2015, we began what turned into a 10-year "wouldn't it be great if ..." effort to host a show for Joe.


A singer-songwriter known for his lyrical acumen and plaintive harmonica style, Joe Pug dropped out of college and moved to Chicago where he worked as a carpenter before breaking into the city’s music scene. Since 2008 he has released a string of critically-acclaimed albums and toured heavily in the U.S. and abroad. Paste Magazine wrote of his music: “Unless your surname is Dylan, Waits, Ritter or Prine, you could face-palm yourself to death trying to pen songs half as inspired."


He has toured with Steve Earle, Levon Helm, The Killers, Justin Townes Earle, Sturgill Simpson, and many others. He has appeared at Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, and The Newport Folk Festival. His music has appeared on NPR’s “Prairie Home Companion” and “Mountain Stage”. His music has been released by Lightning Rod Records, which features an alumni roster of Jason Isbell, Billy Joe Shaver, and James McMurtry.


Additionally, he is the creator and host of the popular podcast The Working Songwriter.

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SOME OF OUR FAVORITES


Suggested Artist Donation $25-$30 per person

(or whatever you feel is appropriate)

Doors Open at 6:15pm, Music Starts at 7:00pm

A BIT ABOUT BARBARA

This one starts with Kathy. Back around 2009, she was volunteering at the Austin Food Bank when she met a fellow volunteer named Barbara Nesbitt. Kathy figured out that Barbara was a musician, and we went to one of Barbara's solo shows later that week, then caught a Whiskey Sisters show. That was pretty much that - when we started MCC in 2015, Barbara quickly became an MCC regular. This will be her 6th MCC concert.


Barbara is an Austin Americana institution — six solo albums deep, multiple Austin Music Award nominations, SiriusXM airplay, co-founder of the acclaimed Whiskey Sisters, and yes, she's sung background vocals for Willie Nelson and Bob Weir. Which is a sentence most of us will never get to say.


Her newest record, Lucky Street, came out last fall and it's exactly what you'd hope from an artist this far into a career: unhurried, honest, and full of songs that feel like they've been around forever. The title track is deeply personal — Barbara actually lived on a Lucky Street as a kid. When she told her brother she was naming the album after it, he gently reminded her it wasn't exactly a golden chapter. Her response: the irony was too rich to avoid. Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel called her voice "clear as a mountain meadow and emotive as Patsy Cline." The only thing I would add is, "keep the swear jar handy."


If you've seen her here before, you already have your seat picked out. If you haven't, prepare to be ruined for lesser evenings.


These dates are subject to change so we recommend you keep an eye on dates here and in your invitation emails to ensure you don't miss any changes that might occur.
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Barbara Nesbitt


Saturday Oct. 10 2026

Doors: 630pm EDT

Music: 700pm EDT

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Spencer LaJoye


Saturday Nov. 7 2026

Doors: 630pm EST

Music: 700pm EST