ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO
9 p.m., Juanita’s. $16 adv., $20 d.o.s.
Unless Neil Young or Patti Smith makes an unlikely trip back to town or Warren Zevon or Townes Van Zandt reanimates and zombies up to a local mic, Little Rock isn’t likely to see a show from a greater Great all year. “Wait: if this guy’s so ‘Great,’ then why isn’t he famous?” For decades, the Alejandro Escovedo story has been that his talent has far outweighed his renown and his deserved mainstream success has been elusive, inexplicably. His consolation prizes aren’t awful, however: “Artist of the Decade” by alt-country magazine No Depression, a demi-god in his native Austin and nearly unanimously adored by critics, musicians and others in the peanut gallery from collaborator Bruce Springsteen to fellow Texan George W. Bush, who kept Escovedo in his iPod during his presidency. In short, if you know Escovedo, you probably love him as much as I do and you’ll be there. If not, and you’re open to a new favorite singer, clear out your Thursday night plans.
Check it out: entire Austin City Limits episode (Nov. 2010)