For a critical eye on the music scene, head over to the Music section for a look at big shows by locals and touring acts in our backyard and beyond. This is not that.
Over here in the Calendar department, we reach out to our ever-growing list of Music Awards alumni and ask them where they will be playing “next month,” then, if all goes well, we publish a Crosstown Sounds listings ad in the last issue of the month. Look for the next installment of that in our Wed, May 29, issue.
Meanwhile, with this being our Summertime 2026 issue, we also asked the gang what they were up to for the summer holidays, including next weekend. Their submissions, plus a little digging by yours truly, yielded the itinerary below.
Memorial Day
The options for the kick-off weekend of the summer include some extra opportunities to party, seeing as you can sleep off your Sunday adventures on Monday. Sunshine Emery and some of her friends are playing at Dirty Water Saloon (9716 Palo Pinto Rd, Fort Worth, 682-703-2044) at 8pm on Fri, May 22.
Then on Sat, May 23, catch Bronson Louis at Los Vaqueros (2513 Rodeo Plz, Fort Worth, 817-624-1511), The Troumatics with Mandy Hand at Magnolia Motor Lounge (3803 Southwest Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-332-3344), and Two Guys Walk Into a Bar at Truck Yard (5624 Sears St, Dallas, 877-447-2967).
Sunday brings two unique offerings to the holiday weekend. First, head to the Rose Chapel at Southside Preservation Hall (1519 Lipscomb St, Fort Worth, 817-926-2800) on Sun, May 24, and become part of the show at the Southside Sing-Along Karaoke Choir event. From 6:30pm to 9pm, sing your heart out to “’80s anthems you forgot you loved, ’90s sing-alongs that hit your soul, and 2000s bangers that bring the house down,” guided by song leader Mike West. Tickets are $10 on Prekindle.com.
For those off work on Monday, it might be time to check out Open Decks with DJ Con the Baptist at Curfew Bar (350 W 5th St, Fort Worth, 817-886-0242). This EDM night happens every other Sunday, including Memorial Day weekend, from 10pm to 2am, featuring 30-minute sets of new music, and is free to attend.
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Juneteenth
Ahead of Juneteenth, enjoy a Celebration of Choirs featuring Kirk Franklin at 4pm Sun, Jun 14, at The Potter’s House of Fort Worth (1270 Woodhaven Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-446-1999). There is no cost to attend, but reservations are required, and all spots are currently taken. To join the waitlist, go to Eventnoire.com.
The Temptations & Four Tops will be in town on Thu, Jun 18, at 7:30pm at Bass Performance Hall as the ’70s night of Freedom Vibes Fest. Tickets to this co-headlining show start at $39 at BassHall.com.
Then, on Fri, Jun 19, at 7pm, the Real SOS Band is hosting an ’80s R&B night as part of the Freedom Vibes festival at the Fort Worth Convention Center (1201 Houston St, Fort Worth) with a stacked bill of Midnight Star and other R&B artists like Freddie Jackson, Glenn Jones, and Angela Winbush. Saturday at 7pm at the convention center is ’90s night, with Blackstreet, Stokley of Mint Condition, Carl Thomas, NEXT, and Case as the featured artists, followed by an After Party with Larenx Tate at 10pm. Tickets start at $50 at FreedomVibes.com.
On the local front, activist Zooki Sturgess has organized a benefit show called Songs 4 Seeds on Fri, Jun 19, at The Cidada (1002 S Main St, Fort Worth) to raise funds for Opal’s Farm, the five-acre urban farm founded by Juneteenth pioneer Dr. Opal Lee. For a $15 cash only cover charge, you will hear a night of music by bands with inclusive lineups. More details will be available closer to the event date.
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Independence Day
Local punks LABELS are doing a summer tour this year, which kicks off on Fri, Jul 3, at The Post (2736 W 6th St, Fort Worth, 817-945-8890) with Flower Bed, Love Cuts, and Heavy Petal, after which LABELS will head to several Texas cities, plus Tulsa and Baton Rouge, through mid-July. This would be a fun tour to follow!
Two Guys Walk Into a Bar also has a show on Fri, Jul 3, at Second Rodeo in the Stockyards (122 E Exchange Av, Ste 340, Fort Worth, 877-517-7548).
Then on Sat, Jul 4, Historic Downtown Killeen (200 E Avenue D, 254-501-7600) hosts its annual Red, White & Blue Music Festival. The festivities start at 7pm, and the Bronson Louis Band is the headliner. For more details, visit KilleenTexas.gov/downtownevents as the event date approaches.
Now, about them Toadies.
If you didn’t attend the Toadies’ recent album release show at Longhorn Ballroom’s new outdoor amphitheater, you really missed a great time. The setlist was a calculated blend of new material and old favorites that seemed to make everyone happy. Hardcore fans such as myself have already been hearing the title track, “The Charmer,” and a couple of other new songs at their live shows the last couple of years, so the album release show was really just an excuse for us to see them sooner than #homecoming (i.e. New Year’s Eve Eve at Billy Bob’s). Now, they are headed out on a nationwide tour.
If you’re experiencing some #FOMO, all hope is not lost. Extend your Independence Day revelry by joining them in Sherman at Hot Summer Nights 7pm-9pm Thu, Jul 9, at Lucy Kidd-Key Park (373 W Pecan St, 903-892-7230) with local opener Matt Hillyer playing at 7pm. As this is part of the city’s annual outdoor concert series, there is no cost to attend. Score!
While I’m a big fan of following bands on the road and doing some sightseeing along the way, with gas prices as they are, I’m glad to see Toadies are also closing out the tour with some Texas dates. Along with the Independence Day show mentioned above, you can also see them in Waco on July 10 at the Backyard Bar (511 S 8th St, 254-235-1151) or at the Cider Mill in Round Mountain (222 Lee Ln, 512-222-7949) on Jul 11.
For tickets or a must-have Toadies inflatable pool raft for your road trip (only $5), go to TheToadies.com. In the meantime, you can read our recent profile of the band at FWWeekly.com (“Turn on ‘The Charmer,’ ” Apr 29, 2026).
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Labor Day
Labor Day Weekend is when throngs of Texas metalheads descend upon Pryor, OK, for Rocklahoma, a three-day outdoor festival with on-site camping Fri-Sun, Sep 5-7. Of the three headliners — Slayer, Godsmack, and Papa Roach — two will be in North Texas soon. If you’d like to save on gas, you can see Godsmack this Mon, May 27, at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory (300 W Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, 214-978-4888) with another Rocklahoma band, Stone Temple Pilots. As for Slayer, you could also catch them at Sick New World Fest at Texas Motor Speedway (3545 Lone Star Cir, Fort Worth, 817-215-8500) in October. Read more about that festival at FWWeekly.com (“In Sickess & Health,” Jan 21, 2026).
Bookend your summer with an excursion to the new Truck Yard in Richardson, coming soon to 740 S Central Expy, to see Two Guys Walk Into A Bar on Sun, Sep 7. Their set is from 8pm to 11pm. Late for a school night? Perhaps. But, don’t forget, you’re off work tomorrow!
