Fitzgerald's showcases

SXSW comes to Houston? Some of the music portion is Bayou City bound

Can’t make it to Austin for the South by Southwest music festival, or just need a break from the Rodeo’s country twang and radio's mainstream pop?

Houston’s a hot stop on the map for many South by Southwest bands. While traditionally the festival has glorified Austin as a music mecca, now Houston reaps the benefits as well.

Pegstar’s SXSW Ingress will bring 20 showcasing bands to Fitzgerald’s in the next two weeks. The best part? Most concerts are free if you’re 21 or older ($7 for under 21).

Last year Pegstar hosted shows for showcasing acts Toro y Moi and Thee Oh Sees, among others. Paul VanDemark, Pegstar's production manager, who speaks in low mumbles and has an affinity for '80s windbreakers, told CultureMap: “It’s the first year that we’ve actually titled it, but Jagi and Pegstar did similar stuff last year. Primarily we had shows at Walter’s and Mango’s and Rudyard’s.”

The free shows are part of a larger initiative to get good bands to return to Houston.

When asked about which acts he most looks forward to, VanDemark said, "Eternal Summers is going to be great, because we snagged them for our showcase at the festival. We're trying to build relationships with artists we'd like to see return."

Pegstar’s SXSW Ingress Official Schedule:

Monday, March 14
Downstairs: Parts & Labor, Ptreodactyl, Prince Rama, Amen Dunes
Upstairs: Toro y Moi, Cloud Nothings, Reading Rainbow
(both upstairs and downstairs free for 21+/$7 under)

Tuesday, March 15
Downstairs: Sugar and Gold, Yip Deceiever (featuring members of Of Montreal), Sun Hotel
Upstairs: Small Black, Sun Airway, Eternal Summers, Teletextile
(both upstairs and downstairs free for 21+/$7 under)

(Small Black is in the same vein of chillwave as Toro y Moi. Check out Small Black “Despicable Dogs” here or download the Washed Out remix.)

Wednesday, March 16
Downstairs: Say Hi, Blair, Yellow Ostrich (Free for 21+/$7 under)
Upstairs: Uh Huh Her, Diamonds Under Fire ($15)

Saturday, March 19
Band of Heathens ($16)

Sunday, March 20
Downstairs: Kevin Devine, River city Extension, An Horse ($12)
Upstairs: Starfucker, Casio Kids (Free for 21+/$7 under)

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welcome back, frank!

Broadcaster Frank Billingsley finds second act at Houston radio station

Al Torres Photography

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When he announced his retirement from KPRC, Frank Billingsley told the late Ken Hoffman that he probably wasn’t done with media.

“I love all forms of communication so I'm sure I'll gravitate toward that either as a hobby or a second act. I'll weigh options and go from there,” he said in May.

Turn out that second act will be at one of Houston’s most prestigious radio stations. Billingsley has joined Houston Public Media as an executive producer and meteorologist.

"Frank Billingsley’s reputation as a Houston legend precedes him,” station manager Josh Adams said in a statement. “His experience and connection to our community align perfectly with Houston Public Media’s mission to inform and inspire. We are thrilled to welcome him to the team and look forward to the impact his presence will have."

Beginning in early 2025, Billingsley will serve as one of the hosts for a new talk show called Hello, Houston!. Led by Billingsley, veteran HPM host Ernie Manouse, and producer Celeste Schurman. Hello, Houston! will tell stories about a wide range of Houston happenings.

“Of course, I'll still get to talk about the weather, but Celeste, Ernie, and I will have fun and fascinating discussions about politics, arts, concerts, restaurants, clubs, people: everything that makes this city so great,” Billingsley said. “We have a great team behind us and I'm really looking forward to the challenge!”

Frank Billingsley worked at KPRC for 30 years. Prior to that, he worked at ABC13 for six years. He has earned multiple honors from the Associated Press, Houston Press Club, Houston Press Newspaper, and Dallas Press Club.

media celebrities frank billingsley