Hector Ward & The Big Time

Hector Ward & The Big Time play The Saxon Pub on Tuesday, August 18. It's an Austin octet, and that number tells you a good bit about what they bring to the stage: eight musicians on one bill means there's a full horn section in the mix, not just a guitar and a beat. The set pulls from rock, blues, country, funk, soul and Latin, and the band describes it as channeling all those styles with expert precision.

Ward's Afro-Cuban roots are a big part of that sound. They come through in the horn lines and the guitar riffs, with Ward's own vocals front and center. It's a wide-ranging bill, and the horn section is what really sets it apart from a standard rock or blues outfit. KUTX 98.9 critic Jack Anderson has highlighted that sound, and it's what you'll hear most clearly when they're playing live.

Ward has been a local musician for two decades, and this octet is the vehicle for that experience. With eight people on stage, the arrangements have room to breathe, and the horn lines give the set a punch that a smaller band can't quite match. If you're into the intersection of rock and soul, with a Latin edge running through it, this is exactly that.

The show runs from 8 PM to 9:30 PM at The Saxon Pub, and tickets are $10.