Robert Earl Keen

Robert Earl Keen plays Devil's Backbone Tavern on Wednesday, August 26. He's the sole bill, and the show is a straightforward concert: Keen on stage, his songs as the program. If you've followed his work, you know the sort of thing to expect—the storytelling and the songwriting that've defined his career.

There's a bit of a local hook to this one. Keen was named 2026 Texan of the Year, and this is a Texas songwriter playing a Texas room. He's often described as one of the most prolific songwriters of his generation, and that's a fair way to put it—he's written a long catalog over the years, so there's plenty to draw from for a single set.

If you're not already familiar, he's a songwriter's songwriter, the kind of act that works as well in a small room as it does on a bigger stage. The focus here is on the songs themselves, and since he's the only name on the bill, the whole night belongs to him. It's a good chance to catch him in a setting where the music is the only thing on the program.

It's a Wednesday night show at Devil's Backbone Tavern in Austin. If you're planning to go, keep the date in mind: Wednesday, August 26.