Concert by folk singer-songwriter Robert Ellis, known for his delicate tenor and introspective songwriting, performing his latest project 'Yesterday's News'.
Robert Ellis plays The 04 Center on Thursday, October 22, 2026. He's a songwriter and producer from just outside Houston, known for a reedy tenor and a particular kind of introspection that comes through in his writing. This show is built around his latest project, Yesterday's News, which takes a sharp turn from his 2019 record Texas Piano Man.
Texas Piano Man was a raucous affair; Yesterday's News is the opposite. He recorded it live to tape in just two days, and the arrangements are stripped-down: his vocals accompanied only by nylon-string guitar, upright bass, and occasional handheld percussion. The fingerpicking and open tunings draw from English songwriters like Nick Drake and Richard Thompson, while the performances lean into the bittersweet longing of Chet Baker and the playful poignancy of Bill Evans and Jim Hall. It's a quiet, textural record, and the live set follows that same sparse, acoustic direction.
Beyond the stage, Ellis runs Niles City Sound, a studio in Fort Worth he operates with collaborator Josh Block. The critics have kept a close eye on him: NPR noted his "musical daring and impeccable songcraft," Rolling Stone pointed to his "sharp eye for storytelling," and The New York Times described his writing as an emotional "gut punch."
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The show is at The 04 Center, 2701 South Lamar Blvd, in Austin. It's a single-bill night with Robert Ellis as the main feature.
