Blues on the Green returns to Zilker with Escovedo on Tuesday and Brownout on Wednesday.

We flagged Blues on the Green last week and here it is. Alejandro Escovedo headlines Tuesday night at Zilker with Aaron Behrens and Kylie Hernandez, and Brownout closes the series Wednesday with Mama Duke and Nik Parr and the Selfless Lovers. Both nights are free. That's the core of the week. Add Lord of the Rings in concert at Bass Concert Hall Thursday through Sunday, and you have a stretch of programming that doesn't require much travel or much money. One note on last week's Pride teaser: the Austin Pride Parade and Festival runs August 22 this year, not June 14. June has bar programming, the Big Gay Drag Brunch at Brewtorium on the 14th, and gallery shows across the east side, but the main event is still two months out.

The marquee

• Tue June 9, 7:00 PM · Free
  Blues on the Green Night 1: Alejandro Escovedo, Aaron Behrens, Kylie Hernandez
  Zilker Park
  Escovedo has been an Austin fixture for decades and he earns the headliner slot. Aaron Behrens plays before him, Kylie Hernandez opens. Arrive by 6:30 to claim a spot on the hill with clean sightlines. Barton Springs Road fills early on concert nights. The back entrance off William Barton Drive, past the batting cages, tends to have open parking until about 7.
• Wed June 10, 7:00 PM · Free
  Blues on the Green Night 2: Brownout, Mama Duke, Nik Parr and the Selfless Lovers
  Zilker Park
  Brownout is the tighter set of the two nights. They've been doing Austin Latin funk longer than most bands get to, and a Wednesday crowd at Zilker suits them. Mama Duke opens, Nik Parr takes the middle slot. Same parking note as Tuesday: Cesar Chavez and the Lamar bridge approach is cleaner than the Barton Springs Road main lot by the time music starts.
• Fri June 12 thru Sun June 14 · From $45
  The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in Concert
  Bass Concert Hall, UT Austin
  Howard Shore's score performed live over the full film. Bass Concert Hall handles orchestral sound well and the screen is properly sized for it. This is one of those experiences that holds up better in the room than you'd expect reading about it. Friday and Saturday have the most availability right now. Sunday afternoon is the family-friendly slot if that's relevant.

Sunday · Tonight

• 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM · Free entry
  Big Ole Queer Market, final day
  Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd
• Open until 10:00 PM · $9
  Barton Springs afternoon swim
  Zilker Park
• 8:00 PM · $10
  Continental Club Sunday residency
  South Congress

Monday and Tuesday

• Mon, 9:00 PM · $15
  Blue Monday with Soul Man Sam
  Antone's Nightclub, 305 E 5th St
• Tue June 9, 7:00 PM · Free
  Blues on the Green Night 1: Alejandro Escovedo
  Zilker Park
  See the marquee for the full breakdown. Arrive early.

Wednesday and Thursday

• Wed June 10, 7:00 PM · Free
  Blues on the Green Night 2: Brownout
  Zilker Park
• Wed, 9:30 PM · No cover
  Two-step at the White Horse
  500 Comal St, East Austin
• Thu, 9:30 PM · $10
  Jazz at the Elephant Room
  315 Congress Ave, Downtown

Next Friday and Saturday

• Fri June 12, showtime TBD · From $45
  The Fellowship of the Ring in Concert, opening night
  Bass Concert Hall
• Sat June 13, 9 AM to 1 PM · Free
  SFC Farmers' Market at Republic Square
  Downtown
• Sat June 13, showtime TBD · From $45
  The Fellowship of the Ring in Concert, Saturday
  Bass Concert Hall
• Open until 10:00 PM · $9
  Barton Springs weekend hours
  Zilker

Next Sunday

• Sun June 14, showtime TBD · From $45
  The Fellowship of the Ring in Concert, Sunday
  Bass Concert Hall
• Sun June 14, noon to 3 PM · Varies
  Big Gay Drag Brunch at Brewtorium
  Brewtorium Brewery, 6015 Dillard Cir
• 6:30 PM · Free
  Sundown Sundays at Mueller Lake
  Mueller

What we're drinking this week

• All day · $11
  Frozen margs at Güero's Taco Bar patio
  1412 S Congress Ave
• Open daily · $$
  Natural wine at Strangelove
  East Austin
• Tue and Wed afternoons · $5–6
  Cold brew from the carts near Zilker before the shows
  Barton Springs Rd area
• Evenings · $$
  Draft lagers on the patio at the Cavalier
  2400 Guadalupe St

Free this week

• Tue June 9 and Wed June 10, 7:00 PM · Free
  Blues on the Green, both nights
  Zilker Park
• Sat, 9 AM to 1 PM · Free
  SFC Farmers' Market at Republic Square
  Downtown
• Sun, 6:30 PM · Free
  Sundown Sundays at Mueller Lake
  Mueller

From the archive

June is pool month. Barton Springs is the obvious call, but Bartholomew Pool on the east side stays less crowded through the week and the lap lanes are open most mornings. We ranked the four city pools by line length, water clarity, and walk-up parking odds.

Looking ahead

• Sat Aug 22, parade at 8 PM · Free viewing
  Austin Pride Parade and Festival
  Congress Avenue to the Bridge
• Daily through September · $9
  Barton Springs summer hours continue
  Zilker Park

ATX Weekly tip

For Blues on the Green: bring bug spray. June evenings at Zilker are warm and the mosquitoes show up around 8 PM. The hill gets crowded from the center out, so if you want a clear line of sight, position yourself on the left side facing the stage rather than straight back. Blankets work better than chairs for the slope.

Two free nights at Zilker and the Fellowship in concert to close the week. See you back here next Sunday. — The ATX Weekly Editors