9 pm, $5, 21+
https://www.facebook.com/moonlightsocialmusic
To do big things, you have to make big noise. Up-and-coming Austin band Moonlight Social is doing just that. Since being founded in early 2011, the band played a SXSW showcase after being selected by 9-time GRAMMY-winning frontman Ray Benson and won a GRAMMY-sponsored showcase after being selected by the board of governors for the Texas Chapter of The Recording Academy. The band was then named winners of the 2011 Austin Chronicle Sound Wars after beating out nearly 100 other Austin bands. The band also won the GRAMMY-sponsored “Show Us Your Hits” competition and was a judge’s selection for the Indaba songwriting showcase with the song “Neither Are You.” Moonlight Social was then named one of the Best New Bands in Austin in 2013, and was featured as a rising artist on Nashville-produced TV show, “Welcome To Indie Country.”
Mixing a penchant for flowing melodies, poignant lyrics, and powerful vocals, Jeremy Burchard and Jennica Scott, the tandem behind Moonlight Social, combine their talents to offer a sound that is wholly accessible yet undeniably refreshing.
Hailing from Austin, Texas, the duo met as peers in The University of Texas Longhorn Band — Scott as a member of the trumpet section, and Burchard as a member of the drumline. What started as a spontaneous jam session and a few cover recordings in Burchard’s tiny apartment bedroom quickly developed into a full-time musical collaboration. Scott’s rich vocals and harmonious country sensibilities married with Burchard’s eclectic guitar style and expansive rock roots create the signature sound of Moonlight Social — that is, inventive yet familiar, spontaneous yet calculated, varied yet grounded.
The band has toured all through Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, and more, bringing along a talented collection of musicians. They released their debut self-produced EP in May 2011. Moonlight Social recorded their debut album Heading South with producer/Blue October bassist Matt Noveskey, released in late 2012 to glowing reviews.
Jessika Nickel
Jessika Nickel was born and raised in a small Nebraska town. From a very young age she had a love for writing poetry and dreamed of being on stage. By her early twenties she had a full-on passion for writing and singing country music. She has a special appreciation for up and coming country artists and Red Dirt Music. Her influences include country music legends such as Loretta Lynn and Patsy Cline, combined with the edge of today’s country music super star, Miranda Lambert. Her classic sound, her sassy lyrical style and the desire to tell her life’s story through her music has inspired dozens of original country songs. Her frequent trips to Nashville further ignited her fire for the stage. She’s been a guest of many local country music bands and now spends her time writing, recording and playing acoustic shows locally. She has opened for Emerson Drive, Casey James, Brett Eldredge, John Corbett, Casey Donahew Band, Craig Campbell, David Cook, and a host of incredible local original bands! She has no greater love than country music. She just wrapped up her first EP, produced by Jason Wyatt of “The Lost Trailers” in Nashville, Tennessee and can be found on iTunes, Spotify, and the full 5 song on www.jessikanickelofficial.com! Watch her Facebook page for local shows and make a point to come see what the fuss is all about. Wherever she sings, she earns fans. And each time, they leave having a bit more of true country music in their souls.
