If every song is a story, then every songwriter must have stories about those songs. That’s the idea behind this new series from KUTX, The Hole Story. Taped live on the little front stage of Hole in the Wall – we’ve invited artists to not just perform, but also share the inspiration, meaning, or backstory behind each song.
Opened in 1974, Hole in the Wall is one of Austin’s most legendary dive bars. Shenanigans, debauchery, and a whole lot of music has happened inside these walls. It’s a launchpad for generations of Texas songwriters – from Blaze Foley and Lucinda Williams to Spoon, Shakey Graves, and Gary Clark Jr.
And who better to kick off this new series than Kevin Russell of Shinyribs. Kevin’s had a few musical chapters — from The Picket Line Coyotes to The Gourds to Shinyribs. Kevin and his fellow musicians were staples at Hole in the Wall in the 90s and his band The Gourds’ regular gig got so packed to they raised the cover from $5 to $7 to mitigate some of the crowd. They were accused of price gouging and called capitalist pigs by the “dirty Austin hippies”.
To celebrate the release of his ninth studio album, Leaving Time, Shinyribs returned to Hole in the Wall to share new songs and the stories of his childhood, teenage years, and his road to Austin.
Set List: “One of These Days” / “That and $20” / “Leaving Louisiana Blues” / “Leaving Time”
Album: Leaving Time (April 25, 2025 Nine Mile Records)
Musicians: Kevin Russel – vocals, uke; Keith Langford – drums; Mason Hankamer – bass; Marty Muse – pedal steel, bongos, Jon Grossman – keys
Credits: Producer: Deidre Gott; Audio Engineer: Mark Creaney; Jake Perlman, Rene Chavez; Audio Post Mix: Rene Chavez; Cameras: Deborah Cannon, Michael Minasi, Isak Kotecki, Patricia Lim; Edit: Deborah Cannon
Special thanks to Harrison Anderson, Clayton Englans and the whole staff at Hole in the Wall.
