For those worried that Austin is moving too far from its roots, Mike & The Moonpies are helping keep the progressive country tradition alive here in town. They’re part of a new generation of honky-tonkers who have claimed the White Horse as their own; the band members helped paint the East Austin venue before it opened, and they fill the dance floor with a Thursday night residency (which just wrapped up). On top of that, the Moonpies average about 500 miles of travel per weekend, venturing all across Texas and Oklahoma to play dancehalls both big (Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth) and historic (Kendalia Halle in Kendalia, Texas).
Mike & The Moonpies made their ACL Fest debut this past weekend, but given that they routinely play upwards of 30 songs per night, a big festival crowd was a breeze. Download “Never Leaving Texas,” recorded live backstage at ACL Fest 2014.