Twang with a glimmer of folk. Double-entendre lyrics with an irresistible beat. A voice warm and charming enough to draw a tear.
“(They’re) great songwriters and great people,” host Jake Farr said. “And I’m so excited to share them with you tonight.”
On Friday evening, Cactus Cafe welcomed back Farr’s Songwriter Showcase for its spring show, featuring five local artists handpicked from hundreds to perform. While the event traditionally hosts folk music, the lineup stretched into blues, indie and pop, each performer tasked with delivering their music with no more than their voice and a guitar.
Farr originally began the showcase to give up-and-coming artists an opportunity to play a gig at one of Austin’s most prominent venues. Selected based on Cactus Cafe open mic performances that Farr attends, each artist performed with unique music and lyrics.
Preston Hester opened the night, easing the crowd in with a steady presence. In a corduroy jacket and armed with an acoustic guitar, his first song, “Up or Down,” hovered between country and folk, grounded in memories of friendship that he said kept him inspired as he pursued music.
“And if I never see the light,” Hester sang. “I hope you never compromise your dreams.”
Raw and honest, Hester’s set leaned into simplicity. The audience sat quietly, letting each song settle before breaking into applause. Four songs in, the room remained fixed on his deep vocals.
Between sets, Farr reminded the audience of a Cactus Cafe tradition.
“When someone does a great job,” Farr said, turning to the crowd. “Everybody say(s), ‘Damn Preston!’”
The phrase echoed throughout the night, each artist earning the same booming approval.
Meg Lauren followed with a striking contrast, filling the small venue with a commanding voice. She opened with “Ruby Slippers,” drawing on themes from “The Wizard of Oz” to sing about the idea of returning home.
“Home again,” Lauren sang. “Can you ever go home again?”
Lauren’s set moved through offbeat, narrative-driven songs, including one about a young girl in a Pennsylvania silk mill writing to a Texas governor in search of a cowboy.
“Say, I’d like to correspond with a cowboy,” Lauren sang. “I thought that maybe someday he might take me to stay somewhere greener and bluer than here in the open air.”
The third artist of the night, Zach Boyd, otherwise known as Lieutenant Obvious, displayed spunk and wordplay through songs that combined both upbeat tunes with lyrics that described the hard truth or difficult feelings. Though choosing random names for each song from a small container throughout the night, the artist displayed wit, self-reflection and an ability to piece together two separate ideas, such as fighting God.
“He’s wrestling God,” Boyd sang. “And God always wins.”
The remaining artists carried that same spirit of storytelling, shifting between longing, confessions and stories from childhood. Whether leaning into indie melodies, pop or stripped-down folk, each artist kept the audience clapping and whistling.
By the end of the night, the refrain had become instinct.
“Damn!” the crowd called out again and again.
To close the show with appreciation for all the artists that came to perform, Farr asked for the crowd to connect with the artists and offer a smile, a wave and a search on all streaming platforms.
“Tonight’s all about connection, all about supporting these five great artists,” Farr said. “So join me, let’s give one more round of applause.”
