Radio Company Live in Austin 2024!

It’s a rare event when Radio Company, the band that consists of musician Steve Carlson and actor Jensen Ackles (he would dispute it if I called him a musician, even though….), does a live show. I was fortunate to be at their first two years ago in Nashville, which was amazing. So I felt extra lucky to be at their second live show, this time in Austin at Sagebrush. It was another amazing show, just as joyous as the first, but also completely different.

Sagebrush is an Austin music institution. It’s not fancy – it’s a Texas dance hall with wood floors that you can stomp on and pool tables and colorful lights strung around the place for some ambience. The stage was very low and the dance floor pretty much right at the foot of it, so once the place started to fill up, the people who were able to both stand for hours and endure the heat and stood up front were literally at Steve and Jensen’s feet.

(Sagebrush photos by @waywrdaughter67)

Ten years ago, I would’ve probably been one of those people crowded up front, but that isn’t possible anymore. I had a bit of a saga with the management beforehand about how they would provide accommodations to people who needed them, got conflicting advice, and finally just gave up. The venue did end up having a table off to the far right with chairs so I sat there with others who couldn’t stand for a long time, but unfortunately the rest is standing room only so that meant we couldn’t actually see anything at all other than the occasional glimpse of a singing head onstage.

I’m fortunate to be able to stand up for short periods of time, so even though I was far away I was able to see the bands (well, their heads) at least for a bit when standing. It was approximately 8000 degrees inside so standing was extra hard, however. Those of us in the seats all passed around those little portable fans that look like something else and wrapped paper towels soaked in water around our necks and several friends were lovely enough to bring me cold club sodas with lime, but it was … challenging.

That’s not to say I didn’t have a great time. I most definitely did.

Before I was a passionate Supernatural fan, I was a passionate music fan of a couple of bands who I saw live many times, often happily crushed up against the stage. I love live music, it’s one of my favorite things. There are few things more joyous than singing along with a crowd of people who all love the music and the band playing.

I love Louden Swain, alot.

And I love Radio Company, alot. I’ve been a fan of Steve Carlson’s music since the year I discovered it, back in 2007 – the same time I fell head over heels in love with Supernatural. And now that he’s teamed up with Jensen – I mean, who doesn’t love Jensen singing?? I was blown away the first time I witnessed him turn into a rockstar in front of our astonished eyes at that long ago Vegas con, and he continues to evolve as a performer.

Sidebar: Long ago, even before that night in Vegas, I was part of a group of twenty people who got to hear Jensen and Steve play some songs for us at (I think) the first Nashville convention. He was nervous, although it was the most receptive audience ever and they actually sounded amazing. Later that day I was in the green room and he came over to ask me to tell him honestly how he was, was he any good?  I think I convinced him that a) he was great and b) he should do that more often.

I’m really glad he eventually believed it.

So while I considered saying nope and leaving to find some AC, once the music started, I was captivated enough to put my discomfort aside for the most part (and privileged to be physically able to do so at least for a limited time). Swain was amazing as always, and then there was a huge cheer as Jensen and Steve and their awesome back-up band took the stage.

Apologies for being shallow, but WHOA. Everyone knows I love Jensen’s long hair, and along with mostly-bare-arms-black-tee-shirt, hair blowing in his face – let’s just say I was screaming my enthusiasm right along with everyone else.

I thank Chuck every day that Danneel loves his long hair and Kripke kept it for Soldier Boy, because nobody cares what I think, but do I ever agree with them!

If he ever shaves the beard and keeps the long hair, I may be incoherent.

Jensen and Steve played most of my favorites, sweating along with the rest of us but in a good mood.

Here are a few of my friend Tedra’s short videos, with great sound quality. She could see alot better than I could!

All My Living Time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nGYPLlAf-I

Quarter To (with all of us singing along): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Slvq8IhyDAs

City Grown Willow (and Jensen telling Steve to stop writing songs with so many instruments in them lol): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FHvcJq1AwY

You can see the moment Jensen realizes that everyone is singing not just the chorus but all the lyrics – the pleased smile that makes him look about ten years old, and the way he stops singing to just take it in at the end. It was emotional, y’all.

Velvet Sky with some amazing sax and trombone and Nola style dance moves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoDy8UVeLeo

It seriously made them so happy to have us singing along. Lots of smiles that night.

Right Kind of Trouble: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YtpfUBHNEw

Every Light: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChLgLxzqvU4

Look how thrilled Jensen is when we sing the lyrics back to them.

This might be my favorite Radio Co song, maybe because I’ve had the chance to live a lot of life and yeah, I’m not ready to go, damn it. I had the chance to hear Steve talk about writing this song and its meaning and ever since I’ve kinda been in love with it.

Here’s the little video I tweeted from my view on the side, so you can really hear the crowd – it was so much fun to sing along, while watching the breeze from the fan whip Jensen’s hair around.

https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1825723328105161059

Drowning is another of my favorites – and again, you can hear the crowd singing along at the top of our lungs, and Jensen’s beautiful voice with so much emotion.

https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1825727050591736128

And finally, Keep On Ramblin’ – a Supernatural song if I ever heard one, or at least that’s what it is to me.

Tedra’s video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEP0wVJotxs

Jensen really realized how much the crowd was singing along during “Keep On Ramblin” and it clearly made him so happy – look at that little pleased smile. My little tweeted video:

https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1825729948876718124

I didn’t take a video of it, but Sounds of Someday was gorgeous as always – a crowd favorite. And so was Watching Over Me.

I finally realized that my phone would take some close ups even though I was fairly far away and so they wouldn’t be super clear, and then became fascinated by the way Jensen’s hair was blowing across his face.  It was glorious – a little damp from sweat and blowing in the breeze, more wild than contained.

He puts so much emotion into his acting, which is why his characters are so compelling. You can see how much emotion he puts into his singing too, unsurprisingly.

My favorite part of the show was Jensen realizing that everyone was singing along and being so clearly touched by it – his joy is infectious no matter what the reason.

I chatted with Jensen’s parents a bit after the show – they were so proud, as I told them they should be!

I was at the first Radio Company show in Nashville at Analog, and I have to say I appreciated how comfortable the venue was, but I get what they were going for with a true Texas roadhouse feel to Sagebrush. I don’t think that’s how they’ll do it in the future if they keep doing live shows, so I’m glad I got to experience it.

I didn’t try for tickets for the second show so others could have a chance to witness Radio Co live, and I was excited to spend concert night number two at a good friend’s place in Austin (thanks B!) with a bunch of friends having a feast of snacks and watching the Tuesday night concert on Stage It.  There was much enthusiasm for the long hair and cut off sleeves and white pants and lots of the kind of bonding that fandom at its best is all about. And there was great music and plenty of A/C and it was glorious.

I love that Radio Co makes their shows available on Stage It so everyone can join in the fun – I told Jensen last weekend that I already can’t wait for their next one. You know, in between those tons of shows he’s filming.

Until then, we’ve got lots of music on our playlists to keep us company.

Or to keep on ramblin’.

–Lynn

If you’d like to read Jensen Ackles’ chapter

about overcoming anxiety, you can find it in

Family Don’t End With Blood – links at: