Austin: The Afghan Whigs at Historic Scoot Inn
The Afghan Whigs bring their dark, soul-inflected rock to the Historic Scoot Inn on Saturday, November 21. Doors are at 7 PM, with tickets starting around $30 for a band that’s been one of alternative rock’s most distinctive voices for nearly four decades.
Formed in Cincinnati in 1986 and fronted by Greg Dulli, The Afghan Whigs stood apart from their Sub Pop grunge-era labelmates by folding in heavy doses of classic soul and R&B, giving albums like Gentlemen (1993) and Black Love (1996) a brooding, theatrical intensity that still sounds unlike anything else from that era. The band broke up in 2001 but reunited a decade later, releasing well-received new albums like Do to the Beast (2014) and In Spades (2017) that proved Dulli’s songwriting had lost none of its edge, nor its appetite for dark, cinematic storytelling.
Dulli’s reputation as one of rock’s most commanding frontmen is built on exactly the kind of intimate, high-intensity room the Scoot Inn provides — close enough for every bit of the band’s slow-burning tension to register with an audience. The venue’s East 4th Street location has become a reliable stop for veteran acts who still tour hard and play harder, drawing crowds who remember the band’s ’90s heyday alongside younger converts.
Dulli has also recorded as half of the duo The Twilight Singers and collaborated with the late Mark Lanegan in the Gutter Twins, a resume that underscores how deeply his music draws from soul and noir atmosphere as much as traditional rock, and how restless he’s remained as a songwriter outside the Whigs. After the show, East Austin’s Hotel Vegas is a short walk away for a nightcap.
Doors are at 7 PM for this show. The Scoot Inn’s stage is mostly outdoors, so dress accordingly and arrive early for a good spot.