Jeff Austin’s first SXSW

As a member of Yonder Mountain String Band, Jeff Austin became well known to bluegrass and jamband fans. He left YMSB last year, and this year he’s kicking his solo career into high gear.

His performance on Thursday in Austin, Texas, was part of that effort. For the first time he performed a showcase at SXSW, and he was an official SXSW artist. Though he typically performs with a band, he played the set solo, and though he was known as Yonder’s mandolinist, he performed with an acoustic guitar.

The set took place at the Continental Club on South Congress Avenue. Many in the crowd sang along and called out encouragement to Austin, and it was apparent that many were Yonder fans. He opened the show with “Fiddling Around,” a song off his new solo album, “The Simple Truth.”