On September 12, the Odeon hosts a special evening with eight accomplished singer-songwriters and musicians from Mason and the surrounding counties. The concert will feature performances by artists well known to Hill Country audiences, including Matt & Sylvia Kirk, Luke Johanson, Matthew Zarder, Julia Hatfield, Tommy Hough and Logan Beer & Geer Gillespie. This promises to be a not-to-be-missed evening of outstanding entertainment.
Meet the performers
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Sylvia Kirk, the Songbird of San Antonio, has been soothing souls for generations with heartfelt original songs and her own interpretations of beloved classics. A longtime beacon in the Texas Hill Country music community, Sylvia brings a warmth and ease to the stage that can quiet a room and draw an audience into the song.
Her son, Matt Kirk, has spent more than two decades steadily building a life as a live musician, writing and singing from the heart with an emphasis on the human connection that runs through the adventures of existence. Whether performing with a band, solo, or alongside Sylvia, Matt brings audiences an escape from the mundane. Together, the Kirks offer a performance rooted in family, feeling, and the enduring power of a well-told song.
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Luke Johanson is a singer-songwriter, storyteller, and stage performer whose music blends Irish tradition with Americana, country, folk, and classic rock. Originally from Watertown, Massachusetts, Luke's path has taken him from Chicago, where he studied acting at The Theatre School at DePaul University, to Los Angeles, New England, and throughout Texas. Those experiences shaped a performer who combines music, storytelling, and improvisation into shows that feel immediate, authentic, and closely connected to the audience in front of him.
This year marks Luke's fourth appearance in the Hill Country Review, as well as his first year joining the event's production team. Whether sharing an original song, a traditional Irish ballad, or a timeless favorite, Luke's goal is simple: create the kind of evening that stays with an audience long after the final song.
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Matthew Zarder is a Central Texas songwriter whose music moves between intimate folk storytelling and the textured, emotionally charged sound of his indie-rock project, Plaintiff. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Elliott Smith, Conor Oberst, James McMurtry, and John Prine, his songs pair cutting narratives with melodies that can feel equally at home in a quiet room or surrounded by a full band.
For this year's Texas Hill Country Review, Matthew will perform primarily on piano, offering an exposed and blunt presentation of his craft. The performance comes as Plaintiff begins releasing singles from the project's second studio album and its first in four years. The untitled record explores abandoned parts of the self, midlife reckoning, and attempts to answer the question, "How the hell did I get here?"
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Julia Hatfield is a Texas-born singer-songwriter whose music is grounded in the Americana tradition and a commitment to honest, lasting storytelling. She began writing songs at thirteen and, by fourteen, had been named a semifinalist in the International Songwriting Competition. Her influences range from the storytelling of Dolly Parton and the honesty of Guy Clark to the timeless energy of Michael Jackson, a mix that has helped Julia shape a voice distinctly her own.
Over more than a decade of performing and recording, Julia has earned recognition including the Texas Regional Radio Awards' 2018 New Female Vocalist of the Year and four Top 50 singles. She has shared stages with artists including Parker McCollum, Crystal Gayle, Gary P. Nunn, and Jaret Ray Reddick, and has performed at venues ranging from the Bluebird Cafe and Luckenbach to AT&T Stadium. Through it all, her focus remains on connection: songs that bridge life's joys, struggles, and truths one lyric at a time.
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Tommy Hough has always said he is more of a "campfire banger." A sixth-generation Texan - at least, and maybe more - Tommy was born in Kerrville and raised mostly in Menard, where his connection to the Hill Country took root. Country music was part of family life, with favorites ranging from Charley Pride to Jim Reeves. His mother, Belinda, an artist herself, made sure her three boys had room to be creative and gave Tommy his first guitar at twelve. He set it aside for a while, returned to it in his early twenties, and by twenty-four could play a song.
In 1991, Tommy was cast as Jim Bowie in Menard's community musical Song of Silver, beginning what was supposed to be a one-year commitment and became an eleven-year run. During that time he wrote and co-wrote two original songs for the production and took part in the cast's 1994 studio recording - the only official recording of Song of Silver. These days, Tommy plays mostly for the pleasure of it: for his wife and daughter, his dogs and cat, and good friends fortunate enough to be around when the guitar comes out.
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Logan and Geer are a couple of silly gooses who have been making music together since they started falling in love a decade ago at Geer's mom's house. Geer does the hard work of writing the songs and Logan just harmonizes and encourages Geer to write more music. They live in Menard County on family land and raise goats, poultry, horses and a child and sometimes have time to play music, too.
Tickets may be purchased with a credit card, Venmo, Apple Pay or PayPal. All sales are final. TICKETS ARE NOT ISSUED. Your email receipt from Venmo, Apple Pay or PayPal is your ticket. Please print and bring it with you or be able show receipt on your phone. Your name will appear on the WILL CALL list at the door.
NEW: Students 18 and under $10 at the door, if seats are available
For additional concert information and questions regarding reservations, email concerts@TheOdeonTheater.com.
Doors open at 6:15 p.m.