Written and Reviewed by Krysta Ayers
APRIL 24, Austin, Texas—Hailing from Reno, Nevada, Red Leather has lived in proximity to so-called sinning and debauchery for the majority of his life. It’s a theme that extends to his art, with a tour befittingly called Put it All on Red. He’s stopped in Austin for a Thursday night show at 3Ten, a smaller venue that abuts the ACL Live Theater on Willie Nelson Blvd. While he might remain anonymous through a fringed red Stetson, face covering, and red leather uniform, his lyrics are painfully vulnerable and an introduction to the man behind the hat all on their own.
Red Leather is unapologetic on stage. He switches from holding a mic, getting the crowd to clap along, and strumming his guitar. He tells us at one point about his years of sobriety and another anniversary coming up. He tells us he’s thankful to be on stage and touring the nation—and we’re happy to have him. Red Leather has spent a long time busking in the streets, so this stage…is a well-deserved upgrade.
Through songs like, “Down Bad” and “Sins,” Red Leather uses his raspy voice to sing about his old drug use, the feeling of being high, and in the case of the latter, forgiveness. The genres he’s working with are many: As he moves around the stage for “Burn in Hell” there’s a rock element that heightens the drama, in “Pusherman” that rock blends with pop country, and then there’s “Watching My Daddy Die”—unmistakably dripped in country influence (...is that a fiddle I hear?). Scattered throughout the setlist there are other moments of genius genre-blending, which the crowd takes in stride, ready for wherever Red Leather decides to take them.
For an intimate venue (the capacity is 350, compared to neighboring ACL Live’s 2,750), we got an intimate performance. Red Leather takes us through his 2023 album, Reno, and singles from 2024. He cuts through lyrics like, “But the devil that I know / Is better than the devil that I don’t…I’m almost dead from your poison,” seemingly autobiographical and possibly about his past drug abuse, in his song “Poison.” He plays up the guitar solo in the song and jams with his touring band on stage with abandon and it feels like he’s leaving everything out in the open—everything except his identity.
To round out his set, he plays his viral hit, “The Only Time it Rains in Hollywood.” It’s a song many other outlets and writers have called a “redemption” song. He plays it like it’s an old friend. He then asks if he can play new songs, with hopes that they will go viral too. “BONNIE AND CLYDE,” and “CAN’T GET HIGH” are energetic, fun, and dynamic. Most of the crowd knows all the lyrics already.
It’s been a pleasure to watch the artist perform—red fringe and all—and share his story. He was an interesting mix of Orville Peck, Mac Miller, and Post Malone—and if you go and listen to Red Leather, or you’re lucky enough to catch him before his ticket prices become abhorrent, you’ll hear exactly what I mean.