Jess Williamson

Jess Williamson with Riley Downing at Underground Arts

Thursday, January 14, 2027

Doors: 8:00 PM | Show: 9:00 PM

21+

About Underground Arts

Visit undergroundarts.org for venue details including how to get here, parking, FAQ, UA Merch, Private Events, & everything else

Food, Concessions + Drink Menus | Venue FAQ | Contact Info

Coming to this show with a crew of 6 or more? Select areas of the Black Box (aka: UA\'s auxillary lounge) are now available for rental during any of our concerts, dance parties, or events! Whether you’re celebrating a birthday and looking for some space to hang in between sets, gathering your pals for a small reunion, or just looking for some breathing room, our team can help!

Our space has multiple options for accommodating private parties during concerts and dance parties, so fill out THIS FORM to request more information and create a one of a kind experience for you and your party.

About Jess Williamson

Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music

A Mile South of Heaven is the album Jess Williamson was destined to make.

The Texas native, who grew up in Dallas and now splits her time between Los Angeles and Marfa, has long experimented with country and western sounds. Historically, Williamson has refracted the genre’s alluring melodies, sonic rusticity and plainspoken poetry through mystical and alt-pop prisms, as heard on her critically-acclaimed solo albums Time Ain’t Accidental (2023) and Sorceress (2020). Now, A Mile South of Heaven is her most twang-forward solo album to date, bringing largely traditional music to the center of the frame without sacrificing the mysticism, emotional depth and indie sensibility that have long defined her work.

Her sixth solo record, the album reaches a new artistic peak for Williamson as both a songwriter and singer. The songs draw from the emotional directness of Lucinda Williams, the character-driven storytelling of Guy Clark and the deep introspection of Leonard Cohen, while her voice recalls the earthen timbre of Emmylou Harris. Produced by Shooter Jennings at the famed Studio 3 at Sunset Sound in LA, it chronicles the journey of a woman as she excavates and arranges her most recent tender moments. When paired with Jennings’ organic approach to recording, a crack studio band, and accents of steel guitar, fiddle and banjo, the bold colors, sparkly accents and jagged edges of Williamson’s story songs form a striking and potent display.

About Riley Downing

Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music

For years, singer-songwriter Riley Downing has collected stories about life’s overlooked moments and underappreciated people. He’s unearthed these tales of castaway truths and once-faded recollections for Landfill Poetry, a sophomore solo album and Oh Boy Records debut. A native of small-town Missouri who once worked as a backroad trashman before becoming one of music’s weathered journeymen, the husky-voiced Downing may be best known as a member of noisemaking Americana outfit The Deslondes, a New Orleans-born band that he co-founded after a clandestine meeting with likeminded musicians at a folk festival in Oklahoma. On Landfill Poetry, his six-string worldbuilding takes listeners to the back of the trash truck (“Landfill Poetry”), inside the lonely hours of the graveyard paycheck (“Night Shift”) and to the quiet moments after a hard day of work (“Porch Song”). He sings for the restless ones who stay up way too late (“Hay Hay Hay”) and the grandchildren who admire a hard-working compassion once shared between late loved ones (“Helen & Gene”). With each song, Downing uncovers sketches of life that once might’ve been lost to the landfill but instead are shared anew.

Please note the Underground Arts Safety Policy: Although not encouraged by Underground Arts or the Artist, moshing, crowd surfing or stage diving activities may take place at this event. Moshing, crowd surfing and entering such areas may be dangerous, and you do either at your own risk. Behavior deemed inappropriate, harmful or disrespectful by our event staff can result in removal from the venue without a refund. The safety of our patrons, staff and artists is our top priority and we expect all guests to treat others with respect.