Local Sets ATX: Artist Roundtable at The Pershing

On October 1st, The Pershing opens its doors for a one-night-only Local Sets ATX event that promises to be unlike anything Austin has ever seen. Three of Austin’s most magnetic artists — Scott Strickland, Jo James, and Caitlin King — will come together for an intimate roundtable performance where music meets conversation, and history is made in real time.

 

Two songs each. Six stories revealed. After every performance, the artists will break down their work in a roundtable conversation with the host and with each other — lifting the veil on how great songs are born. It’s the kind of behind-the-scenes exchange that usually happens in private, made public for one night only.

 

And then, for the grand finale, Strickland, James, and King will debut a brand-new, never-before-heard song written together for this very night. A collaboration born in Austin, unveiled at The Pershing, and experienced only by those in the room.

 

And unlike other Local Sets ATX shows, this event will not be live streamed. The only way to see it unfold is to be there in person. 

Three artists. Six songs. One collaboration that will never happen again. This is Local Sets ATX at The Pershing: unrepeatable, unforgettable, and historic.

 

Scott Strickland is proof that music can rise from reinvention. After teaching filmmaking across Texas, he turned a pandemic layoff into a second lease on life, diving headfirst into songwriting with a raw honesty that connects truth, faith, and the soul. His debut album earned high praise from the Austin-American Statesman, which called its opening track “L.A.” “the best video, and song, to come out of Austin in the first half of 2022.” Strickland has since become a magnetic force in Austin’s music scene, performing on iconic stages like ACL Live at the Moody Theater and Blues on the Green. Also the founder of Black Artists Rock project, he continues to strip down boundaries between genres, blending folk-rooted arrangements with a bright, soaring voice that makes every performance unforgettable.

 

Soulful, smooth, and endlessly magnetic, Jo James blends blues, R&B, and funk into a sound that’s as timeless as it is fresh. He’s shared the stage with legends, earned an Honor Award at the 100% Music Songwriting Contest, and was nominated for the “Soul of Austin” award at the Austin Armadillo Awards — recognitions that underscore his artistry as both a performer and songwriter. National audiences first fell for Jo on Season 17 of The Voice, where he drew praise from John Legend and Blake Shelton for his velvet tone and effortless groove. Whether he’s fronting a packed house or stripping it down to just voice and guitar, Jo James brings a rare combination of mastery and soul that leaves audiences lifted and wanting more.

 

Caitlin King writes the kind of songs that feel both intimate and universal, turning raw emotion into melodies that linger long after the last note. A Dallas-born, Austin-based singer-songwriter, and graduate of Berklee, Caitlin blends Americana, folk, and pop influences into a style that is equal parts vulnerability and strength. Whether she’s fronting a full band or performing solo with just her keyboard, her music carries the weight of lived experience and the shimmers of exponential love. With a growing catalog on Spotify and performances across Texas and beyond, Caitlin is quickly becoming a voice to listen to and a performer you can't take your eyes off of — one that invites audiences in with honesty and leaves them walking away a little more open, a little more human.

 

This is not just another night of live music — it’s an intimate, once-in-a-lifetime collaboration. Seating is limited, and with no livestream, the only way to experience this event is in person at The Pershing.