Winkler Mill residency

Winkler Mill is the act behind the residency and the one that returns to the Sahara stage on a regular schedule. Carly Jo Jackson and Where Are the Bats fill out the lineup. Listings tag the night as indie rock, folk rock and indie pop, so expect songs more than dance beats.

Three bands in one evening, which is how Sahara usually books its stage. The room is medium-sized with a low ceiling and a lot of wood, so the sound stays warm and the volume moderate. There is a wooden dance floor, a patio with a fire pit, and cheap drinks at the bar.

Residencies let a band settle in, and the lineup changes around them from month to month. Sahara Lounge is an East Austin standby with a relaxed, mixed crowd and a divey, friendly feel. It suits a night of local music without the downtown crowds.