This holiday season, local band Me Nd Adam wants you to Keep Austin Cheer’d.
Now in its fourth year, Keep Austin Cheer’d is a live concert series benefiting Casa Marianella, a nonprofit that supports displaced immigrants. This year’s two-day event will be held on Friday, Dec. 20 + Saturday, Dec. 21 at The Continental Club.
Expect a packed lineup of local musicians, including Foxtales, Blossom Aloe, Caroline Hale, LeTrainiump, and of course — Me Nd Adam.
An Austinite through and through, Adam Walker (aka the Adam in Me Nd Adam) met with us at Deep Eddy Cabaret to talk about how he got involved in music and the origin of Keep Austin Cheer’d.
How did Me Nd Adam begin?
Born and raised in Austin, Walker was always interested in making music. He began working at a local recording studio called Tequila Mockingbird the summer after eighth grade. Shortly after, he worked at another studio called Public Hi-Fi, which represents bands like Spoon, Arcade Fire, and War on Drugs.
“I never thought I was like a frontman — I just loved being a part of it, and trying to help people record and achieve their dreams,” Walker said. “That was my most fun part about it.”
While studying at Loyola University in New Orleans in 2016, Walker met Vince Winik (the other half of Me Nd Adam and a fellow Austinite), and bonded over a shared love of sound. The pair began to jam together; Winik would tell people “me and Adam” were making music, and the name stuck.
After moving around from New York City — where Winik went to graduate school — and Los Angeles, the two returned home to Austin (aka the “best place in the world”) to take the band to the next level.
To make a long story short, it’s going well. Me Nd Adam have since performed their “trash wave” music at ACL Festival in 2022, at SXSW in 2024, and even opened for The Killers at the Moody Center in 2022.
“I would say that my highlight is definitely ACL,” Walker said. “Playing that festival, I’ve been going to the festival for 20 years or whatever, I went every single year in a row, and then I got to play it, which was ... awesome.”
If you haven’t yet heard the band’s music, start with Walker’s favorite song: “The More I Grow Up.”
What inspired Keep Austin Cheer’d?
Like his lifelong love of music, Walker has also been passionate about Austin’s culture. Walker said growing up, his parents were always taking him to fundraisers, museum openings, and community events.
Walker had the idea for Keep Austin Cheer’d during the pandemic — specifically from watching the music community struggle when music venues were closed. The first event was held in 2021.
“I saw a glimmer, the shining light of my hometown, dimming a bit,” Walker said. “If we don’t do something to try to protect that and instill it and enshrine it, then the very reason why people move here will be forgotten, and then what will the city be after that?”
So, why Casa Marianella? In part because Walker said he believes it’s a noble cause, but to him, it also symbolizes Austin’s welcoming culture and history of being somewhere people flock toward.
“I don’t ever want to be the kind of person who says, ‘don’t move to Austin.’ I think that’s stupid,” Walker said. “But if and when you move here, I’d like you to at least try to respect the very reason why you did move here. That’s supporting local arts (and) supporting local music ... Dig in and participate.”
To date, Keep Austin Cheer’d has raised more than $7,500 for Casa Marianella, and more than $4,000 of that came from last year alone. This year, Walker hopes to raise $5,000.
“I feel the most rewarded when we do this event,” Walker said. “That cuts through it just being about music, or just being about Me Nd Adam, or just being about myself. It’s a community event that, I think, means something to the city and to the culture.”
Ready to join in on the cheer? Get tickets for $20 in advance or $25 at the door per night.
