Free 'Jam the Ballot' Concert at Ridglea Theatre Pairs Local Bands With Democratic Candidates

The Tarrant County Democratic Party is hosting a free concert at the Ridglea Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 18, mixing Fort Worth-area musicians, food trucks and candidates on the night before early voting begins.

The event, called Jam the Ballot, runs from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the theater, 6025 Camp Bowie Blvd. Doors open at 5 p.m. Admission and parking are free, though organizers encourage guests to reserve a spot through the link at t.ly/jamtheballot. The party says band start times could change and advises checking that link for current details.

County Democratic Party Chair Allison Campolo described the concept as a local take on the Rock the Vote concerts. "Think Rock the Vote, but make it Tarrant County, with an eclectic lineup of homegrown artists and plenty of Cowtown energy," she said.

Two food trucks will be parked outside: Pepe's, serving Mexican food, and Fluffs Wings and Tingz, which sells chicken wings. The Ridglea bar will also be open during the show.

The planned schedule begins with Jacob Furr, a Fort Worth singer-songwriter who blends folk, Americana and West Texas influences. Furr has won Fort Worth Weekly honors for Best Songwriter and Best Folk Artist. Hankins follows at 6:40 p.m. The Arlington group, built around a married duo with nearly two decades of performing together, plays Americana rooted in country, folk and North Texas storytelling.

Christian Carlos Carvajal & The 300 take the stage at 7:25 p.m. with a mix of Americana, indie rock, folk and roots music. Carvajal recently represented Fort Worth at AMERICANAFEST in Nashville as part of Visit Fort Worth's Cowtown GitDown showcase, and the group's album "300" was nominated for a 2025 Fort Worth Weekly Music Award. At 8:10 p.m., Love Cuts will bring punk, indie and psychedelic rock. The band was nominated for Best New Band in the same awards and made its live debut at ArtsGoggle.

Hip-hop and alternative rap artist SageModeWrex performs at 9 p.m., drawing on a catalog that includes "The Wrex Files" and "Professor Wrex." DJ Soft Shred closes the night at 9:45 p.m. with a 45-minute set of old-school, golden-era and contemporary hip-hop.

Between sets, Democratic candidates who will appear on the ballot during early voting and on Election Day will briefly introduce themselves. Party officials say the 2026 Tarrant County Democratic slate is among its most robust in decades, with candidates in local, state legislative, statewide and congressional races, including experienced leaders, first-time candidates, community advocates and professionals.

"We want people to hear great music, discover amazing local artists and leave ready to vote the next morning," said Furr, who is also one of the organizers. Reyne Telles, the party's executive director, joked that if attendees do not like one genre, "wait 20 minutes and you'll hear something totally different," but asked that they not wait to vote early.

Early voting runs from Monday, Oct. 19, through Friday, Oct. 30, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Registered voters may cast early ballots at any early-voting location in their county. The event announcement was written and provided by the Tarrant County Democratic Party and was not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.