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Top 10 Best Austin Music Venues

Top 10 Music Venues in Austin

Austin, Texas is recognized as the Live Music Capital of the world, so it is perfectly logical that the streets are filled with some of the best live music venues in the country. From historical sites to new music bars, there is always a place to kick-back, unwind, and revel in the wide array of artists that frequent Texas. Find out the finest spots to enjoy live music in Austin. Austin has long beckoned creative souls, musicians, and offbeat misfits. But in the past few years, its appeal has extended to techies, indie filmmakers, and foodies. It’s a mix that elsewhere might struggle to find common ground, but not in Austin.

Antone’s Nightclub

305 E 5th St.
Austin, TX 78701
512-814-0361

Established in 1975 by the late Clifford Antone, Antone’s is an iconic blues venue located in downtown Austin. Over the past 40 years, Antone’s has brought Austin a variety of blues and musicians from across the country including B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, Ray Charles, and James Brown, and helped develop local talent like Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Bob Schneider, Gary Clark Jr., and others. In 2015, the historic brand was restored and a new team brought the iconic venue back to the downtown Austin landscape with a renewed focus on once again making Antone’s the “Home of the Blues.” Antone’s proudly serves Antone’s Famous Po’ Boys from Houston, Texas in all your favorite varieties: Original, Super Original, Turkey and Swiss, and Tuna. The iconic sandwiches, created by Clifford’s uncle Jalal in 1962, are available along with Zapp’s New Orleans Kettle Style Potato Chips from noon-2am, 7- days a week. – antonesnightclub.com

Parish

214 E 6th St.
Austin, TX 78701

The Parish is widely regarded as the best indoor live music venue in Austin, offering the highest quality production for artists and private events alike. The Parish has been influential in the success of Austin musicians such as Spoon and Shakey Graves, hosted musical legends such as Pete Townshend, Slash, Perry Farrell, and Thom Yorke, as well as up and coming artists such as Alt-J, Tycho, ZZ Ward, and Bonobo. In addition to its stellar reputation for live music, The Parish also welcomes the Moontower Comedy Festival, the CMA Songwriters Series, various PBS Showcases, live podcast tapings, and numerous conferences and corporate events annually. The Parish also hosts private events, ranging from corporate events to elaborate wedding receptions. – theparishaustin.com

ACL Live

310 W Willie Nelson Blvd.
Austin, TX 78701
512-225-7999

Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater (ACL Live) is a state-of-the-art, 2,750-person capacity live music venue that hosts approximately 100 concerts a year. It serves as the permanent home for the taping of the acclaimed KLRU-TV produced PBS series, Austin City Limits, the longest-running music series in American television history. ACL Live is nestled next to the W Austin Hotel & Residences, which are both located within Block 21, the first mixed-occupancy building of its type in the world to be LEED-certified. LEED is a mark of excellence developed by the U.S. Green Building Council acknowledging measurable performance attributes that benefit human and environmental health. ACL Live is the premier destination in Austin for live performances as well as numerous special and private events. – acl-live.com

Cactus Cafe

2247 Guadalupe St.
Austin, TX 78712
512-475-6515

The Cactus Café is a live music venue and bar on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin. Located in Austin, Texas, a city frequently referred to as “the live music capital of the world,” a number of well-known artists have played in the Cactus, and Billboard Magazine named it as one of fifteen “solidly respected, savvy clubs” in the United States, “from which careers can be cut, that work with proven names and new faces. The Cactus Café, which opened in 1979, is located in the Union Building, a Great Depression-era building constructed using New Deal funds. The Café is a fairly intimate venue, known for its acoustics. – cactuscafe.org

The Hole in the Wall

2538 Guadalupe St.
Austin, TX 78705

The Hole in the Wall is one of Austin’s most legendary venues for all the right reasons: we love our regulars, we book incredible live music, our staff is family, and we’re committed to our community. Founded in 1974, the Hole in the Wall sits just across the street from the building on the University of Texas campus where the Austin City Limits show was taped for decades and where KUTX radio still broadcasts. Throughout Austin’s turbulent cultural storms, the Hole in the Wall has remained the Austin music scene’s go-to club for generations of beginner bands, established touring acts, and famous rock stars to throw back a few, have a laugh with the locals, and, as one of our most revered regulars, Doug Sahm, once said, “get down to the nitty-gritty.” – holeinthewallaustin.com

The Continental Club

1315 South Congress Avenue
Austin, TX
(512) 441-2444

The granddaddy of live music venues, the Continental Club has enjoyed a coast-to-coast and worldwide reputation as the premiere club for live music in Austin since 1955 and in Houston since 2000. The historic Austin live music destination first opened its doors in 1955 as a swanky private supper club, but in the decades since, it’s become a mecca for roots, rockabilly, country, swing, rock and blues music every night of the week. The classic neon sign flashing above the entrance is a landmark on South Congress, and vintage cars and hot rods often line South Congress Avenue in front of the dimly lit club. In the year 2000, the world-famous Continental Club spread its wings and opened up a second location in another historic building, pioneering a resurgence in the Mid-Town area of Houston on Main Street. – continentalclub.com

Emo’s Austin

2015 E Riverside Dr.
Austin, TX 78741
+1 888-512-7469

Emo’s, formerly known as The Back Room, is a music and event venue located in Austin, Texas.[1] Emo’s got its start as a Houston punk club in 1989, with the Austin location opening in 1992. The Houston location closed its doors on September 2001. The nightclub is an official South by Southwest Music Festival venue, during which it consists of four stages. The annual Emissions from the Monolith festival relocated to Emo’s in 2007. The club closed in December 2011 for reasons unknown, however, in September of that same year, a new venue opened up on East Riverside, on the site of the old Back Room venue. On Feb 11, 2013, Emo’s announced they were being sold to C3 Presents, the booking agent/production company behind Austin City Limits Festival and Lollapalooza, among other endeavors. – wikipedia.org

Elephant Room

315 Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78701,
512-473-2279

Cool Jazz in the Basement 365 days a year! For over 28 years the Elephant Room has remained one of the best Jazz Venues in Austin. Named top 10 Jazz Venue in the nation by Senate Bill Resolution and top 100 in the world by DownBeat Magazine. Come see Big Bands to local heroes in our unique basement space in the historical Swift Building. Must be 21. – facebook.com/pg/Elephant-Room-288488406823

Saxon Pub

1320 S Lamar Blvd.
Austin, TX 78704
512-448-2552

Opened in 1990, the Saxon has hosted well over 22,000 musical performances. It has been the location for films, videos, and countless live recordings. On any given night you might see a major celebrity from the film or music industry either having a beer or sitting in on stage jamming with the locals. This award-winning listening room has helped launch the careers of several prominent entertainers. It is also known for booking some of the greatest music legends around, performing in an intimate atmosphere that Kris Kristofferson likened to “playing in his own living room.” Whether it’s one of the incredible free weekday happy hour shows, a weekend matinee or a late-night performance by the next big thing, join us and find out why we are Austin’s choice for live music! – thesaxonpub.com

The Skylark Lounge

2039 Airport Blvd.
Austin, TX 78722
512-730-0759

The Skylark is part of Austin dive bar and part live music venue. We have live music nightly and strive to bring you the best local musicians in Austin. Full bar and cocktails served nightly. Dark lounge with a cool vibe, super sound and music, truly a unique atmosphere. Looking for an incredible show? Here’s what we offer: Several blues legends play at Skylark regularly and are definitely not to be missed. We also have regular weekly performer’s like Margaret Wright, who performs the best happy hour show in town. (as voted by the Austin Chronicle) Comedy every Monday. Dickie Lee Erwin every Tuesday with a Songwriter’s Open Mic. We feature touring musicians and new and upcoming talent as well. – skylarkaustin.com

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