The Ultimate Guide to Live Music in Austin, Texas

Live Music Venues

In an ever-changing world, two things remain constant in Austin: an astounding number of live music shows and the representation of every music style imaginable. From the bars and pubs that line renowned Sixth Street to the music festivals that attract visitors in the thousands, hundreds of venues across the city cater to different musical tastes. Check out a few of these top attractions in the city once called "Waterloo."

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Continental Club

The Continental Club is considered one of the top live music spots in Austin. First opened as a supper club in 1955, it later morphed into a burlesque club and then a blue-collar bar before finally becoming one of the premier live music venues in the city, hosting acts like Joe Ely and Kinky Friedman. Now a historical landmark, the Continental Club is famous for its roots rock, traditional country, rockabilly, and garage rock sounds. True music lovers venture upstairs to the Continental Gallery for a more intimate musical experience.

Broken Spoke

The Broken Spoke opened for business as a cafe in 1964 and is another Austin classic. When proprietor James White noticed customers were dancing along to tunes from the jukebox, he moved the pool tables and added more room. Before long, people were dancing wherever they could find room, including in the dirt parking lot.
It was when customers began to play the songs they had written that the Broken Spoke became a true music venue as well as a dancehall. Although the club still books primarily local acts, it has hosted big names like Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys, Tex Ritter, George Strait, and the Dixie Chicks.

Antone's

A venue known primarily to locals, "Antone's is one of the legendary blues clubs that has seen the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Gary Clark Jr. and is continuing to foster the next generation of young blues players," says Omar E. Lozano, music industry marketing manager with the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Locals know the venue well and know it is the place to go when they want to hear authentic Austin music."

Music Festivals

Relatively mild temperatures year-round play a role in Austin's success as a music mecca, as does the layout of the city. "Here in Austin we are very lucky to have several walkable downtown music and entertainment districts. There is music of every genre seven nights a week at some venues," Lozano says.

According to Billboard, 32 million people attend at least one music festival in the U.S. each year, and Forbes reports that Austin City Limits has become the granddaddy of them all, attracting 450,000 music lovers from around the globe to its 2015 event. The two weekend, mid-October festival takes places in Zilker Park and offers a little of everything, including rock, country, folk, indie, electronic, and hip hop music. In addition, the site hosts a kids' area for families, an art market, and enough food and drink vendors to satisfy every palate.

Other popular Austin music festivals include:

• South by Southwest (SXSW): The Austin Convention Center serves as home base for visitor registration and badge pickup for SXSW each March. The real action, however, is spread out around the city as more than 2,000 performers play every venue imaginable, from parks to churches, and entertain fans with a vast variety of musical styles. Getting around the city is easy, with options including shuttles, pedicabs, and SXcycle. Guests with children in tow can also take advantage of a number of kid-friendly activities in and around Austin, including Dinosaur Park and Austin Aquarium.
• Urban Music Festival: The family-centric Urban Music Festival takes place in late March or early April each year. The two-day event features R&B, jazz, soul, gospel, neo soul, and indie soul performances. Located at Auditorium Shores, the festival is regularly scheduled to coincide with the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays. Guests are encouraged to allow plenty of time to find parking and to bring blankets or foldable camping chairs.
• Sound on Sound Festival: This festival takes place right on the outskirts of Austin at Sherwood Forest Faire in McDade. The three-day November event offers far more than music. Guests arrive with camping gear ready to enjoy indie, hip hop, metal, punk, and dance music along with some camping. With a vibe often referred to a "old Austin," Sound on Sound is a favorite for those looking to get back to their roots.

Lozano recommends logging onto the Visit Austin website for more information on the Austin live music scene. After seeing it all for yourself, share your experience on our Twitter page.

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