14 Best Concert Venues In Austin For Live Music

By Kelsey Kennedy | June 6, 2022

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If Austin is really the "live music capital of the world," there have to be some awesome concert venues in Austin...right?

Yep!

The days of teeny tiny bands playing on corner stages and being "discovered" are few and far between. But Austin is still home to dozens of AWESOME concert venues. Some of them are old school small spaces that have stood the test of time (Continental Club), and others are brand new concert venues in Austin that are made for arena shows (the $375 million Moody Center.)

Use the map below to find the best concert venues in Austin.

The Best Concert Venues In Austin For Live Music

1. Moody Amphitheater

Capacity: 5,000

Outdoor

This is one of the newest concert venues in Austin, and here’s why it’s so rad: The Moody Amphitheater is a large space to features headliners, yet it’s in downtown Austin? WHAT? Yes! It’s a crazy good location and you can actually see the Texas Capitol Building behind the stage.

Get a ticketed seat if you prefer to sit up close, or save a little cash and go for the lawn tickets if you just want to dance.

WEBSITE | 1401 Trinity St, Austin, TX 78701

2. ACL Live At The Moody Theater

Capacity: 2,750

Indoor

ACL Live theater is a 2,750-person concert venue in downtown Austin. PBS’s ACL Live is the longest- running tv music series in history, and watching a live taping is a definite must-do in ATX.

But even if you can’t get tickets to an ACL Live showing, there are concerts at this venue (called the Moody Theater) all the time. The ground floor is typically standing room only, and the seats on the upper levels offer an amazing view of the stage.

WEBSITE | 310 W Willie Nelson Blvd, Austin, TX 78701

3. The Continental Club

Capacity: 200

Indoor

One of the last remaining old school Austin institutions on South Congress, The Continental Club is an absolute must-visit in the Austin concert venue scene. It opened in 1955, first as a supper club and then shifting to a music venue, and it’s widely regarded as THE most iconic music venue in ATX.

And then, of course, there’s the Continental Gallery, the upstairs “speakeasy” that feels a bit like you’re inside a living room. James McMurtry has held his Wednesday time slot forever, and it’s a great place to hear singer/songwriters, acoustic, and jazz.

WEBSITE | 1315 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704

4. C-Boys Heart & Soul

Capacity: 200

Indoor

Located just down the street from The Continental Club (and under the same ownership), C-Boys Heart And Soul is a jazz and soul music club on South Congress. It’s an absolute GEM. It’s named after Louis Charles “C-Boy” Parks, who was the manager of the club where Stevie Ray Vaughn started playing in Austin in the 70s.

If you’re looking for a music venue in Austin that’s always hoppin, you need to head to C-boys: they have live music 7 nights a week. There’s a nice outdoor patio and an upstairs cocktail lounge called the Jade Room that’s one of the best kept secrets on SOCO .

WEBSITE | 2008 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704

5. Historic Scoot Inn

Capacity: 1,050

Outdoor

As far as outdoor concert venues in Austin goes, this one is one of the most unique, memorable concert venue. Nestled into the craziness of east Austin, the Historic Scoot Inn has been around since 1871. It’s pretty simple: an outdoor stage with standing room only, and an indoor bar. It feels kind of like an old western movie, and the music acts they put on are incredible. There’s a small indoor stage where they have occasional concerts, but most of the shows are outside.

Since it’s right in the heart of east Austin, there are dozens of awesome places within walking distance to grab food before or after the show. Try Las Trancas tado stand, Ramen Tatsu-ya, Il Brutto, Zilker Brewing, Oseyo, or Buenos Aires Cafe.

WEBSITE | 1308 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78702

6. Mohawk

Capacity: 900

Indoor/Outdoor

Mohawk is a quintessential concert space in the Red River district. It’s a multi-level venue, so there are a few ways to view the music. It definitely has a grungy/dive bar feel, and you’ll mostly find rock shows here. {Photo via Mohawk Facebook}

WEBSITE | 912 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701

7. Stubb's BBQ

Capacity: 2,500

Indoor/Outdoor

Just down the street from Mohawk is Stubb’s BBQ on Red River. Before the Moody Amphitheater was built, this was THE place to see big names. There’s an intimate indoor stage, but the main headliners play outside. It’s a really fun space to see shows because the entire place is on a small hill (like a teeny tiny amphitheater) so you can easily see over the person standing in front of you. {Photo via Stubb's Facebook.}

WEBSITE | 801 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701

8. Antone's Nightclub

Capacity: 400

Indoor

Stevie Ray Vauhn played here back in the day, and although the location has changed (it opened on 6th Street in 1975, and later moved to 5th Street), the character of Antone’s Nightclub is the same. Expect authentic blues music, dark lighting, and a rich history in helping launch the careers of Bob Schneider, Gary Clark Jr., and more.

If you love blues, Antone’s is an essential concert venue in Austin.

WEBSITE | 305 E 5th St., Austin, TX 78701

9. Moody Center

Capacity: 15,000

Indoor

This brand new multi-use arena at UT Austin cost $375 million and opened in spring 2022. It’s the largest concert venue in Austin. This is where you go in Austin to see the big arena shows.

For decades, the Erwin Center was the arena concert venue in Austin, but this new/bigger/better venue is a much needed change in the Austin concert scene. {Photo via Moody Center Facebook.}

WEBSITE | 2001 Robert Dedman Dr, Austin, TX 78712

10. Elephant Room

Capacity: 50

Indoor

Want to listen to jazz music in Austin? Go to the Elephant room! It’s a cozy, intimate basement music venue on Congress Ave. Elephant Room prides itself on sticking to their roots: spectacular jazz music, great cocktails, no nonsense. They’ve been sticking to this business model since 1991, and it’s still a great place to listen to jazz in Austin. {Photo via Elephant Room Facebook.}

WEBSITE | 315 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701

11. Saxon Pub

Capacity: 168

Indoor

Since 1990 this little pub in south Austin has hosted over 30,000 musical shows. Saxon Pub is a great pace to listen to local musicians as well as touring acts. It is, as its name suggests, a tiny pub on South Lamar: wooden floors, draft beer, low ceilings…the works.

Locals love Saxon Pub and the shows are often sold out on weekends, so be sure to snag those tickets early. (They're very inexpensive - typically $5-10 per show.)

WEBSITE | 1320 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704

12. Emo's

Capacity: 1700

Indoor

It originally started as a punk club in Houston, and the Austin location of Emo’s opened in 1992. It’s a pretty basic/no-nonsense music venue: just a stage and a square building with standing room. But this east Austin concert venue hosts some GREAT bands of all genres. {Photo via Emo's.}

WEBSITE | 2015 E Riverside Dr, Austin, TX 78741

13. Broken Spoke

Capacity: 150

Indoor

Looking to listen to some good ol’ country music in ATX? Broken Spoke is where you need to go! You’ve definitely heard of this place because it’s one of the last remaining two-stepping dance halls in Austin! Established in 1964, The Broken Spoke has hosted all the big names in the country music world like Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, George Strait, and more.

WEBSITE | 3201 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704

14. Cheer Up Charlies

Capacity: 1,000

Outdoor

Another club in the Red River district, Cheer Up Charlie’s is a gay club with music, drag shows, cocktails, and more. It’s an iconic Austin music venue/club. Anticipate lots of dancing, lots of music, and always a good time. {Photo via Cheer Up Charlies Facebook.}

WEBSITE | 900 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701