Music and Nightlife in Austin TX
Austin is know as the "Live Music Capital of the World." There is always a band playing somewhere. I regularly go to a grocery store on Friday nights to hear a band play, and I've even seen shows at a carwash. A lot of them are free - great for rockers on a budget.
Most of the bars and music venues are downtown, around Red River and 6th Street, or in the Warehouse District. 6th Street is a legendary partying district for college students (think jello shots and tattoo parlors), and they close down the streets on Saturday nights for the revelry.
Red River Street has tons of music venues, and the Warehouse District has bars and clubs for people who are past the college scene (and feel old when they walk down 6th Street). Head over to West 6th Street after work for some great drink specials.
6th Street by day. So innocent looking.
Beyond downtown, many restaurants schedule bands on the weekends, which makes it possible to have a more relaxed evening out while you enjoy dinner and a margarita.
No discussion would be complete without mentioning our two large music festivals: South by Southwest (in March) and Austin City Limits (in September). More about them in the festivals section.
What about kid-friendly music & nightlife events?
Parents know that "nightlife" post-baby usually means Tivo and a beer on a Friday night, and in bed by 10:30 pm. But it doesn't have to be that way!
As I mentioned before, my family and I go to a grocery store on Friday nights. Not just any grocery store, but Central Market - the ultimate yuppie grocery shopping experience (Lamar at 38th St). On Fridays they have live music and dancing at their oak tree-shaded patio. Grab a meal at their cafe or deli, maybe a glass of wine or import beer, and keep one eye on the kids playing at the on-site playground. In the early summer when the lightning bugs are doing their thing and it's not too scorching hot, it's almost magical.
In South Austin there's a similar scene at Freddie's - a burger joint off of South First St. It's tucked next to Bouldin Creek (and I have to admit, less yuppie than Central Market), and they even do kids movies on Tuesday nights, starting at 6:30 pm.
