19 Best Things to Do in Austin

"The red front doors and solid black exterior set the tone for this well-worn, slightly gritty concert venue. But the surrounds fit right in with the storied past of the place—it's internationally acclaimed for launching the careers of the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan, as well as musicians from all kinds of genres (blues, jazz, rock, country). The crowd varies based on the show (so do the cover charges, so check ahead of time), but everyone is here for the nightly live music and the bottled beers—usually as part of a night of bar-hopping on the lively South Congress Avenue, or ‘SoCo’ (‘First Thursdays’ are particularly big, when the entire street turns into an enormous block party, with late openings, special offers ,and live music seeming to pour from every doorway)." - Jonathan Thompson, Mandy Ellis