Please, Don’t Stop the Music
Here are the festivals, tour dates and highly anticipated performances you need on your listening radar this year.
Long before receiving its official designation as Live Music Capital of the World in 1991, Austin was a place known for drawing diverse crowds hoping to hear some of the world’s best musicians, many of whom already called this city home. Remaining true to its reputation, Austin continues to resonate with sound checks, guitar strums, drum thumping and piano tuning from small, gritty bars and modern, industrial coffeehouses alike. Tune in to the biggest events hitting Austin’s music scene this year.
South By Southwest Music Conference and Festival
March 15 through 20
sxsw.com/music
Featuring performances from more than 2,000 artists, South By Southwest hosts one of the most fantastically chaotic weeks in Austin. The only challenge you’ll face during the five-day music extravaganza, besides the obvious lack of convenient parking, is tracking down where your favorite artist is performing. While having a SXSW music badge or wristband guarantees you access to the shows of your choosing, some spots provide unofficial free shows during SXSW, filling the streets with crazed music lovers on the prowl.
Music badges start at $895.
Looking for: Folk Alternative
Listen to: Leo James Conroy
Currently based in LA, Leo James Conroy is a British singer-songwriter known for his talent as a multi-instrumentalist. His influences stem from a combination of folk, soul, jazz and blues. With a soulful and raspy vocal range, Conroy has successfully won over the hearts of audiences throughout the world, captivating their attention with his electric guitar and vintage jazz trumpet.
Looking for: Hip-hop
Listen to: DJ Chose
Hailing from Brookshire, Texas, Norman Payne (aka DJ Chose) is high on the list of hip-hop shows to see. After landing a record deal with Artist Publishing Group in 2015, Payne has collaborated with famed artists Akon, Trey Songz and more. His single “Everywhere I Go” peaked at No. 32 on the Hip Hop/R&B Songs Billboard Chart, helping establish a stronger presence for him in the hip-hop music world.
Looking for: Electronic
Listen to: Zeds Dead
This isn’t Zeds Dead’s first time to the rodeo. A renowned Canadian electronic-dance-music (EDM) group, Zeds Dead has taken the stage in Austin multiple times before. The group is best known for its ability to capture three sounds in one: house, electronic, and drum and bass. If you are an EDM fan, tracking down this performance just moved to the top of your SXSW to-do list.
Urban Music Festival
April 1 and 2
urbanmusicfest.com
Set to take place during the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays this year, the Urban Music Festival is a national celebration of urban music at Austin’s Auditorium Shores. The festival will feature a variety of genres, ranging from rhythm and blues and hiphop to neo soul and gospel.
Tickets are $65 for both days or $36 for a single day.
Euphoria Music Festival
April 7 through 10
euphoriafest.com
For those who love both camping and music, the Euphoria Music Festival allows you to simultaneously share in the joy of both. With an impressive lineup of renowned DJs, famed rappers and highly acclaimed electronic artists, this three-day outdoor event at Carson Creek Ranch in Austin is all about experiencing the transformative effects of music and community.
Tickets start at $129.
Moontower Comedy & Oddity Festival
April 20 through 23
austintheatre.org/moontower-comedy
Need some comedic relief? With more than 80 performers spread across eight venues, this four-day comedy event, presented by the Paramount Theatre, is something you don’t want to miss. Performers include Martin Short, Janeane Garofalo, Leslie Jones and Colin Jost of Saturday Night Live, and many more. Four-day passes start at $129.
Levitation
April 29 through May 1
levitation-austin.com
It’s time to get groovy. Levitation (formerly Austin Psych Fest) is a weekend-long music festival inspired by the creative music-and-art scene that erupted during the 1960s. This year’s headliners include Animal Collective and Flying Lotus.
Weekend passes start at $129.
The Cure
May 13
uterwincenter.com/events/2016/the-cure
If you’re a big fan of The Cure, this Friday the 13th isn’t so unlucky after all. The English rock band is known for many catchy tunes, including “Friday I’m In Love,” that have become part of the modern musical lexicon in the group’s nearly 40 years together.
Tickets for the show start at $30.
Austin City Limits Music Festival
Sept. 30 through Oct. 2 and Oct. 7 through 9
aclfestival.com
Founded in 2002, the Austin City Limits Music Festival is one of Austin’s biggest music extravaganzas and most anticipated spectacles. Each year, the city welcomes more than 400,000 locals and out-of-towners.
For 10 years, the festival was a one-weekend event. Then, in 2013, a second weekend was added to the schedule. With past performances by legends such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lionel Richie, the Eagles, Amy Winehouse, Kanye West, Florence + the Machine, Beck and Stevie Wonder, it’s no wonder so many people attend the festival each year. An added bonus to the festival’s lust-worthy music lineup: Your taste buds get to experience some of the best bites and food trucks in town.
As of press date, the official 2016 lineup had not been announced. Keep an eye out for the announcement sometime this spring, and go to aclfestival.com for more information about ticket pricing and how to get your hands on early bird specials and VIP passes.
Photo of Leo James Conroy by Jeff Hammerton. Sklar Brothers photo courtesy of Moontower Comedy & Oddity Festival. Austin City Limits Music Festival photo by Greg Noire. Euphoria photo courtesy of Euphoria Music Festival. Levitation Festival photo by Briana Purser.
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