XL Cover Story: 100 places to hear live music: Volume 2, K-Z
From old downtown favorites to newer suburban hot spots, a second group of clubs gets a look and a listen
By Michael BarnesSept. 8, 2005
• Nos. 1-25 (Alice's Restaurant - Cotton Club & Steakhouse)
• Nos. 26-50 (Coupland Dance Hall - Jovita's)
• Nos. 51-75 (Kenny Dorham's Backyard - Romeo's)
• Nos. 76-100 (Room 710 - La Zona Rosa)
Last week, we introduced the first half of our stunt/adventure/bar guide, reflecting the 100 music venues we visited recently (almost all in the month of August).
Before launching into the second set of 50 club profiles, some stray observations:
• Club employees, as a rule, would rather chew off their arms than estimate a band's starting time over the phone.
• Sound checks that exceed the duration of a musician's set should be taken out of their golden time in the next life.
• Apparently, the allure of a cell phone conversation can trump even the sonic mash of a punk or metal set.
• As noted last week, I spotted fewer than a dozen smokers lighting up inside clubs during the entire month of August. So there is hope for post-smoking-ban music.
If your favorite venue is not profiled in XL this week or next, e-mail me at mbarnes@statesman.com. I'll drop by and update the list regularly on Austin360.com.
51. KENNY DORHAM'S BACKYARD
1106 E. 11th St., 477-9438
Funny how any soft dip in the land can become a music venue in Austin. This grassy lot next to the Victory Grill bloomed into a family music spot this summer for blues, jazz and other delectibles. Multiethnic toddlers danced in toddler frenzy, mothers and aunts monitored from lawn chairs, while barbecue beckoned from behind the revelers. The stage, set against the midnight blue of the club's walls, is low and long, but the lighting and sound are adequate. By the way, BYOB.
52. LONGBRANCH INN
1133 E. 11th St., 472-5591
When an historically black club in the city's historically black entertainment district comes under white management and becomes one of the coolest, least pretentious spots in town for Anglos and African Americans to hang out, a bit of psychic dislocation is inevitable. That feeling dissipates when customers rollick to an R&B band while sipping some of the best-prepared cocktails in town. The trapezoidal shape of the room and rouged walls help define this classic reclassified.
53. LUCKY LOUNGE
209 W. Fifth St., 479-7700.
This underrated, very modern music venue offers a variety of listening experiences. One can sit in the theater-lounge seats near the raised stage, or stand farther off down the long bar, or, best of all, lean on the railings of a high tier, surveying the efficient barstaff. The sparkly club logo silhouettes onstage bands -- from rock veterans to wannabes. Music-haters can gather upstairs or near the Warehouse District door, because amplification is rarely obnoxious.
54. LUCY'S ON THE SQUARE
141 E. Hopkins St., San Marcos, (512) 558-7399
A classic college club, this two-parter sprawls over both floors of a stone structure in downtown San Marcos. The lower level is about drinking and socializing, the upper floor about music and games. The metal alloy band that played the front stage the night we dropped by attracted a pretty crowd, not much interested in the music. An extended bar dispensed all sorts of drinks, once our bartender stopped cleaning glasses and acknowledged our existence.
55. MAGGIE MAE'S
323 E. Sixth St., 478-8541
This friend to the party-hardy flock long ago split off its corner incarnation, now called The Drink. Maggie's interior bar is deep, narrow and a contact-sport zone when crowded. The patio stage, on the other hand, is large, airy and inevitably mellow. The chatting classes lean over balconies and roof decks; music lovers clump in pods near the decent-sized stage in the back. For a place that deals in volume business, the cocktails are surprisingly satisfying. Warning: Surly bouncers.
56. MOMO'S
618 W. Sixth St., 479-8848
This room first saw light as Top of the Marc, an attempt to promote jazz under the Katz brand name. Now it's a marvelously pleasant place to hear all sorts of music. Singer/songwriters, particularly, light up on the relatively spacious stage, and they are flattered by the club's cursive sound system. At first glance, the bar seems oversized for the room, but then you realize how many unfussy folks are parked on the roof deck far from the stage.
57. NUNO'S
422 E. Sixth St., 833-5133
On two recent visits, humidity poured through the open façade, intensifying the Bourbon Street vibe of the place. Cover bands play soulfully -- backs to the sidewalk fans -- for appreciative listeners, cooled down by watery drinks. This is Sixth Street as loved by tourists and loathed by music critics. Those of us caught in between just let the music pour over our senses.
58. NORTH BY NORTHWEST
10010 N. Capital of Texas Highway, 467-6969
Outside this well-populated Gateway brewpub is an open tent with tables and chairs scattered around a modest stage. One can linger here indefinitely or wait for a spot inside the joyfully jammed restaurant. The drinks and appetizers are generous (order one at a time) and the service prompt. The amplification can get a little jumpy for so small a space, but roots-based music is well-represented. The patrons might be high-tech workers or young families, but all celebrate with equal brio.
59. NUTTY BROWN CAFE
12225 U.S. 290 W., 301-4648
Like a smaller-scale version of The Backyard, this patio performance space nestles under spreading oaks, offering a variety of seating choices and responses to the weather. The cafe food is reassuring, the drinks refreshing and the young staff well-drilled. Seating outside is split between the patio/cocktail tables in the shade and exposed picnic tables out near the barbecue pit and the kiddie playground. A little breeze, and brunch can be divine.
60. ONE WORLD THEATRE
7701 Bee Cave Road, 329-6753
East of Malibu or the Catalina Islands, there's nothing quite like this Tuscan-style palazzo perched on a ledge above the Barton Creek basin. Loose clothes, yoga smiles and pretty, pretty people flock for top-rate jazz, classical, world music and other acts in this cozy setting. Snuggling close to the stage is not always best; sit in the second tier or balcony for the best music experience. No alcoholic beverages are sold, as part of the place's holistic regime.
61. OPAL DIVINE'S PENN FIELD
3601 S. Congress Ave., 707-0237
Austinites love them some patios. The South Austin version of the popular public house is clean-lined and grown-up inside, zero-stress and convivial on the patio/balcony overlooking the slowly gentrified South Congress. The draft beer is copious and the pub grub filling. Here's the problem with the outdoor stage, tucked under a little shed/pergola -- it doesn't grab the eye or the ear, so the music tends to get a little lost in the beergarden jabbering.
62. LA PALAPA
6640 E. U.S. 290, 459-8729
Entering through the cantina door, we were confronted with a multiethnic, multigenerational crowd squealing, dancing, hugging, downing goldfish bowls of sweet margaritas to the vibrant strains of a cover band. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, mind you. It turned out to be a birthday party, but clearly folks consider this longtime Tex-Mex establishment a goodtime joint. The dining room, with its large portions and nightly specials, is a separate deal.
63. PARAMOUNT THEATRE
713 Congress Ave., 472-5470
Yes, the seats are too narrow and the legspace is too shallow, but that's what comes with a genuinely historical venue graced by priceless performances. Built in 1915 as a vaudeville house, then used for movies and plays, the gilded Paramount now shines when musical or comedic stars descend on its hallowed stage. The lobby bar is elegant, and the ushers try very hard to help. The deco-era State Theater next door sometimes hosts musical acts as well.
64. PARDNER'S NIGHT CLUB
1100 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock, 244-1204
This is old Round Rock, highway to Taylor Round Rock, the Round Rock before Dell and tens of thousands of suburbanites claimed their slices Williamson County. A U-shaped bar divides the game area from the music club and its old-style country dance floor. Variations on Bud and Miller are on tap, and the clientele is eager to make one's acquaintance. The stage could handle a big band, but that would overpower this modest club, parked paradoxically in a drab shopping center.
65. THE PARISH
214 E. Sixth St., 478-6372
Music critics agree this is one of the best places in town to hear music -- deep house, high stage, discreet bar, separate chill-out area, superb sound mixing. And yet ... the crowds can be dishearteningly thin. Could it be that the managers haven't learned to market their prize? Among the amenities: A backed bench along the west wall rests your weary heels. Downstairs, the Jazz restaurant includes a semi-circular stage, but several recent visits failed to turn up a live act.
66. THE PARLOR
100 W. North Loop Blvd., 454-8965
Bang! Walk through the door of this red-and-black, wedge-shaped pizza place on The Curve and you might trip over the accordion/tuba punk band playing right in front of the the door. Once bearings are regained, the bartender is tack-sharp and the beer flows freely to patrons along the high bar, or assembled among the several tables. (The patio out back, in contrast, is tomb-quiet.) The crowd is young and punk-nerdy.
67. PLUSH
617 Red River St., 478-0099
The only thing plush about this tiny, dark, spare room is the thickly layered music. One of its former incarnations was a punk transvestite bar, but now electronica/house/hip-hop geeks rub elbows with quiet, curious interlopers. The tan Austin brick, very low lighting and a trim, well-thought-out bar are complemented by a musicians' storeroom/chill room. Even without a Powerbook under your arm, it's easy to slip into the sonic waves of Plush.
68. POODIE'S HILLTOP BAR & GRILL
22308 Texas 71 W., (512) 264-0318
A spillover from Willie Nelson's nearby empire, this casual roadhouse comes with all the comforts -- game tables, food and drink, super-sized chairs, giant TV screen, dance floor and, oh yes, a corner stage for mostly country/Americana bands. The Spicewood regulars look after your well-being, while Hill Country and lake weekenders blend into the mood easily. It's hard to imagine a place with less pretention. Note: It's easy to miss the sign at night.
69. RAIN
217 W. Fourth St., 494-1150
A sleek gay club with class, this still-new Fourth Street establishment feels welcoming and, at the same time, a tad fancy. While the popular patio waits out back, the live acts -- singers, bands -- can be seen on the bottle-shaped dance floor inside. Bar and lounge sections create an informal viewing pit for standing and sitting spectators. Gay, lesbian and straight audiences appear appreciative of the entertainment opportunity -- and the reasonably priced cocktails.
70. THE RED FEZ
209 W. Fifth St., 478-5120
Meet me in Morocco. This West Fifth Street club is among the most intensely designed in town, decorated with tiled tables, glinting screens, shadowy niches and hookahs filled with flavored tobacco. Live acts play a stage situated very near the front door, an apt place for viewing performers, except it discourages potential visitors -- from international tourists to regular downtown denizens -- from popping in. Excellent cocktails.
71. RED EYED FLY
715 Red River St., 474-1084
'You gotta speak up, because I can't hear you.' Loud is the L-word for the clever sound bubble behind this hard-living, but lovable Red River club. The staff holds up admirably and tall drinks help, but the floor is sometimes blasted by the sinus-clearing amplification. Best to take interior-bar breaks with the lively mix of spiky regulars and lost-looking tourists.
72. REED'S JAZZ & SUPPER CLUB
9901 Capital of Texas Highway N., 342-7977
You don't need an expense account to enjoy Reed's, but it helps. A concept club with style to spare, Reed's spans three huge swooshes -- stairwell, bar and cocktail area. Upstairs find the fine dining. Downstairs, the 1940s-inspired jazz club is as tony as they come, with drinks priced to match. Bands swing on a stage at the end of the swoosh, which makes it hard for some patrons to see, while others dance romantically near the musicians.
73. REDRUM
401 Sabine St., 275-6575
Another new location for loud music, this club has moved into the Sabine Street structure that formerly housed a lumberyard and a well-liked restaurant. The wood is reverberant; the tin reflective, and the pitched roof combines to make this a very live-sounding venue. The old, long bar receives new stock every day, and the staff is working hard to turn this into a clubhouse for the hardcore set, just a block away from Red River Street.
74. RITZ LOUNGE
320 E. Sixth St., 474-9574
Above the billiards parlor and game room (and sometime music venue) is a club fashioned out of the balcony of an old movie theater, one of the building's former incarnations. The tiers are extra-steep and the stage often encompasses the entire floor. A tiny bar twinkles to the side. There seems to be little consistency in the acts booked into this upstairs venue, but, unlike some Sixth Street establishments, it's about the music, not the tequila shots.
75. ROMEO'S
1500 Barton Springs Road, 476-1090
We were seated in Siberia: between the well-trafficked patio door and the grand piano. Still, our waiter was helpful, the pasta was al dente and the drinks tall and cool. Then the piano player entered ... and started tinkling out the melancholy theme from 'Valley of the Dolls.' Heaven. He entertained us for the next hour, and we have made a pact to return to this festive Italian eatery just for the delightfuly moody music.
