I have to say Emo's is one of my favorite live music venues. The sound and acoustics are fantastic! I like the setup of the stage and floor/dance area. It's not a huge club but they also don't pack folks in so badly that you can't move about. Free water station and most times employees will hand it out to patrons. Bar prices are fair and on par with other similar venues. Bathrooms are ok, meaning clean and not gross. Like most places in Austin, parking can be a challenge. They've got a pay lot (I think it's pay by the hour) that fills up super fast. Best bet is to use a car service. read more

I have been going to Emo's since the 90s, and don't expect much, however: Went to a show Saturday, purchased one Lone Star because I wasn't feeling like getting my buzz on. Sunday received a fraud alert on my debit card for local and online purchases, and Monday see they charged me $14.00 for said Lone Star (plus the tip i left.) Pretty sure that isn't what the screen said when I checked out. Your bartender is a thief. I may have to go there to see some bands, but they certainly will never get any further funds. read more

Never have I ever been to a standing general admission concert... until now! The venue doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside looked and felt like something straight out of a teenage drama circa 2000s. I went to see Noah Cyrus, with her brother, Braison Cyrus, open the show, and it was such a fun experience! Though doors opened at 7, we arrived closer to showtime at 8 and surprisingly, didn't have any issues finding a decent parking spot. Upon entering, we went through metal detectors, had our bags checked (if applicable), got our tickets scanned, and walked right in. The venue is easy to navigate through. There are two bars, sectioned off but still easy to access. I appreciated security making sure everyone was safe and abiding by fire codes (ie: stay within the taped lines to leave exits accessible). As I struggled to see the show being 5'1, I wished the owners of Emo's extended the venue to be 2-stories with a partial second floor or balcony to make viewing easier. Seating depends on the show; for ours, it was fully standing. The best part about the venue is the air conditioning since it kept me comfortable the whole night (unless I stood by someone with questionable hygiene...). I probably wouldn't do standing GA again since it's not really my brand, but it was a solid first-time experience. I also liked that there were no VIP sections or pretentiousness -- everyone was equal, just there to enjoy the music. read more

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Took my daughter to a show last night and had a great time! We were able to park in the lot which was a surprise. The staff and security were nice. Bathrooms were clean. 3 bars inside which made getting something to drink fairly quickly. Acoustics were fantastic! Can't wait for our next show here!! read more

Emo's Austin - Anthony Green - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Thank you to the incredibly kind employee ( did not catch her name but blonde haired lady working the Good Kid concert) that saved my son and my night tonight. (I bought him tickets to the concert for Christmas and we drove 4 hours roundtrip). I didn't think we were going to be let in due to ticket scanning issues and he was so mad at me and disappointed. But this angel saved our night and got us through security. Thank you so much! It was a great event and venue! read more

Emo's Austin - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

Emo's is a great venue!! We live close by and can walk there so we don't ever have to deal with the hot mess parking lot. I recommend taking an uber based on the fact of seeing cars get towed every time we are there. Easy to check in, get through metal detectors, and get tickets scanned. Once inside the venue is pretty small, so you can see from everywhere. We lived in Pittsburgh where mosh pits, crowd surfing, and walls of death are absolutely wild (and honestly dangerous). There is actual security all around and it stays very calm. I feel safe going here, which we can't really say about all venues. Loved seeing The Used play their full album to celebrate their 25 year anniversary. Also seeing Chiodos - All's Well That Ends Well 20 Year Anniversary was epic. We saw them at Warped Tour in Orlando a few weeks before and the crowd was so crazy that it did get scary. It was so nice to have a redo with great sound in a more intimate space. Drinks are expensive stadium prices, but what do you expect. I usually get a high noon or a cocktail. Bathrooms are big and clean. Haven't gone on the patio because it is just the smoking section for the 2 shows I recently went to. 5 stars - nice venue with great sound! read more

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Despite the nightmare that is the Emo's parking lot, this is one of the better venues in the Live Music Capitol of the World. The space is great and the acoustics are fantastic. The bathrooms are clean too. Emo's consistently stays on top of cleanliness which is deeply appreciated. I get a sense of relief when I find out the concert I want to go to will be here. I have yet to have a bad time. Security is always fast and no-nonsense without being rude or off putting. The set up is pretty straight forward and the bartenders have always been nice. You go in and there's a bar nearby, and one across the venue. The merch booths tend to be in the back across from the stage so there's plenty of space to get in whatever line forms. There is space outside, but I don't typically explore that much. Maybe my next show. read more

People complain about the sound here but it's pretty solid for metal shows. There are a few times where mixing isn't always there but it's not terrible. Expect roughly $10 tall boys. Parking is limited but street parking is available on the street after 7. Great if you don't always go to shows on time. read more

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Venue itself was large and spacious Staff was amazing and sweet and made sure everyone had waters. But the accessibility seating was awful. A bit of the seating was blocked by a wall. And im sure half the people sitting in Ada were only vip and did nit need to sit in this area. There were so much better places in the venue to put the Ada seating and they even people the people in wheelchairs into a total separate area. read more

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I saw Leo Skepi here once and last night I saw Perfume Genius. This venue is wonderful in the fact that it's COLD. I'm a hot natured individual. The bartenders have really weird iPad-esque things but they're really nice. Drinks are $12+ but the coolest addition are the non-alcoholic Athletic tallboys for $13. If you get there early you can easily get a spot but I still prefer to rideshare. Security isn't too bad and there's always a cop waiting for the show to end which makes me feel safe. For the seated events, the chairs are super uncomfortable but I probably won't go to another show like that. read more

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Absolute great venue for a concert. I would just recommend better security because once you're through the detectors people still have access to those in line next to the little fence thing. Also, please fix and clean all the restrooms. I didn't try the food or drinks so I can't speak to that but I appreciated how nicely ventilated // cool it was and that they had FREE water stations and a large ADA section. One more HUGE plus was that their parking was free :) read more

Emo's Austin - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This is a completely different location than when I was young and went to shows at Emo's! Yes, I'm old. The new location doesn't have as much "character" as the old spot, ie. the building isn't falling down at all and has a high ceiling. A little more warehouse feel than the Emo's of old, but a great space! Big enough to fit a nice sized crowd and small enough for shows to feel limited. The sound system WORKS! If you're old like me, bring ear protection. The lights were amazing! Had a truly professional rave feel for the EDM show I saw. So fun! Drinks looked expensive, but that's to be expected. They offer NA beer which is nice! I'd go back for a show...with my ear protection. read more

Emo's is a great music venue in Austin. It's one of the smaller venues so every spot is decent to watch the show. There are no seats so it's standing room only, but I still enjoy the shows there regardless. It's pretty easy to get drinks without going out of the way. You can easily return back to your spot once you return from the bar area. I usually uber there to avoid the hassle of parking. Great venue overall! read more

I recently attended the sold-out Foster the People show at EMO'S, and let me tell you, it was an experience so good it might just make you forget about your dinner plans--if only for a moment! First off, the venue is nestled in a bustling neighborhood filled with enough delicious restaurants to make your taste buds sing. I happily rushed to EMO'S, only to find out that inside the venue, they serve drinks but no food! It's almost like they want you to enjoy your beverages while you're *still* hungry, creating the ultimate dilemma: rock out or snack out? Who knew my stomach would be fighting for attention during a concert? Now onto the show! Foster the People took the stage and absolutely rocked the house! They played all my favorites and had the crowd buzzing with excitement. I was on the edge of my seat, practically yelling "Play 'Waste'!" like it was some sort of concert version of "Jeopardy." But to my dismay, they skipped it! I guess it wasn't meant to be--so there I was, balancing my air guitar skills with an empty stomach (talk about first-world problems). The staff at EMO'S were super friendly and efficient, which is always appreciated--especially when you're trying to navigate the dance floor while dreaming of nachos. And the sound? Well, let's just say it was on point! Each beat hit my eardrums like a well-timed food pun that only made me want snacks even more. In summary, if you're looking to have an awesome night filled with fantastic live music and drinks but absolutely no food, EMO'S is your ultimate destination. I can't wait for the next show--fingers crossed they add "Waste" to the setlist, along with a food truck outside for my post-concert cravings. I made a recap reel on my instagram. I hope Mark Foster sees it! He announced that they are touring in 2025, so I hope they add it to the set list! read more

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We went to see Phantogram! Amazing light show, great energy in the building and friendly bar staff. They had free water dispensing and paper cups available, and also non-alcoholic options (liquid death, Red Bull, etc). Reasonably priced. Great air conditioning & there is a small side patio for smoking. Easily the best venue I have been to in Austin. read more

Emo's Austin - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

Way to cold. If id wanted to spend an eveni g o side a meat locker i still wouodnt have chosen thos place.. Every show I have seen here the accoustics are way off. The place seems to dull a band. I do t know. But why should people be forced to buy 80.00 hoodies from the merch booth just to be able to watch the show read more

(A solid 3.5 star experience) This location of Emo's is a no frills, no wow moments. It's large enough to host a decent size of an audience. It's a large box concept with plenty of standing room. Bathrooms are pretty large and can accommodate a few folks at a time. The outdoor patio space was quiet on the night I went but it wasn't bad. I will say thought everyone gets complimentary sub-shows with the people who get kicked out. Pretty entertaining to say none the less. A few things that were a bit annoying included the parking lot situation (I just recommend doing street parking), the security line is pretty chaotic, and the flow of process was a bit confusing to say the least. Overall- just keep an open mind and focus on the show itself. read more

Emo's Austin - Lana del Rey night - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

everytime I go it gets worse, wouldn't recommend for wheelchair users/if you have a mobility aid, tried to find ADA access and help multiple times here getting in and staff was clueless/officers outside were very rude and agressive, no accessible seating, or accessible viewing areas/or real opportunity for disabled people to sit or safely be in the crowd, probably the least accessible/accommodating in austin, would love to see this change, but in the past ten years its only gotten less accessible for me and other disabled family members and friends to attend shows here with out it affecting our health and safety for it to not be worth the risk, would say id recomend stubbs for how acomodating the staff has been to me and friends personally, had fans too to help with temperature control read more

Saw Y'all Out Boy here during their 5yr anniversary in July 2023. It was a sold out show so it was packed and it was another 100+ degree weather day. Not the most comfortable situation but what a fun show! Came out here with a group of friends and we were all drenched in sweat, probably some alcohol, too, since a lot of people were raging! I've also come to realize how small Austin is when you've been involved in enough outdoor sports leagues. Ran into so many familiar faces here, which made the experience so much more fun! They have a pretty decent selection of drinks, snacks, and there's a hotdog vendor in the back if you're hungry. read more

Emo's Austin - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

Emo is exactly what it is which is a Venue and to me it's amazing. I always have a good time when I go to Emo's. The drinks are pricy so I recommend to pregame before hand. Also to Uber or Lyft here because parking isn't the best. read more

Emo's Austin - Lil tecca - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

This place sucks it's deadass boring and the people there are mean and weird. The concerts and drinks are not fun

I honestly love Emos because it's a smaller venue, it feels more intimate. I've been here many times and have enjoyed my time each time. It's a venue so yes drinks are going to be inflated, there are going to be LONG lines for the rest room, and there are a lot of people. I do appreciate the outdoor area when you need to catch a breath. The back of the venue is usually more spacious, I always gravitate towards this area when I need a break from the crowd. For a small venue they have two bars on opposite ends with a lot of bartenders. I've never waited a long time to be served. A HUGE plus, they give out free water. Every venue should do this...thank you Emos for keeping us hydrated!!! Cons: parking sucks I reccomend Uber or Lyft if you can. read more

Emo's Austin - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Saw Melvins/Napalm Death here in April and the sound was good. The only complaint is that the drums were louder than the other instruments at the point where I was standing; when I was watching it wasn't a huge deal though. Venue was well controlled and the staff were friendly. Thanks for a good show! read more

Awesome venue!! This live music venue has some incredible performers that visit. The venue was clean and had multiple restroom facilities as well as bar serving. As for the common complaints that parking is difficult, I suggest arriving early since there will always be an expected line of people waiting at the door. read more

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My second music venue I've been to on my visits to Austin. This was for the Elderbrook concert. Large open venue, I liked not feeling crammed together. Staff was well organized, drinks were reasonably priced. I thought sound system and acoustics were great. I'd love to see another concert there. read more

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Horrible venue!! My friends and I went for knock2 last night and upon arriving two of the guys were desperate for the bathroom so they ran to look for an alley. Once in the alley they were chased out by who they thought was a homeless man, come to find out it was an employee who then refused to let them in because he thought they were trying to sneak in the back. 1. Every single person in our group had tickets and the two guys were literally trying to show the homeless employee the tickets on their phones 2. If they were trying to sneak in why would they run back to the entrance of the venue? In the end the homeless employee brought out his backup minion who doubled down with him even though she never saw anything. Moral of the story, if you see a dude that looks like Sikowitz just know your night is over. Save your money and just go to concourse, it's a better venue with competent staff. read more

Definitely one of my favorite venues in Austin. It gives such a up close and personal feel. However, there is basically no parking so I definitely recommend to Uber. There are a few bars so there's not too much of a wait for drinks. The drinks are pricy but they give you the giant beer cans. The merch lines can get pretty long. We went here for a concert recently and it was so hot, that's the reason for the 3 stars With everyone all pressed together and no breeze at all, and the summer heat outside - it was a little rough. Everyone was sweating lol. But I'll still be back! read more

Yeah the venue is decent & bar staff too but the security staff is a whole other issue good luck being a POC or LGBTQ+ because you will be targeted for no reason. Security was literally attempting to instigate a fight when they accused us we gave alcohol to a minor didn't even let us explain anything. The two security guards swore we did but we literally had our drinks with us the whole time and we were over 21 we did have our two nieces under 21. One person went to the restroom and the drinks were right beside us outside of the restroom and they said we were giving someone alcohol in the restroom how if the drinks were with us. We spent at least $500 between drinks and our tickets and to have security talking down to us and being so aggressive towards us they came out yelling at us like we were doing drugs or had a weapons made it absolutely horrible . It was a tall skinny man bald on top but long thin hair and a short hair heavy set woman with a Mohawk. He literally snatched the drink out of her hand and slammed it in the trash and kicked two of our party out. They were accusing my minor niece of being drunk all four of us (21+) had all with us at all times, literally bought of second round of drinks and we were completely sober. I was taken aback because I had never in my almost 40 years been treated that way so unprofessional and rude toward a customer. When we began to question why they started yelling at all of us had to go and we had to leave now. They said they were watching us for 30 minutes but we hadn't even been there 10-15minutes. How is a security guard going to tell someone swing on me go ahead and yelling at them and then keep talking mess as they're walking away to exit the building. Mind you had they came up to us normally and asked us to leave it would have been fine we would have understood but to be yelled at was completely unacceptable. Unprofessional people here worried about the wrong thing and targeting people because they assume they saw something but there was a drugged up person in the restroom and no one was bothering them and no one is worried about them. There was also another girl who had was being carried by her friends because she was completely out out it and no one stopped them. My family was targeted because of the color or their skin but no one said anything to me because I wasn't the same color. We didn't have any issues with any of the other security just these two in particular. These two bouncers are a couple of little kids with gigantic egos looking for a fight. This is highly unacceptable and for it to be a place in Austin where everyone is supposed to be so all inclusive this place is the absolute worst. I will never attend another show here and I will warn everyone I know about this venue so they can stay away as well as the artists I keep in touch with. Just know if you see these two consider your night over . read more

Emo's Austin - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

One of my favorite venues in Austin! Great wide open indoor space. The staff is always super nice. The back of the room is usually where merch is and it's not too crowded. The only thing stopping me from giving this 5 stars is I've had 1 or 2 experiences where the band was just too loud for the size of the venue and it made me miserable. read more

Attended a concert starring CoCo Jones and Lady London, the inside is very open and spacious, and the ladies room was clean. However parking was a really problematic experience. read more

I had an awesome time here seeing St. Lucia. It's very spacious and it wasn't cramped at all. The temperature inside was comfortable, but it is October! The staff was really friendly during check in, which can be rare for concert venues. The bathrooms were also super clean. Great sound in the venue. I considered driving here but ultimately decided against it. On their website, they do warn about not parking at other businesses even though they may be closed. I didn't risk it. The ride share pickup was easy to find. This was an awesome experience and I'd for sure come back here! read more

Emo's Austin - a band performing on stage - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

Will never go back to this place. They hire scam booted to extort people when they leave. Plan on spending $100 to park your car.

LOVE this venue. Great bands come all the time. Manageable crowd sizes. The floor is wide and the stage is raised high enough, so you can always get a good view of the performers. It does get loud by the speakers though, so consider bringing earplugs. Photos below from 4 different concerts. read more

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Came to see Kenny Hoopla! The venue changed due to weather and I really enjoyed the space! Nice outside seating and seats to the side of the stage. It was perfect for an aging emo adult!! read more

I saw Jidenna in concert on 11/10/2019 and it was my 1st time at this venue. I give it a good 3 1/2 stars venue wise. Since sharing is caring here are a few of my "FYI's".. -parking: we were able to get a parking spot in the same lot at the venue so we had no issues with parking BUT we did attend an event at this venue on a Sunday so I'm not sure if that is why we were lucky w/ finding a parking spot. -drink prices were kinda high so do expect to shell out some moolah if you plan to get tipsy. ;) -The inside of the venue is very open but it is standing room only & this can be an issue for us short folks! I had to wiggle my way to the front so that I could see because I swear on the night I was there only the tall people came out!! -They do have a metal detector you have to go through so please leave your illegal weapons at home folks! -Helpful tip: Even though this is an indoor venue with so many bodies huddled together be prepared to get HOT! My girl Tisha was super smart and brought her personal paper fan to help her stay cool. You should have seen the other concert folks eyeing her fan!! ;)) Hope this info helps.. -Rebecca out read more

Emo's Austin - Jidenna in concert 11/10/2019 - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

I had such a good time at this vendor and the sound quality was amazing for PJ Morton! Can't wait to see more of my favorites. read more

Emo's Austin - a yellow purse and a glass of water - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

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The parking here is terrible; the lot is old and the lines are faded so people park atrociously. This part of town is very unsafe so if you drive, be very careful where you park. The best part of this venue is that they book indie artists, I just wish they were in a better location and maintained their lot. read more

Loved the small venue. Went to see Thievery Corporation there. Love the outside patio area. Bathrooms are easily accessible. Went to get a drink, guy bartender wasn't the friendliest but got drinks fast. Would go back to this venue. read more

I did not enjoy the show or experience because it was overwhelmingly crowded, hot, and dangerous. Despite spending a lot more money on vip, waiting over an hour to enter first, and entering waiting near the front of the stage I was almost immediately surrounded by hundreds of people in this very small space. I became ill after waiting almost another 3 hours for the main performer. I could not breathe, I was getting pushed from all sides, sweating and began to panic when all the air left from behind me. There are no seats or places to rest and no in and out. I had to stand at the outskirts of the crowd and had the worst obstructed view. At least set the stage up for all sides to see if you are going to sell and and pack as many people as possible inside. They also sold food which gave me food poisoning. The water at the bar was free at least. I would not return for another concert and don't recommend. read more

This review is about one bartender in particular. Had a pleasant experience until I asked for earplugs and was led to Micah Valdez who sold me some pairs. When I went to pay he said they don't take credit card which seemed weird to me. I know his full name because he instead gave me a Venmo which was his personal account?? Seemed weird and scammy. read more