On the flip side of the pandemic, we saw a huge music boom of concerts, festivals, and special performances popping up last year. That meant making space for artists and musicians—including the likes of George Strait and Willie Nelson—in rapidly expanding cities like Austin through state-of-the-art music venues that house thousands of people and use advanced sound technology for an unforgettable experience. Finally, the Live Music Capital of the World will have the entertainment arena it deserves when the Moody Center concert venue opens in Austin this April with all of those features and more.
On April 29 – 30, the King of Country Music, George Strait, with special guests Willie Nelson & Family and Randy Rogers Band will grace the new stage at the ‘Strait from Moody Center’ Grand Opening Celebration presented by Bud Light. According to the Moody Center announcement, “This Texas-sized Celebration will offer a rare opportunity for fans to see icons George Strait and Willie Nelson share a stage for only the second time in their storied careers. In addition to being a part of the new 15,000 – seat music venue debut, the crowd will also be tipping their hat to Nelson, who turns 89 years old the night of the show.” Tickets start at $49.50 for standard admission, but you can purchase VIP packages like Amarillo By Morning or All My Exes, for an elevated experience.
The Moody Center is not just any new concert venue: this larger-than-life, $338 million entertainment arena is a University of Texas project, backed by Minister of Culture himself, Matthew McConaughey, as well as Oak View Group, Live Nation Entertainment/C3 Presents, and Dell Technologies. The 530,000-square-foot layout will double as a music venue and a sports arena for the university, with over 15,000 seats, 44 premium and porch suites, and 2,000 club seats spaced out in four distinct areas of the upper level, perfect for grabbing food and drinks and meeting fellow music and sports lovers. And yep, that will make the Moody Center the largest music venue in Austin by a long shot.
Austin is getting a much-needed and long-deserving upgrade in its music scene with the addition of the Moody Center. Though we still hold dear our current prime music venues—we missed Emo’s—the thought of thousands of fans flocking to a state-of-the-art concert venue and sports arena in the heart of Austin gets us excited for a post-pandemic world.
The Moody Center concert venue has filled its calendar with legendary acts: John Mayor takes over the Moody Center on April 20 – 21, 2022, followed by Bon Jovi, Justin Bieber, George Strait, Willie Nelson & Family and Randy Rogers Band, The Who, iHeartCountry Festival, Dave Matthews Band, Eagles, Jack White, Machine Gun Kelly, Jimmy Buffett, Leon Bridges, Kevin Hart, The Lumineers, Swedish House Mafia, and so many more for a powerhouse of a spring lineup.
Construction is nearly completed on the University of Texas campus just north of downtown at 2001 Robert Dedman Drive. For a sneak peak at the magic the illustrious Moody Center is expected to bring to Austin, check out the official video below.