From warm rays of golden sunlight bathing the picnic blankets at a Zilker Park music festival to electric bursts of neon flashing through the boisterous audience at Moody Center, this summer, Austin has stayed true to its title of the “Live Music Capital of the World.”
Students attended a variety of different concerts before the school year began, each experiencing music in their own unique way.
“I made sure to go to Blues on the Green this year and I went for the three years before that, so it’s kind of a tradition,” senior Lily Stringer said. “It’s a good Austin experience because it’s at Zilker, you can find music and there’s food from local vendors trying to promote their business.”
Blues on the Green is the longest running annual free concert in Austin. It’s a night full of local artists including bands like The Point at Zilker Park, and this year it was on June 12. For Stringer, she sees it as a tradition as well as a way to support and find new artists.
“Last year I heard a band at Blues on the Greens and then they opened at another small concert that I went to, and now I listen to them regularly,” Stringer said. “There’s so many different types of music that you can discover and end up liking.”
As opposed to Stringer, who didn’t know any of the artists performing at Blues on the Greens this year, most students attended concerts of artists that they’re quite familiar with.
“Me and my sister have been really big Pitbull fans for a few years,” senior Sabrina Mohanty said. “We love his music, so when we heard there was a free concert, we definitely jumped at the opportunity.”
Pitbull performed at the University of Texas Tower on June 30. UT hosted him as the finale of their all-day celebration of the Longhorns joining the Southeastern Conference, and free tickets attracted approximately 50,000 people.
“We [arrived] around 4 p.m.,” Mohanty said. “There weren’t many people near the stage since it was an opening act, but once Pitbull came, everyone swarmed in and it was very crowded. People started fainting left and right and they had people throwing water bottles out into the crowd.”
Unfortunately, the chaos resulted in about three injuries. Attendees recommend bringing water, sunscreen, eating prior to the event and even avoiding future concerts similar to this if claustrophobic. While these situations may be difficult to control in outdoor and unrestricted concerts, indoor venues are much more manageable. Namely, junior Isabella Yang and her friends attended Niall Horan’s The Show Live Tour at the Moody Center on Aug. 3.
“We purchased the [tickets] really last minute because we love Niall Horan,” Yang said. “We wanted to do one last, big, fun thing at the end of summer.”
Yang has liked Horan since his career in One Direction, but after watching him perform at Austin City Limits (ACL) in 2023, she became an even bigger fan. ACL is known for popularizing up and coming artists. Senior Reece Morgan watched Noah Kahan’s performance at ACL in 2023, and this prompted her to attend his show for the We’ll All Be Here Forever Tour at the Moody Center on June 15.
“He had a really cool backdrop and he had a very fun stage presence, so he’s fun to watch and listen to,” Morgan said. “Everyone was in cowboy boots and mini dresses – it had a country vibe.”
In concert culture, fans often dress up to match the artist’s aesthetic, almost like an unofficial dress code. For example, senior Abby Mack encountered lots of jerseys, cowboy boots and sparkles at Tate McRae’s Think Later Tour.
“I got tickets [as a Christmas gift] because I liked her music,” Mack said. “I’ve been listening to her since middle school, and I was pretty excited that she was coming to Austin.”
McRae’s concert was on July 17 at the Moody amphitheater at Waterloo Park. McRae made use of her outdoor venue, making an effort to interact with her audience and maximize stage presence.
“She has a background in dancing, so there was a lot of choreography, many background dancers and pretty cool sets. Some of the sets were stairs getting pushed and turned around, as well as a boxing ring,” Mack said. “At one point, she went into the crowd and everyone started running toward her. I like that she tried to connect with her audience.”
Each student had a unique purpose for attending their concert, depicting how these events are greater than just music – they’re opportunities to support local artists, make summer memories with friends and celebrate achievements. Despite the versatility in genres, venues and experiences, these concerts continue to unite Austinites for their innate love for music.
