Austin · Nightlife

Downtown blues room trading since 1975, which put on B.B. King, Muddy Waters and a young Stevie Ray Vaughan; the calendar now runs blues, soul, jazz and hip-hop most nights, with a recurring Blue Monday. Shows are ticketed in advance and some are 21+, some all ages.

Dance hall at 3201 S Lamar Blvd, open since 1964, with the restaurant serving from 4pm and dancehall doors at 7:15pm. Two-step lessons run Wednesday to Saturday 8 to 9pm with Terri White; line dancing is not allowed on the floor. Phone 512 442 6189.

East Austin honky-tonk at 500 Comal St, open every day 3pm to 2am and strictly 21+. Country and rockabilly bands, a dance floor people actually use, and a tacos-out-the-back setup; it is the late end of the night in that part of town.

Basement jazz bar at 315 Congress Avenue with live music seven nights a week since 1991. Open 5pm to 2am Monday to Thursday, later start at weekends, 21+, no reservations and first-come seating. Cover is 5 to 10 USD depending on the night and there is none before 8pm.

Indoor-and-outdoor venue at 912 Red River in the Red River Cultural District, with a tiered outdoor stage that is the reason to go. It anchors a stretch where you can walk between three or four rooms in a night.