The Moody Theater
The Moody Theater
5
Monday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Friday
8:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 12:00 AM
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  • Amandasjallsaints
    241 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great Sound and Friendly staff
    Went to this theatre for the Nick Cave concert - which was brilliant. Comfortable seats, great sound and really friendly staff. Drinks expensive. The shame is getting to the theatre and the poor homeless and addicted people that seem to fill the streets of Austin,
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 26 October 2023
  • Hannah
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Loud colorful cool and fun!
    Went to see stevie nicks with my kids and the place is so open and fun! Even with a fully booked show the place wasnt hot at all. Well ventilated and air conditioned. always love booking my concerts to attend here.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 10 November 2023
  • John
    Houston, Texas3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Perfect venue great sound
    Moody theater has a great sound system and no bad seats. Seating is very comfortable with adequate spacing. Walk up the stairs to upper seating could be a challenge for some people, but I do think they have an elevator. Great place to see live music. Drinks are pricey!!
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 18 April 2024
  • YotaPower
    Guilford, Maine974 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This venue has at least two entrances making arrival better than most!
    When we walked up to the front door the line was lengthy. The staff said there was another entrance on the opposite side that was also in the shade. We are from “away” and the heat was brutal so we opted for the walk. It was perfect because of the shade. Once inside the venue was easy to navigate. We were in the front row on the upper level. The view was good, but be aware if the aisle is on the stage side of your view there will be glass between you and the stage. Just a seat or two away from the aisle is an unobstructed view. It had the glass, but it wasn’t horrible (just wish I knew ahead). The venue was also easy to get out of at the end of the concert.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 23 June 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles223 reviews
Excellent
188
Very good
29
Average
3
Poor
2
Terrible
1

Susan W
San Antonio7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
Whether or not your a fan of Austin City Limits, you'll definitely enjoy this 90 minute guided tour of The Moody Theater where ACL is filmed. This history, the stories and the magnitude of what it takes to put on a concert, film an episode of ACL or host a private party is incredible. The photo gallery is a favorite with iconic photos by Scott Newton and Jim Marshall.
Written 12 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sov
Georgetown, TX7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Not a bad seat in the house and the sound is great. However, since Ticketmaster took over for Ticketfly, it has been nothing short of horrific to get seats online. You get the 'its not you, it's us" for hours. Hopefully, they get it fixed soon because I am giving up on shows simply because they can't deliver a ticket.
Written 9 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Amandasjallsaints
241 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
Went to this theatre for the Nick Cave concert - which was brilliant. Comfortable seats, great sound and really friendly staff. Drinks expensive. The shame is getting to the theatre and the poor homeless and addicted people that seem to fill the streets of Austin,
Written 26 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Summer B
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Friends
Saw Madonna play here last night and I have never sweat so much at an indoor venue. Every single person was dripping in sweat. It made trying to enjoy the concert pretty miserable. Will definitely never spend hundreds of dollars to see a show there again.
Written 15 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

John
Houston, TX3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Couples
Moody theater has a great sound system and no bad seats. Seating is very comfortable with adequate spacing. Walk up the stairs to upper seating could be a challenge for some people, but I do think they have an elevator. Great place to see live music. Drinks are pricey!!
Written 18 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ElvisAndrus
Arlington, TX912 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Solo
Worth going to because of its iconic status and history which is on display but not overkill. Lots of free swag, or at least a little bit, in the foyer area. Five star review is because the sound was exceptional and the seating is good too. Nothing not to like.
Written 4 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

YotaPower
Guilford, ME974 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Couples
When we walked up to the front door the line was lengthy. The staff said there was another entrance on the opposite side that was also in the shade. We are from “away” and the heat was brutal so we opted for the walk. It was perfect because of the shade. Once inside the venue was easy to navigate. We were in the front row on the upper level. The view was good, but be aware if the aisle is on the stage side of your view there will be glass between you and the stage. Just a seat or two away from the aisle is an unobstructed view. It had the glass, but it wasn’t horrible (just wish I knew ahead). The venue was also easy to get out of at the end of the concert.
Written 23 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Hannah
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
Went to see stevie nicks with my kids and the place is so open and fun! Even with a fully booked show the place wasnt hot at all. Well ventilated and air conditioned. always love booking my concerts to attend here.
Written 10 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Traveling Ron
Harker Heights, TX67 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2019 • Solo
I've attended numerous concerts here over the years and the venue never disappoints. There really isn't a bad seat in the house. I recently caught Rob Thomas on tour here this past week. What an amazing concert! Great place for entertainment regardless of the night of the week. The best parking is south of the theater in the underground parking under the Austin City Hall building.
Written 29 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Patrick P
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2017 • Solo
Austin City Limits started taping on PBS over 40 years ago. According to the exhibit at the Bullock Museum of Texas History on the campus of the University of Texas, it is the longest running live music show in history. Austin labels itself the “Live music capitol of the world” partially as a result of ACL live.

I’d been watching the show since I was 15. It’s actually hard to describe the influence that it’s had on my life. In the old days they played mostly country performers like Rodney Crowell and Rosanne Cash. These were artists who exuded authenticity in their music and helped to weave stories of love, loss and betrayal. ACL introduced me to the culture of the Southern United States through their musical stories and I knew that I wanted to go there one day.

The show somehow reflected my own love for music that had been infused when I was around eight years old and my older brothers had brought home records by bands like the Stones, Derek and the Dominos and the Faces, or artists like Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart and Crowell. Music was part of my soul. It was my poetry. It was the way that I expressed my emotions – both good and bad. It was my release from thinking too much. It was my joy in the Lounge – the name we gave the basement in my parent’s home. ACL live helped bring back those feelings and emotions.

ACL moved to a new venue about five years ago. This coincided with my own separation and after years away from the show, I found it again on the same bat station at the same bat time. It was like meeting an old friend again. There were some familiar acts – like Bonnie Raitt – but more and more I was being introduced to young artists representing many different genres that I would never have experienced without ACL. Gary Clarke Jr. was an Austin native who played guitar like Jimmy Hendrix and sang like one of the Temptations. Courtney Barnett was an Australian who sounded to me like a fusion of Elvis Costello, Chrissie Hynde and Billy Bragg. I guess that it was what you would call a ‘bucket-list’ desire to see the venue in person. The chance came when I had to attend an educational conference in Austin.

The first thing that I saw walking up to the Moodie Theatre was the equivalent of an offensive line in black t-shirts and pants blocking the entrance. They were private security guards who looked a little more imposing than their counterparts at the airport. It made me wonder about our world. Did we really have to be afraid of people going into a concert to see a blues guitarist who was a born again Christian? This really wasn’t the kind of event that you associate with trouble – or domestic terrorism as it’s now called.

I was so excited that I didn’t mind having to empty the contents of my pockets and subject myself to a pat down. It was discrete even though it seemed out of place on the streets of downtown Austin – on Willy Nelson Drive of all places!

My excitement built as I climbed the stairs to the main concert hall. The building was incredibly modern from the outside – more like a bank than a venerable music venue. Once inside, my eyes went directly to the bar, followed shortly by my legs. I wanted to see if they had any local Austin beers and I opted for one called Fat Tire – which I mistakenly called “Flat Tire” when I ordered. The bartender corrected me politely. She must have been used to tourists travelling thousands of miles to come to the “Vatican” of live music.

My seat was upstairs in the mezzanine, so I was anxious to scout it out and then take a look around the place if they let me. You have to take the outdoor steps to pop up to the next level and when I did; the heat enveloped me like a wrestler attacking an opponent. It didn’t matter to me so much because I had a cold can of Fat Tire in my hand (a tasty red).

The mezzanine lounge was way cooler (both in temperature and contents) than its first floor counterpart. It had a smaller bar that I may have visited a couple of times during the show, but more importantly, it had walls lined with photos of the people who had played ACL over the past 40 years. Willie Nelson. Johnny Cash and June Carter. Elvis Costello (one of my favorites), The Talking Heads, Bonnie Raitt, Mavis Staples, Dolly Parton, and Gary Clarke Jr. to name a few. I could recognize about 50% of the artists. They deliberately refused to label any of the photos so that people had to guess and then talk to other acolytes to see if they could help identify the performers.

When I walked out into the auditorium itself I got shivers up my spine. This was not a massive venue. It didn’t have 10,000 seats and a mega screen that could broadcast live during the show (such an irony that you have to watch a live show on TV, but I digress). This was a simple, intimate auditorium that might seat 1,500 people on three different levels. The sound system looked like something out of a sci-fi movie with speakers that were rounded and ribbed like some kind of alien. I could tell, just by looking out from the entrance of the mezzanine, that the sound would be precise – besides, it helped that the young guy at the door who checked my ticket said that the acoustics were superb.

Looking at the stage I could see the ghosts of all of those bands that I’d watched over the years – well, at least over the past five years. There was Dave Groh and the Foo Fighters. Tonight there were seats on the first level, but when they had taped their show, people were standing in front of the stage. Dave had waded into the crowd during a guitar solo and played right in front of a few somewhat nervous fans that couldn’t quite figure out how to groove with his licks. Looking at the stage again I could see where Courtney Barnett had played with her band. She was on stage right, my left, her drummer in the middle and her bass player on stage left. I had been amazed by how much sound that trio could generate. The only difference, well, aside from the fact that they were only on stage in my mind, was the fact that the Austin skyline was not prominent on the fly behind the stage. There were merely black curtains behind the band. Tonight there was no live taping so things were a little simpler.

I had to walk up to the balcony to get the view from a higher level. The people working there seemed to understand that I had come to see this living museum to music. Not just American music, but music with substance from all around the world. I could have left before the show started and truly felt that I’d received my money’s worth for the visit.

If truth were told, I didn’t care who I was seeing. When I had searched the ACL Live calendar some months before, I was just hoping that someone was playing when I visited. Maybe I had aspirations that I would catch someone like Shaky Graves or Lake Street Dive even though I knew that was unlikely.

Jonny Lang sounded vaguely familiar to me. He had a hit from the 90’s called Lie to Me and when I researched him I found out a few interesting facts. First, he was originally from Fargo. Being a northern boy myself, I thought that this was a bit ironic, to come all the way to Texas to see a guy from North Dakota. Second, he had been a real blues guitar prodigy. He had recorded his first album at 14 years old! I listened to a bit of that song in preparation for my trip and it was quite amazing how well he played and sang at such a young age. He had also written the song himself. Who can articulate those types of feelings and thoughts at 14? Lastly, he’d run into really bad times. He’d got hooked on heroine and fell steeply from grace. Then he found himself and became a born again Christian. He even released a Christian album or two. I was starting to wonder what I’d gotten myself into.

The opening act was forgettable except for three things. First off, her lead guitarist played like a high school kid at a grade nine concert. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of the strings and played like he was afraid of making a mistake. The contrast between him and Jonny Lang couldn’t have been greater. Second, the bongo player drove me crazy! Who the hell has a drummer plus a bongo player? How much percussion does a small band need? I couldn’t even discern the vocals over the incessant bongos. It reminded me of that Saturday Night Live skit where they make fun of the Grateful Dead and their use of the cowbell. It’s a very funny sketch. Lastly, the singer, Patricia something or other, pissed me off when she coyly slid into the drummer’s seat during the encore. What was she trying to show the crowd – that she was multi-talented? The drummer was probably the best musician in the band and I didn’t appreciate the fact that she took the spotlight away from his talent. I wasn’t impressed with her. She looked like a poser.

In contrast, Jonny Lang was absolutely amazing that night. Maybe it was the magic of being at ACL Live. Maybe it was the acoustics that were exceptional. Maybe it was the Fat Tires - a name that seemed to make more sense when you’d had a few. His vocals were powerful and poignant - more Philadelphia soul than Memphis blues. His guitar work was outstanding. When he did a solo he used restraint that left me wanting more rather than thinking that he was dealing out excess. His songs were also deep and meaningful. I could not tell that they had a Christian slant that night. This became apparent after I went on I-Tunes and bought the album.

My night at the mecca of live music in Austin was everything that I’d hoped it would be. The venue was exceptional. The beer was fine. The acoustics were second to none and at least one performance was first rate. I walked back to my hotel at 11:30 that night with a huge smile on my face and a little tilt to my walk.
Written 3 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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THE MOODY THEATER (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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