Venue News

Iconic Austin venue Emo's moving as LA company's new venue takes over

Nostalgia from the old Emo's.

Some longtime Austinites would say the concert venue Emo's was never the same after 2011, when it moved from Red River to Riverside — but at least it's still around. Now they'll have to adjust again, as a new venue owned by the Los Angeles events company AEG Presents takes over the space.

AEG Presents is already working on a venue project at 4700 E. Riverside Drive, a 4,000 capacity building currently under construction about a mile away from the current Emo's location at 2015 E. Riverside. The venue replacing Emo's will be a second Austin holding for AEG. It will take over operations in January 2027, a press release says.

Emo's has posted a rallying cry on Instagram, confirming that "a new stage is coming soon." It invites fans to stop by before it closes in December and promises more information soon.

The AEG release confirms "a series of upgrades, renovations, and a full rebrand." Updates will be made to the sound system, green room, and other amenities that both fans and artists will use. Since it is a smaller venue than the one under construction down the road, it aims to serve a different audience and book different types of artists.

“Austin has long been one of the great music cities in the world, and we are excited to continue expanding our presence here,” said AEG Presents vice president Robin Phillips in the release. “Opening a new venue in the Emo’s space gives us the opportunity to welcome more artists, bring more shows to the market, and create even more ways for fans to experience live music in the city.”

The Austin Business Journal broke the news, noting that the real estate developer Presidium, which is based in both Austin and Dallas, controls both spaces, and AEG will be leasing Emo's — it hasn't bought Emo's itself or the building. The article correctly guesses that Emo's will move, since it is still owned by Live Nation Entertainment.

Update: This article has been updated to reflect new information revealed in a post by Emo's.

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New Releases

New compilation album highlights immigrant musicians in Austin

Photo Nikki Thomson, Magnetic Focus Photography

Jaime Ospina sings on the lead single, "Mi Voz."

Being the Live Music Capital of the World, Austin is well-positioned to showcase different voices, people drawn to the city for its musical possibilities. Those musicians, specifically immigrants from other countries, are featured on a new compilation album called Voices of Austin by the local studio and sound company Driftwork Sound.

Voices of Austin includes eight tracks attributed to individual musicians, sometimes from more recognizable groups like Superfónicos, Sahara Allstars, and the Viva Palestina Orchestra.

These musicians and their respective styles hail from Central and South America, Africa, and the Middle East, according to a press release. Listeners can expect to hear cumbia, original Afrobeat, Palestinian and Arabic saba (a regional musical scale), Afro-Latin grooves, and psychedelia.

The performances on Voices of Austin were recorded by David Dalton at Driftwork Sound in late 2025, using funds from the Austin Live Music Fund, a city grant initiative.

"What makes the Austin music scene so special is the eclectic mix of cultures that come together to create music that forges new and exciting paths,” said David Dalton in the release. “Immigrants breathe life into this city in ways that none of us can fully appreciate. ‘Voices of Austin’ showcases just a sliver of the incredible talent these artists share with us every day."

Voices of Austin album art

The 48-minute album starts with lead single "Mi Voz," delivering spacious Latin jazz by Continental Drift featuring Jaime Ospina of Superfónicos. The mostly Spanish lyrics are a fitting introduction to the compilation, speaking of resilience, collectivism, and vocally pushing back against oppression.

Most of the tracks are instrumental, leaving interpretation up to the listener. However, understanding some of the background behind the tracks can give locals something to hold onto.

One instrumental cumbia track, "Tacos El Charly" by Los Desechos featuring Gustavo Solano, captures the taste of the popular local food truck on North Lamar Boulevard. Locals may also enjoy hearing from Sahara Allstars, the house band during the weekly Africa Nights at the Sahara Lounge. The longest track on the album, "Sometimes Suite," gives some insight into the album's main creative force: the work was composed and performed by Dalton on guitar, bass, drums, synth, and percussion, featuring Sari Andoni from Palestine on oud.

Music videos and exclusive interviews give a little more insight past the abstraction on Instagram.

The album officially dropped Friday, May 29, but spent the weekend rolling out on different streaming services including Bandcamp and Soundcloud. Music-lovers greeted the album at a vinyl album release show at Sagebrush on Sunday, May 31, with performances by some of the featured artists.

“I’ve thought for a while that it is time for the U.S. to fall in love with the rest of the world," said Ospina. "[This] album is definitely an important step in that direction."

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