Is old Austin disappearing — or are we just not looking in the right places?

In this episode of Austin Eras, Adam Flagg sits down with Bryan C. Parker, executive editor of Austin Monthly and creator of Honky Tonk Fest, for a conversation about two-stepping, live music, DIY culture, local journalism, and why Austin’s honky-tonks still feel so alive.

Bryan grew up in Northeast Texas and moved to Austin in 2001, where the city’s music scene quickly became central to his life. He spent years teaching high school English while writing about music, photographing shows, running a music blog, and eventually building a career at Austin Monthly.

That curiosity later pulled him deep into Austin’s two-step scene.

What started as reporting on places like The White Horse, Sagebrush, Sam’s Town Point, Broken Spoke, Don’s Depot, and Little Longhorn Saloon became an immersion into a culture built around live music, dancing, repetition, community, and participation. Bryan describes the moment he stopped simply observing the scene and became part of it himself.

Adam and Bryan explore what makes honky-tonk culture different from a traditional concert experience. The audience isn’t just there to watch the band. They’re dancing, rotating partners, learning the songs, and helping create the energy in the room. In many ways, the artist is serving the dance floor rather than the other way around.

They also talk about the broader Austin music ecosystem, from punk and indie rock to Willie Nelson and outlaw country, and why Austin still functions as an alternative to more commercial music centers like Nashville.

The conversation eventually turns to Honky Tonk Fest, which grew directly out of Bryan’s reporting and returns for its second year at Star Hill Ranch. Bryan shares how the festival came together, why year one proved there was real demand for the experience, how the new venue adds another layer of Austin and Texas history, and why the goal is to grow the festival without stripping away the intimacy and authenticity that made the scene worth celebrating in the first place.

Key takeaways:

• Austin’s honky-tonk culture is not nostalgia; it is active, growing, and participatory.
• Two-stepping creates a kind of presence and connection that is increasingly rare.
• The best Austin music scenes often grow from grassroots communities rather than top-down industry structures.
• “Old Austin” still exists, but finding it requires more intention than it once did.
• Honky-tonk works because the audience helps create the experience.
• Austin remains strongest when artists, venues, writers, and audiences support one another.

At its core, this episode is about participation.

Bryan’s argument is that Austin’s culture survives when people actually show up — to the small venues, local bands, independent publications, neighborhood institutions, and scenes that make the city distinct.

If you want to understand what Austin still is, one good place to start might be the dance floor.

Get in touch with Austin Eras

Email: info@austineras.com

Website: https://www.austineras.com/

Call: 512-387-2333

Watch the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-bTMj5WY-4LduZI50w8bvQ/?sub_confirmation=1

Austin has called itself the Live Music Capital of the World for decades. But in a city transformed by rising costs, development, major concert venues and changing nightlife, does that title still fit?

Austin American-Statesman music reporter Mars Salazar joins Adam Flagg for a deep dive into where Austin music actually lives in 2026 — and why much of the most interesting stuff is happening far beyond the biggest stages.

Mars grew up in Austin sneaking into live shows as a teenager before discovering music journalism at the University of Texas. At 19, she walked up to the Austin Chronicle’s music editor after a guest lecture and simply asked for a job. Today, she attends dozens of shows each year, covers the musicians and venues shaping Austin culture, and reports on the economic, political and civic infrastructure behind the music itself.

In this conversation, Adam and Mars explore Austin’s many micro-scenes — from West Campus house shows and the Red River Cultural District to country bars, metal clubs, blues rooms and DIY venues. Mars explains how local bands grow, why social media has changed artist discovery, and what she looks for when she realizes a young band may be on the verge of something bigger.

They also talk about the resurgence of physical zines, Austin’s long tradition of artists building things without waiting for permission, and musicians including Die Spitz, Spoon, Shakey Graves, Dayglow, Black Pumas and others who emerged from Austin’s ecosystem.

But being the Live Music Capital requires more than having a lot of shows.

Mars and Adam examine the economic pressures facing musicians and venues, the organizations helping artists stay in Central Texas, the lack of traditional music-industry infrastructure in Austin, and the tension between major venues bringing world-class touring acts to the city and smaller clubs trying to survive.

Mars also shares what she learned after visiting more than 50 Austin music venues for a new Austin American-Statesman guide — including the places where the city’s older character is still very much alive.

The takeaway? Austin music hasn’t disappeared.

You may just have to look harder for it.

Key takeaways:

• Austin is a collection of interconnected music scenes, not just one.
• Some of the city’s best music is happening far beyond the biggest venues.
• Live shows are often where tomorrow’s breakout artists first stand out.
• Social media can build attention, but talent still has to deliver.
• Austin’s DIY culture remains a major part of its musical identity.
• Rising costs continue to challenge musicians and independent venues.
• Austin has a strong network of organizations supporting working musicians.
• Supporting local music can be as simple as paying the cover and trying a new venue.
• Austin’s older character is still here — you just have to know where to look.

Get in touch with Austin Eras

Email: info@austineras.com

Website: https://www.austineras.com/

Call: 512-387-2333

Watch the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-bTMj5WY-4LduZI50w8bvQ/?sub_confirmation=1

What does it take to make the most of Austin City Limits Music Festival—and which artists should be on your schedule before you even step into Zilker Park?

In this special episode of Austin Eras, Adam Flagg sits down with Austin American-Statesman music reporter Mars Salazar for a full preview of ACL Fest 2026, from surviving the Texas heat to finding the artists you’ll be talking about long after the festival ends.

With more than 100 performances spread across nine stages and two weekends, ACL can be overwhelming. Mars shares her advice for first-timers, including what to bring, when to arrive, how to prepare for the heat, why comfortable shoes are non-negotiable, and how to navigate the crowds, food, transportation, and inevitable schedule conflicts.

Then, Adam and Mars dig into the 2026 lineup. They break down the festival’s growing electronic influence, the nostalgia factor behind artists like Kings of Leon and Twenty One Pilots, the strength of its female-led acts, and the notable absence of major country and rap headliners. From Charli XCX, Skrillex, Lorde, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Turnstile, Leon Thomas, Steve Aoki, and The xx to emerging artists that may be unfamiliar today, they share the performances they’re most curious to see.

They also spotlight the Austin artists getting their moment at Zilker—including Grocery Bag, Almost Heaven, Yuvi, The 4411, and Night Traveler—and make the case for arriving early. Some of the most exciting artists at ACL aren’t playing the headline slots. They’re on smaller stages in the afternoon, potentially just a few years away from becoming the names everyone knows.

Mars also reflects on what makes ACL different from other major festivals: its compact setting in the heart of Austin, its connection to the city’s parks, its local food and music, and the way thousands of people come together around artists and sounds they may not have discovered otherwise.

Along the way, Mars shares some of her most memorable ACL experiences—from Paul McCartney and Chappell Roan to mosh pits, mud, unforgettable sets, and a few performances she’d rather forget.

Whether you’re heading to Zilker for the first time, returning for another year, or looking at the lineup wondering who half these artists are, consider this your guide to ACL Fest 2026—and a reminder that sometimes the best festival discovery is the artist you didn’t know you needed to see.

Get in touch with Austin Eras

Email: info@austineras.com

Website: https://www.austineras.com/

Call: 512-387-2333

Watch the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-bTMj5WY-4LduZI50w8bvQ/?sub_confirmation=1