Free the Music

Austin's Free Week Music Festival returns with 12 rockin' spots for tunes, bites, brews, and more

Free Week returns to 12 venues all within half a mile of each other, this January.

Mohawk Austin/Facebook

As great as it is to get out there and support local music, the cost can add up — especially if you’re adding new bands to your must-see list. From January 5-7, 2023, Red River Cultural District (RRCD) is taking on the financial responsibility so more Austinites can go out and experience more new music, without burdening their wallets.

In addition to the return of Free Week (formerly more of an actual week, but who’s counting), nearby restaurants and bars will be running promotions. That means discounts and freebies from Central District Brewing, Hoboken Pie, Marinara Miracles, Pelon's Tex-Mex, Shawarma Point, Stubb’s Bar-B-Q, Vaquero Taquero, and Wanderlust Wine.

This laissez-faire festival welcomes walk-ups, and the layout of venues makes it easy to pop into each venue when it’s time for a change of scenery. The farthest walk from end to end — if high-energy visitors want to turn it into a crawl — is less than half a mile. One venue, 13th Floor, is making its Free Week debut.

Participating venues from south to north are:

Flamingo Cantina
Mala Vida
Vaquero Taquero
Swan Dive
Chess Club
Empire Control Room & Garage
Elysium
The 13th Floor
Valhalla
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q
Cheer Up Charlies
Mohawk

Although it’s a relatively short festival, this weekend will put more than 100 local artists onstage. A lineup is coming soon, but as of December 12, no announcement has been made.

This mini-festival started nearly two decades ago, in 2003, at the original Emo’s on Red River Street. The team used the shows to drum up business, and other venues started joining in. This is one of many decentralized festivals that moves through Austin every year including South by Southwest, Levitation, and Oblivion Access.

RRCD gets the funds to host Free Week from corporate partners and individual donors. Although it is free for fans, performers are still compensated for their work. More information and donation links are available at redriverculturaldistrict.org.

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TRANSPORTATION NEWS

Luxury commuter van startup connects Houston with Austin and San Antonio

Photo courtesy of Shutto.

Shutto's regular routes travel most of the Texas Triangle.

Houstonians now have a new way to hop between cities, and it comes with Wi-Fi, leather seats, and a guaranteed Buc-ee’s stop. On November 17, mobility startup Shutto launched its luxury van service connecting San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, offering travelers a more comfortable alternative to flying or long-haul rideshare.

Bookings are now available Monday through Saturday with departure times in the morning and evening. One-way fares range from $47-$87, positioning Shutto in a similar lane to Dallas-based Vonlane, which also offers routes from Houston to Austin and San Antonio.

Unlike other regional transit options, Shutto builds Texas road-trip culture into every journey. Each route includes a pit stop at Buc-ee’s so riders can stock up on kolaches, Beaver Nuggets, and drinks.

In announcing the launch, founder and CEO Alberto Salcedo called the company a new category in Texas mobility.

“We are bringing true disruptive mobility to Texas: faster and more convenient than flying (no security lines, no delays), more comfortable and exclusive than the bus or train, and up to 70 percent cheaper than private transfers or Uber Black,” Salcedo said in a release. “Whether you’re commuting for business, visiting family, exploring Texas wineries, or doing a taco tour in San Antonio, Shutto makes traveling between these cities as easy and affordable as riding inside the city.”

Shutto enters the market at a time when highway congestion is a hotter topic than ever. With high-speed rail still years in the future, its model aims to provide fast, predictable service at commuter prices. The startup touts an on-time departure guarantee and a relaxed ride. Only 12 passengers fit inside each Mercedes Sprinter van.

Beyond the scheduled routes, Shutto offers private, customizable trips anywhere in the country, a service the company expects will appeal to corporate retreat planners, wedding parties, and tourists wanting to make a day of crawling Hill Country wineries and breweries.

The day-to-day service picks up at the Foam Coffee & Kitchen parking lot at 5819 Richmond Ave. near the Galleria. In San Antonio, it picks up at La Panadería Bakery’s parking lot at 8305 Broadway. In Austin, vans depart from the Pershing East Café parking lot at 2501 E. Fifth St.

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