play music, be free

SXSW's best and biggest free series takes the Outdoor Stage with lineup including The Zombies

Psychedelic rock pioneers, New Orleans-style street bands, and Austin-based ska enthusiasts are on the 2023 lineup for SXSW's popular outdoor stage.

Photo by Tye Truitt

Finding free events during South by Southwest is sometimes as simple as bookmarking a social media post or walking down the street, but those strategies are hit-or-miss to say the least. The easiest free music plans to commit to are always at the Outdoor Stage, one of the only official SXSW venues that welcomes visitors for free, and sets clear plans well in advance.

This year, the festival has seamlessly transitioned to naming the event rather than just the stage, using "Community Concerts at Lady Bird Lake." These public concerts from March 16-18 transform Auditorium Shores into one of the biggest venues of the entire festival, using the Austin skyline as a backdrop while both local and nationally celebrated acts play. The lineup in 2022 featured both well-known and local bands including Mt. Joy, Heartless Bastards, and Golden Dawn Arkestra.

On Thursday, March 9, KUTX takes over programming as it has done on and off since 2007. This year's theme is ska, but the island genre only influences each set — performers from several genres including the blues, chiptune rap, and "billingual indie music for kids," will play their own music, plus at least one ska-flavored tune. This will be interesting when celebrated Austin guitarist Rosie Flores adapts her rockabilly style. Thao, an eclectic, folksy but funky solo artist from Oakland, closes out the night.

Fridays's shows are without theme, and only showcase three artists compared to Thursday's six. Afrobeat progeny Baba Kuboye (American nephew of Nigeria's late, great Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti) opens the day in a danceable way, followed by pop artist AJ Smith and vibes that couldn't be more different save for the general upbeat overlap. The Zombies — yes, those psych rock 60s icons — are currently touring with Smith, and will play Austinites home or onto their next plans (since all outdoor shows end at 7 pm).

Saturday is the last of the three-day mini-series, hosted by Honk TX (stylized HONK!TX), an Austin non-profit that brings street and brass bands to the Live Music Capital for free. This rowdy series will feature another six bands, this time all Austin's own, including the "undead" costumed Dead Music Capitol Band and the 25-person collective Minor Mishap Marching Band.

The full lineup for 2023's Community Concerts at Lady Bird Lake is as followed:

Thursday, March 16

Lucky Diaz
Mega Ran
Red Yarn & Aaron Nigel Smith
SaulPaul
Jonny Langford and the Silver Sands Roustabouts, and Rosie Flores
Thao

Friday, March 17

Baba Kuboye
AJ Smith
The Zombies

Saturday, March 18

Blowcomotion!
Dead Music Capital Band
Mazel Tov Kocktail Hour
Minor Mishap Marching Band
Moon Tower Brass Band
Yes Ma'am Brass Band

Attendees may bring a picnic or purchase food and drinks from local food trucks and a Beer Garden. More information about set times and other logistics is available at sxsw.com. Lineups are subject to change.

Community Concerts at Lady Bird Lake KUTX Outdoor Stage SXSW Ska The Zombies concerts music live music free at sxsw

HAUTE PROPERTIES

Southern Living picks Texas Hill Country as location of 2026 Idea House

Southern Living Idea House Fredericksburg

Rendering by Jon Messer.

Southern Living Idea House will be open for tours beginning September 18.

Whether Texas is part of the South may still be an open question, but Southern Living is settling the debate with a big investment. The Birmingham, Alabama-based lifestyle magazine will build its newest Idea House in the Hill Country town of Fredericksburg.

For more than 35 years, Southern Living has drafted Southern builders, architects, and designers to build new homes that not only showcase the latest innovations in home design but are the epitomes of Southern style. This year, the magazine chose Fredericksburg's Friedën community, a 130-acre development featuring parks, nature trails, and lakes.

"We're excited to call Fredericksburg home for the year and to celebrate the distinct character of the Texas Hill Country,” says editor-in-chief Sid Evans in a release. “Surrounded by rolling hills and wide-open views, this home reflects the region's natural beauty and the relaxed spirit of the Lone Star State."

The design of the versatile home proves the modern farmhouse trend still has some legs. Southern Living’s designers update the look by ditching whitewashed everything for a more contemporary color palette that blends in with the Hill Country’s natural landscape. Floor-to-ceiling windows further “dissolve the boundaries” between the interior and the great outdoors.

To bring their vision to life, Southern Living drafted a local team, including builder Kurk Homes, architect Andrew Bray of Mustard Architects, landscape designer Melissa Gerstle, and interior designers Jean Liu, Marcus Mohon, and Paloma Contreras. But real estate gawkers will have to wait to see most of the details. The house won’t be unveiled until September 18, when public tours open and the October issue hits stands.

Southern Living, however, did tease a few details, saying the home is being built for “multi-generational” living with sustainable products and appliances, a motor court entry, and a private casita. No doubt, interior design buffs will also find inspiration in the decor's bold choices. Last year’s Idea House in Virginia mixed in everything from garden florals and African mudcloth to animal prints and kitchsy cottagecore art.

The Idea House will be open to the public for tours from September 18 through December 20, 2026. Tickets will be available beginning in April, with a portion of the proceeds supporting area charities. After the open house, the home will be available for sale at an undisclosed price.

homes home design interior design fredericksburg hill country southern living