Free Hot Summer Nights fest celebrates local music in Austin's Red River cultural district

Deborah Sengupta Stith, Austin American-Statesman
·3 min read

Hot Summer Nights, the sweaty summer cousin of Austin's popular Free Week festival, celebrates its fifth anniversary August 4-6 in the Red River Cultural District . Fest organizers invite Austinites to explore the city's downtown music row and find their new favorite band. Over 100 local and regional artists will perform free shows in 11 clubs scattered over a few walkable blocks.

Artists set to perform the festival include rapper Mama Duke, dance pop diva p1nkstar, indie pop powerhouse TC Superstar and punk outfit Pleasure Venom. Boozy rockers American Sharks, bawdy art punks Sailor Poon, cumbia king Kiko Villamizar, pop artist Primo the Alien and rocking sister trio The Tiarras (formerly the Tiarra Girls) are also on the bill.

More: TC Superstar reminds us why we love live music at ACL Fest

Other highlights include a special edition of Cheer Up Charlie's Neon Rainbows party featuring Boi Orbison and The Gay Ole Opry Drag Show doing their best take on '90s country. There will be a Latin dance party kickoff at Mala Luna and a three-night takeover of popular downtown venues Empire and the Mohawk by Austin's premiere indie promotion house Resound Presents.

Although the shows are free for the public to attend, all artists are paid through sponsorship agreements.

More information at redriverculturaldistrict.org.

TC Superstar poses for a portrait behind the Honda stage before their set during ACL Fest. Dave Creaney for Austin American Statesman.
TC Superstar poses for a portrait behind the Honda stage before their set during ACL Fest. Dave Creaney for Austin American Statesman.

Participating RRCD venues for Hot Summer Nights

  • Cheer Up Charlies

  • Chess Club

  • Elysium

  • Empire Control Room & Garage

  • Flamingo Cantina

  • Mala Vida

  • Mohawk

  • Stubb’s

  • Swan Dive

  • The Green Jay

  • Valhalla

Full lineup for Hot Summer Nights in Austin

  • Acid Coursel

  • All Day Ray

  • American Sharks

  • Amplified Heat

  • Animals On TV

  • Ariel + The Culture

  • Babi Boi

  • Being Dead

  • BFF

  • Big Bill

  • Billy King and the Bad Bad Bad

  • Blas

  • Body Pillow

  • Bondbreakr

  • Boy Sim

  • Bricktop Blues Band

  • Brigette Bandit

  • Candy Rio

  • Cedars

  • Chief Cleopatra

  • Como Las Movies

  • CP Loony

  • Cush With a C

  • Danger*Cakes

  • DatBoyCraig

  • Death Party

  • Die Hard Habits

  • Die Spitz

  • DJ Boi Orbison

  • DJ FunkRula!

  • DJ Neph

  • DJ Notion

  • DJ Ortiz

  • Dorio

  • Dossey

  • Drakulas

  • Easy Compodre

  • El Combo Oscuro

  • Favor

  • Felt Out

  • Figure Factor

  • Flora & Fawna

  • Flyer Club

  • Font

  • Foxtales

  • Freddy Boom

  • Freebleeder

  • Giddy Up Go

  • Glass Mansions

  • Gleaming

  • Gravedweller

  • Gus Baldwin and the Sketch

  • Haunt Me

  • Holy Death Trio

  • House Of LePore

  • Indoor Creature

  • Intercom Heights

  • Jane Leo

  • Je'Texas

  • K Like The Letter

  • Kiko Villamizar

  • Kimarie Sky

  • Knowsuffer

  • Koningsor

  • Lola Tried

  • Lovelorn

  • Luna Luna

  • Maikeru

  • Mama Duke

  • Marmalakes

  • Mass Minor

  • Michael Hale Trio feat. Mac McIntosh

  • Molly Ringworm

  • Mom's Plate

  • MVTANT

  • Naga Brujo

  • NBM STIFF

  • Norman Ba$e

  • On Being An Angel

  • p1nkstar

  • Pleasure Venom

  • Plugs Best Friend

  • Primo The Alien

  • Public Offenders

  • Riverboat Gamblers

  • Rusty Dusty

  • Sailor Poon

  • Sarah & The Sundays

  • Selfless Lovers

  • Shelly Knicks

  • Shoose McGee

  • SOBBRS

  • Strap Never Had Love

  • TC Superstar

  • Texas T and the Shine Runners

  • The Bearer

  • The Butts

  • The Foolish Ones

  • The Irons

  • The Khost

  • The Stacks

  • The Tiarras

  • The Village

  • The Vinous

  • The Well

  • Theo Love

  • Tombus

  • Tony 22

  • Transy Warhol

  • Trochez

  • TV's Daniel

  • Urban Heat

  • Wes Denzel

  • Yellow Jones

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Over 100 artists to play free shows in Austin's Hot Summer Nighs fest