While it’s no Berlin, Austin’s electronic music scene is on the rise.
Movers and shakers to the beat in this city mourn the loss of spaces like 523 Thompson and Plush. However, the scene is always adapting to new constraints and evolving to encompass wilder imaginings of what the genre can be and where it can occur. We’re excited to be a part of what’s happening right now; from techno and trance to house and electro, there’s a niche to be found for just about any BPM preference.
Contributed by Kelly McComas
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COLLECTIVES & PEOPLE
More so than other genres, electronic music in Austin is driven by groups of passionate folx who throw parties and shows at a host of different spaces around the city. Give these labels, collectives, and people a follow to stay up-to-date on when and where the next all-night underground dance party is happening.
Photo via Instagram
The party animals behind Body Mechanics don’t care if you listen to Ed Sheeran or obscure techno. They’re all about the old fashioned raver motto of PLUR: Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect. But trust us, their DIY parties are a freaky good time with zero tolerance for creepy behavior. High BPM techno is the norm and fetish/clubwear is encouraged.
Photo via Instagram
From warehouse parties on the East Side to upscale cocktail bars in the heart of Downtown, Vibe Vessel has hosted a variety of vibes in a variety of, well, vessels. One thing is for sure: people come to Vibe Vessel events to get a little weird and have a great time. Expect to see some wacky outfits and dance floor moves at these parties, which generally feature house DJs. We’ve discovered local favorites like Robert Roman at these parties, but also had the honor of getting down to the mixes of legends like Gene Farris and Carl Craig.
Photo via TYFS
Dancing ‘til you break a sweat is obviously encouraged at any event curated by this label. Their parties often feature beloved local DJs as well as newcomers to the scene. We rarely leave one of these events without a couple of new dancefloor friends and a list of talented selectors to follow on Soundcloud.
Photo via 1222
Closely tied to the bone-rattling low end sounds of FREQ system, this crew is best known for their underground DIY parties. We won’t give away all of their secrets, but can guarantee body-shaking beats (from house classics to hard techno) and a uniquely Austin energy at any 1222 Productions event. Subscribe to texts on their website to stay in the know.
Photo via Instagram
This producer and DJ is an established fixture of Austin’s music scene. He manages the record shop of Juiceland and also hosts one of the only radio shows where you can hear new and old electronic sounds on the airwaves from within our city. Tune in to KUTX 98.9 FM from 8-9 pm on Wednesdays to catch the show. As if that wasn’t enough, Soundfounder also curates one of the more established recurring electronic music events in Austin, xplodeddrawing -- the party recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and we’re hoping for many more.
More people to follow:
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EVENTS
If you’re looking for some spots that reliably output electronic music in addition to the roving events and crews above, look no further. You can count on these spaces and shindigs to find dance floors that get you grooving.
1100 E 6th St
You may know Ah Sing Den as a classy cocktail bar on the East Side - and that’s the main identity of this space, where Asian fusion drinks and snacks in a lush, romantic atmosphere make for a fabulous date night. On Thursday nights, however, Ah Sing Den lets its hair down to host one of our favorite weeknight events: Secret Garden, a dance party in the bar’s intimate backyard space with eclectic beats curated by DJ Brett Johnson. We love to start with a couple of drinks in an elegant booth, then boogie down in the back once the party gets going.
Photo via Illfest
Travis County Expo Center
This EDM festival is entering its fourth year, with 2021 dates recently postponed to February of next year due to Covid-related measures. The lineup for past years has included stars like Gramatik, and the upcoming festival is headlined by Rezz and RL Grime. IllFest is known for lots of big bassy acts as well as live art creation and installations to explore on the festival grounds. Tickets are still available on their site.
Photo via Seismic
The Concourse Project
Another big player in our city’s array of electronic music festivals is Seismic Dance Event, a multi-day party featuring well-known names from the worlds of house and techno like Amelie Lens and Black Coffee. This year, Seismic Dance Event will be dropping beats and shaking dance floors at The Concourse Project in November 2021. Grab a ticket on their website.
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SPACES
8509 Burleson Road #100
We’re stoked about The Concourse Project, one of the newer and larger spaces dedicated to electronic music in Austin. This cavernous space fills the gap for big room sounds our city has felt in the last few years since the closure of Kingdom, offering a sound system and capacity worthy of famed DJs from around the world. Upcoming shows at The Concourse Project curated by RealMusicEvents include world-class selectors like Kölsch, Carl Cox, and Gorgon City.
Photo via Instagram
310B Colorado St
This tropical-themed multilevel palace of dance floors was opened at the end of 2019 by two veterans of the scene from another of our favorite bars in Austin, Cheer Up Charlie’s. The fact that Coconut Club didn’t just survive, but thrived despite opening mere months before a global pandemic is a testament to the excellent energy and event curation happening behind its doors and atop its rooftop in the heart of downtown. From Chicago house and disco to driving techno, Coco’s events run the gamut of electronic niches and never fail to provide a great night out.
Photo via Instagram
318 Colorado St
A newer nightclub in the Warehouse District, The Neon Grotto boasts stunning skyline views from its rooftop terrace and reliably excellent sets from local DJs like Chorizo Funk and Shadow Daddii. A night at the Grotto is often a reminder of just how friendly and open our city’s electronic music scene is, where you’re likely to run into someone you met around the corner at Coconut Club or at a Body Mechanics event on the dance floor. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
Photo via Instagram
6910 Shirley Ave
The Oven is a little bit of everything Austin’s electronic music scene needs: a recording studio, event space, and record label. You can often find Yorkie Louie, the bona fide Godfather of Clubbing (and another worthy person to follow), on the dance floor here until the early morning hours. Not all of the tunes out of the Oven are of the electronic variety, but many of the parties held there are.
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Did we miss one?
