Friday, March 6, 2026
The Cosmic Clash

Cheer Up Charlie’s

Parker Woodland Free Week 26 Troy Gonzales
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Free Week returned in 2026 with cover free showcases

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Free Week returned to the Red River Cultural District last weekend, marking another successful year of cover free showcases that benefit local businesses throughout downtown Austin. The RRCD non-profit presents Free Week to keep venues and other establishments running during the slow period in both the service and music industries for employees and musicians until the Spring. With 80+ artists across 10+ venues, Free Week 2026 proved a massive success, as thousands attended to welcome yet another year in the vibrant Austin scene. The Cosmic Clash team participated in both days of the festival and wanted to highlight what stood out to us about the extravaganza.

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Case CockrellLive MusicPreview

Live music preview: Six showcases to see at Hot Summer Nights in Austin this weekend

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Hot Summer Nights (HSN) in the Red River Cultural District of Austin is an annual RRCD-sponsored event that features hundreds of local artists performing across the downtown area. Each showcase will not charge a cover at the door, meaning dozens of free showcases akin to the annual Free Week, which takes place the first week of every January. HSN runs July 24  – July 26 and will feature talent from all over Austin and surrounding areas. Venues participating in the event include Mohawk, Chess Club, Cheer Up Charlie’s, Empire Control Room & Garage, and The 13th Floor among several others. For the three days of packed, free live music programming, The Cosmic Clash team has curated a list of showcases we think attendees will want to catch while wandering the streets of Red River during the free festival. Hot Summer Nights will also feature participating food vendors to keep you full and energized throughout the event.

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Red River Cultural District time to rally
Case CockrellLive MusicMusic News

Music news: Red River Cultural District needs our help. Here’s how you can defend your favorite music venues

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Austin’s downtown Red River Cultural District (RRCD) is pushing for immediate aid to support growth and sustainability in its operations and events. RRCD is asking residents of Austin to assist in financial supplementation for the local entertainment district by contacting their city council representatives to support the initiative to provide funding relief for the organization.

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Adam WoodLive MusicReview

Live music review: Free Week in Austin provides fans endless music discovery opportunities

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Red River Cultural District’s Free Week is an absolute blessing, one of the many (though, according to some, rapidly diminishing) monuments to the weird and wonderful Austin of lore. Over the course of two bustling nights, this year’s edition (and the 21st since the festivities began in 2003) saw 80+ bands flaunt their talents on stages throughout Red River and beyond

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Free Week 2024
Case CockrellLive MusicPreview

Live music preview: Free Week presented by RRCD takes place first weekend of January

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For the first weekend of each year (January 5=6) , Austin non-profit, Red River Cultural District (RRCD) celebrates the new year by inviting music fans to a free, no-strings-attached series of shows from local bands and touring acts as a part of Austin’s annual Free Week. With each consecutive year of door cover-free performances, a wide array of local talent takes the reins to deliver a weekend full of fun and musical discovery. With Austin mainstays like Nolan Potter’s Nightmare Band, Billy Glitter, and Redbud being invited for the parties, Free Week is Austin’s destination to dip into a little bit of everything as the local talent prepares for yet another year in the vibrant Austin music scene. Here are some acts music fans should catch over the first weekend in January. All for free in the Red River Cultural District in the downtown Austin area.

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AlbumBrian HillsmanReview

Album review: Cosmic Chaos “Eye Can See” release show set for Feb 5

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Psych rockers Cosmic Chaos have been a prominent fixture on show rosters around Austin recently. Those lucky enough have seen them live understand the intense energy they bring to the stage. The band is  steeped in the local music scene, hosting a series of regularly-scheduled showcases themed The Acid Test.  In addition to their live music efforts, Cosmic Chaos has been busy recording their first full-length album, Eye Can See  which will see its release February 5 at Cheer Up Charlies.

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Brian HillsmanPreview

Live music preview: Drummer Babes is coming back to Cheer-Up Charlie’s Thursday

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Catch The Cosmic Clash’s end of Summer party, Drummer Babes at Cheer Up Charlie’s on August 29 (Thursday). This annual event features some of Austin’s best drummers. On this bill each happens to be a badass woman too.

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Greg AckermanPreview

Live music preview: Luscious Heaven Shoegaze show and The Nothing Song label launch

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There are probably more small, independent, local record labels in Austin than you’d expect. That fact isn’t stopping The Nothing Song owner, Trish Connelly from launching her own label on 7″ featuring talented newcomers, Blushing. The Cheer-Up Charlie’s booker is announcing the newly formed label at her Luscious Heaven: A Night of Shoegaze and Dreampop on Saturday, November 3 (this weekend) at the aforementioned Red River club.

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Greg AckermanReview

Live music review: LSD and the Search for God at Cheer-Up Charlie’s

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[ngg_images source=”galleries” container_ids=”13″ display_type=”photocrati-nextgen_basic_slideshow” gallery_width=”600″ gallery_height=”400″ cycle_effect=”fade” cycle_interval=”10″ show_thumbnail_link=”1″ thumbnail_link_text=”[Show thumbnails]” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″] All photos: Brandon Sandler  San

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