Local Guide: The Best San Antonio Venues for Concerts & Live Music

San Antonio is known for its famed River Walk, The Alamo and some of the most delicious Tex-Mex cuisine in the Lone Star State. But it’s also home to some of the best concert venues in Texas. From intimate clubs to stadiums, San Antonio is a music lover’s mecca. If you’re looking for concerts in San Antonio, these are a few of the top spots for a night of great music.

Aztec Theatre

Address: 104 N St Mary’s Street, San Antonio, TX 78205
Box Office Hours: Open Tuesday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays except for on event days, when Box Office opens two hours before doors open.

The Aztec Theatre is an impressive representation of the lavish movie palaces built during the economic prosperity of the 1920s. Originally adorned with artistic sculptures, vibrant colors, luxurious furnishings and a two-ton chandelier in the lobby (which was installed on the same day as the 1929 stock market crash), the Aztec Theatre is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Located on San Antonio’s River Walk, the Aztec has been reincarnated as one of the city’s most popular concert venues. Its capacity of 1,477 gives fans an intimate space to catch shows by top acts, including Jonny Lang, OK Go, Good Charlotte, Thievery Corporation and Blue October.

Frost Bank Center

Address: 1 Frost Bank Center Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78219
Box Office Hours: Open on event days only, three hours prior to event time.

Home to the five-time NBA champions San Antonio Spurs and the historic San Antonio Stock Show ​​& Rodeo, Frost Bank Center (formerly AT&T Center) opened its doors in 2002 and is a multi-purpose facility that plays host to the city’s biggest concerts and events. Sitting just east of downtown San Antonio, Frost Bank Center is easily accessible from Interstate 35 or 10. The venue can accommodate more than 18,000 fans for basketball games and 19,000 fans for concerts. The venue also features premium seating options, including the Courtside Box, Terrace Suites, Courtside Club, Theater Boxes and Ledge Boxes. Frost BankCenter has entertained more than 10 million guests for thousands of events, including concerts by The Eagles, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Luke Bryan, Metallica and Bon Jovi.

Gruene Hall 

Address: 1281 Gruene Rd., New Braunfels, TX 78130
Box Office Hours: Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster and are not sold onsite.

Gruene Hall is Texas’ oldest operating dance hall. It was built in 1878 by Henry D. Gruene and still stands in its original form today. Gruene Hall’s stage has been graced by George Strait, Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, Tanya Tucker, Gregg Allman and more. The hall boasts 6,000 square feet of entertainment space, including open-air dancing, a bar and an outdoor garden. Several music videos and live albums have been recorded at Gruene Hall, including Jerry Jeff Walker’s Live at Gruene Hall. At Gruene Hall, you will see a vast array of country music’s enduring legends and rising stars.

Freeman Coliseum

Address: 3201 E Houston St, San Antonio, TX 78219
Box Office Hours: Box Office is located at Frost Bank Center and is open on event days only, three hours prior to event time.

The Freeman Coliseum, adjacent to the Frost Bank Center east of downtown San Antonio, opened in 1949. The original home of the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, the venue boasts a concert seating capacity of 11,700, more than 32,000 square feet of floor space and 10,000 parking spaces. Its Expo Hall offers an additional 170,000 square feet of climate-controlled space for trade shows and other events. The Art Deco coliseum has hosted thousands of events, including professional bullriding, WNBA games and boxing matches. Some of entertainment’s biggest names have performed at the Coliseum, including The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, KISS and more.

The Espee

Address: 1174 E. Commerce St., San Antonio, TX 78205
Box Office Hours: Located on Hoefgen Ave., the Box Office is open on event days. Tickets can also be purchased in person Monday through Thursday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 224 E. Houston St.

Located on the east edge of downtown San Antonio near St. Paul Square and Dignowity Hill, The Espee is a unique and historic gem. The Espee hosts a wide variety of eclectic events in an intimate setting. Opened in 1883, the venue was originally known as “Sunset Station,” a railroad station for the Southern Pacific Railroad’s Sunset Limited Train Route, and is a National Historic Landmark. Once affectionately known as the “Crossroads of America,” the fully-renovated Espee is now an event space offering a unique location for concerts, festivals, retreats, and more. Its 20,000 square-foot facility includes 7,500 square feet of outdoor space with a 3,175-capacity general admission amphitheater and a view of the San Antonio skyline. The Espee has hosted an array of musical talent, including Rodrigo y Gabriela, Shinyribs, Danielle Ponder and Mike and the Moonpies.