Free music? Yes, please. Here's a first look at Austin's Hot Summer Nights lineup

Hannah Ortega, Austin American-Statesman
Updated ·2 min read
Mélat performs during Hot Summer Nights in the Red River Cultural District on Aug. 27, 2021, at Cheer Up Charlies.
Mélat performs during Hot Summer Nights in the Red River Cultural District on Aug. 27, 2021, at Cheer Up Charlies.

The Red River Cultural District is bringing 14 downtown music venues together for a packed three-night festival.

Hot Summer Nights will take place July 18-20 with music beginning around 7 to 8 p.m each night. The concert series is free, and participating venues include Cheer Up Charlies, Elysium, Mohawk, Stubb's Bar-B-Q, Valhalla and more.

Special events happening this year include a karaoke party, night market in partnership with Future Front Texas, a Sunday gospel brunch at Stubb's and daytime fitness and lifestyle programming at Waterloo Park.

"New restaurants and cocktail spots are participating, and we've added some new venues to the lineup," Nicole Klepadlo, Red River Cultural District interim executive director, said in a statement. "This growth is a true testament to the cultural richness of our community and the significant cultural and economic impact it has on drawing in visitors while creating opportunities for local businesses, musicians and creatives."

Here's a first look at some of this year's performers:

  • Al West

  • Alexalone

  • Ampersand

  • Artless Jab

  • Arya

  • Banged Out

  • BB Ding & Hexxxgf

  • Beyond State Power

  • Blind Girls

  • Borzoi

  • bs

  • Bubba Lucky

  • Bulletsbetweentongues

  • Chancla Fight Club

  • Chakeeta B

  • Chronic Avoider

  • Club Coma

  • Creekbed Carter Hogan

  • Crocodile Tears

  • Daniel Fears

  • Daphne Tunes

  • David Shabani

  • Daymares

  • Deadtramps

  • Deezie Brown

  • Dgma

  • DJ Beaujolais

  • DJ Mogul

  • DJ Napalm

  • DJ Sinsekt

  • DJ Vanessa Burden

  • DJ Vee Vee

  • Don't Get Lemon

  • Dorthy's

  • dottie

  • Dragonnqueen

  • Drenk Uncle

  • Easy Compadre

  • Eating Venus

  • El Roberto Fabre

  • Exotic Fruitica

  • Ez Band

  • Fak3 Smile

  • Fifi Knifefight

  • Figure Factor

  • Fineti Guess

  • Foxtales

  • Ghost Wolves

  • Glass Mansions

  • Good

  • Gran Moreno

  • Gummy Fang

  • Hacienda

  • Half Dream

  • Hey Cowboy!

  • Holy Wire

  • Houses We Die In

  • Islands of Pear

  • J'cuuzi

  • Jennifer Foster & The Audacity

  • J Mill

  • Kind Keith

  • Kung Fu Sound System

  • Las Chicas 512

  • Llama Tiva

  • Lluvii

  • Lodri

  • Lorelei K

  • Los Desechos

  • Los Kemet

  • Los Kurados

  • Loteria

  • Mal a Vista

  • Mia Antifa

  • Micah Shalom

  • Middle Satire

  • The Midnight Stroll

  • Might Be Magic

  • Misfortune Teller

  • Moody Banks

  • Msgold

  • Munster Mash

  • Naalah

  • Narrow Haunts

  • Never Rest

  • Next of Kin

  • Night Ritualz

  • The Nimbus

  • Norman Ba$e

  • Not Safe For Who?

  • Nova

  • Odd Advantage

  • Other Vessels

  • Ourbluewouns

  • The Past Lives

  • Perreo Club

  • Pete Legasey

  • Pfisters

  • Phonefoot

  • Porcelain

  • Proun

  • Queen Serene

  • Rat King Cole

  • Retro Cowgirl

  • Robert Parker Jr.

  • Sinema

  • Soularreal

  • Space Goonz

  • Speak Slow

  • Stalefish

  • Starflake

  • Street Peach

  • Sunspite

  • Suxxy Puxxy

  • Tangelo

  • Thirst For Love

  • The Tiarras

  • Tied Up

  • Tokyo Vinyl

  • Touch Girl Apple Blossom

  • Turito

  • Turtle Pond

  • TV's Daniel

  • Valice

  • Vestite

  • Vision Arcade

  • Votive

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Free music festival Hot Summer Nights coming to Austin. See the lineup