The video above is a solid tour through where to go in New Braunfels for live music, covering 12 venues across the New Braunfels and Texas Hill Country area. It kicks off at a Sunday songwriter shindig at Gruene Hall featuring William Beckmann, John Baumann, Austin Meade, Marie Bagwell, Kevin Galloway, Taylor Ray, Mike Harmeier, and Topo Chico Cowboy, among others — and honestly, that's about as good an introduction to the Hill Country music scene as you could ask for. From there, David Bridwell hits everything from speakeasies to amphitheaters, giving you a real sense of what each spot feels like on a given night.
What Are the Best Live Music Venues in New Braunfels and the Hill Country?
Based on what's covered in the video, here's the full rundown of venues worth checking out:
- Gruene Hall — The historic dance hall in Gruene that regularly hosts songwriter rounds and big-name Texas music acts. The Sunday songwriter event featured here was stacked.
- Gruene Cottages — A relaxed, bring-your-own-beer setting in Gruene where Max and Heather Stalling played an intimate evening show.
- Goodwin's Speakeasy — A hidden speakeasy in Gruene, down a set of stairs through a door you're supposedly not supposed to enter. Tuesday songwriter nights are hosted by Bill Whitbeck, the bass player for Robert Earl Keen. The egg-white old fashioneds are worth trying.
- Riley's Red Bird Listening Room — One of the best spots in the Hill Country for seeing songwriters up close, with a consistently strong calendar. Jason Eady was playing the night featured in the video.
- Phoenix Saloon — A downtown New Braunfels bar where the Wednesday open mic is anchored by Jim Wesselick singing "Cowboy Coffee." It's one of those reliable, any-night-of-the-week stops.
- The Poor House — A default hangout in New Braunfels that keeps evolving, with an upstairs expansion underway. It gets packed and energetic, especially during tourist season.
- The Hideaway — Described as the locals' alternative to The Poor House, with more space, solid food, and live music on stage in a laid-back setting.
- Devil's Backbone Tavern — A legendary Hill Country saloon out on a country drive, with tables right up against the stage. Cory Branan was performing the night of the visit. It's one of those classic Texas roadhouse bars.
- Cheatham Street Warehouse — A historic San Marcos venue owned by Randy Rogers where famous careers got started. The crowd skews college-age and energetic, with Cody West playing the night captured in the video.
- Middleton Brewing — A brewery that brings in singer-songwriters and hosts a quality open mic night. The folk-roots duo Two Crows for Comfort showed up to an open mic, which speaks to the kind of talent that just passes through these Hill Country spots.
- Screaming Goat — Located in Spring Branch with plenty of space and a songwriter song-swap format. David Bridwell actually got up and swapped songs here. There are real goats on the property — they weren't screaming, but they were present.
- Whitewater Amphitheater — An outdoor venue right on the river in New Braunfels, surrounded by trees. The Turnpike Troubadours played the show featured in the video, and the setting makes it a genuine Texas music experience.
More Than Just Gruene Hall
Most people associate New Braunfels live music with Gruene Hall, and for good reason — but the scene stretches well beyond that one venue. Between the speakeasy songwriter nights, the listening rooms, the local dive bars, and the outdoor amphitheater, there's something going on pretty much every night of the week. The Hill Country rewards people who wander past the obvious stops and check out what's happening at the smaller rooms, the breweries, and the open mics where touring musicians just show up and play.