Singin' in the Rain opens free on the Zilker hillside Friday night.

The Fourth is behind us and the city exhales. This week starts slow on purpose (soul revues at Antone's tonight, residencies through midweek) and builds to the thing we teased last Sunday: the Zilker Summer Musical opens Friday with Singin' in the Rain, free on the hillside, Thursdays through Sundays until August 15. Joji brings the Solaris tour to the Moody Center Monday, and Emo's hosts the Summer Slaughter metal marathon next Saturday. One scheduling note: Austin FC is still on the World Cup break, so Q2 stays dark until July 22. Highs run 93 to 102 all week, so plan around water and shade.

The marquee

• Fri July 10, 8:15 PM (Thu-Sun through Aug 15) · Free
  Zilker Summer Musical: Singin' in the Rain, opening night
  Beverly S. Sheffield Hillside Theater, Zilker Park
  The 2026 Zilker Summer Musical is Singin' in the Rain, directed by Damon Brown with Ryan Rhue as Don Lockwood and Alicia Frias Escobar as Kathy Selden. Admission stays free (donations encouraged), though parking near the theater is paid this season. Bring a blanket, claim hillside real estate by 7:15, and remember the show runs every Thursday through Sunday until mid-August if opening weekend fills up.
• Mon July 6, 7:30 PM · $$
  Joji, Solaris Tour
  Moody Center, 2001 Robert Dedman Dr
  A Monday arena show is a rare gift for traffic. Joji's live production has grown into the big room, and the Moody on a weeknight is the easiest version of the venue you will get all summer. Rideshare drop-off on Robert Dedman is still the cleanest approach; the Manor Garage clears fastest after weeknight shows.
• Sat July 11, 4:00 PM · $$
  Summer Slaughter Tour with Hatebreed
  Emo's, 2015 E Riverside Dr
  The long-running touring metal package lands at Emo's with Hatebreed on top and a full undercard starting at 4 PM. Budget for a long day indoors, which in July is a feature. Riverside parking lots fill by early evening; the overflow lot east of the venue is the move if you arrive after 6.

Sunday · Tonight

• 4:00 PM · $
  Miss Lavelle's Birthday Soul Revue
  Antone's Nightclub, 305 E 5th St
  An afternoon soul revue honoring Lavelle White, with the Antone's house players in rotation. The early start means you can do this and still be in bed at a reasonable hour, which after yesterday feels right.
• 8:00 PM · $
  Blue Mist Band with Kathy & the Kilowatts
  Antone's Nightclub
• 9:00 PM · No cover
  Sunday Honky Tonk
  White Horse, 500 Comal St
  The post-holiday Sunday crowd is regulars only. Free two-step lessons at 8:30 if you need them.
• Open until 10:00 PM · $5
  Post-Fourth swim at Barton Springs
  Zilker Park
  As we said last week, the Sunday after the Fourth is reliably one of the calmest pool days of the summer. Everyone is tired. The water is 68 degrees either way.

Monday–Wednesday

• Mon July 6, 7:30 PM · $$
  Joji, Solaris Tour
  Moody Center
  See the marquee. Weeknight Moody is the easy version.
• Mon July 6, 8:00 PM · $20
  Bob Schneider's Lonelyland
  Saxon Pub, 1320 S Lamar Blvd
  The long-running Monday residency. Arrive by 7:30 for a seat with sightlines.
• Mon July 6, 9:00 PM · $15
  Blue Monday with Soul Man Sam
  Antone's Nightclub
• Tue July 7, 8:00 PM · No cover
  Two-step lessons at the White Horse
  500 Comal St, East Austin
• Wed July 8, 9:30 PM · $10
  Jazz at the Elephant Room
  315 Congress Ave, Downtown
  The basement stays cool no matter what the pavement upstairs is doing.

Thursday–Friday

• Thu July 9, 7:00 PM · Free
  Drop-In Summer Concert Series
  Long Center Lawn, 701 W Riverside Dr
  The free Thursday series continues through August 13. Blanket, 6:30 arrival, rotating local lineup each week.
• Fri July 10, 8:15 PM · Free
  Zilker Summer Musical: Singin' in the Rain, opening night
  Zilker Hillside Theater
  See the marquee. Opening night draws the biggest hillside crowd of the run.
• Fri July 10, 9:00 PM · No cover
  Friday honky tonk at the White Horse
  500 Comal St
• Fri July 10, 10:00 PM · $15
  Late set at the Continental Club
  1315 S Congress Ave

Next Saturday

• Sat July 11, 4:00 PM · $$
  Summer Slaughter Tour with Hatebreed
  Emo's, 2015 E Riverside Dr
  See the marquee. Doors early, sets all evening.
• Sat July 11, 9:00 PM · $
  Soulhat with The Moeller Brothers
  Antone's Nightclub
  Soulhat is a 90s Austin institution still playing like the room owes them money. A good pairing with dinner on East 5th.
• Sat July 11, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM · Free
  SFC Farmers Market at Republic Square
  422 Guadalupe St, Downtown
• Sat July 11, 8:15 PM · Free
  Zilker Summer Musical, second night
  Zilker Hillside Theater
  Saturday draws lighter than opening night. The better pick if you want room to spread out.
• Open until 10:00 PM · $5
  Barton Springs weekend hours
  Zilker Park

Next Sunday

• Sun July 12, 8:15 PM · Free
  Zilker Summer Musical, Sunday show
  Zilker Hillside Theater
  The quietest hillside night of the weekend, and the show reads just as well.
• Sun July 12, 4:00 PM · Free
  Chicken Shit Bingo
  Ginny's Little Longhorn Saloon, Brentwood
  Cash for beer, a numbered square, and a chicken deciding your afternoon. Inside by 3:30 for a seat.
• Sun July 12, 6:30 PM · Free
  Sundown Sundays at Mueller Lake
  Mueller Lake Park

What we're drinking this week

• · $8
  Michelada
  Nickel City, 1133 E 11th St
  Nickel City's michelada is the correct answer to a 100 degree afternoon. Salty, cold, and the bar's AC works.
• · $12
  Frozen gin and tonic
  Whisler's, 1816 E 6th St
  The frozen G&T on the Whisler's patio at dusk is one of the better July rituals in East Austin.
• · $4
  Agua fresca
  Veracruz All Natural, multiple locations
  Real fruit, no syrup, and it pairs with the migas taco you were getting anyway.
• · $5
  Iced cortado
  Cosmic Coffee, 121 Pickle Rd
  Get it before 10 AM, sit by the pond, pretend the afternoon is not coming.

Free this week

• Fri-Sun, 8:15 PM · Free
  Zilker Summer Musical: Singin' in the Rain
  Zilker Hillside Theater
• Thu July 9, 7:00 PM · Free
  Drop-In Summer Concert Series
  Long Center Lawn
• Sat July 11, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM · Free
  SFC Farmers Market at Republic Square
  422 Guadalupe St

From the archive

The Zilker Summer Musical has been running since 1959, and doing it well takes some local knowledge: where the sightlines actually are, what to bring, and how the paid parking works now. We wrote the full hillside field guide, updated for this season.

Looking ahead

• July 16-18 · Free
  Hot Summer Nights at Red River Cultural District
  Red River Cultural District (20+ venues)
• Wed July 22, 7:30 PM · From $30
  Austin FC returns from the World Cup break vs Seattle
  Q2 Stadium, 10414 McKalla Pl

ATX Weekly tip

For the Zilker Summer Musical: the free hillside seating is first come, and the paid parking lots near the theater now fund the production. If you would rather not pay, park at the Zilker Park Rd spillover lots or bike the Butler Trail in from Barton Springs Rd. Blankets beat chairs; tall chairs are restricted to the back rows. Arrive by 7:15 on opening night, closer to 7:45 on Sundays.

That's the recovery week. Swim early, drink something cold, and meet us on the hillside Friday. — The ATX Weekly Editors