From the 13th to 22nd March Austin's South by Southwest (SXSW) festival is the epicentre of the US music scene, attracting over 300,000 music fans from around the world.  Here's a line up of venues in Austin and elsewhere in Texas where live music is king.

Austin City Limits Live (ACL) at The Moody Theater, Austin:  A state-of-the-art 2,750 seat venue, ACL hosts around 100 concerts each year.  Musical heritage may be lacking but The Moody Theatre's excellent acoustics have made it a favourite for live recordings, including America's longest running music series  'Austin City Limits' - a sort of neo-US Old Grey Whistle Test.

Billy Bob's, Fort Worth:  This vast Country and Western colossus dates from 1910 and is a former cattle stockyard.  Promoted as 'The World's Largest Honky Tonk', with 100,000 square feet inside, 30 bar stations, and 20-acres outside for parking and events, it's certainly Texas-sized.  If you want to combine Bull riding - real bulls - with Country music there's no better place.

Granada Theatre, Dallas:  The Granada has flick-flacked between picture house, concert hall and private club since opening in 1946.  Most recently upgrades in sound and lighting have confirmed the Art Deco site as Dallas's top live music venue, hosting Beck, Bob Dylan, Little Feat, Indigo Girls and even Dolly Parton.

EMO's, Austin:  Enduringly 'rough-around-the-edges', EMO's origins lie in the primordial Punk soup of 1990s Houston - a venue now closed.  The Austin club lives on.  A new Riverside address has given sound and lighting systems the equivalent of 12-months in rehab and a year's clean living but the ethos remains the same…  Are you ready to rock?

Luckenbach Dancehall, Luckenbach:  'Everybody's somebody' in Luckenbach, a collection of larger-than-life characters whose influences and eccentricities built up an inconsequential small town into a piece of old-time Texas's heartland.  Willie Nelson visits Luckenbach for his annual 4th of July Picnic and the town's Dancehall regularly hosts some of the state's best musicians.

Numbers, Houston:  Rock and Alternative are the mainstays of this long time no frills live music venue on Lower Westheimer.  The Village People, The Cramps, Iggy Pop, Bjork, The Cure, The Black Keys and many more have played here, drawing crowds to the dance floor.  Unpretentious to a fault, Numbers' motto remains 'No Dress Code, No Cocktail Waitresses, No Valet and No Attitude.'

Stubb's, Austin:  In 1968 Korean War veteran Christopher B. Stubblefield - aka 'Stubb' - opened a barbecue restaurant with a jukebox filled with vintage blues.  Whether it was Stubb's cooking or the easy-going atmosphere, artists from Stevie Ray Vaughn, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash all ended up 'playing for their supper.'  Stubb died in 1995 and the venue moved to Austin's Red River but the simple cold beer, barbecue and live music combination continues.

The Continental Club, Austin:  Opened in 1957 by US standards this club is worthy of a Blue Plaque.  Big Band and Swing were at the club's origins, 60s burlesque enhanced its appeal seeing the club ride a wave of success throughout the 70s.  More recently retrofitted in 1950s-style, The Continental is now a focus for Austin's Rockabilly, Swing  and Country acts.

The Mohawk, Austin:  Voted Austin's top live venue more than once, this Red River music bar has a rustic, feel which blends Mohawk Indian themes with Neil Young quotes, Rock, craft beer, beards and taxidermy - you have to be there…    A roof deck bar joins two stages featuring live bands every night till 2AM.

The Saxon Pub, Austin:  Since 1990 this venue has hosted over 22,000 performances, a mixture of top names, breakthrough artists and local circuit musicians.  There are no seat reservations. This isn't a place for stadium acts, just grab a table and a jug of beer and relax.  Kris Kristofferson reportedly likened the Saxon Pub to 'playing in his own living room.'  If you say so Kris…

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