The Backyard

I saw Foster the People last night. I feel so bad for the band. How can a concert venue in the so-called Live Music Capital of the World have NO spotlights from the utility tower in the center of the seating area? How is this possible? There were lights above the stage, but when Mark Foster walked to the edges of the stage, he walk into complete darkness. Just wait until some egomaniacle ""star"" shows up and finds there are no spotlights shining on them at all times! more

I wish I could just give half of a star...They really need to warn people about how HORRIBLE the traffic is and how slow they are getting everyone into the venue. I left with more than a sufficient amount of time before the show (Incubus) was supposed to start, ended up sitting in traffic for OVER 2 and a half hours, and missed seeing Young the Giant (which was who I was mainly going to see). They need a better system for getting people into parking because that was ridiculous. I have never been to a concert that has been that slow and backed up just getting into the venue! At least provide people with proper warning about the horrendous traffic on the web site, or fix how you handle the crowd. I saw comments prior to mine complaining about 30 min to get into the parking??? Yeah, not near as bad as the TWO HOURS I was in traffic for parking...that was completely unacceptable for the money that I paid for concert tickets and parking! The Backyard also does not provide an email address or anywhere to leave comments or concerts about their venue. On facebook they are known to delete all of the negative feedback without responding. I believe that it is very important for a ""business"" to have room for feedback and pay attention to it's customers, especially for improvement. The Backyard needs to get its issues fixed and needs to care more about the people who support them (aka-customers). DON'T GO TO THE BACKYARD...you will be filled with disappointment. more

I attended the Hill Country Rock N' Ride on 8/21/10 more

The Backyard needs to get its act together ... and until it does so, I don't recommend attending shows there. I attended Willie Nelson's 2010 4th of July picnic there and it was ONE OF THE WORST -- if not the WORST -- organized concert events I've ever experienced. I don't think that this facility is designed well for the large crowds it intends to serve or they just don't care whether their customers have a good experience, or maybe both. Parking -- one of the big problems with The Backyard at its former location nearby -- is still an issue. We arrived only a few hours after the gates opened for this all day/night event and the lots were already full so we had to park across the highway and then take a big bus to the venue. Except the bus dropped us off far from the entrance to the amphitheater so we had to trudge uphill for about half a mile in the blazing heat, lugging all the supplies we brought for the day (padding, blanket, four bottles of water, etc.) to get to the actual entrance. The lines for food were perpetually very long and the vendors ran out of food well before the event was over. We even waited on line for an hour at one point and were only a few people away from placing an order when that booth ran out, leaving dozens of us hungry and angry. And what's with the unfinished bathrooms with shower curtains instead of real doors and no soap by the sinks? Did The Backyard run out of money and decide not to finish out the facilities? Or again, do the owners just not care about the customer experience? Plus generally moving around the grounds was unpleasant -- very crowded, body to body, suggesting that the place is poorly laid out for a large/capacity crowd. As far as the concert itself, although there were a number of great performers and bands -- among them, Asleep at the Wheel, Jamey Johnson, Randy Rogers and the legendary Ray Price, there were a bunch of weak acts including Willie Nelson's offspring. Granted, it's Willie's event and we love Willie but I wasn't expecting a showcase for his kids who aren't nearly as talented as he is. Furthermore, the sequence of the bands was terrible. Instead of building from lesser known bands to the top artists, the lineup was mostly random and no schedule was available so one couldn't possibly know when to catch his or her favorite acts. Worst of all, by midnight, Willie still had not come on stage to perform and I, like many others, just couldn't wait any longer ... so lots of us left disgruntled and feeling let down and even a bit ripped off. There was quite a bit of grumbling on the bus ride back across the highway to the parking garage. I plan to avoid The Backyard -- allegedly new and improved but it's not -- unless all these issues are resolved. Pros: Potentially a great outdoor venue if they address prolems Cons: Parking, inadequate food service, unfinished bathrooms more

Arrived at the ""new"" Backyard over two hours early for the ZZ Top show and it still took over 30 minutes to pull into the parking lot......one totally disorganized and chaotic line of cars. With clueless, helpless attendants. The dirt parking lot is a joke-- covered with ruts, rocks, tree branches it was like driving off-road; DO NOT TAKE YOUR NICE CAR! Cons: Poor parking; Filthy Toilets; Long Lines; Bad Sound more

I am so dissapointed in the backyard recently. I had been a fan of the Austin icon until recently. The employees were recently very rude and inconsiderate to my husband and I and they misrepresented their show through advertising in my opinion. When I tried to discuss this noone was willing to work with us and treated us as if they could do whatever they pleased and forget about a positive customer experience! This was not the old backyard I discovered when moving to Austin 14 years ago. Better off seeing a concert somewhere in the air conditioning where the venue values their customers. Pros: good bands Cons: poor customer experience, lack of respoect of customers more

I bought FRONT ROW tickets for my husband and me to see the March 17, 2007 performance of Willie Nelson, Ray Price, Merle Haggard, and Asleep at the Wheel. All I have to say is, we will NEVER return to the Backyard. From years ago, we knew parking at Backyard events is a joke, so we factored that in to our plans, figuring the tacky addition of cheesy, strip shopping centers behind the place would only magnify the problem. (Still, parking was a half hour in, and an hour and a half out: You would think the Backyard would care.) But after standing in line, enduring the drunks behind us constantly stumbling into our backsides, we were shocked to discover that we had to be FRISKED in order to enter the venue. I've been to plenty of concerts/events (including post 9/11), and I have NEVER been frisked - they don't even do that at the airport (unless you're some kind of suspect or you get stuck in a random search). I bought tickets for what was supposed to be a ""fun"" evening, but we got frisked quicker than you can say ""arrest warrant."" After that needless embarrassment, we finally got to our seats, only to discover the Backyard had hired SPINELESS to watch the left side of the area (as you're facing the stage) between the front row and the stage: There was a constant parade of pandering idiots wandering in front of us, snapping pictures, lingering, and acting as if they were the performers' best buddies. WE COULDN'T WATCH THE SHOW! What did our ""usher"" do? Nothing! In addition, there were two middle-aged, extremely hyperactive women sitting on my right, calling all their friends on their mobiles, yakking about how ""great"" the show is, and ""can you just hear them?!"" Forget asking spineless to intervene - it became completely useless to try to watch or enjoy the show. The Backyard ruined what was to have been a surprise anniversary gift for my husband! Well, no surprise here, folks: Just like those ""made in China"" box stores behind them, all the Backyard wants is your money. Cons: Everything - don't bother more

The Backyard is a great venue to see bands. I just recently saw M o d e s t M o u s e there and it was a good time. The staff is friendly, the atmosphere is beautiful, with many Live Oak trees that add to the ""enchanted forest"" feel of the place. Despite the fact that a HUGE shopping mall now surrounds the entire venue(as of 2006?) The Backyard still feels like a remote place in the Texas Hill Country. Pros: Great venue Cons: Terrible parking situation more

This profile is seriously outdated. There is no longer any charm to this venue. Pros: Nothing good about it anymore. Cons: It's in a mall parking lot now. more

this place is at a cool setting if there is good weather. in the back there is a huge tree that you can walk up stairs to get to. i saw string cheese incident here and it was great both nights! i can't wait to come back here for more music more

Guess I was expecting a higher quality venue, given the cost of admission. Parking was half a mile across bald prairie, upon which, we had to park. The walk into the facility and back out (after dark with no lighting provided) was enveloped within a giant cloud of dust. Hardly what we had expected from ""The Best Music Venue"". As an added bonus, we got a flat tire out of the deal. It would be nice to see a paved road to the paved parking lot. Maybe it would show that the management cares about their patrons. It was our one and only visit. Pros: Food and staff were suffice Cons: Parking more

The Backyard is an awesome venue. I was there in August to see John Mayer and the scenery is great and the facilites are wonderful. Pros: inexpensive, security more

unlike anyplace in the world. the trees, the acoustics, the performances. A true Texas gem. Pros: sound quality, ambience, staff more

The most preasant place to enjoy live music in Texas. Large enough to attract top talent, yet small enough to provide close-up seating to the stage. more

Please folks get there early, get your food and drink, find your seat, sit down and shutup. Call your friends later and tell them about the concert. Please no visiting with your friends while the acts are playing. Some of us would like to see and hear the concerts without the constant chattering of your past and future life plans. Pros: Great Shows, Good Food Cons: Noisy Crowd during Sh, terrible parking, croweded more

I've seen several artists at The Backyard, including Willie Nelson, Chris Isaak and Crosby, Stills and Nash. The Backyard is an amazing venue that serves as a perfect surrounding for concerts -- it truly adds to the ambience and experience of the artists' music. I highly recommend catching your favorite artists there whenever you can. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes though, you might end up standing around a bit. Pros: Atmosphere, Cold Beer, Huge Oak Trees Cons: Parking Nightmare more

Be prepared to park in a field and get nearly trampled in the concession area, but a great place to see a show under the stars. Very intimate feeling. Pros: outdoors Cons: bathroom lines, long drive more

This is a great place to see your favorite band because the stage is close and intimate. Because it's not huge, the sound in the open air sounds good. Seeing the stars and the trees is nice. more