Bass Concert Hall

UPDATED STATE-​OF-​THE-​ART and «GREEN» PERFORMANCE VENUE LOCATED IN THE HEART OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS CAMPUS
We recently attended a fabulous performance of «Kinky Boots» on a Cultural Day Trip to Austin with one of our Snobby Tours®, Inc. tour groups.
This was our first time to attend a performance at Bass Concert Hall in Austin. We were impressed with both the venue and the show. Our group loved «Kinky Boots», as did the entire audience, which was cheering, clapping, and singing along throughout the show. This was our first experience with an Austin audience, and we found them to be exceptionally enthusiastic and totally enjoying the entire theatre experience.
A LITTLE INFO ABOUT BASS CONCERT HALL ITSELF: Originally completed in 1981, Bass Concert Hall is the flagship theatre of the Texas Performing Arts organization, and is the largest in Austin, with seating for 2,900. Its orchestra pit is capable of holding 100 musicians, dressing rooms to accommodate more than 100 performers, computerized lighting, advanced sound and rigging systems, and a vast stage capable of having multi-​level sets.
The Grand Staircase connects the main Lobby level to upper floors. Performances at Bass Concert Hall feature special, limited menus including a featured drink pairing on the 3^rd Floor. The Terrace on the 6^th Floor is one of the most dramatic locations of the Bass Concert Hall and provides views of the LBJ Fountain at the nearby Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and of the famous University of Texas Tower.
The acoustics at Bass Concert Hall are superb. In May 2007, Bass Concert Hall began a $ 14.7 million dollar renovation and facelift. Instead of building an entirely new facility, Texas Performing Arts chose to reuse and adapt the existing structure including environmentally-​friendly materials and «green» initiatives during the renovation process.
Renovations to the theatre created a much more dramatic and beautiful facility. A magnificent glass-​front façade and larger, light-​filled Lobby, now greet the public. The front windows of Bass are made of fritted glass that deflects some of the incoming heat and reduces the need for extra energy use. The new lobby curtain wall also provides enough daylight to reduce the amount of energy needed for artificial lighting by day.
The countertops in the Lobby and restrooms are made from recycled glass and the sheet flooring is linoleum, a renewable resource. The new wood paneling used in the building is from renewable forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
All of this overall has made Texas Performing Arts’ theatre Bass Concert Hall a world-​class venue which draws world-​renowned performers and full-​scale Broadway and other productions.
SIDE NOTE: We specifically chose a Saturday Matinée performance at Bass Concert Hall on a date which was NOT on the same date as a University of Texas Longhorns Football Home Game. Texas Memorial Stadium, with seating capacity of over 100,000 persons, is literally directly across the street from Bass Concert Hall. Not only would traffic and parking on «game day» be a serious problem — making access to/​from Bass Concert Hall very difficult — but also the noise from a 100,000+ person crowd at the Stadium might be disruptive to a matinée or an evening performance.
That being said, Bass Concert Hall is the type of venue with Broadway and concert productions which we thoroughly enjoy, so we plan return as often as we can.
CEO
Americana Heritage Tours by Snobby Tours®, Inc.

We attended Josh Groban’s performance on 12÷19÷15. We didn’t realize he was performing in Texas, until it was almost too late. There were 6 seats left and only two that were near each other. We were in the nosebleed section seats S & T 101. I’m pretty sure S101 has the best view in that row, as there’s a break in the railing. I was able to see the front of the stage, where Josh was standing, when the attendants weren’t walking back and forth, or standing in the way. Anyone to the right of me would have had a partially blocked view, due to the railing. I’m 5’5″ and the leg room was cramped for me.

Are you f*****g crazy! $ 100 per seat and then a $ 54 service charge per ticket! $ 500 total after all the other fees for The Book of Mormon is a ripoff.

Bass Concert Hall is a great place to go see plays. There aren’t very many bad seats in the house and it is the only place in Austin to see good Broadway shows. The temperature is hit or miss, sometimes freezing and sometimes way too hot.
We went in on a group buy for Book of Mormon and it was one of the funniest shows I’ve ever seen. They are great for comedians as well. Ample parking, regular overly priced drinks and it is a good time to dress up and take your lady out.
Throw in a nice dinner beforehand and you’ve got yourself a great date.

A beautiful venue. Four friends and myself took the night to see Bill Burr. I don’t think there was a bad seat in the house. Bar was decent. I wasn’t in the mood to drink but from what my friends ordered they mentioned that they made some very good cocktails.
We pre-​paid for parking which was simply ambiguous at best and well, infuriating. We didn’t know if the Jeep was going to be there when we left the show. And that’s why there’s a big, fat, two stars missing from this review.
Parking. Why is this a rocket science? How?

It was clear straight off that this venue wanted to soak me for every cent. $ 9 for a can of beer, or $ 15 for a bratwurst and potato salad seemed crazy even by Austin downtown standards. Even a kit-​kat bar was a $ 3 gouge.
Then the seating offered less leg room than an economy airline. I couldn’t feel my legs by the end of the show. I know they want to get as many people in as possible, but at what cost?
That said, the staff was very positive and helpful, and the sound system was amazing, incomparable. It’s just a shame I felt like cattle in a pen the whole time.

As a venue, it was great. My problem was the beyond inexcusable parking bullshit that we had to go through the night of Bill Burr. We arrived for the 2^nd show, about 30 minutes early, and got a prime parking spot– right up front, street parking. I was stoked. Then we see a $ 10 parking sign. The meter signs are somewhat misleading, so we felt like we better pay this $ 10. NOT A TICKET PERSON IN SIGHT! We’re lookin around like??? Finally we see a yellow vest, so we go ask whats up with parking. The girl says, «you see that car over there– they didnt pay parking», and there was a fkin boot on the tire! So we’re like DANG, okay, we do we pay. LOL «Well you’ll have to walk all the way down there, Im sorry, they didnt coordinate this very well, to get your ticket». So we walk, and walk. to two more yellow vests. These young girls are taking peoples $ 10 left and right. Well, by time she gets our $, she says «we ran out of stickers for the car». so we’re like, «soooooooooooooooooooooooooo how will anyone know we PAID!?»… This fool give us a note to put on our window.
So I truly question the boot, and the requirement to pay, but whatever. we did. Someone ate good that night, or got some good smoke. IDK, but damnit, we paid it, went into the show, and all was good after that.
BUT then, this week, we find that our card was hit TWICE for these tickets! So… I may be back to update this!

Not a bad seat in this place. Saw Damien Rice tonight and loved every second. Best concert ever!

I went went to a show here with my kiddo. I was carrying my purse, her stuff, our tickets, and my phone while looking for our seats. One of the ushers bellowed NO PHOTOGRAPHY! before asking me if I needed help. It didn’t even occur to me that she was yelling at me because I was in no way trying to use my phone: I just wanted to find our seats. We saw lots of selfies being taken pre-​show so I am curious as to why my kiddo and I were being targeted by this one usher. Then the show started and the performer was posing for selfies throughout the show so I was like… really, Bass Concert usher? REALLY?!? :/
Besides that the seats were comfortable, the ushers that noticed I was confused, and not trying to take photos, were super helpful, and the greeters were incredibly helpful making sure you knew where your seats were located. $ 11.00 for a pretty small margarita — but the lines at the snack bar did move quickly and the server I talked to was nice and didn’t rush me at all. It would have been a 4 or 5 star experience had the usher not been so rude to me.

Great venue for a concert! I was there in September 2014 for «An Evening with Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer» — an amazing concert.

What an awesome venue! Not a bad seat in the house at all!
My favorite thing about Bass Concert Hall is actually the seats themselves. They did not try to skimp on the room for your booty — so thank you Bass Hall! My big girl booty appreciates it! Because of this it allowed me to truly be comfortable at your venue and not think about how close I might be to the person next to me or if I was bleeding over into their seat — thanks again for helping a girl out on this!
I attended the Sujan Stevens concert, which was so cool by the way! Bass Concert Hall was the perfect, intimate, small/​big venue for a show like this.
I also had the opportunity to grab some dinner at the café inside the hall. I ordered a glass of white wine and the turkey and brei panini. It was actually pretty good and cheesy to my surprise! I love cheesy stuff and really didn’t expect much as far as food goes from a concert hall! The waitress had informed me that they did not have any tomato which the menu said was on it, but it was great without it. The chips that came with it were a great side to the sandwich.
I honestly can not wait to come back to this venue! Those seats are so amazing!

So, don’t get me wrong, I love the shows here. I have seen the touring Broadway shows, various bands, Prairie Home Companion… I am a well seasoned Bass Concert Hall visitor.
But there are two main things that bug me:
1. The café. Holy cow this place is awful. There isn’t anywhere within walking distance to eat, so if you’re running late or think this place is a good idea — no. Do not go here. Avoid it at all costs. The food is seriously offensive. It’s like since it’s associated with UT they have decided to use the same cafeteria or something, except at 5x the price.
2. The drinks. Tickets to shows here aren’t cheap. I understand that the drinks are also «event» prices. But if I’m going to pay $ 9 for a vodka soda, at least give me a decent pour. It’s just way over-​priced, if it was better quality or cheaper I could get a bit more behind it, but seriously, people are going to start bringing in flasks.
The parking situation can also be a little nuts if you don’t get there early enough, but I feel like that’s to be expected.
But the shows themselves have always been good in my opinion. It’s a great theater in Austin that has a good variety of entertainment. Just eat beforehand and be prepared to drop a couple of bucks on booze.

No problem with this place.
I don’t get all of the less than stellar reviews. I was here last night for Jersey Boys and had a great time.
I bought tickets a couple days before the show for a song! Orchestra row J in the middle. The show was fairly full.
I don’t have much to compare to but have been to most all of the major Broadway shows save Jersey Boys.
On Broadway you need to buy tickets months in advance. The price I paid for orchestra here gets you back of the balcony there if they aren’t sold out.
Forget about drink prices and parking. What are you crazy???
Seriously I know this is not Manhattan but we have a great venue here that easily stands up to the Broadway venues and shines.
The show, Jersey Boys? First rate. Didn’t even need to exit the turnpike and take a bridge or tunnel to get there.

I enjoyed seeing Jersey Boys in this venue. It was intimate and the sound was wonderful and the production was done well.
I did like that they had two bars in the foyer, although they are some very expensive drinks. It was $ 20 for a cup of red wine and 12 oz Shiner including tip.
The ushers (if that’s what they’re called?) were friendly, although stern about camera phone use even 15 minutes before the show started. Just wanted a selfie! :)
PARKING is another story. We waited at the first Manor Garage entrance for 10 minutes, with no cars going in before one of the three green shirts came down the drive to tell us there may be no line at the second entrance «that no one knows about».
I do know they had valet nearer the hall for $ 20, not including tip. That may be worth it for older folks not wanting to walk so far or last minute arrivals.

Went to Bass Concert Hall last night with my fella to see ONCE, compliments of Unilocal Elite ;O) What a great time! This was my first time and hopefully not my last. Makes me regret not going to see RAIN: Tribute to the Beatles. Drinks are pricey, but it comes with the territory. The staff was very pleasant and the auditorium itself was spectacular to see. P. S. During the intermission, save yourself time waiting for the restroom by heading down about 2 levels. Also, for parking, without a student permit parking down the street is $ 12, but there is an option to pay in advance online so you can save a couple bucks and already have a reserved space **SWEET**.

If there was one thing I wish I could do more often, it would be seeing plays. The first one I ever went to was Beauty and the Beast in LA as a 12 year old and it captivated me. The costumes, the lights, the props, the songs; for a few hours you get to escape reality and just soak in the enormous amount of talent these performers have.
My grandma’s favorite movie is Mamma Mia and when she went on a trip to NYC, she told me her biggest regret was not seeing it on Broadway. As soon as I saw that it was coming to Austin I bought the best seats I could find and gave them to her as a Christmas gift. We paid $ 21 to valet (worth every penny) and quickly found our seats. We had floor seats, middle section, and with a packed audience managed to get the only pair of seats in which the ones in front of us remained empty all night. In my own whimsical mind, that was my late grandpa’s way of smiling down on us to show his approval.
I’ve never seen her so thrilled in all my life. They sang all her favorite songs including «Money, Money, Money», «Dancing Queen», «Take a Chance on Me», «Lay All Your Love on Me», «Voulez-​Vous», and of course «Mamma Mia» just to name a few. The props were underwhelming compared to the likes of Phantom, but the charisma of the characters and upbeat tunes made you forgot all about it.
Bailey Purvis who played Tanya, and Sarah Smith who played Rosie are what made it for me. They were hilarious and a joy to watch. Georgia Kate Haege and Chelsea Williams played the parts of Donna and Sophie who both also did phenomenal jobs.
There was one intermission during the play where you can get a drink, but be prepared for steep prices. She got a glass of Merlot and I got one of prosecco for a whopping $ 19. They were the small disposable plastic cups, but at least you can take it back to your seat with you and don’t have to chug it before the second act. As we were sitting back in our seats waiting for the lights to drop, they instead decided to blast loud music which scared the crap out of me, causing me to jump and spill some of my drink down my arm and dress. Thankfully it was white and entertaining enough to give the few surrounding people a chuckle. I do what I can folks.
Pro Tip: if you need to use the restroom before leaving, go to the second or third level where the lines won’t be near as long.
I will be checking their events page often to see what other great shows are coming to town this year. She loved every minute and sang all the way back home, which to me made the whole thing that much more worth it.

Easily the best on campus theater I have attended. As a Unilocal elite event u can’t stress how great seats were and how great I love the Beatles and how great rain as a Beatles tribute band is. 18 dollars for a drink is a little steep but hey I get it. Sound was great where we were sitting. Great great time.

I was here to see Mamma Mia! Fantastic show.
The venue sound was good, but if you are in the top balcony you might need those binoculars. Parking is a little high for $ 12, but I’m not familiar with the campus so not sure where else you would park, that wouldn’t get you towed. The seats were comfortable.
Overall enjoyed my experience.

I went here to see Mamma Mia and really enjoyed the show. The cast was fantastic! Every note they sang was at perfect pitch. Not a single flaw or mistake in their performance. Five star production all around!
But for the venue itself, there’s were the stars fell :(Bass concert hall can be great if you have any connection to the UT campus-​student, faculty, maintenance… but if you don’t (or no longer do), you are left either choosing to hike a ways from your car to Bass concert hall or pay to park since any parking spot close to the venue is reserved for UT campus permits only. Most people seemed to prefer the walk rather than pay. After all, tickets for a Broadway production can be pricey. Yet, for ladies in heels, the $ 10 or so to park in the garage with a quarter of the walk may be worth it.
They had a decent number of bathrooms for women which is good. They also had a small food service area on the third floor with sandwiches and snacks though I did not try them out. The seats were comfortable, but I did wish they had a cup holder for you drink.

I recently saw Dirty Dancing on Broadway here and it was a nice theatre. The staff was helpful in finding my seats. I sat in the lower level and the acoustics sounded good.
They sell drinks and snacks which are a little pricey but that’s to be expected. I had a $ 9 cocktail.
I valet parked my car for $ 21. However, if you drive a Lexus, valet is free! Regular garage parking is $ 12 but you can get $ 6 parking passes online if you sign up 24 hours prior to the show.
The staff were really strict about cellphone use in the theatre which is great actually. It wouldn’t kill us to put our cellphones down for a few hours.
I have season tickets so I’ll be back!