A Music Lover's Guide To Dallas

Although many say Austin is the music capital of Texas, Dallas is filled with charming venues, unique festivals, and historical theaters that allow you to discover a variety of music, from local bands to big names and everything in between. Here is a list of go-to places all music lovers have to experience while in Dallas.

1. Off the Record

Bar, American

This record store-bar hybrid brings something unlike anything else to the Elm St. neighborhood in Dallas. With over 2,000 records in stock ranging from oldie classics to today’s most popular albums and with over 20 beers on tap, you’re bound to get lost in the ambience of musical discoveries and good times.

Elm St. Music & Tattoo Festival

Held at the Bomb Factory in Dallas every May and presented by The Reverend Horton Heat and Elm Street Tattoo, this Deep Ellum festival is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before. This two-day event brings more than 30 bands and over 60 tattoo artists who are ready to ink you at Elm St. Tattoo. All tattooing begins Thursday at midnight and goes on for a full 24 hours until Friday at midnight! Tickets range from $33-$53, so if tattoos and rock-and-roll are your thing, this is the festival for you.

Edgefest is a concert hosted by alternative radio station 102.1 The Edge and AEG Live SW. This show is held at Toyota Stadium and brings all your indie and alternative favorites. This year’s lineup will range from bands like Cage the Elephant and Bastille to Good Charlotte and plenty more. The concert starts at noon on April 30th and goes all throughout the day. This is one of Dallas’ most anticipated lineups of the year.

2. The Curtain Club

The Curtain Club

This signature venue and bar is known to be one of the best spots for live music in all of Texas. The Curtain Club prides itself for their badass production team who brings some of the best sound quality from a small venue in Dallas. If you’re looking to catch some local bands for a causal night out with friendly service and a laid-back feel, then The Curtain Club is sure to fit the bill.

The Curtain Club, 2800 Main St, Dallas, TX, USA, +1 214 342 1700

3. The Bomb Factory

Music Venue, Building

The Bomb Factory in Dallas has quite the history behind it. The 50,000-square-foot building was originally used to manufacture cars for Ford, and later, it was used to produce bombs and ammunition for World War 2, which is how it got its name. Eventually, it was turned into a music venue that was closed down in the ’90s. But with the help of Whitney and Clint Barlow and a multi-million dollar renovation, this venue was reopened on March 26, 2015. It fits over 4,300 people and has quickly become a spot that hosts a wide array of artists.

4. The Granada Theater

Concert Hall, Music Venue, Theater, Theatre

The Granada Theater building originally opened as a movie house in 1946 and was briefly transformed into a concert hall in 1977, but it wasn’t until 2004 that it was reopened as the concert venue that it is today. The interior of this theater is covered in Greek culture-inspired murals designed by the same artists who designed the Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Los Angeles. The Granada Theater has won the award for ‘Best Live Music Venue’ by the Dallas Observer eight times, and today, it is one of Dallas’ most popular spots for live music.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.