Events at Parish, Austin, Texas

Parish events now take place under the Brushy Street Commons name, with live music, comedy and special events in the historic East Austin soundstage.

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Mark Farina

9:00 PM, Fri, 31 Aug 2018

Aug

Parish

Austin

Current Name and Event Listings

As of September 16, 2026, the venue formerly known as Parish is operating as Brushy Street Commons. The room remains at the historic Brushy Street soundstage in East Austin, but event listings may use either “Brushy Street Commons” or “Parish,” particularly for shows booked under older contracts. The current operator lists the address as 502 Brushy Street, while longstanding venue and map listings commonly show 501 Brushy Street for the same building.

The current calendar continues Parish’s mid-sized, independent-venue programming. It includes touring indie, alternative, rock, punk, metal, electronic, pop and singer-songwriter acts, alongside local release shows, comedy, dance events, film screenings with live scores, DJ nights and special festival programming. Announced 2026 and early-2027 bookings include touring bands, electronic artists, comedy, ACL-season shows, a live horror-film score presentation and punk programming, indicating that the room remains deliberately genre-flexible rather than being tied to one scene.

Events and Programming

Parish’s programming has traditionally occupied the space between a neighborhood club and a larger touring room. Its booking mix favors artists who have outgrown small bars but still benefit from a close audience: indie and alternative bands, emerging pop acts, post-punk and metal groups, electronic performers, hip-hop artists, DJs, singer-songwriters and local Austin showcases.

The relocated venue opened its Parish chapter on March 10, 2022, with TWRP and Rich Aucoin. Early bookings announced for the new room included Soft Kill, Lala Lala, Naked Giants, Moonchild, MONO, Cobra Man, Greyson Chance, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets and Fucked Up. That first schedule established the room’s broad remit: guitar music, electronic performance, experimental work and rising touring acts rather than only established Austin names.

Programming during 2023 and 2024 expanded beyond standard concerts. Examples included The Octopus Project, a “Who? Weekly” podcast presentation, electronic and rave events, an emo-versus-pop-punk video party and themed dance nights. The room has also hosted tribute performances, album-release shows and events built around Austin’s local bands and student musicians.

Examples from 2025 included The Dirty Nil, Slurp’s album-release show, Stash Plays Pink Floyd with Mostly Dead, Night Tapes and Ethan Regan. These bookings show the balance the room has maintained between national touring acts, niche genre bills, local releases and promoter-led events. The former Parish calendar also included recurring or returning events such as Punchline ATX, a karaoke-meets-pole-dancing production that became associated with the venue’s more theatrical side.

A third-party concert-history archive records hundreds of performances across the Parish brand’s recent years, including approximately 12 in 2021, 34 in 2022, 64 in 2023, 135 in 2024 and 90 in 2025. Those figures should be treated as an archive rather than an official attendance or booking report, but they illustrate how frequently the venue has functioned as a working concert room.

The 2026 calendar under Brushy Street Commons includes release shows, comedy, electronic events, punk and metal bills, indie and pop touring acts, DJ performances, Austin Electronic programming, ACL-season shows and a live score accompanying a film screening. An event already announced beyond 2026 is a Cold as Life bill in February 2027. The pattern suggests continued year-round programming rather than a seasonal festival-only operation.

Tickets and Booking

Tickets are generally sold through the official event listing attached to each show. The venue’s calendar distinguishes between regular ticket sales, presales and event-specific ticket information. Because Parish and Brushy Street Commons have worked with multiple promoters, purchase terms, fees, age restrictions and refund rules can vary by event.

Published examples show a typical club-show range of roughly $12 to $35 before event-specific fees. Local release shows and themed parties have appeared near the lower end, while touring acts and special presentations have commonly fallen in the $20-to-$30 range. Larger festivals, VIP packages or unusual productions can cost more. Treat the listed price as event-specific rather than as a fixed venue rate.

For popular shows, buy as soon as the event is announced, particularly when the bill includes a fast-growing touring artist, an Austin favorite or a limited-capacity release event. Arriving early is also useful even when tickets are available: most shows are general admission, and the best floor sightlines and balcony positions are claimed before the headliner begins.

Door and show times are set by the individual promoter. A ticket’s “show” time may refer to the opening act rather than the headliner, so allow time for security, ticket scanning and finding a viewing position. Presales, day-of-show availability and door pricing should be checked on the specific event listing rather than assumed.

About Parish

Parish was an independent Austin live-music venue with two major chapters. Its original home was an upstairs room at 214 East Sixth Street, where it opened in 2003 and became known for touring and emerging bands. That location was widely described as a 425-to-450-capacity room, with approximately 5,300 square feet, strong sound and a compact, intimate atmosphere.

In 2017, Heard Presents and partners acquired the Parish brand and the lease to the Sixth Street space after an online sale. The transaction preserved the name and brought the venue under the ownership of operators already active in Austin’s independent concert scene. In October 2021, a landlord dispute abruptly locked the Sixth Street venue out of its space, forcing booked concerts to be relocated.

The next Parish opened at the former North Door building on Brushy Street in March 2022. The space had previously been used by The Independent and North Door and had a longer history as a production and soundstage facility. The new Parish was promoted as a roughly 6,000-square-foot, 430-capacity event space with a large stage, two bars, in-house lighting and production, a green room, storage, a lounge, furniture and projection equipment.

In May 2025, operators announced that Parish would wind down at the Brushy Street location because rising costs made the rented room difficult for a small independent venue to operate sustainably. Shows continued through 2025, and the building subsequently entered a new phase as Brushy Street Commons. The renamed venue retained live events while adding a broader day-and-night concept involving food, drinks, community programming and entertainment.

Seating and Layout

The Brushy Street room is primarily a standing-room general-admission venue. The main floor is open and flat, with the stage positioned at one end of the former soundstage. There is no published permanent theater seating plan for ordinary concerts, and assigned seats or a separate VIP section should not be assumed unless the individual event specifically advertises one.

The most distinctive viewing feature is the mezzanine or upper-level area. It gives taller sightlines over the standing crowd and can be a better choice for visitors who prefer to watch from above rather than stand directly in the pit. The main floor is better for maximum proximity, dancing and crowd energy. The balcony rail generally provides the clearest elevated view, while the back of the room offers a less compressed experience near the bars.

Published descriptions of the room identify a partial balcony, wall ledges or bench-like areas and a small lounge or bar area associated with the former My Oh My concept. These details may vary with the current event setup, so visitors who need a seat or a low-stimulation viewing position should request an accommodation before the show. ticketfairy.com

Sound is usually strongest when choosing a position with a clear line toward the stage and avoiding corners immediately beside a loudspeaker. The room’s high ceiling and open former-soundstage volume make it feel larger than a conventional 430-capacity club, while the mezzanine keeps the audience visually connected to the performance.

Building, Design and Technical Capabilities

The venue occupies the soundstage of the historic 501 Studios building. The room has approximately 25-foot ceilings and a mezzanine, features that create a warehouse-like volume without losing the closeness expected from a club. The stage was moved to the west wall during the 2022 Parish redesign, changing the orientation from the former North Door arrangement.

The building’s production history is unusually rich. Austin musicians Stevie Ray Vaughan and Willie Nelson filmed music videos there, Universal Pictures used the soundstage for the 1981 film Raggedy Man, and Texas Lottery drawings were broadcast from the room for more than a decade. Those uses help explain the unusual ceiling height, open floor and adaptable technical infrastructure.

Public venue materials confirm in-house lighting and production services, a large stage, projector and screen, green-room space, storage and furniture. Published third-party venue profiles also describe a professional line-array sound system and modern lighting rig, but a complete current equipment list, console specification, microphone inventory, stage dimensions and rigging plot is not publicly available. Artists or private-event clients requiring a detailed technical advance should request the current production specification directly from the operator.

Getting There and Parking

The venue is in East Austin near East Fifth Street, East Sixth Street and Brushy Street, just east of downtown. Use the current Brushy Street Commons address when planning a trip, but be aware that older tickets and listings may still show 501 Brushy Street or Parish.

Street parking in the surrounding East Austin area is generally metered or regulated. Current city rates rise from $2 for the first hour to $5 by the seventh hour, with a 10-hour maximum session in the listed paid-parking structure. Rates, enforcement hours and available spaces can change, and busy concert nights make curb parking unreliable.

Private surface lots and garages operate around the East Fifth, East Sixth and downtown corridors. Their prices are independent of the venue and may increase for major concerts, weekends or festival periods. The safest strategy is to allow extra time, compare the posted rate before entering and avoid assuming that a nearby business lot permits event parking.

CapMetro provides several useful connections to the area. Route 2 serves the Eastside Bus Plaza, Plaza Saltillo and downtown, while Route 4 operates along the downtown and East Austin corridor. Plaza Saltillo rail station and the Eastside Bus Plaza are practical transit anchors, followed by a walk through the East Fifth or East Sixth Street area. Check the live trip planner before leaving because route patterns, stop locations and late-night service can change.

Rideshare users should use the Brushy Street frontage or another legal nearby curb location and follow staff instructions during busy arrivals. There is no published permanent rideshare lane or dedicated venue drop-off zone, so avoid stopping in travel lanes or blocking neighboring businesses.

Inside the Venue

Expect a club-style entry: ticket scanning, bag inspection and identification checks for patrons who intend to drink. The room is designed around the performance rather than table service, with the stage, open floor, upper-level viewing area and bar service forming the main visitor experience.

Under the former Parish setup, the building included two bars and a listening-room or lounge concept known as My Oh My. The current Brushy Street Commons operation promotes food and drinks during the day and live entertainment at night, but a permanent menu, current concession layout, coat-check policy and public Wi-Fi specification are not clearly published.

Merchandise may be sold by the artist or promoter at individual shows. Bring a charged phone for ticket access, but do not rely on a digital photograph of your identification if you plan to drink. The venue’s policy requires physical photo identification for patrons over 21 who want alcohol service.

Nearby Amenities

East Fifth and East Sixth Streets provide a dense selection of bars, restaurants, coffee shops and late-night food within walking distance. The area works well for a pre-show meal or post-show drink, although event-night crowds can make service slower than usual. Arriving 60 to 90 minutes before showtime gives visitors time to eat, park, pass security and choose a viewing position.

Downtown hotels and East Austin lodging are the most practical bases for visitors attending a late show. The venue is close enough to central Austin’s hotel district for a rideshare trip, but walking routes should be chosen carefully after midnight, especially when streets are crowded, construction affects sidewalks or a show ends after transit frequency drops.

What Makes This Venue Special

Parish’s importance comes from its ability to combine a serious touring stage with an intimate audience relationship. The original Sixth Street room was celebrated for its sound, compact scale and ability to bring artists close to the crowd. The Brushy Street relocation retained that identity while adding ceiling height, a mezzanine and the infrastructure of a former soundstage.

The building’s film and broadcast history gives the current venue a character that purpose-built clubs cannot easily reproduce. Music videos by Austin icons, the production of Raggedy Man and years of televised lottery drawings all predate the North Door and Parish eras. Brushy Street Commons now frames that layered history as part of a wider creative and community-oriented venue concept.

The venue also reflects the pressures facing Austin’s independent music economy. Parish’s 2025 relocation announcement attributed the move to the difficulty of making a small venue work under rising real-estate and operating costs. That tension is central to the room’s cultural significance: it supports touring artists, Austin performers, production workers, bartenders and promoters, but it also shows how difficult it is for independent stages to remain in high-demand central neighborhoods.

No venue-specific economic-impact study has been published, but Austin research consistently identifies live music venues as important sources of musician income, jobs, tourism spending and neighborhood activity. Parish’s role is best understood as part of that network rather than as a standalone economic engine. Its value lies in the repeated flow of artists, audiences and event workers through a relatively small room.

Visitor Tips and Information

Brushy Street Commons publishes a clear-bag preference and requires security to search all bags. Non-clear bags are not allowed inside and must be left with security. No liquids may be brought into the venue. Weapons and smoking are prohibited, and the no-weapons rule is stated without exceptions.

The venue is all ages unless an event listing says otherwise. Minors are not permitted to re-enter after leaving, so families and younger attendees should plan bathroom, food and fresh-air breaks before passing through the doors. Age restrictions can still vary by promoter.

Photography is governed by the artist’s policy. Formal photo access must be requested at least 14 days before the show and should include the event and camera type. Ordinary audience photography may be restricted by the performer, so follow staff instructions and do not bring professional equipment without approval.

The venue invites visitors with ADA or seating needs to make arrangements in advance, but its public policy does not provide a detailed accessibility map, step-free route, restroom specification or fixed accessible-seating diagram. Do not assume that the mezzanine is accessible. Request the accommodation before buying or attending, especially for a sold-out general-admission show.

Wear breathable clothing and comfortable shoes: most performances involve standing, and the room can feel warm when crowded. Arrive early for the best balcony rail or floor position, keep aisles clear, and check the event listing for the exact doors, age rule and promoter-specific instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Parish in Austin still called Parish?

Not officially at the current Brushy Street location. The room formerly operated as Parish and is now branded Brushy Street Commons. Older tickets, event archives and search results may still use Parish, while current listings increasingly use Brushy Street Commons. Both names refer to the East Austin soundstage venue at the Brushy Street address.

Where is the former Parish venue located?

The current operator lists Brushy Street Commons at 502 Brushy Street, Austin, Texas 78702. Many historical listings and map records show 501 Brushy Street for the same building, so either number may appear in older event information. It is near East Fifth Street and East Sixth Street, east of downtown and within walking distance of several nightlife areas.

What is the capacity of Parish or Brushy Street Commons?

Published venue materials describe the Brushy Street room as approximately 6,000 square feet with a 430-person capacity. The earlier Sixth Street Parish was commonly listed between 425 and 450 capacity in a roughly 5,300-square-foot upstairs room. Actual occupancy can vary by event layout, stage footprint, production equipment and local safety requirements.

Does Parish have assigned seating?

Ordinary concerts are generally standing-room general admission rather than assigned seating. The room has a flat main floor and an upper mezzanine or balcony area that can provide a better elevated view. Seating, chairs or special reserved sections may be added for an individual event, but visitors should not assume that a ticket includes a seat unless the event listing specifically says so.

Where is the best place to watch a show?

Choose the main floor if you want to be close to the performers and feel the crowd. Choose the mezzanine rail if you prefer a higher sightline and a wider view of the stage. For less crowd pressure, stand toward the back or along the side, but avoid blocking aisles. Arriving early is the best way to secure a preferred position.

How much do tickets usually cost?

Recent published examples place many standard shows around $12 to $35 before event-specific fees. Local release shows and themed events can be cheaper, while touring acts, special productions and VIP options can cost more. Prices are set by the promoter, so the most reliable figure is the amount shown for the individual event rather than a general venue admission rate.

Can I buy tickets at the door?

Door sales depend on the promoter, the event’s advance sales and whether the show has sold out. Some events advertise day-of-show availability, while others direct all sales to advance purchase. If you plan to buy at the door, arrive early and expect the price or fees to differ from the advance rate. Sold-out shows may not have door inventory.

Is the venue all ages?

Brushy Street Commons states that it is an all-ages venue unless an individual event is marked otherwise. Some shows may be 18-plus or 21-plus because of the promoter, artist or event format. Check the listing before attending with a minor. Minors are not allowed to re-enter after leaving, even when the event itself is all ages.

What identification is accepted for alcohol service?

Anyone over 21 who wants to drink must present a physical photo ID. The venue states that photographs or digital images of identification are not accepted for this purpose. Bring the original valid ID, and expect staff to check it at entry or at the bar. A ticket alone does not establish age for alcohol service.

What is the bag policy?

All bags are searched by security. Clear bags are preferred. Non-clear bags are not allowed inside and must be left with security, so the safest choice is a small clear bag or no bag at all. Avoid bringing large purses, backpacks or unnecessary items because inspection and storage can delay entry during a busy show.

Can I bring a water bottle or other drink?

No liquids of any kind are permitted into the venue under the published policy. That includes personal water bottles and outside beverages. Drinks available inside are controlled by the venue. Visitors who need medically necessary liquids or similar accommodations should arrange them with the venue before the event rather than relying on ordinary entry procedures.

Can I smoke inside Parish?

No. The venue publishes a strict no-smoking policy inside the building. Smoking or vaping may also be restricted near entrances or lines by staff, event rules or local regulations. Because minors cannot re-enter after leaving, younger attendees should not plan on using an outdoor break as a way to come back into the show.

Can I bring a professional camera?

Only with approval. Photography access depends on the artist’s policy, and requests must be made at least 14 days before the show with the event name and camera type. Requests submitted later may be denied. Ordinary phone photography can also be restricted during a performance, so follow the event’s instructions and venue staff directions.

Is Parish accessible for wheelchair users?

The current venue policy says that ADA and seating requests can be accommodated when arranged in advance. However, the public information does not detail the step-free entrance, restroom route, mezzanine access or exact accessible viewing position. Contact the venue through its published accommodation process before purchasing, especially for a general-admission show or an event with unusual staging.

Is there parking at the venue?

The venue does not publish a dedicated parking facility for concertgoers. Visitors generally use metered street parking, nearby private lots or downtown garages. City rates currently increase from $2 for the first hour to $5 by the seventh hour, but private facilities set their own prices and may charge event rates. Allow extra time because busy shows reduce availability.

Can I take public transportation to Brushy Street Commons?

Yes. CapMetro routes serving downtown and East Austin can be used, with Route 2 connecting the Eastside Bus Plaza, Plaza Saltillo and downtown. Route 4 also serves the downtown and East Austin corridor. From a transit stop, expect a walk through the East Fifth or East Sixth Street area. Check current schedules before traveling because evening service can change.

How early should I arrive?

For a normal concert, arriving 45 to 60 minutes before the advertised show time is sensible. Arrive earlier for a sold-out show, a popular touring act, a general-admission event or a performance where you want the mezzanine rail. Add more time if you need parking, accessibility assistance, bag storage or an advance ticket issue resolved at the door.

Does the venue serve food and drinks?

Brushy Street Commons promotes food and drinks as part of its day-and-night concept. The former Parish setup also included two bars and a listening-lounge concept. Menus, service locations and availability can vary with the event, and a complete current concession menu is not publicly detailed. For a substantial meal, plan to eat in the surrounding East Fifth or East Sixth Street area before the show.

What is the building’s historic connection to Austin?

The soundstage is part of the 501 Studios building, where Stevie Ray Vaughan and Willie Nelson filmed music videos. It was also used for the 1981 film Raggedy Man and hosted Texas Lottery broadcasts for more than a decade. That production history explains the room’s unusually high ceiling and adaptable event layout.

Why did Parish leave Sixth Street?

The original Sixth Street venue closed after a landlord dispute and lockout in October 2021. The Parish brand was then moved to the former North Door space on Brushy Street, opening there in March 2022. In 2025, operators announced another change because rising costs made the rented location difficult to sustain, leading to the Brushy Street Commons rebrand rather than a simple continuation under the Parish name.

Events at Parish, Austin, Texas

Mark Farina

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