Every Thursday evening throughout Austin’s warm summer nights, the city’s Long Center lawn transforms into a vibrant gathering spot where live music fills the air.
The Drop-In, a free outdoor concert series co-hosted by the Long Center and KUTX’s Wet Hot Austin Summer, invites locals and visitors to unwind and discover the rich tapestry of Austin’s music scene. The event showcases 23 diverse local artists and costs nothing but an RSVP, with the skyline as a stunning backdrop and a welcoming energy.
“I’ve been going for at least the last three or four years,” said Alex Rocha, an Austin content creator and longtime Drop-In attendee. “It’s a great event, especially in the summertime, to get outdoors, hang out with friends and go to an event that’s free, which is really unique in Austin.”
That same excitement fuels the musicians who perform on the Drop-In stage, like ChicoSelfie, a band known for blending cumbia, velvet pop, indie and psychedelic waves into a unique, genre-defying sound.
“This is the second festival we have played so far,” ChicoSelfie frontman Alex Camet said. “We feel grateful about playing there on such an iconic stage.”
For Parker Woodland, a dynamic band blending punk rock and pop, the series offers more than just a free event — it provides a way to give back to the Austin community.
“I get a little choked up just talking about it,” said Erin Walter, Parker Woodland’s lead singer and guitarist. “It meant the world to me to play on that stage, to have the skyline of Austin behind me, to look out and see about 2,000 people … and to be able to share Parker Woodland’s messages and music with all those Austinites.”
That emotional connection extends beyond the stage and into the crowd.
“We’re really trying to engage with people,” Walter said. “One of the things people love about the Long Center Drop-In is they can come and experience all different kinds of music.”
“It helps get young people more out, as well as people who maybe couldn’t afford to go to concerts all the time,” Rocha said. “It’s a great way to keep informed of the up-and-coming bands, as well as to hear some new music or genres that you maybe don’t hear often.”
