Skip to Content

Antone’s Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary With the Opening of a New Blues Museum and Much More

Austin’s iconic blues hub marks its golden anniversary with a series of events, exclusive releases, and the debut of a dedicated museum

hi-res-antones_pc_arnold-wells_0
Antone’s Nightclub, the legendary blues venue marks its 50th anniversary in 2025 with a series of celebrations, including the Austin Blues Fest at Moody Amphitheater in April. (Photo by Arnold Wells)

With blues in its blood and Austin in its soul, Antone’s Nightclub turns 50 this July. It marks this milestone with a spate of events to satisfy fans and spread its gospel a little further. The storied venue came to prominence with a single-minded focus on nurturing relationships with blues lovers and legends like Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy and Albert King, eventually becoming a magnet for acolytes and modern prophets, including Stevie Ray Vaughn, Gary Clark Jr. and many more. 

As a recent press release announced, Antone’s will mark its first quinquagenarian year with special performances at the Fifth Street club throughout July. It will also feature a special edition of the Austin Blues Fest at Moody Amphitheater in April. 

“It’s gonna be a really special, once-in-every-half-century type of thing,” said Zach Ernst, Director of Booking and Creative at Antone’s. Ernst said that the upcoming Blues Fest would feature daily “super-sized” 90-minute sets against the background of golden hour. Lineups for the festival were released Wednesday, so fans can expect performers like Kingfish, Mavis Staples, Jackie Venson and more, but performers for the special long sets are still secret. 

This year's Austin Blues Fest lineup includes the "Antone's 50th Anniversary Allstar Jam" alongside headliners Kingfish, Mavis Staples, Jackie Venson, and more.
This year’s Austin Blues Fest lineup includes the “Antone’s 50th Anniversary Allstar Jam” alongside headliners Kingfish, Mavis Staples, Jackie Venson, and more.

The golden jubilee

Fans may also look forward to the summer release of a box set with performances chosen from across the length of Antone’s Nightclub’s existence. Ernst said the project, “one of the most exciting things we’re working on,” will include brand new recordings, the best of historic Antone’s record label releases from the 80s and 90s and a disc of live footage spanning the club’s existence. “Some of that has been out of print for decades,” he said. 

SHOP

Swipe
Coco Zentner
Serenade
Fairmont Spa Austin
The Beauty Way
Eliza Page
Milk + Honey
Creekhaven Inn & Spa
Season 2 Consign Austin
  • TRIBEZA's 2025 Valentine's Day Gift Guide
  • TRIBEZA's 2025 Valentine's Day Gift Guide
  • TRIBEZA's 2025 Valentine's Day Gift Guide
  • TRIBEZA's 2025 Valentine's Day Gift Guide
  • TRIBEZA's 2025 Valentine's Day Gift Guide
  • TRIBEZA's 2025 Valentine's Day Gift Guide
  • TRIBEZA's 2025 Valentine's Day Gift Guide
  • TRIBEZA's 2025 Valentine's Day Gift Guide

A permanent Blues Museum is also planned for the second floor at Antone’s current Fifth Street location. Co-owner Will Bridges said his collection of Antone’s memorabilia dates from before his involvement with the venue, which he helped take over 10 years ago, but the museum will feature more. Amassing artifacts through the Clifford Antone Foundation, Susan Antone’s network and fans across the country, Bridges told us he’d even received “half a box truck full of stuff” in one major donation from a fan. While the museum space may be “micro” from a square footage standpoint, a wealth of material will also make it immersive and interactive, said Bridges.

A special panel at SXSW in March, in addition to the club’s usual venue showcase hosting duties, is scheduled, and Antone’s will take part in Lincoln Center’s Summer For The City, a day of performances featuring “friends and all-stars” in New York City, this June. 

The club even plans to open an outpost inside the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Additionally, Susan Antone’s book, “Picture the Blues,” will be re-released alongside a never-before-seen extended director’s cut of the 2005 documentary, “Antone’s: Home Of The Blues.” 

The 3rd Annual Austin Blues Festival returns to Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on April 26-27. (Photo by Mark Martich)
The 3rd Annual Austin Blues Festival returns to Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on April 26-27. (Photo by Mark Martich)

Living history

We asked co-owner Bridges if he ever thought Antone’s would make it this far and he gave us a confident, “Yes. The whole game plan was longevity.” 

Bridges described the faithful audience of music lovers, many who knew Clifford Antone personally, including Zach Ernst, who each poured their hearts into creating a truly meaningful local scene. The continuity in their community was illustrated with the example of Ilse Haynes, who can be seen helping to work the door at Antone’s today, much as she did decades prior. 

Bridges went on to describe the venue as important for the history of the blues dating far back to before its founding. “The history is so important and the clock was ticking when Clifford started Antone’s but he still had access to some of the living progenitors of the art form, so to be able to present them and celebrate them was his way of preserving the blues.” 

Finally, he added, “It feels like we’re just kind of getting warmed up, which is really exciting … If you can find something that gives you that attitude you’re a lucky person.”

RELATED: 13 Must-Visit Intimate Music Venues in Austin