Moody Center — Attraction in Austin

September 2025

It was super cool to see a Texas Longhorns volleyball game at the Moody Center. The staff were very nice and great food & drink options.

November 2024

Little Big Town + Sugar Land with the Castellows was a great show. Security was still a little slow to entering the staff was super friendly.

Mariah Carey's Christmas Time was spectacular and the Moody Center added a few holiday photo ops. You can now access the deck early for drinks and specials where the entry is located next to the H-E-B Suite Level entrance on the north side of the venue.

P!nk got the crowd going with her acrobatics and singing all of her big hits. Maren Morris opened the show wearing a cool jacked given to her from the Moody Center ATX. KidCutUp was the in-house DJ. My seats were in section 207 and had a nice vantage point with the bar up the steps and both men and women's restrooms close by.

I noticed now the delicious grilled hot dog sellers were now selling before the event outside. The security entry was a bit slower where seemed like new employees working. The pedicabs were charging more ... not surprised.

August 2024

Niall Horan with Del Water Gap was a great show. Spotted another Trisha Yearwood's Party Nachos on the lower concourse level.

June 2024

Another Summer concert were saw Alanis Morissette with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Morgan Wade. We sat in the first row in the upper deck facing the side of the stage. It was partially blocked by stage setup but the sound was still great.

June 2024

Saw Justin Timberlake and was a great show. I payed attention to the sound where did not hear an echo from sound bouncing off the structure. The facility is well insulated with padding covering all hard surfaces. One hint is to purchase two front seats in from the isle seat where you will have a glass wall that may be bother some people.

March 2024

The NBA San Antonio Spurs once again return to the Moody Center to taken the Brooklyn Nets. The place transformed very nicely to accommodate 16,000 fans and I did not see long lines for concessions, bars, and restrooms for there was no problems handing the large crowd. The only concern and warning was one of my seats (section 111, row B, seat 1) is situated on the isle and partially behind a glass barrier wall. I felt a little caged in but luckily the third seat next to me was unoccupied so just slid over to enjoy the nice view of the court.

Not sure the Frost Bank Center now has LED lighting but the Moody Center does, so it was lit up very nicely in patriotic colors for the national anthem and green for St. Patricks Day. I also found a bar serving green beer and took advantage of it along with a special black Moody Center/Spurs reusable tumbler.

I did see something new called Trisha Yearwood's ParTY Nachos on the lower concourse serving nachos with different toppings.

Seeing the Spurs here in Austin saves me a trip to San Antonio.

February 2024

I went to see my first Texas Longhorns Women's Basketball game at the Moody Center. GA tickets were only $9 and could sit anywhere except reserved seating. The game day experience was remarkable and a bang for your buck. All the concessions on the lower level were open including bars. The team shop was open and stocked full of Texas apparel and merchandise. Overall had a fun time, and afterwards could have gotten autographs from the players. It truly very fan friendly. #hookem

January 2024

Bryan Adams - So Happy It Hurts Tour

Great performance and this time access to the Indeed Club. There was a nice selection of drinks and food options, along with very clean restrooms. The decor had a...

This is a bran new CASH LESS event center in Austin. This was only the second concert held here. Grand opening is next month with George Strait. We saw Bon Jovi, packed house. First the parking is crazy! There is no place close to park. Traffic with construction on nearby roads was horrible. We had to park across 35 and take a pedal cab to the Moody Center. Uber ride share pick up & drop off is down at Frank Erwin Center. You walk to the Moody Center. Once inside it was great. The lines moved very fast, really no lines at all. On the back side of the venue they had a live band playing outdoors with a sitting area , merchandise truck to purchase items from the concert, shirts , posters , bags ect. Inside they have various food places, all kind of carousel style you walk in grab you food, drink and go to self serve kiosk to pay. They did have staff there to help with transactions. Prices were a little on the pricey side, see pictures of various menus for a idea of prices. You can get, bbq, pizza, Chinese food, burgers, and of course drinks. Can/ bottle drinks ,including beer are sold here as well. They do have full bars located all around for mixed drinks. The best park about this venue is the balcony on the back side looking into downtown Austin, the Capital Building. Amazing sunset views! This area is large, it’s a circular balcony along the whole back side of building. There is drink vendors out here with seating and couches to visit with friends outside before the show. The whole venue is CASH LESS. Bring your plastic cards with ya. NO CASH for ANYTHING. The sections are called portals, each names after a Texas Artists. You will see the names by the “Portal ” numbers in the pics. Kind of a cool addition, might not remember the number of your section/portal but you can say I’m in the Buddy Holly Portal LOL…. Restrooms were moving fast but ran out of Toilet paper in several womans restrooms. Definitely need to rethink the bathroom attendant position. Once in our seats, the view was great , not a bad seat in the place. Lots of suites around the arena with couches and lounge areas, I’m sure they come with a nice price tag. The “Regular“ seats are VERY small, You are VERY close to people next to you. The video screens for people to see were not very visible to people upstairs, wich seemed odd. About half way into the concert it got very warm in the venue. I’m sure the all people and lights played a part but they need to account for that and turn the AC down. People sitting in there seats were sweating, looking to cool down, from the floor seats to the top, you could see people fanning themselves. Just a few kinks to work out and I’m sure they will as they host more events. Great...

Austin's Moody Center, the city's new event venue, seems to miss the mark in terms of comfort and affordability. My recent experience there was marred by exorbitant prices and seating issues that significantly impacted my enjoyment of the event.

The lavish design of the Moody Center suggests a top-tier event experience. However, this is quickly overshadowed by the startling concession prices. A modest order of a double margarita, soft pretzel, and coke totaled a shocking $64 after taxes and tips, a steep price that feels unjustified for what was offered.

Seating is a critical aspect where the Moody Center disappoints. The regular seats are not only distant from the stage but also small, made of hard plastic, and uncomfortably close together. As a heavier individual, I felt a constant concern for the seat's stability, fearing it might collapse and impact others in the row. This lack of robust and spacious seating is a glaring issue for a venue aiming to accommodate diverse audiences.

Additionally, the narrow spacing between rows is another design flaw. It necessitates the entire row standing whenever someone needs to exit, leading to a continuous and disruptive game of stand-up and sit-down throughout the event. This significantly detracts from the experience and is a nuisance for attendees.

While the sound quality is acceptable, it doesn't compensate for the discomfort and high costs. Good acoustics are expected at such venues, but they're overshadowed by these more pressing issues.

Moreover, the commercialized nature of the Moody Center detracts from the intimacy of a live event. The venue feels more like a bustling commercial hub than a dedicated space for artistic performances. This atmosphere is starkly contrasted with the more welcoming and engaging environment of the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA), which, despite being an airport, offers a more pleasant and connected experience.

In summary, the Moody Center's high prices and uncomfortable seating arrangements, including the potential instability for heavier individuals and the inconvenient row spacing, make it a less appealing option for future events. The venue needs to address these issues to truly provide the luxurious and inclusive experience it advertises.

I probably won’t return, at least not until the prices return to congruence...