ACL Live at the Moody Theater opened on February 10, 2011, in downtown Austin, Texas, as the full-time production home of the long-running PBS series Austin City Limits. Built as part of the mixed-use Block 21 development alongside the W Austin hotel, the $40 million venue replaced the show’s original cramped studio on the University of Texas campus, which held just 320 people.
The 2,750-capacity theater was designed by Andersson-Wise Architects and funded in part by a $2.5 million gift from the Moody Foundation to public television station KLRU, reportedly the largest single donation the station had ever received. Beyond its roughly 45 days a year of Austin City Limits tapings, the venue hosts around 100 concerts and another 100 private events annually, making it one of downtown Austin’s busiest live-entertainment hubs.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Austin, Texas (Block 21, Second Street District)
- Type: Live music venue & TV production studio
- Opened: February 10, 2011
- Capacity: about 2,750
- Construction cost: about $40 million
- Famous for: Permanent taping home of PBS’s Austin City Limits
A Television Studio Built to Hold a Crowd
Before 2011, Austin City Limits taped in a small UT-Austin studio seating only about 320 people, limiting both audience size and the scale of acts the show could book. The move to the Moody Theater let producers bring in larger national touring acts while giving far more fans a chance to see a taping in person.
Architects Andersson-Wise designed the space to work double duty: a broadcast-grade production facility with the sightlines, acoustics, and energy of a proper concert hall, built into the larger Block 21 complex alongside the W Austin hotel and residences.
A Year-Round Concert Hub
While Austin City Limits tapings remain its signature use, with KLRU getting around 45 rent-free production days a year, the Moody Theater functions as a full-time commercial venue the rest of the time. It books roughly 100 concerts and 100 private events annually, spanning genres from rock and country to comedy and corporate functions.
The venue is now operated by Opry Entertainment Group, part of Ryman Hospitality Properties, which also runs other prominent American music venues, reflecting ACL Live’s standing as a nationally recognized stop on the touring circuit.
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ACL Live at the Moody Theater FAQs
When did ACL Live at the Moody Theater open?
It opened on February 10, 2011, as the new permanent home of Austin City Limits.
How many people can ACL Live hold?
The venue has a capacity of about 2,750, far larger than the 320-seat UT-Austin studio Austin City Limits used before 2011.
Is ACL Live only used for Austin City Limits tapings?
No. Although it hosts the show’s tapings roughly 45 days a year, it also stages about 100 concerts and 100 private events annually as a commercial music venue.
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Photo: Michael Barera / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.