Cloud Companion at Stubb’s during Free Week on Jan. 10, 2026 
Felt Out at the 13th Floor during Free Week on Jan. 10, 2026 
KindKeith at the 13th Floor during Free Week on Jan. 10, 2026 
Subpar Snatch at Swan Dive during Free Week on Jan. 10, 2026 
Team Trust at Mohawk during Free Week on Jan. 8, 2026 
Tear Dungeon at Mohawk during Free Week on Jan. 8, 2026
When was the last time you saw a line outside the 13th Floor?
It’s typically a touring act that inspires Austinites to queue, but Free Week 2026 brought musical enthusiasm back to the locals. Folks of all ages – some in winterwear, others braving the surprise cold in their night-out best – milled around the Red River Cultural District last weekend, bopping between clubs to make the most of the annual no-cost mini-festival.
The Chronicle posted up at that aforementioned psych rock haven, where Stop Motion Orchestra, Little Mazarn, KindKeith, Felt Out, and je’Texas showcased a smorgasbord of experimental rock, folk, funk, and electronic sounds. Darkwave duo Jet Cemetery got the goths moving at Elysium, Sweet Limb tapped the “lo-fi beats to study to” jackpot at Stubb’s, and earnest art-punks Team Trust kicked the festivities off early with a Thursday night sound collage at Mohawk. It was like the South by Southwest of years past: all homegrown, all scrappy, all Austin.
See more Free Week photos here.
This article appears in January 16 • 2026.