An Austin music venue is turning 50, and it's throwing a month-long party

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- If you've been around Austin for long enough, you're sure to have heard a sentiment along the lines of "I miss the Old Austin."

While it's true that Austin -- like most metropolises -- is ever-changing, one music venue/bar near the University of Texas' campus has remained. And it's older than the average Austinite.

After avoiding closure last year, Hole in the Wall on Guadalupe Street is celebrating in a big way this year. The music venue/bar opened on June 15, 1974, according to a post on its Instagram page. This month marks the venue's 50th birthday, giving it a leg up on the median age of Austinites, which is 34.5, per City of Austin Demographics.

The popular music venue is celebrating the milestone all month long with a stacked "50th Anniversary Series" of shows every single day. The lineup includes several Austin-based artists, like Shakey Graves, Tear Dungeon, Grand Champeen, Dom Francis, Nick Garza, Tate Mayeux and Friends, and a few "special guest" surprise acts.

"We’re celebrating every night this month, with old friends, new friends, and tried-and-true friends," one of the venue's Instagram posts reads. "We’ve got a few secret guests, some fun new goodies, and a sprinkle of shenanigans in store. So come out any night or every night, we’ll be partying all of June. And yeah, I’m a Gemini."

There's also special 50th anniversary merchandise available for those wishing to keep the celebrations going past June.

Hole in the Wall's website hails itself as "one of Austin's most legendary venues," and with plenty of merit to back that claim.

The venue's website tells its story and says that, "throughout Austin’s turbulent cultural storms, the Hole in the Wall has remained the Austin music scene’s go-to club for generations of beginner bands, established touring acts, and famous rock stars to throw back a few, have a laugh with the locals, and, as one of our most revered regulars, Doug Sahm, once said, 'get down to the nitty gritty.'"

According to the Texas State Historical Association, more than 10,000 musicians have played at Hole in the Wall, including Stevie Ray Vaughan, Shawn Colvin, Nanci Griffith, Timbuk 3, Fastball, the Bizarros, Reverend Horton Heat, Doug Sahm, Lucinda Williams, the Texas Tornados, and countless others. 

If you drive down The Drag this month, wish a happy birthday to Hole in the Wall, and next time you hear someone say they "miss the Old Austin," point them to the Austin staple.