San Antonio’s Thriving Music Scene Gets a Worthy Venue — And a Killer SXSW Showcase

There are simple methods of announcing a notable new music venue, and then there’s the Stable Hall way. Part one included a classic press conference at San Antonio’s historic Pearl Stable building on March 15, with remarks and live music that offered a taste of Alamo City’s rich music scene. Part two, however, saw the Pearl team, along with Texas-based entertainment development group WoodHouse (Park House Dallas, José, The Moore Miami), take over Austin’s iconic Continental Club during SXSW 2022 with an invitation-only showcase to set the tone for the intimate Stable Hall, slated to open spring 2023.

The new venue will also be one of San Antonio’s longest-standing. Constructed as the horse stables for the original Pearl Brewery property in the late 1800s, the building was used most recently as a private event venue. Next year, however, the 1,000-guest music hall will be a marquee destination for national tours and rising Texas stars alike — expect showcases from San Antonio legends like Santiago Jiménez Jr., Azul Barrientos, and Campanas de America.

You can expect a new look for the stables as well. To get the update right (while honoring Stable Hall’s history-rich structure) Pearl tapped San Antonio and Austin-based architects Clayton Korte and Austin-based interior design firm Joel Mozersky Design. Plans include hand-painted murals, handsome rough-hewn wooden floors, and the restoration of Stable Hall’s wood ceiling.

A string-lit, outdoor Biergarten will serve up craft beer, bratwurst, kolaches, and more as a nod to Pearl Brewing’s German heritage (Word + Carr will team up with Clayton Korte on landscaping). But the main attraction will be Stable Hall’s draped jewel-box stage, accentuated with state-of-the-art acoustics and lighting design.

After the San Antonio announcement, the Pearl and WoodHouse team took to SXSW, where performances from artists like The Peterson Brothers, Grammy-nominated Santiago Jimenez Jr., Garrett T. Capps, and San Antonio’s own Rosie Flores helped illustrate Stable Hall’s main goal: to amplify and celebrate the Texas music scene statewide.

Relive the intimate showcase with our slideshow.