The Terminal Builds Major Concert Buzz in Houston — Everything You Need to Know About the Futuristic New Live Music Venue Downtown

Austin might be the self dubbed live music capital of the world, but Houston brings its own underrated music scene. And now the Bayou City has a new showcase venue that should be able to compete with Austin’s best as far as coolest quotient.

The Terminal is bringing live music to POST Houston, the new mixed-use development taking shape in the former Barbara Jordan Post Office building at 401 Franklin Street. With its 5,000 person capacity, The Terminal will immediately become the largest music venue in Downtown Houston when it opens, which is scheduled for November.

From delivering mail to delivering live music, the old Barbara Jordan Post Office complex is undergoing a massive transformation.

Concert giant Live Nation is behind The Terminal and it is aiming to set it apart from other venues with superior sound quality. With state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems, this should be a one of a kind concert experience. The likes of which Houston has not seen before.

Even the design of The Terminal’s seats is unusual. The seating has been designed to be angled, making for much better sight lines and creating the sense of being in a much smaller club.

The floor will be general admission for standing and dancing during concerts with Tribune Tiers — balconies with actual seating — above. You can also expect fiberglass grating, polycarbonate and aluminized fabric and tons of multicolored lighting.

The Office For Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) — a Dutch firm — designed The Terminal with the concertgoer experience in mind. Hidden lounges even dot the venue waiting to be discovered.

This is an intimate new venue that aims to blur the line between a stadium concert and an intimate indie music experience. Live Nation plans to bring some big names to The Terminal while keeping a cozy feeling between the concert attendees and the music acts.

While The Terminal will host some major performers, its flexible square footage also will be available for swanky corporate events, weddings, private dining, private concerts and more. At three stories and 90,000 square feet, there is plenty of space for bars, elevated lounges and exclusive VIP experiences on the third floor.

The Terminal and POST Houston’s Larger World

POST Houston will be more than The Terminal. An international food hall and market, a co-working space, restaurants and bars are also on tap. Lee Jane’s Hot Chicken, Gelu Italian Ice, Salt & Time Butcher Shop, Soupreme, Taco Fuego and the Butcher’s Burger are all already committed to the new mixed-use center.

Then, there’s the roof. Yes, the roof. Perfectly encapsulating Houston’s meld of country meets big city, the incredibly modern center will have a park and working farm on its roof.

While technically a mixed-use center, POST Houston is also something of an architectural art installation. POST has garnered much excitement in Houston with many long anticipating (and awaiting) its opening.

Until then, updates will have to do. Another bit of excitement will come in July when Live Nation is expected to release The Terminal’s initial concert schedule.

A new era in Houston music is coming. No longer will the Bayou Music Center and its 3,000 capacity be the best that can be done downtown. There is a new futuristic showcase spot.