713 Music Hall: Houston’s Newest Major Concert Venue — Sections, Parking, Premium, and the 2026 Schedule
Of all the new venues that have opened in the Houston area over the last decade, 713 Music Hall has the strongest claim to being the room you’d actually want to see a major touring act in. Opened in 2021 as the cornerstone of the POST Houston redevelopment of the old Barbara Jordan Post Office, it’s a 5,000-capacity Live Nation venue with acoustics that consistently get praised as some of the cleanest in any new-build US concert hall. Designed by OMA — Rem Koolhaas’s firm — the room was treated as an architectural project, not a commodity build. That choice shows up in everything from sound quality to the network of hidden lounges and bars woven through the lobbies.
This guide covers it all from a broker’s perspective: every seating tier and what it actually feels like to sit there, the four levels of premium experience, the POST parking situation (better than most downtown Houston venues), the 2026 Live Nation booking slate, and the resale economics if you have inventory you can’t use. Cross-references to the broader Houston Sports Venues Guide, the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion deep-dive, and HTB’s consignment program are scattered throughout where they’re useful.
The basics in one minute
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | 713 Music Hall |
| Address | 401 Franklin Street, Houston, TX 77201 |
| Located inside | POST Houston (former Barbara Jordan Post Office), East Downtown |
| Total capacity (standing) | 5,000 — 4,450 GA standing + premium |
| Total capacity (fully seated) | ~1,950 |
| Year opened | 2021 |
| Operator / programmer | Live Nation |
| Architect | OMA (Rem Koolhaas’s firm) |
| Box office contact | 713musichallinfo@livenation.com / 832-204-6920 |
| Cashless venue | Yes (typical Live Nation policy) |
A quick history
The building started life as the Barbara Jordan Post Office — a sprawling, brutalist-style USPS facility on the eastern edge of downtown Houston, built in 1962 and named for the legendary congresswoman who served Houston’s 18th district. The post office vacated the site in 2014, and after years of planning, the developers behind POST Houston turned the building into a mixed-use destination that opened in 2021. POST houses food halls, retail, a rooftop park (Skylawn), and 713 Music Hall — the building’s anchor entertainment tenant.
The choice to bring in OMA as architect was a signal: this wasn’t going to be a generic sheetrock-walled concert box. The firm specced a multi-level music hall, eclectic lobby spaces with large bars, elevated VIP lounges, and acoustic engineering treated as a primary design constraint. Live Nation took on the booking and operations side, and 2021 opening saw immediate traction — within a year the venue had become Houston’s preferred mid-large-format concert room, capturing tours that previously had to either play the smaller Bayou Music Center / House of Blues tier or the much larger Toyota Center.
What plays here
The 5,000-capacity slot is the Houston touring sweet spot. Most major touring artists at the “growing arc” tier — past the club/theater circuit but not yet doing arenas — fit naturally at 713 Music Hall. Looking at the venue’s 2026 booking calendar, the genre breadth is striking. Across the year, the same room hosts:
- Legacy rock (Little Feat farewell tour)
- Regional Mexican + Latin pop (Los Ángeles Azules, Caifanes, Gerardo Ortiz, BLESSD, CAZZU)
- EDM (Excision, Seven Lions)
- Metal (Lamb of God, Dethklok, Amon Amarth)
- Indie / post-hardcore (Dashboard Confessional)
- R&B / pop (PinkPantheress, Yeat)
- Comedy (Chelcie Lynn / Trailer Trash Tammy)
- Gospel (David & Tamela Mann)
- Guitar virtuoso showcases (SatchVai Band — Joe Satriani + Steve Vai with Animals As Leaders)
That genre breadth means resale dynamics shift heavily by show. A Lamb of God night fills the Pit and floor with intense engagement; a Little Feat farewell tour fills the orchestra and 200 level with a sit-and-listen audience. We get into the section-specific implications of this below.
Section-by-section: where to sit and what it costs
713 Music Hall has four broad seating tiers plus premium boxes/suites. From closest-to-stage outward:
The Pit
Standing-room only zone immediately in front of the stage. For high-energy contemporary acts (EDM, metal, hip-hop, modern pop) this is the most intense and most expensive ticket in the building — you’re feet from the artist, the kick drum hits you in the chest, and the crowd density creates the energy the artist feeds off. For older-skewing legacy or sit-down acts, the Pit makes less sense because the audience wants to actually sit, and Pit demand softens accordingly.
100 Level (sections 101–105)
The main / orchestra level. Sections 101 through 105 sit immediately behind the Pit, with a straight-on view of the stage. These are the consensus best seats for most shows — close enough to see facial expressions, sound is engineered to hit cleanly here, and you’re seated rather than standing. Pricing tier: the highest seated tier in the venue.
200 Level (sections 201–205)
Mezzanine — one level above the orchestra. Reviewers consistently call this the best value tier in the building. You give up some proximity but the sound design treats all levels equally and the elevated angle gives you a clean unobstructed view of the entire stage. For value buyers and on the secondary market, this is often the highest dollar-per-experience tier in the venue.
300 Level (sections 301–305)
Top level — the bird’s-eye tier. Significantly cheaper than the lower levels and still benefits from the venue’s strong sound design. The trade-off is distance from the stage; for shows where being able to see the artist’s face matters (intimate singer-songwriter, comedy), this isn’t the right tier. For shows where visual production drives the experience (lighting design, video walls, EDM, big-arena-style staging in a smaller room), the 300 level can actually be the best vantage.
Loge Boxes
Side mezzanine boxes — highly reviewed, premium pricing tier. You get private seating with cushioned chairs, side-stage angles, and easy sight lines over standing crowds. Often the right choice for audience members who want the venue experience but not the standing-floor energy.
Floor seated config (folding chairs) — caveat
For shows that are sold as fully seated rather than GA standing, the venue puts folding chairs on the main floor. This configuration gets consistently weak reviews. The complaint: all seats are on the same level plane (no rake), so you’re packed in tightly and any taller person in front of you blocks your view. Reviewers describe it as “high-school assembly” feeling. If your show is in seated config and you’re choosing between floor folding chairs and 200 level mezzanine, the 200 level is the better experience by a wide margin even though it’s nominally further from the stage.
Reference table
| Tier | Seated? | Sound | View | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pit | Standing | Loud, front-of-stage | Closest, but standing | EDM, metal, contemporary pop with high audience energy |
| 100 Level (101–105) | Yes | Excellent | Straight-on, close | Most shows; consensus best in the building |
| 200 Level (201–205) | Yes | Excellent | Elevated, clear | Best value; great for sound-driven artists |
| 300 Level (301–305) | Yes | Excellent | Bird’s-eye | Visual-production-heavy shows; budget tier |
| Loge Boxes | Yes | Excellent | Side mezzanine | Premium without going full VIP Box |
| Floor seated (folding chairs) | Yes | Loud | Often blocked | Avoid if better options available |
Premium seating: VIP Boxes, Suites, and the membership program
713 Music Hall has invested in the premium tier more than most venues at this size. There are three main premium products:
VIP Boxes
Center-located private boxes holding 2–12 people. Pricing ranges roughly $124 to $630 per seat depending on the show and box configuration. For tier-one acts, expect closer to the upper end; mid-tier shows tend toward the lower end. Booking the entire box is typically $3,240 to $16,200. Each box includes:
- VIP entrance (skip the main gate line)
- VIP parking access
- VIP club access
- Dedicated attendant for in-box food and beverage
- Private cushioned seating with strong center sight lines
Suites
Larger format than VIP Boxes — 8 to 30 people. Suite buildouts include couches, loveseats, bar stools, stadium-style seating, plus TVs, a kitchenette, a closet for belongings, and ample countertops/tables for snacks. Sold as a full unit, typically priced for corporate or large-group buyers.
713 Music Hall VIP Membership
Live Nation runs a season-style VIP membership program for the venue. Details vary by tier, but the membership generally bundles VIP entrance, premium seating credits, club access, and priority booking access to ticketed shows. For Houstonians who attend 8+ shows a year here, the math often works out vs. event-by-event premium ticketing.
Event-specific VIP packages
Many tours layer their own VIP packages on top — premium seating in the Pit or 100 Level, signed merchandise, soundcheck access, meet-and-greet. These are sold through the artist’s tour rather than the venue and pricing varies wildly. Worth checking the artist’s official site if you want one.
Getting there
Driving + parking
713 Music Hall sits at 401 Franklin Street in downtown Houston, just east of the main downtown skyline. From I-45, US-59 / I-69, or US-90, you’re 5–10 minutes from the venue door. The big advantage versus other downtown concert venues is parking density:
- POST Houston onsite lot: 800 parking spaces with license plate recognition technology and online payment. The default option for most attendees.
- Premier Parking: the upgrade tier — located at the entrance on Franklin and Congress, includes VIP entrance into the venue and expedited exit after the show. Limited supply, sells out for big shows. Buy in advance via the official site or Ticketmaster.
- Nearby alternatives: the 399 Franklin Street Garage, the Houston Amtrak Station Parking Lot, and the Platinum Parking Milam Street Lot all serve as backup options when POST is full.
- Free 2-hour parking trick: dine at El Tiempo at POST’s East Wing before the show and you get 2 hours of free parking validated. Useful for quick pre-show dinners.
Public transit
Houston METRO bus and rail serve downtown and reach within walking distance of POST Houston. The METRORail Red Line runs through downtown; the Green and Purple lines also connect into the area. For show attendees coming from the southwest (Texas Medical Center) or the north (Northline), METRORail is a viable alternative to driving and avoids parking entirely. For specific routes from your starting point, check ridemetro.org or the Moovit app.
Rideshare
The venue’s designated Uber/Lyft drop-off and pickup is the corner of Franklin Street and Bagby Street. After the show, expect surge pricing and 15–20 minute waits — the standard amphitheater post-show pattern. The “walk a block or two from the venue first” trick speeds up driver assignment significantly.
What to know before you go
Bag policy
Bags up to 12″ × 6″ × 12″ are allowed. All bags will be searched at entry. Non-clear bags are subject to additional inspection. Small clutches roughly the size of a hand or smaller are exempt from the clear-bag requirement.
Weather considerations — bring a layer
Reviewers consistently flag that the venue runs the air conditioning aggressively. Multiple reviews mention that 713 Music Hall is “unbearably cold” indoors. Even on hot Houston summer nights, bring a light layer or sweater — staff have confirmed the temperature is intentional.
Concessions and bars
One of the venue’s signature features is its network of bars and lounges woven through the lobbies. Multiple bar locations spread the traffic so lines move quickly. Beer, wine, mixed drinks, and full liquor are available. Pricing is at the high end of major-venue norms — expect $14+ for cocktails and $11+ for beers, typical of large Live Nation venues.
Cashless venue
Like most modern Live Nation properties, 713 Music Hall is cashless — credit and debit cards only at concessions, parking, and box office.
Pre-show dining
POST Houston’s food hall is steps from the venue door. Pre-show options include a wide range of cuisines from local restaurants. The advantage over standalone concert venues is that you can build the entire evening — dinner, drinks at one of POST’s rooftop bars, then the show — all without leaving the building.
2026 schedule highlights
Upcoming (May 2026 forward)
- May 3 — Little Feat: The Last Farewell Tour
- May 6 — BLESSD: El Mejor Hombre Del Mundo Tour
- May 8 — Chelcie Lynn: Trailer Trash Tammy The Loose Lips Tour
- May 9 — Seven Lions: Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars Tour
- May 10 + 12 — CAZZU: Latinaje En Vivo
- July 31 — Dashboard Confessional
- August 4 — Yeat: The LOVE/LYFE Tour
Earlier in 2026 (already played)
- Excision (Feb 28), Los Ángeles Azules (Mar 26), Gerardo Ortiz (Mar 27), David & Tamela Mann (Apr 10), Caifanes (Apr 11), Lamb of God (Apr 12), SatchVai Band with Animals As Leaders (Apr 16), Dethklok & Amon Amarth (Apr 18), PinkPantheress (Apr 22)
For the current full schedule, the official source is 713musichall.com/shows.
Resale economics by section
For HTB clients with 713 Music Hall inventory they can’t use, here’s how the secondary market typically prices each tier.
Pit demand is the most artist-dependent thing in the building. For young-skewing acts (PinkPantheress, Yeat, EDM tours like Excision and Seven Lions), the Pit moves at premiums of 1.5–3x the orchestra’s price floor — buyers who want floor proximity will pay aggressively. For legacy and adult-contemporary acts (Little Feat, Dashboard Confessional, the SatchVai Band-tier guitar showcases), Pit demand softens because the audience wants seated comfort, not standing energy. Price Pit inventory aggressively for the right acts; expect to discount it heavily for the wrong ones.
100 Level orchestra (sections 101–105) is the bread-and-butter resale tier. Stable demand across genres, rarely below face on the secondary market for any tier-one tour. Sell with confidence. The center sections (102, 103) hold the strongest premium.
200 Level mezzanine is the value buyer’s sweet spot. Reviewers consistently call this the best $/quality tier, and that translates to active secondary-market demand. These seats often clear faster than the 300 level and at premium-to-discount-section pricing. List with confidence at face value or slight premium.
300 Level sells below face on most shows. The audience that buys 300 Level is price-sensitive — they’re choosing the venue experience over the seat-quality experience. For sellers, setting a minimum-price floor (rather than fixed face) typically nets more than holding inventory. Why minimum-price listings tend to net more covers the mechanics in detail.
Loge Boxes have steady premium demand. Limited supply, strong reviews, and the side-mezzanine angle works for buyers who specifically want a premium experience without going full VIP Box. List 4–6 weeks out for major shows.
VIP Boxes have low resale velocity but high $/seat when they move. Limited supply (the venue has a finite number of boxes), and the box-as-a-unit pricing structure slows turnover. Most VIP Box resale happens for blockbuster shows where retail demand has fully cleared and buyers turn to the secondary market for any seats they can find.
Floor seated config (folding chairs) — discount expected. The widely-known “packed in like sardines” complaint means buyers actively avoid these seats when better options exist. If you’re holding folding-chair-config inventory and need to sell, expect to discount aggressively below face to clear.
Suites are corporate buyer territory. The 8-30 person box configuration plus the 5-figure cost makes suites a different market — primarily companies, not individual buyers. Long sales cycles, limited secondary-market activity.
How HTB helps 713 Music Hall sellers
If you have 713 Music Hall inventory you can’t use — VIP Boxes, premium seats, single tickets to a sold-out show — Houston Ticket Brokers can multi-list across StubHub, SeatGeek, TickPick, AXS, Vivid Seats, and Ticketmaster simultaneously. There’s no upfront fee — 20% commission only when tickets actually sell. The Seller Confidence Guarantee covers the rare case where a sold ticket fails to deliver.
Full details on the program: Houston Season Ticket Consignment. For the broader Houston-area venue context, see the Houston Sports Venues Guide. For the comparable major outdoor amphitheater up in The Woodlands, see the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion deep-dive.
For broader guidance on selling concert tickets across any Houston venue, see Tips for Selling Concert Tickets.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the capacity of 713 Music Hall?
5,000 in standing configuration (4,450 GA standing plus premium), scaling down to about 1,950 in fully-seated configuration. The venue’s flexibility lets it size to the act — full standing for EDM and contemporary pop, fully seated for legacy rock and singer-songwriter shows, and various hybrid configurations in between.
Where exactly is 713 Music Hall?
401 Franklin Street, Houston, TX 77201 — inside POST Houston, the redeveloped former Barbara Jordan Post Office on the eastern edge of downtown.
How much is parking?
POST Houston has 800 onsite parking spots with online payment via license plate recognition. Pricing varies by event but is generally at downtown Houston market rates. Premier Parking (closer to the entrance, includes VIP gate access and expedited post-show exit) is available at a premium. Free 2-hour parking is included if you dine at El Tiempo in POST’s East Wing before the show.
What’s the best section at 713 Music Hall?
For most shows, the consensus best seated section is 102 or 103 in the 100 Level orchestra — center-stage, close, full benefit of the venue’s strong acoustic design. The Pit is best for high-energy shows where you want to be on the floor near the stage. The 200 Level mezzanine is the best value tier — excellent sound, clear sightlines, priced below the 100 Level.
Should I avoid the floor folding-chair seats?
For shows where the floor is configured as seated (folding chairs rather than GA standing), reviewers consistently report a poor experience — flat seating with no rake means tall people in front of you block the stage. If you have a choice between floor folding chairs and 200 Level mezzanine, take the mezzanine. For GA standing shows, the floor and Pit work as designed.
What’s the bag policy?
Bags up to 12″ × 6″ × 12″ are allowed. All bags are searched at entry. Non-clear bags get additional inspection. Small clutches (hand-sized or smaller) are exempt from the clear-bag rule.
Is 713 Music Hall really that cold inside?
Yes. Multiple reviewers flag that the venue runs aggressive air conditioning year-round. Even on hot Houston summer nights, bring a light layer or sweater. Staff have confirmed the temperature is intentional.
Can I bring outside food or drinks?
No outside food or beverages. The venue is fully cashless — credit/debit cards only at concessions and parking. POST Houston’s food hall is steps from the venue door if you want a pre-show meal.
How do VIP Boxes compare to Suites?
VIP Boxes hold 2–12 people in a private box with VIP entrance, parking, club access, attendant service, and cushioned seating. Pricing roughly $124–$630 per seat. Suites are larger (8–30 people) with built-out furniture (couches, loveseats, bar stools), TVs, a kitchenette, and more storage. Suites are typically booked as a unit for corporate or large-group entertaining.
Is 713 Music Hall accessible by public transit?
Yes — Houston METRO bus and rail (METRORail Red Line plus Green/Purple lines) serve downtown Houston within walking distance of POST. For attendees coming from the Texas Medical Center or other parts of the city, METRORail is a viable alternative to driving and avoids parking entirely.
Where do major touring acts play in Houston?
Stadium-scale tours (Taylor Swift, Beyoncé) play NRG/Reliant Stadium. Arena-scale tours play Toyota Center. Mid-large-format tours that need ~5,000 capacity play 713 Music Hall — that’s the tier 713 Music Hall was designed for. Mid-size tours (~3,000) play Bayou Music Center or White Oak Music Hall. Smaller tours (~1,300) play House of Blues Houston. Outdoor amphitheater tours play Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands.
How early should I arrive?
For tier-one shows on Friday or Saturday nights, arrive 60+ minutes before doors. Downtown Houston traffic backs up around showtime, parking takes time to navigate, and bag inspection at entry adds another 10–15 minutes. For weeknight shows with smaller-tier acts, 30–40 minutes is usually sufficient.
Can I sell my 713 Music Hall tickets through Houston Ticket Brokers?
Yes. HTB multi-lists 713 Music Hall inventory across StubHub, SeatGeek, TickPick, AXS, Vivid Seats, and Ticketmaster, with no upfront fee — 20% commission only when tickets actually sell. The Seller Confidence Guarantee covers the rare delivery-failure case.