St. Lucia and HAYLA Play Emo's Back-to-Back This Weekend

Emo's runs two genuinely different touring acts on back-to-back nights this weekend: St. Lucia's synth-pop on Friday, Aug. 21, and HAYLA's new stripped-down "Dark Tour" on Saturday, Aug. 22. Both shows have 7 p.m. doors at the South Austin venue, and both are still on sale.

According to ATX Things' review of the venue's own event calendar, this isn't a coincidence booking — it's two touring artists whose paths happened to cross in Austin the same week, which means two very different rooms at the same address 24 hours apart.

What's Actually Happening at Emo's This Weekend?

Friday, Aug. 21: St. Lucia, the Brooklyn-via-South-Africa synth-pop project fronted by Jean-Philip Grobler, plays with his full band and no listed opener. Saturday, Aug. 22: HAYLA, the UK vocalist known for singing hooks on dance hits with Kx5, John Summit, Kygo and Illenium, brings her new solo album DARK to town with opener Ella Rosa. Both shows are listed at 7 p.m. on Emo's own calendar — Live Nation venues typically list that as the doors time, with music starting shortly after.

Who Is St. Lucia, and What Are They Touring On?

St. Lucia is the project of Jean-Philip Grobler and his wife, Patti Beranek, who met studying at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts before moving to Brooklyn and launching the band in 2012, according to venue listing site heyaustin.com. The sound leans on '80s synth-pop, new wave and disco — the kind of shimmering, hook-heavy production that made "Elevate" and "All Eyes on You" (off their breakout album When the Night) festival-circuit staples.

The current tour supports Fata Morgana, a two-part record released via Nettwerk Music Group — Dawn, which features a guest spot from Aly & AJ on "Campari Lips & Soda," and Dusk. Grobler performs with longtime band members Ross Clark, Nick Paul, Dustin Kaufman and Beranek herself on keys and harmonies. If you've seen St. Lucia before, expect the same formula that's kept them touring for over a decade: full-band arrangements built for a room that wants to dance, not sit still.

Who Is HAYLA, and Why Is Saturday a Different Kind of Show?

HAYLA — real name not widely used publicly, performing under the single stage name — built her reputation as a featured vocalist on dance-music hits with Kx5, John Summit, Kygo and Illenium, the kind of festival-main-stage credits that come with a specific kind of expectation: big drops, big room energy. Her new album, DARK, released July 31, 2026 via Restless Minds Music/Believe, is a deliberate turn away from that.

"

This album has a lot of themes in it surrounding grief and heartbreak…I wrote this album in the darkest period of my life. A time when I wasn't sure if I knew how to vocalise my feelings and what I had been through. It's written extremely authentically and for the love of writing, connection and catharsis.

Across 11 tracks, the record trades EDM drops for stripped-back, cinematic arrangements — opener "Heal" leans on piano and strings rather than a beat. The Austin stop is one of 17 dates on The Dark Tour, which started Aug. 6 in Chicago and closes Sept. 4 in Los Angeles. Opener Ella Rosa, per Emo's own artist listing for the date, is a newer name worth catching early if you're not already familiar.

What Does It Actually Cost to Get In?

Neither Ticketmaster event page displayed a locked-in face-value general admission price at the time this was written — pricing loads dynamically and didn't render on our check. Third-party resale listings put St. Lucia starting around $59 and HAYLA starting around $40, but those are secondary-market figures, not confirmed box-office prices — treat them as a rough floor, not a quote. Confirm the actual price on Emo's ticket page before you commit to a night out.

There's also a real upgrade worth knowing about if you want to skip the line: Emo's sells Pre-Doors Patio Access ("The Meet Up") as a separate add-on ticket — not a show ticket itself — that opens the outdoor patio one hour before doors, with priority venue entry, private restrooms and first access to the bar. It's listed separately for the St. Lucia date on Emo's own upgrades page.

How Do You Actually Get There and Get In?

Emo's is a cashless venue — bring a card or Apple Pay, not cash. Bags are capped at 12" x 6" x 12"; backpacks and drawstring bags aren't allowed, and non-clear bags get extra screening at the door. There are no in-and-outs once you're in, so plan your night — smoking included — before you walk through security.

The room itself is general-admission standing, first-come-first-served — there's no assigned seating for either show. ADA parking sits first-come-first-served near the main entrance by the security checkpoint, and the main entrance is fully accessible.

What Locals Should Know

1. Two different shows, same venue: St. Lucia Friday, Aug. 21; HAYLA (with opener Ella Rosa) Saturday, Aug. 22 — both 7 p.m. doors.
2. Emo's address is 2015 E Riverside Dr, Austin, TX 78741, in South Austin/St. Elmo — not to be confused with any downtown venue.
3. It's a cashless venue with a 12"x6"x12" bag limit and no backpacks.
4. No in-and-out privileges once you're inside — plan your night before security.
5. The "Meet Up" pre-doors patio upgrade opens at 6 p.m. and is a separate ticket from the show itself.
6. Face-value GA pricing wasn't posted on either Ticketmaster page at the time of writing — confirm before you drive down.
7. Both nights land inside Austin's current heat dome — the patio hour is genuinely hot; the show itself is indoors.

If you want the rest of this weekend's biggest happenings — Austin Pride, PBR Gambler Days, Austin FC and more — our Aug. 21–23 weekend roundup covers the wider picture; this piece is just the Emo's half of it. For another recent look at a touring show landing in a smaller Austin room, see our 3TEN/A Live One breakdown, and if the heat itself is what's on your mind, Austin's free cooling centers are still open this week.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time do doors open at Emo's this weekend? Both nights list 7 p.m. doors on Emo's own calendar — St. Lucia on Friday, Aug. 21, and HAYLA on Saturday, Aug. 22.

Is there an opener for either show? HAYLA's Saturday show has a listed opener, Ella Rosa, per Emo's own artist listing. St. Lucia's Friday show has no opener listed — Grobler's full band plays the whole night.

How much are tickets? Neither Ticketmaster page showed a locked-in face-value GA price at the time of writing. Resale listings put St. Lucia from roughly $59 and HAYLA from roughly $40, but confirm the actual price on Emo's own ticket page before heading out.

Is Emo's cashless? Yes. The venue accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express and Apple Pay only — no cash at any point of sale.

Where do I park at Emo's? Rideshare is the venue's own recommendation, with drop-off in front of security. If you drive, avoid the AutoZone, Club Carnaval and Taco More lots nearby — Emo's own site says all three are actively booting.

Which show are you actually going to — St. Lucia's dance-floor synth-pop or HAYLA's new, quieter sound? Tell us in the comments, and if you've caught the Pre-Doors Patio upgrade before, we want to know if it's worth the heat.