Austin has long carried the title of the Live Music Capital of the World, and the 21st century has provided plenty of proof. Since 2000, the city has been the setting for historic benefit concerts, chaotic South by Southwest showcases, intimate club appearances by rock royalty and festival sets that turned rising stars into household names. The concerts below are among the most memorable Austin has seen over the past two decades; each one captures a different side of the city's musical identity.

2005, 2011 and 2017: Willie Nelson's epic benefit concerts

Willie Nelson has been a central figure in Austin music for decades, so it made sense that he became one of the first artists to rally the city after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast in August 2005. He headlined the 'Neighbors in Need' benefit at the Frank Erwin Center, with all proceeds going to the American Red Cross. More than 6,000 people attended, and the lineup included the Neville Brothers, Ray Price, Jimmie Vaughan, the Flatlanders, Eric Johnson, Bob Schneider and Patty Griffin. The night raised more than $229,000, roughly $385,000 in today's money, for hurricane relief.

Nelson returned to the same venue on October 17, 2011, this time with the Chicks, for 'Fire Relief: The Concert for Central Texas' after wildfires devastated Bastrop. He was back again on September 22, 2017, when he headlined a Hurricane Harvey relief concert featuring Paul Simon and James Taylor. These shows demonstrate how Nelson has used his influence to channel Austin's communal energy toward urgent causes.

2006: The Rolling Stones at Zilker Park

In 2006, the Rolling Stones made their long-awaited Austin debut in front of more than 40,000 fans at Zilker Park. The crowd stretched across the grass, and those who could not get inside gathered around the gates just to hear the music. Mick Jagger greeted the audience with a simple admission: We're Austin virgins! Local legend Ian McLagan, who had played with Ronnie Wood in the Faces, helped open the show along with Los Lonely Boys. The performance was later included in the 2007 concert DVD collection 'The Biggest Bang.'

2007: The Stooges at Waterloo Records

During South by Southwest in 2007, the Stooges brought their raw, unpredictable energy to a daytime in-store performance at Waterloo Records. The band was promoting its reunion album, 'The Weirdness,' and the old store location reached its 250-person capacity almost immediately. When Iggy Pop saw the overflow crowd baking in the sun outside, he opened the exit doors so more fans could watch from the parking lot. Guitarist Ron Asheton later recalled that so many people showed up that police had to chase fans away.

2009: Metallica at Stubb's

Metallica's 2009 SXSW appearance at Stubb's was supposed to promote a Guitar Hero video game, but it quickly became one of the festival's most talked-about shows. The band opened with 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' and tore through a set that included a track by the Sword. Frontman James Hetfield poked fun at SXSW's discovery theme by pretending to be from Norway and joking about wanting to be signed. The venue's capacity was nowhere near enough: thousands of fans were turned away, and some climbed telephone poles for a glimpse.

2011: The Strokes at Auditorium Shores

The Strokes played a free SXSW show at Auditorium Shores in March 2011, just days before releasing 'Angles,' their first album in five years. Demand was enormous, and the event became chaotic as soon as the venue reached capacity. Fans outside tore down a fence, knocked over barricades and rushed past security. Julian Casablancas joked that BBQ before the show was a bad choice, though only minor injuries were reported. It was a reminder of just how much energy SXSW could create around a free concert.

2011: Kanye West and Jay-Z at Seaholm Power Plant

Kanye West, now known as Ye, took over the Seaholm Power Plant during SXSW 2011 for a one-off performance that felt more like a festival than a showcase. Jay-Z joined him onstage, as did John Legend, Mos Def, Bon Iver and Pusha T. The most memorable moment came when West invited the Reagan High School Marching Band, now Northeast High School, to play on his song 'All of the Lights.' Later that year he returned to headline the Austin City Limits Music Festival.

2012: Patty Griffin and Robert Plant at the Continental Club

Two intimate shows at the Continental Club billed as 'Patty Griffin and Her Driver' brought together Austin-based singer-songwriter Patty Griffin and Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, who were then dating. The performances were benefit shows for the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians. Griffin and Plant mixed their solo material with Zeppelin covers and selections from 'Band of Joy,' the 2009 album that had first brought them together musically. The connection did not last; Plant confirmed in 2014 that they had broken up, but the club shows remain a prized memory for those who attended.

2013: Prince and A Tribe Called Quest at La Zona Rosa

Prince's final Austin performance took place at La Zona Rosa during SXSW 2013 in front of a crowd of roughly 1,000 people. A Tribe Called Quest opened, and Prince did not take the stage until late in the night. The set stretched to 3 a.m. and included 'Purple Rain,' followed by an encore with covers of Curtis Mayfield, Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson. Fans spotted Dennis Quaid, Talib Kweli and Dave Chappelle in the room. Prince died in 2016, making the night even more significant in Austin music history.

2014: Lady Gaga at Stubb's

Lady Gaga's SXSW appearance in 2014 was initially planned as a performance inside a giant Doritos vending machine installed in a restaurant parking lot, but city officials rejected the idea over crowd safety concerns. She instead played an outdoor show at Stubb's, with free tickets distributed to fans who completed tasks dreamed up by Gaga and Doritos. The spectacle was pure Gaga: she was carried onstage like a pig roasting on a spit while dancers brushed her with barbecue sauces. Performance artist Millie Brown drank green liquid and vomited paint on Gaga as the two rode a mechanical bull. It was bizarre, messy and unforgettable.

2015: Lauryn Hill at Fun Fun Fun Fest

When D'Angelo had to cancel his Fun Fun Fun Fest set because of illness, Lauryn Hill stepped in to close the festival. She had also taped an 'Austin City Limits' episode during her visit. On a stage set up at Auditorium Shores, she opened while seated on a patterned sofa and moved through Fugees classics, reworked versions of songs from 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill' and a cover of Nina Simone's 'Feeling Good.' The city's sound ordinance cut her off at the end of the night, so she and her band finished the last song unplugged. It was the final edition of the beloved indie festival.

2017: Garth Brooks at Auditorium Shores

Garth Brooks closed SXSW 2017 with a free show at Auditorium Shores that became the largest concert in festival history. Eighty percent of the tickets were reserved for Austin residents, and every free pass disappeared in less than five minutes. Brooks brought out Colter Wall, Cale Tyson, Shannon McNally, Holly Macve, Nicole Atkins and Sunny Sweeney during the set. The night before, he had played a surprise show at the Broken Spoke on St. Patrick's Day, and he notably did not wear green.

2018: Paul McCartney at ACL Fest

Paul McC

Source:MSN News