Anyone move to Austin....and hate it? (San Antonio, Commerce: job, housing)

[Alatex]

There is a night life...you just have to know where to look. Not knowing you and not knowing what type of music you like, it's hard for me to point out places to find awesome bands/live music. I never have a problem when I'm in town visiting for a week. I am out every night of the week!

Okay, I'll chime in here, as someone who hasn't lived in TX.

I do find it confusing as an "Austin beginner" to figure out the whole "live music capitol of the world" business. I mean, you go to the Austin visitor bureau site, and there's a list of 200 or more restaurants and venues that might possibly have music on a given night. Most of the bands are small and local deals that I've never heard of.

I realize people have varied musical tastes, but for a "middle-class American family" that wouldn't mind top 40 or country or any other mainstream format, is there a particular venue that would a good "starting place," an introduction to Austin's music scene for general audiences ?

[TexasHorseLady]

Some folks think "Live Music Capitol of the World" means that you get to hear famous bands all the time (which, actually, you can a lot of the time here if you know where to look - they'll usually be "in concert" somewhere rather than at one of the smaller venues we have, unless you're thinking of the Back Yard or someplace like that).

Myself, I tend to think that "Live Music Capitol of the World" means that even when the Big Names aren't in town, you can still hear lots of music and smaller bands/individual musicians have a chance to be heard and showcased and perhaps become a Big Name someday. There's a bazillion venues where they can actually get a chance to get a gig and be heard by their public. This is an old tradition dating back at least as far as Janis Joplin getting her chance at Threadgills when it was little more than a gas station. Wouldn't you love to be able to say that you heard Janis at Threadgills before anybody knew who she was and were one of the first to say, "Now, there's someone who's going to make it big"? In Austin, if you're open to the possibility of being one of the ones to start a Janis on their way rather than simply listening to those who others have already put the Public Stamp of Approval on, you have that opportunity.

[love roses]

Are you willing to explore Areas outside of Austin? By that I mean not limiting yourself to Central Downtown? There are dance halls and beer gardens and places similar to the Nutty Brown Cafe all the way from Georgetown, around to Coupland, South of Austin around Buda/Kyle, out around Burnet and toward Cedar Park/Leander where all types of groups play...Even big names. Gary P. Nunn was at Coupland Inn and Dance Hall last weekend. Oh, The Cotton Club in Granger also has been bringing in bigger name acts.

[Alatex]

Thanks very much for the responses.

love rosesAre you willing to explore Areas outside of Austin?

Yes, I usually stay in the San Marcos area when I visit Texas.

[TexasHorseLady]

You can see Gary P. Nunn often at the Broken Spoke. Willie drops in occasionally, too. Saxon Pub is another good place to see an interesting variety of interesting bands (from James Hand to the Austin Lounge Lizards).

[twange]

The "Live Music Capital" slogan is just a Chamber of Commerce ploy that IMHO is starting to wear out its welcome. Just like the "Keep Austin Weird" campaign. Once those things start appearing in brochures, they become bastardized and lose their real meaning. Cities become great on their own merit without much need for slogans and gimmicks.

The attraction to Austin's music scene for me was always it's independent nature and vibrant local scene...a la New Orleans. A place with a distinct "flavour". I mean, if you want to see Brooks & Dunn, you could do that in say, Houston, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, or just about anywhere with an arena right? That being said, there are some venues that cater to that stuff but someone else could probably chime in...

[TexasHorseLady]

True about "Keep Austin Weird", which was originally intended by its creator NOT to be a commercialized chamber of commerce slogan - quite the contrary. It was only when someone else decided to co-opt it and trademark it that it turned into the travesty that it has become - shame on them, anyway.

That's the reason I'll never have a Keep Austin Weird bumpersticker (since I no longer have the original that I got from Red) - I don't want to support people who would do that to the slogan and to Austin.

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Originally Posted by Alatex

Okay, I'll chime in here, as someone who hasn't lived in TX.

I do find it confusing as an "Austin beginner" to figure out the whole "live music capitol of the world" business. I mean, you go to the Austin visitor bureau site, and there's a list of 200 or more restaurants and venues that might possibly have music on a given night. Most of the bands are small and local deals that I've never heard of.

I realize people have varied musical tastes, but for a "middle-class American family" that wouldn't mind top 40 or country or any other mainstream format, is there a particular venue that would a good "starting place," an introduction to Austin's music scene for general audiences ?

As THL stated, people do confuse that slogan and think that means there are famous musicians who play all over Austin. While you can hear some famous bands/musicians at times, it isn't the every day norm. There are GREAT bands all over town attempting to obtain record deals and a lot of them are already on labels. It's just that Nashville rejects them for whatever reason. Take my fav Austin musician for example, Dale Watson. He is phenomenal if you like traditional country. However, Nashville kind of rejects him because they want that newer "pop" sound of country, not the Cash or Haggard sound. He has a record deal, tours all over Europe and US and Austin is LUCKY enough to have him play around town when he isn't on tour. There are all sorts of musicians like him in every genre playing in and around Austin. You might not see them on CMT or MTV, but they are playing in Austin on any given night. Pick up a copy of the Austin Chronicle the next time you are in town and go check out a few bands. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the talent in Austin.

As for venues when in town...check out these places:

The Continental Club (different genres represented here)
The Broken Spoke (Country)
Antones (Blues)
Ginny's Little Longhorn (Country)
Threadgills
Freddies Place

I love country music, so my tastes in venues lean that way. I am sure other posters here could supply you with names of venues that lean more towards rock or other genres.

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

This is an old tradition dating back at least as far as Janis Joplin getting her chance at Threadgills when it was little more than a gas station. Wouldn't you love to be able to say that you heard Janis at Threadgills before anybody knew who she was and were one of the first to say, "Now, there's someone who's going to make it big"? In Austin, if you're open to the possibility of being one of the ones to start a Janis on their way rather than simply listening to those who others have already put the Public Stamp of Approval on, you have that opportunity.

That would have been the ULTIMATE experience...seeing Janis at Threadgills when she was a nobody

[twange]

Originally Posted by Texanwannabe

As THL stated, people do confuse that slogan and think that means there are famous musicians who play all over Austin. While you can hear some famous bands/musicians at times, it isn't the every day norm. There are GREAT bands all over town attempting to obtain record deals and a lot of them are already on labels. It's just that Nashville rejects them for whatever reason. Take my fav Austin musician for example, Dale Watson. He is phenomenal if you like traditional country. However, Nashville kind of rejects him because they want that newer "pop" sound of country, not the Cash or Haggard sound. He has a record deal, tours all over Europe and US and Austin is LUCKY enough to have him play around town when he isn't on tour. There are all sorts of musicians like him in every genre playing in and around Austin. You might not see them on CMT or MTV, but they are playing in Austin on any given night. Pick up a copy of the Austin Chronicle the next time you are in town and go check out a few bands. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the talent in Austin.

As for venues when in town...check out these places:

The Continental Club (different genres represented here)
The Broken Spoke (Country)
Antones (Blues)
Ginny's Little Longhorn (Country)
Threadgills
Freddies Place

I love country music, so my tastes in venues lean that way. I am sure other posters here could supply you with names of venues that lean more towards rock or other genres.

Spot on.

It's funny you referenced Cash/Haggard. I grew up on that stuff(my mom liked them) and that's the sort of country that I've always liked. White Blues. Songs as troubled and flawed as their writers!

99% of the musicians in all genres that write, arrange, produce, record, engineer, perform, tour, conduct and teach...are anonymous to the mainstream public. But they often make great livings, are admired by their peers and range from below average to legendary status. I consider it a blessing to have so much music here on the human scale - by that, I mean small venues, where you're much closer to the music.

Nashville has that stuff too, but it's an industry town, so most of the publicity it gets is geared towards the big and well-known. Austin has a grittier and more authentic music personality, that I think is really great!