Nashville or Austin - what city has a better music scene? (Post: best city, college)

[southwest1230]

I second dale watson at the continental club each Monday for statefan. I'm 45, and
don't feel out of place at all at the CC. CC has the most eclectic line-up just about every damn evening, and usually has 3 bands each night, all great. Each year,
Southern Culture on the Skids plays at a mini-festival there around april in a tent across
the street(congress), with fried chicken served as a joke, but actually the chicken is good and they serve lots of it. Barfield on tuesdays at CC, every tuesday, has a cult
following, and some people go there every week to check him out. Barfield plays what
he calls "Texas Funk", and must be seen to be believed. Another venue that is friendly
to us slightly older folk is Antone's the blues club, which is a very close approximation
to the printers alley clubs in Nashville. Stevie Ray played there, amongst many other
greats, like Willie and such. I saw Marcia Ball there with a crowd sitting in folding chirs that had to be 50+, and reminded me of what it must have been like at the armadillo.
Stubbs is a great outdoor/indoor venue with great line-ups, always good, and a very
unique setting. Finally, the best thing is to just discover things for yourself. Grab
the Chronicle, the local weekly bible for live music info at all H-E-B food marts,
and go where the muse takes you, and you'll discover your own favs, but hands down
Antone's and Continental Club are the two best, and will remind you much of the Nashville/Tootsies scene. CC is about the same size as tootsies, while Antones is pretty
huge inside, almost like an auditorium. Both are Austin's crown jewels no doubt.....

[southwest1230]

People sure nuff know how to have fun at the Continental Club on a saturday night
in Austin, don't they?



BTW, South Congress is THE sh*t, hands down! They should rename it Funky Broadway!




And, the above is a vintage pic from '85, pre-awning, when it was a BAD side of town. You might be able to see
the hookers and junkies in the background if you look a tad close.

[southwest1230]

BUT, Tootsie's in Nashville sho nuff gives Continental Club a run for its' money......
and don't ya just love that purple-painted brick? Nayyyshhveelle(how they pronounce it)
can get austin-funky too. And they were cool first........Nashville had funky-ass roadhouses way
back in the 40's, when LBJ couldn't find a funky place to take LadyBird in Austin to save his soul.
I wonder what LBJ would have thought of the Continental Club?

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Great pics of the CC and Tootsies! I always frequent the CC on Mon nights to see Dale when I am in town! I'm 46 and never feel out of place there. Once I move next summer, that is where you'll find me. Also, at Ginny's on Burnet Rd....now that's a fun time!

[b. frank]

Looks like this thread has focused only on country music.

I actually don't know Nashville's music scene at all, but I have to point out that if you are into indie-rock, punk, metal, and hip-hop, then Austin is a very good place to be. National acts from all genres come through Austin regularly.

Regarding Austin's country/local scene: What do you think about Hill's Cafe on South Congress? I have not been there to hear live music, but I live nearby and the area gets often gets really crowded. Seems quite popular for a place so far south.

[twange]

As far as eclectic-singer-songwriter-poet-sometimes folky etc... type stuff, check out the Cactus Cafe:
Cactus Cafe - Activities and Entertainment - The Texas Union at the University of Texas

Check out this list of folks who have been through this place:

Lyle Lovett
Greg Brown
Lucinda Williams
Gillian Welch
Shawn Colvin
Ani DiFranco
Alison Krauss
Townes Van Zandt
Iris DeMent
Suzanne vega
Richard Thompson

It's small and intimate, sounds great and people go there to listen to music not to party. We were there Friday and saw people in their twenties through seventies. That's my sort of joint

[Trainwreck20]

Cactus cafe is a great place for live music, if you can get in. In college, I went and watched the Indigo Girls and Timbuk 3. Had no idea who they were at the time (or would be). Saw some others, but they are long since lost to my poor memory .

[southwest1230]

Jimmy Webb, who wrote all the glen campbell songs, was there(cactus) as well, in June.
It's more like a coffeehouse, very acoustic orientated, you can hear a pin drop place,
which lends great poignancy to a great mellow set. A perfect environment for certain
groups and singers, though I don't imagine Barfield from the Continental Club, the self
proclaimed Tyrant of Texas Funk, will be playing there anytime soon. LOL...

[iguanas4]

Originally Posted by b. frank

I actually don't know Nashville's music scene at all, but I have to point out that if you are into indie-rock, punk, metal, and hip-hop, then Austin is a very good place to be.

What's a good club for metal bands? I like prog and thrash. My bf likes blues... I guess Antone's(?) is the place for that kind of music? We're in GT, and haven't had a chance to go out for live music yet... sort of difficult to get to Austin at night with my bf's work schedule.

[twange]

Originally Posted by iguanas4

What's a good club for metal bands? I like prog and thrash. My bf likes blues... I guess Antone's(?) is the place for that kind of music? We're in GT, and haven't had a chance to go out for live music yet... sort of difficult to get to Austin at night with my bf's work schedule.

Check out the Red River District. And here's a few links to check out:

Austin Band Guide (broken link)
Austin, TX Showlist