Dallas/Ft. Worth vs. Austin (Houston, San Antonio: hotel, theater, construction)

[artsyguy]

The rave scene never left Dallas for some reason.

Originally Posted by LAnative10

Dallas does have a better Techno/Electronica/Trance scene scene than Austin. Its easily the best in the southern states minus Miami.

[jobert]

Originally Posted by LAnative10

Dallas does have a better Techno/Electronica/Trance scene scene than Austin. Its easily the best in the southern states minus Miami.

I can believe that. I was a raver kid in the mid-90's and there were some good parties then. Every time I went to Deep Ellum, I came back with at least a 1/2 dozen flyers because everyone and their dog was trying to put on raves. X was everywhere, and if they couldn't get a warehouse, you had to settle for a field somewhere. Even the most organized efforts were shady as hell. It boils down to taste. Austin has the edge by far for "LIVE" music (hence the nickname). The music here is more flesh and blood with more artistic collaboration. Not a single person standing behind a bunch of equipment, alot of times playing/looping others people's music on vinyl records without their permission. For all you know, the DJs could be streaming the music from somewhere in eastern Europe, and no one would know the difference. It's truly apples and oranges between the two scenes.

[tongpa-nyi]

Originally Posted by LAnative10

Dallas does have a better Techno/Electronica/Trance scene scene than Austin. Its easily the best in the southern states minus Miami.

Better than Houston?

Naturally Miami takes the cake, probably better than even NY or LA. South Beach is like a North American version of Ibiza.

[An European]

We live in Dallas for almost two years already. Half a year more to go and we get out of here as fast as possible.

It sucks. Go to Austin - there, you do not need to look for social life, social life finds you. In Dallas, it would be harder - although for us it worked out kind of OK. We found some crazy American and International people to hang around with. However, with all its SMU, UT Dallas and UT Southwestern, you do not feel the presence of life.

We joke that the best thing about Dallas is that it is only 3 hours away from Austin.

And we defenetly commute to Austin whenever we start feeling like refreshing (with Austin's nearby nature, hiking/biking/rivers, and its bars and night life - you should not even compare it to this huge, annoying, old, conservative Dallas).

Good Luck

[theSUBlime]

Originally Posted by tongpa-nyi

Better than Houston?

Naturally Miami takes the cake, probably better than even NY or LA. South Beach is like a North American version of Ibiza.

Yup, Houstonians aren't really much into the Techno/Trance/Electronic stuff.

[artsyguy]

You and your friends sound really ignorant. I guess they have never partied at the lizard lounge, excuses extreme, the prophesy bar, the tin room, Sue Ellens, or Station 4? If that scene is too wild. Dragon street has free keg and wine art parties on a monthly basis. Deep Ellum Art Walk is twice a year. Wildflower Music festival has modern and old music. Gay Pride Parade is gargantuan. What more can you want? Why do you complain? I'm confused by you. lol

Check out these "ultra conservative" Dallas folks :
Welcome To The Church Dallas - Madhatters Ball

Originally Posted by An European

We live in Dallas for almost two years already. Half a year more to go and we get out of here as fast as possible.

It sucks. Go to Austin - there, you do not need to look for social life, social life finds you. In Dallas, it would be harder - although for us it worked out kind of OK. We found some crazy American and International people to hang around with. However, with all its SMU, UT Dallas and UT Southwestern, you do not feel the presence of life.

We joke that the best thing about Dallas is that it is only 3 hours away from Austin.

And we defenetly commute to Austin whenever we start feeling like refreshing (with Austin's nearby nature, hiking/biking/rivers, and its bars and night life - you should not even compare it to this huge, annoying, old, conservative Dallas).

Good Luck

[An European]

Been to Sue Ellens, done Station 4.

Done many others. That's what keeps us alive for a while (Also the DSO, DMA and that AT&T center now - just to be fair) otherwise we would go totally nuts. I exit my house and - I see a highway! I exit my work and I see - another highway! How exiting is that!

McKinney street - pay attention - is only a STREET while Austin is, hm, is certainly more than just a street.

These several nice places, and even some OK music, does not turn the horrible public transportation, hours of commuting to/from work, empty streets (where are all the kids playing?! Any life in here?!), hardly any nature (oh yeah, I guess you are proud of Grapevine lake and call it "nature" ?!) into a great environment. Mind you I work at UT Dallas, and its totally deserted all around the university! You have to drive to get drunk (very nice and "safe" concept), whereas in Austin you GO and get drunk.

We did get drunk in Austin too (many times!) and enjoyed the atmosphere much more. Then you can go to that huge park in Austin, do not remember it's name, and chill out on the Colorado river. It is totally alive, people are running and walking with dogs and kids (while here in Dallas WHAT- a KATY trail? miserable piece of trail everybody is so proud of since there's hardly anything better?).

To see some nature and to do some hiking we drive 4 hours (!!!) either to the hills of Arkansas or to the swamps of Louisiana, but mostly to Austin where within an hour drive you are in very nice State parks. So what's the point in living in Dallas - is that the concept of the golden cage which you like so much?

Here's Dallas for you. Two years, and it sucks. We indeed met only nice people - but that's our luck, otherwise we would get totally mad in this huge, wide-spread, boring place.

Don't even compare to Austin.

Originally Posted by artsyguy

You and your friends sound really ignorant. I guess they have never partied at the lizard lounge, excuses extreme, the prophesy bar, the tin room, Sue Ellens, or Station 4? If that scene is too wild. Dragon street has free keg and wine art parties on a monthly basis. Deep Ellum Art Walk is twice a year. Wildflower Music festival has modern and old music. Gay Pride Parade is gargantuan. What more can you want? Why do you complain? I'm confused by you. lol

Check out these "ultra conservative" Dallas folks :
Welcome To The Church Dallas - Madhatters Ball

[artsyguy]

I'm very shocked that you work at UT Dallas. They have high standards there. And they have great public events for the community. And all you think about is getting drunk? Wow. I guess you do belong in Austin. First off there is Fox and Hound English Pub which is a large sports bar/pub/live event place literally a block away from UT Dallas. Obzeet is barely 2 miles down the road from your campus. Galytan forest and Foxboro forest are barely 2 miles away. So it is hardly deserted. You just haven't bothered to explore.

Beltline Road in Addison is a more refined 6th street. It has a plethora of restaurants, comedy improv, and bars. You can walk to all of them. The same on Greenville, Main street, Cedar Springs, and McKinney. There are so many bars and restaurants on Cedar Springs Road. That you don't have to drive anywhere. You can get drunk, go dancing at the plethora of dance clubs, and then go eat out. All within walking distance.

White Rock Lake is thriving with young attractive cyclists and dog lovers. I'm pretty sure Katy Trail is but one of the many trails that branch out of white rock lake.
Cedar Hill State Park is beautiful too. It is surrounded with free nature preserves. There are plenty of naturally forested parks scattered about Dallas. They are just not advertised or marketed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MYs7...eature=related

And NorthShore grapevine lake isn't that bad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqUJZ...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goB1rfQu39o&NR=1

You seriously do not have to move all the way to Austin to have fun. Just move out of the conservative UT Dallas area or cramped Grapevine area. And into the liberal area of Oaklawn, Uptown, or Deep Ellum.

You say "hours of commuting" as if you will never experience traffic and roads in Austin. Austin is nothing but poorly designed road systems. The traffic is hellish. And you step into a waist deep communist culture there. The traffic is just as bad in grapevine as it is all over Austin.

Oh well. Have fun. It isn't as fun when you live there IMHO.

Originally Posted by An European

Been to Sue Ellens, done Station 4.

Done many others. That's what keeps us alive for a while (Also the DSO, DMA and that AT&T center now - just to be fair) otherwise we would go totally nuts. I exit my house and - I see a highway! I exit my work and I see - another highway! How exiting is that!

McKinney street - pay attention - is only a STREET while Austin is, hm, is certainly more than just a street.

These several nice places, and even some OK music, does not turn the horrible public transportation, hours of commuting to/from work, empty streets (where are all the kids playing?! Any life in here?!), hardly any nature (oh yeah, I guess you are proud of Grapevine lake and call it "nature" ?!) into a great environment. Mind you I work at UT Dallas, and its totally deserted all around the university! You have to drive to get drunk (very nice and "safe" concept), whereas in Austin you GO and get drunk.

We did get drunk in Austin too (many times!) and enjoyed the atmosphere much more. Then you can go to that huge park in Austin, do not remember it's name, and chill out on the Colorado river. It is totally alive, people are running and walking with dogs and kids (while here in Dallas WHAT- a KATY trail? miserable piece of trail everybody is so proud of since there's hardly anything better?).

To see some nature and to do some hiking we drive 4 hours (!!!) either to the hills of Arkansas or to the swamps of Louisiana, but mostly to Austin where within an hour drive you are in very nice State parks. So what's the point in living in Dallas - is that the concept of the golden cage which you like so much?

Here's Dallas for you. Two years, and it sucks. We indeed met only nice people - but that's our luck, otherwise we would get totally mad in this huge, wide-spread, boring place.

Don't even compare to Austin.

[love roses]

You either like a city or you don't, which is fine, but honestly Austin doesn't have better public transit than Dallas and it LOVES football, UT Football. So leaving Dallas because of the transportation and that they love their football is a little silly because it's not gonna be better than Dallas in that regard. 6th Street is just a street after you've been there a million times and people drive drunk around here alot. Remember that alot of people that party downtown still have to get in a car and drive back out to whatever suburb they came from. Not everyone lives downtown or close to downtown.

That said, No, you can't compare the two. They are different. Austin is smaller than Dallas and maybe the OP just likes that better and likes the amount of outdoor actifvties available. I actually like Dallas and have lots of family there and in Tyler and we like Austin too. I'm just not much of a Texas hater. I love all the cities in different ways.

[jobert]

Originally Posted by artsyguy

You and your friends sound really ignorant. I guess they have never partied at the lizard lounge, excuses extreme, the prophesy bar, the tin room, Sue Ellens, or Station 4? If that scene is too wild. Dragon street has free keg and wine art parties on a monthly basis. Deep Ellum Art Walk is twice a year. :
Welcome To The Church Dallas - Madhatters Ball

Lizard Lounge, that warehouse? hahaha I haven't been there since I was 19. When you have to have a stamp on your hand to drink, you know it sucks. Dragon street is a pre-fab strip mall on the other side of the tracks, and Sue Ellen's is fun. Believe it or not, I spent NYE 2004 there.