Might move to Austin--Need Suggestions (Howe: condominium, home, living in)

[dtotheowens]

Hey there-

I'm 24 years old, currently living in San Francisco. I'm interested in being involved in a town that caters to musicians, however San Francisco seems like a let down.

I've heard quite a bit about Austin's thriving music culture. Is this true?
I've also heard that the people of Austin are non-discriminatory towards gay people. I hear Austin has a pretty large gay culture as well. Is this true?

So this is where I find myself. Gay and deeply interested in music. San Francisco doesn't seem to be "where it's at" in regards to my personal interests. In fact, I'm starting to wonder what San Francisco has to offer for anybody!

If you can help, thank you!

Daniel

[car957]

Austin claims to be the Live Music Capital of the World. The music scene is a part of our local culture. I'm not sure how it compares to SFO but I think you would enjoy it.

For musicians one of the cool things about Austin is the SIMS Foundation. Its designed to assist artists and musicians with health care needs.

SIMS Foundation - Helping Austin Musicians Stay In Tune

As to gays, yes we have them and I would like to think we are pretty open about one's sexuality. I am aware that we have a gay population but I can't give you statistics as a function of the overall population.

Regarding places to live, it depends on what your job is, unless you are a musician. A lot of musicians live near downtown, although that can get expensive relatively fast. Some like North Austin. Me, I live South because we tend to be a little more eclectic in this area. However, North Austin has some cool areas. Another area that is close to downtown and is going through a renissance is East Austin. A fair number of condominium projects have come out of the ground and are very close to the music scene.

If you decide that you want to call Austin home I recommend you visit in June-September. It will be hot and humid. Some folks can not tolerate the humidity and heat and you need to experience it if you choose to make the move.

If you want to look at our alternative newspaper to see the number of venues and shows, check out the Austin Chronicle

The Austin Chronicle

Good luck in your decision making process. If you choose to move here, welcome to our City.

[Lumerian Feast]

Originally Posted by dtotheowens

I've heard quite a bit about Austin's thriving music culture. Is this true?

Yes. There are a ton of music venues that host local and national acts every night of the week. The annual South By Southwest and Austin City Limits music festivals also draw a ton of great acts.

Originally Posted by dtotheowens

I've also heard that the people of Austin are non-discriminatory towards gay people. I hear Austin has a pretty large gay culture as well. Is this true?

Pretty much. It's a very progressive city in the middle of a very conservative state. The gay community isn't nearly as big as in SF (then again, where is? other than maybe NYC) -- you're not going to find an area here like the Castro or anything -- but it's here and accepted and there are things like the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, and pride rallies, and so on. Austin's main vibe is about live-and-let-live, not conflict.

As with any move, you should visit first. There are of course plenty of websites pointing out gay-friendly attractions, so check those out. But you should see whether or not you simply like the town.

Really, the thing Austin has over San Francisco is that it's way more affordable (though there are expensive pockets), which is important for artists. Seems like the only people left in SF are white-collar professionals or people who have been there for decades before it got ultra expensive.