Specific Help with the Austin and San Antonio area Social Culture

[die Eichkatze]

Originally Posted by countryway

So, I am still unsure which metro area would be better to be near. If you had to pick based on my criteria, which one would it be? It seems some of you think SA area might be better, but others think Austin because of the music. But how much authentic Country Music is actually played in Austin? I heard from some people that not that much pure country was done in Austin anymore and primarily in small towns around the Hill Country? I am looking for authentic Honky Tonks, none of the college girls riding a mechanical bull in a bikini stuff, or wild drunken frat guys singing along with a DJ playing Jason Aldean. No thank you. I can go to California and get all that.
........
Proximity to schools is not relevant though, thanks for asking. Also, money is not an issue at this point.

I am all ears for more imput, thanks.

I am a fairly conservative person that grew up in a small hill country town, and I have had no problems living in Austin or near Austin for +10 years.
I would think that you would be better off around Austin. Somewhere in Hays County would fit your needs. Close to Austin, but easy access to venues in Dripping Springs, Lake Travis area, San Marcos, New Braunfels, Gruene, Canyon Lake, and San Antonio. Plus most Hill Country gigs would be 45-60min away (places like Luckenbach, Fredericksburg, Kerrville, Boerne, ect). It would also be a reasonable drive to towns in the northern and eastern portions of the Austin metro. Most country music fans around here prefer Texas Country, and not that BS they produce from Nashville....

[countryway]

Originally Posted by die Eichkatze

I am a fairly conservative person that grew up in a small hill country town, and I have had no problems living in Austin or near Austin for +10 years.
I would think that you would be better off around Austin. Somewhere in Hays County would fit your needs. Close to Austin, but easy access to venues in Dripping Springs, Lake Travis area, San Marcos, New Braunfels, Gruene, Canyon Lake, and San Antonio. Plus most Hill Country gigs would be 45-60min away (places like Luckenbach, Fredericksburg, Kerrville, Boerne, ect). It would also be a reasonable drive to towns in the northern and eastern portions of the Austin metro. Most country music fans around here prefer Texas Country, and not that BS they produce from Nashville....

I absolutely, 100% loathe with every cell in my body, the "music" that comes from Nashville. I am strictly traditional, honky-tonk style country and western. Not really into Roadhouse or Red Dirt, but Honky-Tonk or also known as Traditonal Country Music.

I appreciate your response. Hays cty does seem to be a good central location and within proximity of everything around. Especially since I am unfamiliar with the area, San Marcos for instance, might be a good starting place while I look around nd see where exactly I might settle permanently. I have been looking into San Marcos and New Braunfels. Thought about Georgetown, but it might be too urban?

[countryway]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

You might get a better answer if you can reach out to the musician community who might have a better view on the kind of music you want to play.

Downtown Austin can be a big college playground, and I don't think much of the music is C&W. But there is plenty of C&W played in and round Austin. That's not exactly my kind of music - I would see Willie Nelson or Asleep at the Wheel, but probably not what you are after.

You might take a look at the music listings in the Austin Chronicle - the free weekly paper that covers arts and local politics.

Just a wild card to consider - Fort Worth. A very nice mid sized city, strong Texas roots, and missing the large university in Austin.

I thoroughly enjoy Asleep at the Wheel. They played New West Fest here in Fort Collins last Summer, and they were stellar. Willie? Not a real big fan. I love Western Swing, but don't really play much of it. I was influenced originally as a youngen by 80s and early 90s country like Alan Jackson, George Strait, Brooks and Dunn, Randy travis, Mark Chesnutt, among many others, but later got into the pioneers of Country and the Bakersfield Sound.

Yeah, I was thinking Fort Worth too, but really like the Hill Country and agriculture, and thought that there would more music in the Austin/SA area as well as being less urban than the Dallas-FW metro area. Big cities and congestion are a tremendous turn off.

[JoninATX]

Originally Posted by countryway

I absolutely, 100% loathe with every cell in my body, the "music" that comes from Nashville. I am strictly traditional, honky-tonk style country and western. Not really into Roadhouse or Red Dirt, but Honky-Tonk or also known as Traditonal Country Music.

I appreciate your response. Hays cty does seem to be a good central location and within proximity of everything around. Especially since I am unfamiliar with the area, San Marcos for instance, might be a good starting place while I look around nd see where exactly I might settle permanently. I have been looking into San Marcos and New Braunfels. Thought about Georgetown, but it might be too urban?

If your looking for a place to live in the country but not to far away from Austin you should try Wimberly, Johnson City, or Marble Falls which is an hour west of Austin. Its really nice, and peaceful out there plus your out in the hill country and away from city sprawl.

[countryway]

Is there a better quality of life to either New braunfels or San Marcos one over the other? Crime, undesirables, climate, resources, traffic, shopping etc?? Thanks. Those seem like good area? Which one to your mind is better and why?

[cinnamon_toast]

There are a lot of musicians and artists here in Fredericksburg. Decent music scene with Luckenbach right nearby. It's still pretty "real" compared to Austin (not many hipsters around) and not as suburban as New Braunfels, Drippin' Springs, and Boerne.

[Trainwreck20]

Is there a better quality of life to either New braunfels or San Marcos one over the other? Crime, undesirables, climate, resources, traffic, shopping etc??

I would not say the quality of life is different, but they are different. SM is definitely a college town, for better or worse. NB is not a college town, but sure looks like it in the summer when Schlitterbahn is in full swing. Personally, I would not want to necessarily live in 'downtown' of either of those places, but more west perhaps. The outlet malls seem to be all up and down the interstate.

Georgetown has grown a lot over the years. I grew up there in the 70s and hardly recognize the place now; however, it is probably less urban in a lot of respects than SM or NB seem to be. SM and NB are destinations (college and water park, both directly between SA and Austin), whereas G'town, not so much. OTOH, I don't recall much of a music scene in Gtown, but that was years ago. It really is a working town - not an artsy, or hip, or destination (or not much of one), so you don't have as many venues.

Cory Morrow and Pat Green are probably the most typical example of what local country musicians target, I would guess, although maybe I am wrong .

[shoe01]

Have you considered Lubbock? It has some big city amenities (like excellent medical facilities, good restaurants, and abundant shopping) in spite of having less than 300,000 people. Also, it sits right in the middle of a very large cotton-growing area, with ranch land to the east. Trainwreck20 mentioned Cory Morrow and Pat Green--both spent their formative years in the Lubbock music scene. It is very easy to get around the city, and is affordable. While it does have a large college presence, I don't think the atmosphere is much like that of Ft. Collins, and definitely not like Boulder (and I mean that in a good way for Lubbock).

If not Lubbock, then New Braunfels/Gruene might be your best bet.

[rr2005]

Originally Posted by shoe01

Have you considered Lubbock? It has some big city amenities (like excellent medical facilities, good restaurants, and abundant shopping) in spite of having less than 300,000 people. Also, it sits right in the middle of a very large cotton-growing area, with ranch land to the east. Trainwreck20 mentioned Cory Morrow and Pat Green--both spent their formative years in the Lubbock music scene. It is very easy to get around the city, and is affordable. While it does have a large college presence, I don't think the atmosphere is much like that of Ft. Collins, and definitely not like Boulder (and I mean that in a good way for Lubbock).

If not Lubbock, then New Braunfels/Gruene might be your best bet.

This is true. More musicians got their start in Lubbock than I can list here. Some call it the "Music Crossroads of Texas." I was there last weekend in the Depot District, and it seemed like there was live music coming from every direction.