Live Music In Austin
- Date: 2008-05-22 - Word Count: 679
Share This!
There is more live music going on in Austin, Texas on any given night than there is in any other city in the world. That's why the city has put a trademark on it's slogan "Live Music Capital of the World."
There are hundreds of live music venues in the city and its immediate environs. Many are situated in three main entertainment districts: Sixth Street/Red River, the Warehouse district and South Austin. Sixth Street/Red River is the famous sector in downtown Austin that is known around the world for it's live music scene and often boisterous crowds that fill Sixth Street on the weekends when it is closed to traffic. The Warehouse district runs west from Congress Ave. along Fourth and Fifth Streets. That's where Antone's is located, the venue that USA Today has named the best blues club in the country. In South Austin, there are a number of clubs on South Congress, South First St. and South Lamar that offer up some of the best new and original music in town.
The road to its live music capital status began way back in the 1960's when a spirit of eclecticism appeared with the hippies and anti-war protesters of that era. Inclusion was in and exclusion was out, no pun intended. With the 70's, this eclectic spirit gave birth to a form of music that was often called progressive country. Joe Ely, along with co-Lubbockites Jimmy Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, brought this music down to Austin and hooked up with Marcia Ball and Delbert McClinton and cosmic cowboys like Jerry Jeff Walker, Michael Martin Murphy, Rusty Weir and Ray Wiley Hubbard. Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings came back from Nashville during that time to settle in Austin where they could take control of the production of their songs. A wild and powerful musical vortex formed that saw psychedelic rock and roll mix with straight out country and blues at venues such as the Armadillo World Headquarters, Threadgill's, the Soap Creek Saloon and the Broken Spoke. It was cool to dig the psychedelic sound of the 13th Floor Elevators and the uncompromising country licks of Alvin Crow at the same time.
Then, in 1975, a 30-minute University of Texas music program was accepted by a number of PBS affiliate stations and Austin City Limits was launched and has become the longest running program in the history of PBS. It has propelled Austin to the forefront of the music industry's consciousness in the US and around the world. That first program featured Willie Nelson, but has since put Texas music notables such as Marcia Ball, Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen, Asleep at the Wheel and many, many others in the national and world spotlight.
In more recent years, the South by Southwest showcase every Spring that brings nearly 1500 musicians and musical acts to town to be seen and heard by industry executives and AR types, along with the Austin City Limits Festival in September, have kept the city on the national music map. In addition, dozens of other smaller festivals are held each year, as well as a number of nationally significant ones in the surrounding Hill Country such as the Kerrville Folk Festival and the Old Settlers Reunion in Buda, just south of town.
The Austin music scene has always been a free-wheeling, break-the-mold, think-out-of-the-box kind of affair. That early eclecticism lives on in the current scene, although some characteristics of the town's soundscape seem to have become entrenched. Sixth Street/Red River attracts a younger, party animal type of crowd with it's rock and roll, blues and punk scene. The Warehouse district caters to a bit older and more professional crowd in general. And South Austin retains the feel of Austin in the 70's with its nouveau hippie coffeehouses and crowds and its preference for good singer/songwriters. Still, there are always exceptions to those general tendencies just about anywhere you go.
Austin remains a city where musical creativity and talent thrive and defy expectations. That can be experienced close up and personal in any number of live music venues on any given night.
There are hundreds of live music venues in the city and its immediate environs. Many are situated in three main entertainment districts: Sixth Street/Red River, the Warehouse district and South Austin. Sixth Street/Red River is the famous sector in downtown Austin that is known around the world for it's live music scene and often boisterous crowds that fill Sixth Street on the weekends when it is closed to traffic. The Warehouse district runs west from Congress Ave. along Fourth and Fifth Streets. That's where Antone's is located, the venue that USA Today has named the best blues club in the country. In South Austin, there are a number of clubs on South Congress, South First St. and South Lamar that offer up some of the best new and original music in town.
The road to its live music capital status began way back in the 1960's when a spirit of eclecticism appeared with the hippies and anti-war protesters of that era. Inclusion was in and exclusion was out, no pun intended. With the 70's, this eclectic spirit gave birth to a form of music that was often called progressive country. Joe Ely, along with co-Lubbockites Jimmy Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, brought this music down to Austin and hooked up with Marcia Ball and Delbert McClinton and cosmic cowboys like Jerry Jeff Walker, Michael Martin Murphy, Rusty Weir and Ray Wiley Hubbard. Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings came back from Nashville during that time to settle in Austin where they could take control of the production of their songs. A wild and powerful musical vortex formed that saw psychedelic rock and roll mix with straight out country and blues at venues such as the Armadillo World Headquarters, Threadgill's, the Soap Creek Saloon and the Broken Spoke. It was cool to dig the psychedelic sound of the 13th Floor Elevators and the uncompromising country licks of Alvin Crow at the same time.
Then, in 1975, a 30-minute University of Texas music program was accepted by a number of PBS affiliate stations and Austin City Limits was launched and has become the longest running program in the history of PBS. It has propelled Austin to the forefront of the music industry's consciousness in the US and around the world. That first program featured Willie Nelson, but has since put Texas music notables such as Marcia Ball, Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen, Asleep at the Wheel and many, many others in the national and world spotlight.
In more recent years, the South by Southwest showcase every Spring that brings nearly 1500 musicians and musical acts to town to be seen and heard by industry executives and AR types, along with the Austin City Limits Festival in September, have kept the city on the national music map. In addition, dozens of other smaller festivals are held each year, as well as a number of nationally significant ones in the surrounding Hill Country such as the Kerrville Folk Festival and the Old Settlers Reunion in Buda, just south of town.
The Austin music scene has always been a free-wheeling, break-the-mold, think-out-of-the-box kind of affair. That early eclecticism lives on in the current scene, although some characteristics of the town's soundscape seem to have become entrenched. Sixth Street/Red River attracts a younger, party animal type of crowd with it's rock and roll, blues and punk scene. The Warehouse district caters to a bit older and more professional crowd in general. And South Austin retains the feel of Austin in the 70's with its nouveau hippie coffeehouses and crowds and its preference for good singer/songwriters. Still, there are always exceptions to those general tendencies just about anywhere you go.
Austin remains a city where musical creativity and talent thrive and defy expectations. That can be experienced close up and personal in any number of live music venues on any given night.
Related Tags: music, entertainment, creativity, downtown, arts, texas, austin, live music, austin real estate, university of texas
Escapeso Austin Real Estate is a small company working in the Austin Texas real estate market. They provide a graphical search of the Austin MLS along with commentary on their blog about changes in the Austin real estate market. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Five Brilliant Tips For Learning To Play Acoustic Guitar
These little guitar lessons have been put together for the newbie acoustic guitar scholar who feels - Acoustic Guitar Instruction For Up-and-coming Guitarists
These little guitar lessons have been put together for the beginner acoustic guitar scholar who feel - Which Are The Best Guitar Lessons?
There are many music lovers in world and many like listening to music. Some music lovers take the ne - Piano Bench Buying - Three Purchasing Tips
Before purchasing a piano bench it's in your best interests to consider the model and style and how - Sade Tickets Soldier Of Love Tour
Soon enough the sector may don't have any drawback in correctly saying her name. Born Helen Folasade - 5 Ways To Learn To Play The Guitar
Proud owner of a new guitar! What now? How do you learn how to play? It used to be a friend taught y - How Gucci Mane Mixtapes Helped Establish A Star
Most people have never heard of Radric Davis, but almost everyone knows him by his rapper alias, Guc - The Double Piano Bench - A Buyers Guide
The adjustable double piano bench has dual adjustable seating, allowing each player to adjust to the - Recording Studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally, the space is specifically - Jbl Car Speaker
Among the most famous car speaker brands JBL car speaker are then popular in that which is especiall
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Hotmp3download.com Review
After having a chance to take a look at the site from several different angles, I decided to post th - The Complete Definition Of The Music
Music PortalMusic is a form of art that involves organized and audible sounds and silence. It is nor - The Blues Scale & Cool Stuff You Can Do With It
Most of us who took piano lessons as kids are all too familiar with scales, and most of us hated pra - Your Playing the Guitar All Wrong!
Each time you pick up the guitar it should be an enjoyable experience, if you are frustrated you are - Trendy Music
Music forms as an amazing remedy to get of this stress in life. Music is the only language which is - Can You Still Find A Gem In The LA Music Scene?
At the Whisky a Go Go, Saturday, January 6, 2007, the opening band was Vekstar (Can hear them on my - Keyboard Bags
Keyboard Bags - Anybody who buys his/her first keyboard generally buys a stand and a keyboard bag al - Guitar Strings - Are Coated Strings Right For You
When it's time to change guitar strings you're faced with a dizzying array of makes and types. One - Piano Chords: How Many Are There?
An interesting experiment is to ask people how many chords there are in music. You'll be surprised t - Rediscovering Radio With Satellite
It's been many generations now since radio was born. A crackling signal carrying serial dramas and c