Bullock Texas State History Museum
War Against Music Scene Continues to Be Waged
RECEIVED Thu., Nov. 15, 2007
Dear Editor,
In the guise of urban development, the City Council continues to wage war on Austin’s internationally acclaimed entertainment district by setting their sights on the vulnerable clubs lining Red River. Last Friday I went to a late-night outdoor show at Mohawk and got an upclose look at the skeletal monstrosity growing rapidly across the street. Its second-story windows at 10th and Red River peered over “the range’s” black iron fence down at the grubby garage-rockers bopping to the King Khan & BBQ show. Do you even need to wonder what the day traders lured to Red River’s newest posh digs will think about a hundred or so people slipping around on broken glass to the scream of amplifiers two lanes away? Clubs will have to severely limit outdoor shows, but what about when South by Southwest rolls around, and thousands of tourists fill the sidewalks chasing live music all day and night? The Police and Fire departments will be only too happy to enforce confusing noise and capacity ordinances so yuppie transplants might rest cozy and safe in their mortgaged human kennels.
Downtown has been the nexus for Austin’s live-music scene for years, and while dozens of clubs have come and gone, we are currently on pace to lose most of them. The fate of our local music scene won’t matter much to fans of corporate juggernauts like Tool, but all major rock movements begin with a small community of talented, ambitious, fun-loving miscreants. With nowhere to play, you’ll have local government to thank for ushering in an unprecedented era of high-wattage house parties. The Red River District will likely become a mecca for homeless squatters.
In the guise of urban development, the City Council continues to wage war on Austin’s internationally acclaimed entertainment district by setting their sights on the vulnerable clubs lining Red River. Last Friday I went to a late-night outdoor show at Mohawk and got an upclose look at the skeletal monstrosity growing rapidly across the street. Its second-story windows at 10th and Red River peered over “the range’s” black iron fence down at the grubby garage-rockers bopping to the King Khan & BBQ show. Do you even need to wonder what the day traders lured to Red River’s newest posh digs will think about a hundred or so people slipping around on broken glass to the scream of amplifiers two lanes away? Clubs will have to severely limit outdoor shows, but what about when South by Southwest rolls around, and thousands of tourists fill the sidewalks chasing live music all day and night? The Police and Fire departments will be only too happy to enforce confusing noise and capacity ordinances so yuppie transplants might rest cozy and safe in their mortgaged human kennels.
Downtown has been the nexus for Austin’s live-music scene for years, and while dozens of clubs have come and gone, we are currently on pace to lose most of them. The fate of our local music scene won’t matter much to fans of corporate juggernauts like Tool, but all major rock movements begin with a small community of talented, ambitious, fun-loving miscreants. With nowhere to play, you’ll have local government to thank for ushering in an unprecedented era of high-wattage house parties. The Red River District will likely become a mecca for homeless squatters.
Dave Roybal
