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This year has been a bit of a downer for the Austin music scene. With cancelations of events like ACL, South by Southwest and pretty much every concert this year, Austin is sorely missing its world-famous trait of being the live music capital of the world.
However, just because musicians aren't gathering as much in person these days doesn't mean music isn't happening. Nine months into the pandemic, Austin musicians are getting their music back out there.
Combined with Waterloo Records reopening after months of shut down on Nov. 2, Austin is slowly starting to feel like its old self again.
Don't miss these newest tracks from Austin's own.
Willie Nelson & Karen O, "Under Pressure"
This cover by Austin country legend Willie Nelson and vocalist for band The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Karen O, came about to draw attention to struggling music venues all over the country. "Under Pressure" a slowed-down, withered take on the Queen classic is achy and mourning, indicative of the state of many industry professionals.
Jackie Venson, “Vintage Machine”
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Austin up-and-coming singer-songwriter Jackie Venson dropped her long-awaited, visually driven album "Vintage Machine." The album is futuristic and ethereal, with trippy effects and the guitar riffs Venson is famous for. Venson plans to hold a live release party on Nov. 20.
Daniel Fears, “Canopy”
Daniel Fears spent years performing with other notable locals like Wild Child and Ley Line, but Fears takes on a new sound all on his own this time. Fears harkens musicians like Frank Ocean and James Blake in his work, with drawn out vocals and tranquil soundscapes. A trained saxophonist, Fears offers tones of soul in his music.
Jamestown Revival, “A Field Guide to Loneliness” EP
Indie-folk duo Jamestown Revival wrote its new EP post-COVID-19, wishing for company in a lonely time. The members, Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance, wrote the songs from their homes, locked away in quarantine. The songs are gently introspective and provide easy listening, though it is clear the writers had solitude on the brain, especially in tracks like "Loneliness." The duo has plans to start recording their next full-length album this month.
Vallejo, “Amigos Amigos”
Hailing from Austin, Vallejo is the last name of three brothers who make up the rock band, plus a few additions. Vallejo has been making music for 25 years. The newest album, "Amigos, Amigos," features collaborations with artists from all over the Lone Star State. The Latin-esque beats and meaningful vocals will get you out of your seat.
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Popular
Austinites were the second happiest with the downtown area in the latest study with 15 markets. (CC)
After studying 7,500 people in 15 global markets, including Austin, Gensler found that life in COVID has pushed city-dwellers to want more outdoor activities, social spaces and entertainment venues in bustling business districts.
Post-pandemic, the highest-rated downtown activities were shopping, visiting parks and just “hanging out.” The need for more public spaces like parks jumped from sixth on the list to second this year.
Although globally people view downtown as a business district for task-based activities, across the U.S., downtown districts are viewed more as a vehicle for entertainment. This is especially true for Austinites, where people surveyed said they would rather see more entertainment and cultural venues than shopping or public transit downtown.
(Gensler)
For Melanie Gartman, a manager at construction software company Levelset who has been living in Austin for most of her life, the needs and wants of the average resident closely align with her own.
Austin clocked in second-most desirable downtown, tied with Charlotte, North Carolina. Like the 78% of Austinites in the survey, Gartman said she thinks Downtown Austin is hanging on to its lovable charm.
“Even now with fewer people out and about it's still very vibrant and lively. I feel like I saw life come back to downtown a lot sooner than I expected it to,” Gartman said. “It's still holding on a bit that Austin vibe and with the high rises coming in, it's scary that we could lose that. I think it's holding on better than I would have expected, especially within the last two years of everything that happened.”
As Austinites eased back into downtown, the first stop Gartman made was to go see music again. Since venues opened back up, Gartman and her loved ones have seen live music at their favorite venues: Moody Amphitheatre, Mohawk, The Parish and Empire Control Room.
Blackillac opened for Gary Clark Jr. at the Moody Amphitheater's first show back in August. (Laura Figi/Austonia)
Entertainment is most important for Gartman’s life in Austin—seeing Gary Clark Jr. in August brought normalcy back into her routine—and said our local downtown is the ideal out of other cities in Texas.
“I've always noticed that between Houston’s downtown and Austin’s, Houston's is so Monday to Friday, eight to five, maybe a post-work happy hour,” Gartman said. “Growing up, downtown (Austin) was always the place to go. It has always been the hub and I think Austin is unique in that way.”
Traffic in downtown areas is way down overall, even though concern over pandemic safety has taken a backseat. Shopping traffic has decreased by 28%, dining out and entertainment attendance dropped by 33% in the post-pandemic sphere.
Even though her office is located downtown, Gartman usually works from home. Her downtown visits tend to be for the purpose of entertainment and she said the lack of parking sometimes becomes problematic.
“I feel like all these high rises are taking over all the parking,” Gartman said. “It used to be for go-to parking, I would just park under I-35. No big deal. But now, that’s kind of scary, especially if you're by yourself. The party parking is a barrier to actually making it down there.”
But with the rise of the hybrid work model, it’s likely that the downtown sphere is going to change all across the U.S. For now, survey participants said they would like to see their downtown reduce traffic, add more green space, improve the cityscape and increase parking capacity as we shape the future of cities.
