https://www.statesman.com/news/loca...wspaper&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=5815882
I've only been in the area for 23 years, but I am watching all the legendary live music venues and bars which made Austin into the live music capital of the world, home of Janis Joplin, Bob Schnieder, Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and so many other legends of their craft, all go away one by one. At first they started going away when some big conglomerate would buy the location and brand and destroy and lose its audience, like what happened with the famous Antone's where SRV, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and Fastball cut their teeth. Some of those names still exist, but they are shadows of shadows of what they once were. Now we are seeing venues which still draw large crowds realize they cannot afford to remain open due to the cost of doing business: massive property tax increases, major increases in regulations and the cost of compliance, cost of employees, newly created noise ordinances, and more, are causing them to just give up.
Threadgill's is in the latter category. Home of Janis Joplin and Willie Nelson, a live stage which is seen on thousands of YouTube concert videos of amazing musical artists, both old and new, is shutting down their classic original location on the one famous Riverside Drive, which is now lined with condo buildings made up of >$500K one room condos and trendy new national chain restaurants which promise cheap organic crap and no wait staff.
This is a sad day, and for me the nail in the coffin of the little hole in the wall legendary bar, kitchen, and stage where you might see an unknown singer/songwriter or a legend like John Prine or Leon Russell on any given night. I saw Pete Townshend there for an unannounced show I didn't even know about, but I walked in for a single beer and to use the restroom and saw him walking onto the stage. Many in the crowd didn't even know who he was until he started singing an acoustic version of 5:15.
I am crying over this, and I blame the Austin city council for not finding a way to protect what should be heritage sites.
I've only been in the area for 23 years, but I am watching all the legendary live music venues and bars which made Austin into the live music capital of the world, home of Janis Joplin, Bob Schnieder, Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and so many other legends of their craft, all go away one by one. At first they started going away when some big conglomerate would buy the location and brand and destroy and lose its audience, like what happened with the famous Antone's where SRV, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and Fastball cut their teeth. Some of those names still exist, but they are shadows of shadows of what they once were. Now we are seeing venues which still draw large crowds realize they cannot afford to remain open due to the cost of doing business: massive property tax increases, major increases in regulations and the cost of compliance, cost of employees, newly created noise ordinances, and more, are causing them to just give up.
Threadgill's is in the latter category. Home of Janis Joplin and Willie Nelson, a live stage which is seen on thousands of YouTube concert videos of amazing musical artists, both old and new, is shutting down their classic original location on the one famous Riverside Drive, which is now lined with condo buildings made up of >$500K one room condos and trendy new national chain restaurants which promise cheap organic crap and no wait staff.
This is a sad day, and for me the nail in the coffin of the little hole in the wall legendary bar, kitchen, and stage where you might see an unknown singer/songwriter or a legend like John Prine or Leon Russell on any given night. I saw Pete Townshend there for an unannounced show I didn't even know about, but I walked in for a single beer and to use the restroom and saw him walking onto the stage. Many in the crowd didn't even know who he was until he started singing an acoustic version of 5:15.
I am crying over this, and I blame the Austin city council for not finding a way to protect what should be heritage sites.