SPRING 2022
From the Editors Welcome readers, Over the course of this semester, we have researched and investigated several different aspects of the Austin music scene. We covered topics from the venues and artists that make up the live music scene to the producers working with musicians and even classical music in Austin. In the process of making this magazine, we did a lot of research, sent many emails (and didn’t always hear back), conducted interviews with interesting people, and then compiled everything we had learned into the pages of this magazine using writing and design skills we learned in class. Although the work was fun, it wasn’t always easy. Getting interviews was difficult (like really difficult sometimes) and using new technology to put our pages together was challenging at times, but eventually, we created this magazine filled with stories and designs we find compelling. We’re proud of this magazine that we’ve created and we hope that you enjoy reading it as much as we have enjoyed making it, and we hope that you learn a few things about the Austin music scene as you do. Thank you so much for reading. Sincerely, Adele Tversky, Sydney Jones, Hannah Kim, Ivette Guerra
3 Tversky.....Austin Remix
Table of Contents
4
Letter From The Editors Team
5 6
Team
Classical Music In Modern Times Hannah Kim
10 12
Meet the Editors
Austin Indie Adele Tversky
Practice Makes Perfect Hannah Kim
Front Cover Graphic by Adele Tversky Front Cover Image Courtesy of Flickr Inset Page Graphic by Ivette Guerra Back Cover Graphics by Sydney Jones
16
18
Music Through the Decades Adele Tversky
Behind the Scenes Ivette Guerra
22 24 28
Most Listened Music in Austin Ivette Guerra
It’s All About That Place Sydney Jones
Show me the Venues Sydney Jones
5 Tversky.....Austin Remix
Maestro Peter Bay conducts the Austin Symphony Orchestra during a concert. Bay has been the ensemble’s director since 1998. Photo courtesy of the Austin Symphony Orchestra.
Classical Music in Modern Times
How different people enjoy the genre Story by Hannah Kim
W
hen people think of classical music, they tend to believe it is something only listened to during something like a study session, not really for enjoying. But classical music can be enjoyed in many different ways, whether it is playing, teaching, conducting, or even just listening. According to Vijay Meunier, a music educator and performer based in Austin, “Classical music is a big
category because there’s all different types of historical periods, styles, composers of all different countries, cultures, compositional styles, and philosophies, …all under this umbrella of classical music.” Aram Bae, the violist and executive director of the Sonnet Ensemble, says that classical music is still relevant, even in modern society. In fact, she believes that it is necessary to have some sort of appreciation for classical
music in order to truly enjoy modern music. “I believe it’s important to know the classics and tradition because when people create new things, it is in part based on tradition,” Bae said. “Classical music is a tradition in all genres of music, which is why we need to know classical music. It is to find its roots in tradition and understand today.” Performing classical music is a whole
different world from listening to it. While many people listen to it to relax, playing classical music takes a lot of hard work and dedication. “It’s kind of a physical challenge, so there’s a lot of satisfaction in improving as an instrumentalist,” Meunier said. “You get a new technique or piece and you feel yourself improving as well as hear yourself improving, so, in a way, it’s kind of like getting better at a sport, or getting better at lifting weights, or running, you physically get better.” Classical music is also unique because every musician interprets the same score differently. Peter Bay, who is the music director and conductor of the Austin Symphony, said that this is because when compared to modern-day composers, those who lived in the 1700s and 1800s did not include as many stylistic details in their work. “Modern composers usually put more information in the score about dynamics, about phrasing, as compared to someone like Bach, who wrote nothing,” Bay said. “Once in a while, a dynamic, sometimes, there are not even any tempo markings. You have to use much more intuition and knowledge of style.”
than age. “It is true that at a younger age you have the potential to learn faster, your brain is more elastic and all that, but I think that might be a little overstated,” Meunier said. “It’s important not to set false limitations and boundaries for
comes with practice, but finding the motivation to practice can be a challenge for any musician. Having an upcoming performance is a way for many to fuel their dedication. “We all will tend to practice our best when we have something to practice for,” Meunier said. “If you have a concert coming up, you’re going to practice, because if you don’t, then that’s not gonna go well. Having a motivational project, a goal, is really important.”
I can convey my thoughts and feelings to people by playing music rather than speaking. - Aram Bae,violist and executive director of Sonnet Ensemble
yourself on what you can and can’t do, so just go for it. Any age, you can do a lot.” With that said, improvement only
Practicing is a bit more complicated than just playing the notes, and musicians have a lot of different components to think about when dissecting a piece.
“I learn by listening and studying scores first, then finding the easiest and most efficient fingerings, and then practicing the technical difficulties separately,” Bae said. “Phrases and articulation are also considered.”
An effective performance can allow musicians to share a message with an audience. For many, that is the main appeal. “I can convey my thoughts and feelings to people by playing music, rather than speaking” Bae said. While many people may think that in order to play an instrument well, one needs to start at a young age, Meunier stated that this is simply not true. In reality, mindset matters more
Aram Bae plays viola with an accompanist on piano. Bae is performing at her solo viola concert. Photo courtesy of Aram Bae.
7
Kim.....Austin Remix
Because certain pieces require more difficult techniques to be used than others, it is important for musicians to learn the basics and keep thier goals realistic. “It’s just like how in school, you have certain grades,” Meunier said. “I’m not gonna be teaching algebra to a first-grader. I know that in ninth grade, that’s when we’re doing algebra because we’ve already done addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, and fractions, and then we’re finally ready for that step. So same thing, there’s a certain path, and there’s certain levels, and there’s certain techniques and pieces that you
need to know before you can go to the next one.” In addition to practicing, Bay also said that doing some research on a piece and its composer is also necessary in order to perform it well. He suggests that musicians look into why a piece was written, and also what the composer’s life was like. “I try to imagine what the composer was experiencing, feeling at that time,” Bae said. “The more experience you have as a conductor, and the more you know that composer’s style of writing, then it becomes less difficult to understand what the composer is
trying to say.” The last step for a musician is to perform their piece, however, stage fright can make this difficult. This problem can usually be solved, or at least toned down, through proper preparation. “When I feel like I’ve prepared enough, I can enjoy performing on the stage,” Bae said. “Good performance is possible when the preparation period is sufficient and the musicians have good teamwork.” Meunier agreed that being prepared is the biggest part of overcoming
Maestro Peter Bay and members of the Austin Symphony Orchestra are at Crockett High School. Bay is speaking to the students about what it is like to be an orchestral player. Photo courtesty of the Austin Symphony Orchestra.
stage fright, and says that in order to be ready for a concert, it is to just practice the act of performing. “A performance could be you just go outside on the front porch, or the back porch, and you play through your pieces there for the open-air…” Meunier said. “Or, it could be saying to your parents or your roommate, “Hey, I have a piece, can I play it for you really quick?”, and just one person watches you. You could sign up for a recital, or an open mic, or you could live stream on social media …there’s so many opportunities right, all you have to do is make a performance out of something.” So, what makes all the hard work worth it? Meunier said that music is a way for people to escape reality, whether they’re a listener or a performer. “Music is something that can really take you to another place, so when you’re playing music or you listen to music, you can transcend the actual space and place and moment in time you’re currently in and go somewhere else,” Meunier said. “So, you can all of a sudden experience a different emotion or listen to something from a different time in history and go to a totally different place in your mind and the way you feel.”
e and semble rehears En et nn o S e th was of Francisco and other members n a nd S a m e a fro B is m le ra A semb e. The Sonnet En of Aram Bae. peform onstag ur Photo co tesy . 3 01 2 in d he establis
9 Kim.....Austin Remix
Practice Mak
70 high school musicians in Austin, Texas, were a of hours they practice, and the average nu
PIANO
12 1
Most: 5 hours
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
The piano was originally called the gravicembalo col piano e forte
VIOLIN
12 1
Most: 4 hours
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Violins are made from over seventy pieces of wood, usually spruce or maple
GUITAR
12 1
Most: 5 hours
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
The first version of a guitar was invented 3,500 years ago in Ancient Egypt, and only had three strings.
kes Perfect!
graphics by Hannah Kim
asked what instrument they play, the number umber of days per week they practice.
PERCUSSION
12 1
Most: 2 hours
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
There are over 300 types of percussion instruments.
CELLO
12 1
Most: 5 hours
2
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
The cello is the instrument that is said to sound the most like the human voice.
12 1
TRUMPET Most: 5 hours
2
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
When unbent, a trumpet is about six and a half feet.
11 Kim.....Austin Remix
Ginger Rodriguez performs at Meahwhile Brewing Co. Photo by Sydney Wisner Courtesy of Ginger Rodriguez
Austin Indie
by Adele Tversky
what it’s like being an independent artist
A
cross Austin, independent musicians are writing, recording, mixing, performing, and working on new songs. Many are hoping someday they’ll be able to make a career out of the music they’ve poured their heart and soul into, but working and getting into the music industry is no easy feat. Called the Live Music Capital of the World, Austin attracts many musicians and musical artists. Lots of these musicians are independent, meaning they aren’t signed to a major label, and do most of the marketing, producing, and publishing of their music by themselves. Being an independent musician isn’t easy, according to Austin-born musician
Ginger Rodriguez, but it can be a rewarding career, and for some, Austin is the perfect place to start that career. “There’s a great live music scene here, that’s something that I’ve always appreciated,” Rodriguez said, who released the album “I’m Crying in a Cool Way” in 2018. “And how supporting everybody is of each other I feel like the music scene is just so
“What does it matter where you call home as long as you like it?” - Daniel Sahad, lead singer of Nané appreciative.” Daniel Sahad, the lead singer of the band Nané. He formed the band, Nané, and they played various shows around town to hundreds of listeners. Nané released their first self-titled album in 2020. Sahad has now lived in Austin for several years and for him, it is now home. “I decided to stay in Austin after making the record because it was home, and Austin gave us a home,” Sahad said. “We started playing shows here and they started selling out and doing really well. And we love the city so we don’t see a reason to leave. You know, you can tour half the year but what does it
matter where you call home as long as you like it.” Sowmya Somanath is the singer of a two-piece band called Felt Out. She first moved to Austin to pursue a career as a musician with a friend she met in music school. “We just ended up staying here because we built a fanbase here and we’ve talked about moving elsewhere but kind of decided to establish ourselves here and see where that would take us,” Somanath said. “We were like, ‘we can do it here.’” The Austin live music scene is defined by more than just the musicians and bands. Sahad explained that Austinites are passionate about live music and support the artists that live here. “People here support art whether they know the full story or not for the mere sake of exploration and supporting art,” Sahad said. “So, I’ve seen that that was a really cool thing that happened in Austin so that’s something that I really love about it.” Even with Austin’s supportive people, working in the music industry isn’t all fun and games. Independent artists are responsible for all of their work and success and have to put a lot of time, work, and energy into their own business. “Because you have no one to be accountable except yourself and this thing doesn’t grow unless it’s your work,” Sahad said. And people don’t pay attention unless you truly believe. And then even then, you need so many things to make it
13 Tversky.....Austin Remix
grow.”
straddles a lot of worlds, sound-wise.”
Additionally, being a musician doesn’t come with a job description. If artists aren’t signed with a label, knowing what to do next can be especially difficult, according to Rodriguez, an independent artist who is not currently signed to a label.
Another challenge that many artists face is coming up with new song ideas all the time. Creativity and new ideas aren’t something that artists can easily generate day and night.
“I think one of the main challenges is not really knowing where your work is coming from because it’s not like a 9 to 5 where you’re aware of your salary or healthcare benefits and everything like that,” Rodriguez said. “I think not having that stability of a regular job, whatever that means, or having to think about having the next big idea all the time can be a bit difficult as an independent artist.” Another difficulty that independent musicians have to face is how to market their music so people will listen. Sahad, who has a background in marketing, looks at his band’s success through the lens of a business. “The hardest thing is knowing what weaknesses there are in your business, knowing how to make them better, knowing how to delegate, knowing who to trust, and continuing to grow because just because you have good music doesn’t mean people will listen,” Sahad said. “The business is necessary if you want to become serious.”
“I think everybody has creativity in them, but I think when it’s your entire job it kind of becomes a bit daunting because your entire career is based on ideas and sometimes you don’t have any ideas,” Rodriguez said. “So that can be frustrating.” Luckily, these musicians have lots of different sources for inspiration and various strategies for getting through writer’s block. Somanath finds new ideas by being observant and noticing what’s happening around her.
through a meditative state, or when he isn’t working on a goal. “There are moments when you’re super focused on a task and were trying to accomplish something, and then there are moments when your mind is kind of floaty and you’re just kind of there,” Sahad said. “In that one, in the floaty one, in the absence of self, I get these little gifts of little sounds and I can’t get them out of my head. And if I can’t get it out of my head, I go play with it, and then I explore what that sounds like and what that looks like.” In contrast to Sahad’s strategy for finding song ideas, Rodriguez uses structure to help her come up with lyrics for new songs. She has forced herself to get into the habit of writing something everyday.
“I get inspiration from nature, other artists, I get inspiration from relationships,” Somanath said. “Just kind of observing the world. It’s just important to notice and listen and be receptive.”
“I just let myself write the terrible songs, I just have to force myself,” Rodriguez said. “Like sometimes I will write the most cliche lyrics in the entire world that have been said over and over again. But I just try and write something, every day at least. Just to get something out there, out of me.”
For Sahad, finding new ideas happens more organically when he isn’t thinking about music. He comes up with music
Despite all the challenges that independent musicians face, there are rewards to this career. For Sahad, the
Artists who may not have as much experience in marketing will sometimes send out their albums or songs to labels who can help distribute their records. It can be difficult to find labels, and artists won’t always match, but for Somanath it’s worth a shot. “We send stuff out to labels that we like… We look at their roster and see what artists are on their roster that we like and feel like we could fit with them, then we reach out,” Somanath said. “That’s been kind of a difficult thing for us too because our music
Somanath performs at Cheerups bar in Austin. Photo courtesy of Somya Somanath
Somanath writes music on her electric guitar at her house over quarantine. Photo courtesy of Somya Somanath
thrill of performing on stage is one of his favorite parts. “Imagine you can feel everyone around you, and everyone is yelling what you’re singing and they’re giving their emotions to it and they’re letting it all go to the wind,” Sahad said. “That feeling is so
grateful to be a part of the ride.” A large part of being a musician is networking, and for Rodriguez meeting new people, both fans and peers is one of the best parts of being an artist. According to Rodriguez, working with other people in the music industry can be a source of inspiration and can make the job just that much more enjoyable.
I seriously don’t know what other job I could have becasuse I just love making music. - Ginger Rodriguez, mucisian
powerful and at the same time, it has nothing to do with me. At that moment you feel like a little vessel and you’re just
“I get to meet crazy amounts of different people, and then I also get to work with talented individuals who I admire, and I can’t believe they’re my peers, this is so crazy,” Rodriguez said. “So that’s my favorite part.”
Writing music can allow the artist the explore different parts of their identity and share that with others, and for Somanath that’s one of the best parts. “It’s the language that I speak and
you know, writing music it’s one of the most personal things you can do,” said Somanath. “I think it’s really cool…talking to myself and really getting to explore parts of my identity while, at the same time, being able to share all that with people and with the intention that they can connect with those ideas” At the end of the day, for musicians like Rodriguez, simply being able to create music and make a career out of her dream is the most amazing thing about her job. And for Rodriguez, the pro’s of pursuing her passion outweight all of the challenging parts of her job. “I think what’s the best part about this career is just getting to go on this journey and experience new things all the time and also to just create,” Rodriguez said. “That’s my main thing, I seriously don’t know what other job I could have because I just love making music.”
15
Tversky.....Austin Remix
MUSIC THROUGH THE DECADES A timeline of the most popular genres Graphics by Adele Tversky
1960
1 9 50 s
19 60s
1970
1980
1990
Key Musicians: Joni Mitchell Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie Key Genres: R&B, Rock n’ Roll, Traditional pop, country Important Events: 1951: Ike Turner and Rock n’ Roll 1959: Buddy Holly and J.P Richardson pass away during a plane crash
Key Musicians: Joni Mitchell, folk; Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie Key Genres: pop rock, psychedelic rock, blues rock,
folk rock Important Events: 1962: James Brown performed in Harlem 1964: The Beatles performed for American Television 1965: Bob Dylan’s song, Like a Rolling Stone, was released 1966: Beach Boys releases Pet Sounds 1969: Jimi Hendrix played at woodstock music festival
Key Musicians: The Stooges, Sex Pistols, Neil Young, Kraftwerk, Joy Division/ New Order, Fleetwood Mac, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Kate Bush, Pink Floyd, Madonna Key Genres: disco, funk, smooth jazz, jazz fusion, soul Important Events: 1970: Black Sabbath performed heavy metal for the first time 1972: Elton John released 7 albums 1973: Dolly Parton released Jolene 1975: Bob Marley and the Wailers released No woman no cry
19 70s
KEY
50% 40% 30% 20%
percent in the billboard top 100
60%
ROCK SOUL COUNTRY ROCK AND ROLL POP HIP HOP
The Billboard Top 100 has been used as a tool to measure the popularity of music. Different decades and years have music genres that go in and out of style. Source: The Data Face
10% 2000
2010 Key Musicians: Micheal Jackson, Lou Reeds, Pet Shop Boys, The Smiths, Chic, Radiohead Key Genres: electronic dance, modern rock, dance pop Important Events: 1980: John Lennon died 1981: Singles with samples from nine different artists were released by
1980s
Grandmaster Flash 1982: Michael Jackson releases Thriller Compact discs are introduced 1987: Madonna’s first world tour 1987: Aretha Franklin is inducted into the Rock and Rolls Hall of Fame 1989: Selena released her first album, Selena
20 00s MENU
Key Musicians: Daft Punk, Beyonce, Eminem, Coldplay, The Strokes, Kendrick Lamar
1990s Key Musicians: Prince, Nirvana, The Notorious B.I.G Key Genres: rock, grunge, britpop, industrial rock Important Events: 1991: Freddie Mercury talks about how he has AIDS 1991: Smells Like Teen Spirit was released by Nirvana 1993: West coast hip hop was made mainstream by Snoop Dogg 1994: Mariah Carey released All I want for christmas is you 1995: Selena was killed Sources: Dig!, Stacker
Key Genres: hip hop, alternative rock, post-grunge, post-britpop Important Events: 2001: First iPod was launched by Apple 2010: Beyonce won six grammys 2010: Five of Katy Perrys songs hit number one 2018: A Pulitzer Prize was given to Kendrick Lamar
17 Tversky.....Austin Remix
Behind the Scenes What it takes to be in the music industry
by Ivette Guerra
Clayton Toney goes to a Nashville recording studio to work with his colleages on a new song. Photo by Clayton Toney.
W
hen music becomes a part of pop culture, audiences fail to realize the effort that is put into creating today’s music. Clayton Toney, a Nashvillebased music manager, said “that everything is not what it appears to be. There are a lot of sacrifices in this business that people don’t really understand unless they’ve worked in the industry.” “Internships lead to meeting a lot of people and making a lot of really good connections in the industry,” Toney said. In 2017, Toney first moved to the Country Music Capital of the World. Nashville gave Toney the opportunity to see what it takes to get to the top through the many internships that he got at different music companies. These internships brought Toney to create strong bonds within the music industry, which led him to the job he now has in artist management and allowed him to see the light of what goes on behind the creation of music. Artist management isn’t the only job in the industry that exemplifies the effort put into making music. For example, Richard Davis (a music producer in Austin) started off working in a studio in Los Angeles where he had gotten the opportunity to experience what it’s like being behind the scenes.
19 Guerra.....Austin Remix
“One of the best things about starting off in a job like that is that you have to do everything, so you learn how to do everything … over the course of that six years, I went from the digital editor guy in the back of the room, to ‘Can you play a little part here and there,’” Richard Davis said. At 19 years old, Davis lived in New Orleans and rented out a studio where he recorded ads. A couple of years later, Davis moved to Los Angeles because he wanted to be “part of something big and make big records.” During his time in L.A. as a music editor, he always wrote music because it’s what he loves to do. Then Davis began doing records and working for an old college friend, Andrew Shep. One day Shep asked Davis to work on a gig in his place for the Eagles. As Davis worked alongside the Eagles on a project for six years, his involvement in the project blossomed as he went from a music editor to a music producer. “I’ve come here my entire life … I love Austin, I think the best thing about it is how much talent there is here,” Davis said. Davis had always visited his mother in Austin, which made adapting to the city very easy. To Davis, Austin is the
Graphic
central heart of musicians because there’s talent. Although his transition may have been easy, it became difficult for him to be a part of the network of people since he didn’t go to UT Austin, where many of these relationships are made. It becomes difficult for producers to reach out if they don’t have connections to people within the industry because no one knows who they are. “I wanted to stay close to a music community, that was an important part of my decision to move here,” Tim Palmer said. Along with Davis, Palmer has adapted to Austin smoothly because he had always been
Richard Davis sits down ready to produce in his self-built Austin studio. Photo by Richard Davis. with the industry due to the internet and Austin has grown to become one of the biggest music cities in the country. Before the move, Palmer heard that the branch of the Recording Academy, the Texas chapter, was headed to Austin. This opened doors for Palmer to be involved in the Recording Academy all because of his move to Austin.
“Sometimes a mistake can end up being your favorite part of the song because it makes them unique” - Tim Palmer, music producer
by: Ivette Guerra moving between Austin and Los Angeles due to them both being famous music cities. Two main factors had driven Palmer to move to Austin: producers no longer needed to live in major cities to stay in contact
“I find musicians and they find me through the internet … when I’m looking if I hear some music that I like I can use the internet and I can reach out to an artist and say look, I would love to work with you if there is that possibility,” Palmer said. The internet has been a great communication tool, especially within the music industry, because it allows producers and musicians not to be in big cities. The internet has also been able to open so many more doors for people because they’re able to get internships, find producers, and find musicians. It can be as simple as going on a website and connecting to a music project with a producer.
“This can kind of go both ways. Our company specifically usually finds the artists touring,” Toney said. Although the internet may be a big help in communications within the music industry, Toney said that his company tries to find artists as they’re out working to be assured of the artist’s work ethic before signing a contract. Toney Clayton Toney looks at a theatre in Nashville. Courtesy of Clayton Toney. said that being an artist is more than pay off big time. Other times it doesn’t,” because it makes them unique,” Palmer what meets the Toney said. said. eye and more people don’t realize the sacrifices artists make to get where they Within the industry, many sacrifices According to Palmer, to succeed in a are today. are put into the work that becomes career as a producer it’s vital to be overlooked by the public connected to great music. It’s also “Sometimes things because they just see the important not to be so strict with music finished project and not the and just let it be because that’s how the work that it took the artists best music is produced. Palmer learned to get there. Toney said that this by working with David Bowie no one really understands because he would always let some things the sacrifices made unless slide because it would add character to they’re a part of or have the music being produced. worked in the industry. Many aspects fall into being a producer “Sometimes a mistake that can only be learned over time as one can end up being your lives through the music industry and how t favorite part of functions. Many people don’t know what the song happens on behind the scenes because it’s covered up with a pretty picture of their favorite artist’s music. It’s not only that producing music uses blood, sweat, and tears, but that to be the best producer one can be, music has to be an escape from reality.
ette y: Iv b c i h Grap
rra
Gue
21 Guerra.....Austin Remix
MOST LISTENED MUSIC IN AUST We surveyed 56 high school students on their favorite music genres. This chart includes the most listened to genres according to teenagers. graphics by Ivette Guerra
Classical
jazz
10%
pop
6%
28%
1 indie
TIN k-pop
Country 3%
10%
16%
rock
17% 11%
rap 23 Guerra.....Austin Remix
How music venues in Austin, Texas operate and manage the music industry. By Sydney Jones
The setup of Antone’s Nightclub from the inside. Antone’s has been in operation since 1975. Photo courtesy of Marlee Miller.
Antone’s Nightclub marquee outside of the venue. Antone’s holds approximately 400 people. Photo courtesy of Marlee Miller.
flash of bright neon lights, the sounds of cheers drowned out by the blasting music, shoulder to shoulder, a crowded ground, the intertwining smells of people, food, and excitement fill the air. While this might be all an audience at a concert sees, there are many parts to operating a music venue. According to Michael Girard, owner of Austin club Speakeasy since 1997, running a music venue is best described as moving chaos. Girard has been in the music industry sinceSpeakeasy opened. “What makes a live music venue different from some businesses is every night we have a different set of employees on
stage,” Girard said. “There’s a million moving parts every day, from the weather to the mood of the employee to other business struggles and other things live music venues have to deal with.” Live music venues have to employ lots of staff to make sure all tasks are covered for the evening. According to Marlee Miller, an employee at Antone’s Nightclub, making sure everything goes smoothly
takes a village of people. “On our team
25 Jones.....Austin Remix
we have the venue managers, our production team, our sound engineers, our booking agent, our marketing team, and our bartenders,” Miller said. “Each and every person counts in ensuring a superb experience for our artists and guests.”
Graphic rendering of the outside of the Moody Center. The Moddy Center opened in the spring of 2022. Photo courtesy of Michael Owens.
Larger venues have to deal with many guests flooding into their concert locale every night. The Moody Center, which opened April 20, 2022, will be home to many concerts in partnership with ACL Live. Michael Owens is a part of the team preparing for the Moody Center’s operation. “It is also challenging and stressful,” Owens said. “And there’s a lot that goes on when you have 150 nights of entertainment and up to 15,000 people in the building at one time. It’s a lot of moving parts and it takes a lot of people to pull it all off.” According to Ryan Garrett, the general manager at Stubb’s, a lot goes into putting on a show that people don’t see. “You have to make sure that systems are in place, including insurance and
utilities, staffing, human resources,” Garrett said. “It’s a tremendous workload to put on shows of that magnitude.” Each show, music venues have to go through a whole process to set up the logistics. All the people work together to put on a successful show. “Our music events take the
cooperation of our full team,” Miller said. “Starting with booking and ticketing, then advancing, gathering info from bands on what they need to have a successful show, scheduling staff, ensuring the venue has food and beverage, sound checks, and more, each team member has a crucial point in preparation and sharing pertinent info with each other to bring it all together.” For venues, there is more to cover than just booking the band. Lots of things that might be forgotten when thinking about music venues but there are many details that are important to the guests experience.
Antone’s N courtesy ighclub marque e. of Marle e Miller. Photo
“You walk into the arena, you got to park somewhere, someone has to scan your ticket, you got to walk through a metal detector to make sure you’re not carrying something you’re
not supposed to have, you’ve got to find your seats, you’ve got to get a bucket of popcorn and a water,” Owens said. “You have to enjoy the show. And you have to be able to see the show and hear the show and you have to be safe, have to have a good time. So it takes different departments and an army of people and all of those touch points to make sure that all of that comes together so that you, the fan, can have a successful, safe, and unforgettable experience in the arena.”
recruiting bands to play the amphitheater. And they also handle promotions,
with bands. This allows them to team up and work with each other more than once.
If you ask anybody in the industry, people come for a few hours to see a show, but make no mistake about it, this is a profession. - Ryan Garrett, Stubb’s GM
Venue managers have to find people to scan tickets, operate lights, and security. To take something off their plate, some venues team up with outside companies to make sure they can get bookings for their venues.
“So we work with a concert promotions agency called C3 Presents,” Garrett said. “And they handle what is referred to as our talent buying practices, which are
everything from advertising to the public to social media presence. So there’s a long standing history in relationships with artists managers, booking them, getting them on the calendar and getting them to perform at Stubb’s.” Over time, venues can form relationships
“A lot of [relationships with bands] are just kind of cultivated. So we get them a few different ways,” Girard said. “And once they perform on the stage, if they are good, we continue to use them in the rotation. If they aren’t good, or they don’t put enough into marketing themselves, if it’s not mutually beneficial, and we don’t continue them in the rotation.”
People go see concerts for a few a hours and while it might not seem like that much, for the music venue staff, this is they’re career. Those few hours are only a small part of the work they have to put in. “If you ask anybody in the industry, people come for a few hours to see a show, but make no mistake about it, this is a profession,” Garrett said. “And many times it can be extremely rewarding. But it takes a lot of elbow grease to produce those kinds of events on that magnitude. But it’s a labor of love. The folks that work with me at Stubb’s have done so for years and years. We’ve got a lot of long term staff. We all love what we do. It takes a lot of work to get this done, but it’s important work to be done and we’re very proud to do it.” According to Garrett, music venues’ mission is to make sure people have a good time. People can experience something different from their everyday life.
Graphic rendering of the Moody Center’s plaza. The venue is set to have a capacity of 15,000. Photo courtesy of Michael Owens.
“Enjoy some live music, forget your troubles for a couple hours,” Garrett said. “It’s a place to escape. It’s a place to release stress and have a good time.” 27 Jones.....Austin Remix
Show
Me
graphics by Sydney Jones
POPULARITY
A survey was conducted with teenagers in Austin, Texas to see which venue was most liked. The results are shown above.
ACL Live Moody Center Emoʼs Stubbʼs Broken Spoke Speakeasy
the
Venues
AGE
1964
Broken Spoke Stubbʼs
1992
Emoʼs Speakeasy
2011
1968
ACL Live Moody Center
1997 29 Jones.....Austin Remix
Meet The Editors Ivette Guerra (she/her)
By Sydney Jones Ivette Guerra is a freshman at LASA and currently, she is working on a story about music producers in the Austin area. After Ivette graduates from high school, she wants to go to college. A fun thing Ivette likes to do when she has spare time is play volleyball. Something interesting about Ivette is that she used to live in Galveston.
Hannah Kim (she/her)
By Ivette Guerra In Ezine, Hannah is writing a magazine article regarding classical music, showing the difference between teaching it versus actually learning it. One of Hannah’s hobbies is viola because she likes to play music, this shows her interest in music as a topic. Although she may have a love for music, Hannah also plays tennis “because it’s a fun sport.” Once Hannah finishes her high school career, Hannah plans on going to college and hopefully medical school.
Adele Tversky (they/she)
By Hannah Kim Adele Tversky is a freshman at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy, and she is interested in the work of independent artists. In her free time, she enjoys drawing, and they hope to do something art-related in college. A little-known fact about Adele is that they rollerblade.
Sydney Jones (she/her)
By Adele Tversky Sydney is a freshman at LASA highschool. In her free time, she enjoys running and swimming. She’s interested in writing about music venues in Austin and how they’re run. Once she graduates she wants to study neurology at a university. One thing you should know about Sydney is that she loves puns.
31 Guerra.....Austin Remix
Austin
S P R I N G 2 0 2 2
S P R I N G 2 0 2 2
Remix