[00:00:04]
[CALL TO ORDER]
THE MAY 6TH MEETING, REGULAR MEETING OF THE MUSIC, UH, COMMISSION TO ORDER.IT IS, UH, 6:40 PM UH, THE, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? ANYBODY SPEAK? UH, THAT WOULD BE ON THE AGENDA LATER.
UH, NO PUBLIC, UH, COMMUNICATION.
SO, UM, IF WE'LL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OF MINUTES, UH, IF EVERYBODY ON THE COMMISSION HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE ME MEETING MINUTES FROM THE MEETING ON, UM, APRIL ONE.UM, YEAH, SO IF THE COMMISSION HAD, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE MEETING MINUTES FROM, UH, THE APRIL MUSIC COMMISSION MEETING, IF SOMEBODY COULD MOTION TO APPROVE A MOTION FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER DAVILA.
SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER STRICKLAND.
[2. Presentation on musical performance by Elijah Delgado, Music Commission Live Performance participant and Shelbi Mitchell, Program Coordinator, Music & Entertainment Division. ]
BRIEFINGS.THE FIRST, UH, TOPIC IS PRESENTATION ON MUSICAL PERFORMANCE BY ELIJAH DELGADO, MUSIC COMMISSION, LIVE PERFORMANCE PARTICIPANT AND SHELBY MITCHELL, PROGRAM COORDINATOR, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION.
SHELBY MITCHELL, PROGRAM COORDINATOR, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION.
I'M HERE TO SHOW YOU WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR SO LONG.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO DO THE VIDEO TAPING LAST MONTH, AND ELIJAH DELGADO WAS OUR FIRST ARTIST.
SO WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE IS JUST ONE SONG, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON A WHOLE PIECE THAT WE'RE GONNA SHARE WITH YOU LATER, BECAUSE WE GOT A LOT OF AGENDA ITEMS TO COVER TODAY.
SO LET'S JUST ENJOY THIS, BUT KNOW THAT THERE IS MORE COMING.
THERE'S THE INTERVIEWS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE LATER ON, AND WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER DATE WE WILL RECORD NEXT MONDAY.
SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO
AND WE'RE WORKING ON ONE MORE ARTIST TO HAVE TO GET TWO FOLKS IN AND KEEP RECORDING SO WE CAN RE-AIR IN THE FALL AS AN ACTUAL SHOW.
SO, YEAH, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO.
IT'S, I, I CAN BARELY SEE HOW I'M CHANGE FOR YET.
[00:06:23]
RIGHT? YES.AND, AND THIS IS THIS GREAT, THAT, THAT, THAT WE CAN DO THIS WITH ARTISTS.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, EARLIER WE WERE HAVING OUT JUST SENDING WHATEVER RECORDINGS THEY HAD YEAH.
AND THIS IS JUST A MOMENT, UM, I PLAN TO SHARE THIS ONE SONG AT MUSIC COMMISSION, UM, JUST TO SAVE THE REST OF THE VIDEOS FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO BE FUNNELED TO A TX SINCE CHANNEL.
JUST KNOW THAT THIS IS ONE OF TWO, UM, EVERY EPISODE WE'LL HAVE TWO SONGS IN AN INTERVIEW.
I GOT TO INTERVIEW ELIJAH, SO IF YOU WANNA CHECK OUT MY SKILLS TOO,
AND, UM, CHICO, SOPHIE IS EXCITED TOO.
JUST ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO PAY PEOPLE FOR WHAT THEY DO BEST AND WHAT THEY DO WELL, AND THEN HOPEFULLY GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITIES TO TURN THIS AROUND AND MAKE IT WORK FOR THEM.
UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MARKETING A LOT, AND SO HOPEFULLY THIS IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP WITH THAT BY GIVING THEM SOME QUALITY CONTENT.
SO WHERE SPACE, WHERE THIS IS WHERE IT'S AWESOME.
UH, WE HOPE TO ACTIVATE THEIR, THEY HAVE THREE STUDIOS WE WANNA ACTIVATE TWO NEXT TIME.
LIKE I SAID, WE WANT TO HAVE TWO ARTISTS.
TWO, WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO IS JUST BUILD A ROLODEX OF CONTENTS.
'CAUSE THEY ACTUALLY WANT TO RE-AIR AS ITS OWN SERIES.
AND SO WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT NAMES LATER.
WE WANTED TO GIVE THAT POWER TO Y'ALL.
UM, BUT WE WILL RE-AIR IN THE FALL, BUT WHILE WE GET THERE ON THE WAY, WE'LL BE SHARING ONE SONG AT A TIME FOR OUR MUSIC COMPONENT, UM, AT THESE MEETINGS.
LIKE, THE PRODUCTION VALUES ARE REALLY HIGH.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY SUPER TALENTED ARTIST, BUT YEAH.
SO PROPS TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
YEAH, IT'S GREAT PROPS TO Y'ALL.
THANKS FOR GETTING THIS ROLLING.
I, I, I DO JUST WANT TO SAY FOR THE RECORD THAT YOU'RE NOT GIVING YOURSELF ENOUGH CREDIT FOR HAVING PUT ALL OF THAT TOGETHER, SO, WOW.
UM, JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT AUSTIN PUBLIC IS, UM, ESSENTIALLY A PROGRAM OF AUSTIN FILM SOCIETY, SO MAYBE THERE SHOULD ALSO BE SOME CROSS, UM, POLLENIZATION THERE, YOU KNOW, OF MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THEY KIND OF RUN IT, THEIR STAFF HELPS RUN IT, SO THEY JUST HAVE SUCH A GREAT DATABASE AS WELL.
AND HOPEFULLY AS WE PICK OUT A NAME, MAYBE WE CAN GET A LOGO IN THE BACK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YEAH, WE SHOUT OUT TO BURTON, UH, AS ALWAYS A TX 10.
THEY'RE VERY MINDFUL OF SET DESIGN AND ALSO THE INTROS THAT YOU SEE, THIS IS JUST WORKING WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
UM, HE DID THAT IN LIKE 30 SECONDS, NOT TO LIKE DOWNPLAY, BUT HE WAS LIKE, IT NEEDS TO LOOK.
WE HAVE THE VIDEO, BUT WE WANNA MAKE IT LOOK OFFICIAL FOR YOU AND ALSO INSPIRE YOU.
LIKE I SAID, WE WILL COLLABORATE WITH A TXN AND, UM, AUSTIN PUBLIC ACCESS.
THAT'S A PART OF THE DEAL, WHICH I THINK IS GREAT.
UM, BUT YEAH, WE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW AND THE MARKETING IS NATURALLY THERE WITH, BETWEEN ALL THREE OF US.
GREAT ON THE SHOUT OUT FOR SHELBY AS WELL.
[00:10:01]
SHELBY.[3. Live Music Fund collections update by Kim McCarson, Program Manager, Music & Entertainment Division, Economic Development Department. ]
IS LIVE MUSIC FUND COLLECTIONS UPDATE BY KIM MC CARSON, PROGRAM MANAGER OF MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.I'M KIM MACARON, PROGRAM MANAGER WITH MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND I'M GONNA BE PRESENTING THE COLLECTIONS UPDATE FOR THE, THE HOT FOR, UH, HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FOR LIVE MUSIC FUND.
UM, SO AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, THE LATEST WAS FROM MARCH.
NOW GRANTED, THIS IS NOT REFLECTING SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST HOTEL SALES.
UH, THIS IS MARCH, WHICH MEANS IT'S ACTUALLY FEBRUARY.
UH, WHAT, WHAT ACTUALLY ACTIVITY OCCURRED IN FEBRUARY.
SO THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WENT TO LIVE MUSIC FUND IS 16,866.
THIS IS JUST SLIGHTLY MORE THAN LAST MARCH, OR WHAT WAS ACTUALLY THE ACTIVITY OF FEBRUARY OF 12,938 LAST FISCAL YEAR.
SO IN THE NEXT REPORT THAT YOU'LL BE GETTING, THAT'S WHEN YOU'LL SEE WHERE THE, THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY STAYS DURING SOUTH BY WILL HIT.
AND, UH, YOU'LL LIKELY SEE A MUCH LARGER, UH, COLOR ON THIS, UH, COLUMN HERE.
SO THAT 16,866 FOR A YEAR TO DATE OF 2 MILLION NINETY FOUR FIVE FIVE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR.
LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS.
[4. Update on the FY24 Austin Live Music Fund application launch by Erica Shamaly, Division Manager, Music & Entertainment Division.]
ON, THE, THE NEXT TOPIC IS UPDATE ON THE 5 24 AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND APPLICATION LAUNCH BY ERICA SHAMLEY, DIVISION MANAGER, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION.UM, ERICA, THANK YOU FOR JOINING.
HELLO, COMMISSIONER, CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YEAH.
I MAY BE COUGHING AND TURN THIS OVER TO KIM IF THAT STARTS UP AGAIN.
BUT THE 9 52, IT SAYS ATX ORG, AND I CLICK ON BLOCK THREE SIX OPENING SOON.
YOU SEE OUR OTHER CURRENT ITEM THAT PUBLISH.
WE HAVE ANNOUNCED DATES FOR THE APPLICATION.
THE APPLICATION WILL BE OPENING ON TUESDAY, MAY 21ST, CLOSING ON ON TUESDAY, JUNE 18TH, WHICH IS A FOUR WEEK APPLICATION WINDOW.
WE HAVE STARTED SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN AROUND WITH THE APPLICATION HEARING STARTING YESTERDAY OR TODAY.
AND THERE WILL BE A EXPERIENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA MONTHS LEADING UP TO THE APPLICATION OPENING AND THROUGHOUT THE APPLICATION PERIOD, UH, WE'LL BE ANNOUNCING WITH OUR RELEASE ABOUT, UH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RESOURCES THROUGH OUR PROGRAM LAUNCH CENTER, AS WELL AS THROUGH, UM, A WEBINARS AND WORKSHOPS WILL BE, UH, HOSTING VIRTUALLY LIVE, AND WHICH WILL ALSO BE RECORDED.
AND WE WILL HAVE THE SPANISH LANGUAGE INTERPRETER PRESENT TO OFFER, UM, THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN BOTH, WHICH IN SPANISH.
AND SO YOU TO SHARE ORG WITH YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, EVERYONE YOU KNOW, TO GO CHECK OUT THE GUIDELINES.
AND ALSO LOOK AT OUR APPLICATION PREP SECTION OF THE WEBPAGE, WHICH INCLUDES THE APPLICATION QUESTIONS AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS FOR BOTH, UH, ALL MUSICIANS, FOR PROMOTERS, AS WELL AS FOR LIVE USING THE NEWS.
YOU CAN GO PRETTY MUCH, UH, SITTING FOR THE TEXT, GET YOUR APPLICATION MATERIALS READY, UH, SO THAT THE APPLICATION OPENS.
EVERYBODY CAN GET YOUR APPLICATION RELATIVE EASILY.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO OUR RECORDS AT THE BELONG CENTER AND TO OUR STAFF AT THE TAINMENT DIVISION, AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ASSISTING US WITH GETTING ALL OF THESE MATERIALS READY FOR SHARING THE PUBLIC AND WITH YOU.
UH, AGAIN, A PLEASE GO CHECK IT OUT AND LEMME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
ERICA, UH, THANK YOU FOR, UH, SHARING THAT INFORMATION.
VERY EXCITED TO, UH, SEE THAT, UH, ROUND TWO IS LAUNCHING, UM, ON MAY 21, UM, QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS
[00:15:01]
ON THE LIVE MUSIC FUND APPLICATION.UM, I'M ALSO, UH, IT'S, IT'S GREAT FORETHOUGHT IN MY MIND TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THE QUESTIONS AVAILABLE AHEAD OF TIME, UH, IN THE PREP SECTION.
UH, UM, I THINK, UH, IT'LL GIVE PEOPLE SOME TIME TO LOOK AT THOSE AND REALLY, YEAH, PREPARE ON HOW THEY WANT TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, THERE'S A LOT TO DO FOR
UH, I THINK, UH, YEAH, THE NEXT TIME WE TALK ABOUT IT, UH, THE COMMISSION MEETING WOULD BE PASSED, UH, WHEN THE APPLICATION IS OPENED.
UH, SO
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, WE CAN, UH, UH, THEN, YOU KNOW, I GUESS CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION.
UH, PLEASE, UH, DO PUT THE WORD OUT, UM, AS YOU MAY CHOOSE, UH, ON, ON THE PERSONAL FRONT AS WELL, WITHIN YOUR CIRCLES, SOCIAL, WHATEVER WORKS.
UM, UH, JUST, UM, UH, YEAH, EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
ANYONE TO START REACHING OUT TO US NOW WITH ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GUIDELINES OR ABOUT APPLICATION PREPARATION.
UH, KEN ALREADY STARTED ZOOM CALLS, UH, WITH QUESTIONS FROM OUR COMMUNITY, SO PLEASE REACH OUT NOW.
UH, BUT LIKE I SAID, THAT PRESS RELEASE WILL BE GOING OUT, LEADING MAY DAY WITH A LOT MORE DETAIL AROUND OUR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, BOTH IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH.
BUT PLEASE REACH OUT TO US NOW IF YOU HAVE ANY IMMEDIATE QUESTIONS.
AND, UH, WE FEEL THAT WE LEARNED A LOT LAST YEAR, A LOT FROM THE FEEDBACK FROM BOTH THE MUSIC COMMISSION AND OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE'RE FEELING REALLY GOOD ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE GETTING INTO THE APPLICATION EASILY AND GETTING THROUGH THE APPLICATION EASILY.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR FEEDBACK OVER THE LAST YEAR.
AND THEN, AND OUR SCORING IS, UH, MORE OR LESS ABSOLUTE SCORING THIS TIME, RIGHT? IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A LOT OF SUBJECTIVITY IN THE, IN THE QUESTIONS, UH, IN HOW THEY ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, SCORED, UH, AND THEY LAST YEAR EITHER.
THE ANSWER, YEAH, THIS YEAR IS THAT WE ARE NOT SCORING FOR FUTURE PROJECTS.
WE'RE SCORING FOR WHAT PPLICANT HAVE DONE IN THE PAST AND, UH, MAKING, YOU KNOW, THE ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES, ELIGIBLE FOR THE GRANT FUNDS, JUST AS LONG AS EVERYTHING IS PROMOTED AND MARKETED TO VISITING POTENTIAL, UH, TOURISTS TO AUSTIN AND CONVENTION DELEGATES TO AUSTIN.
SO THAT'S THE BIGGEST CHANGE AROUND SCORING, NOT SCORING FOR WHAT YOU WILL DO OR GOING WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING, AND, UH, TO GIVE YOU GUYS THE FLEXIBILITY WITH THE GRANT FUNDS, UH, TO PUT THE MONEY WHERE IT IS MOST NEEDED AND REALLY PROMOTE AND MARKET ALL OF THAT POTENTIAL TOURISM.
I THINK, YES, THAT IS THE BIG DIFFERENCE.
IT'S THE LAST TIME YOU HAD TO REALLY DESCRIBE, IT'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE, THE PROJECT UPFRONT.
THIS TIME IT'S MORE AROUND, UH, UH, IF YOU GET THE GRANT, UH, AS LONG AS YOU'RE SPENDING IT ON ELIGIBLE EXPENSES, THE, UM, THE ABILITY TO USE A GRANT ACROSS TWO YEARS IS ALSO A, A BIG CHANGE.
UH, GUILD, UH, CAN YOU REMIND US IF THE COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR PROGRAM IS STILL ONLINE FOR THIS FOR ASSISTANCE? UH, SORRY, HONOR, UM, EXCUSE ME, COMMISSIONER GOLD, THE COMMUNITY, THAT PROGRAM IS STILL AVAILABLE, BUT WE'LL BE FOCUSING ON TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LONG CENTER AS WELL THROUGH, UM, MUSEUM STAFF THROUGH OUR LIVE WORKSHOPS AND QA SESSIONS, WHICH WILL BE RECORDED.
THERE WILL BE TWO DURING THE APPLICATION PERIOD, AND THEN WE WILL HAVE TWO VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS, UH, DURING THE APPLICATION PERIOD.
THOSE SESSIONS WILL HAPPEN EACH TUESDAY WEEK, EACH TUESDAY WEEK THAT THE APPLICATION IS OPEN.
AND, UH, SO WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON USING OUR TEAM AND STAFF REALLY HELP THE FOLKS OUT AS WELL AS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE LONG CENTER.
UM, SO THEY'LL HAVE LIKE A MANUAL PHONE THAT WOULD BE IN THEIR ANSWERING PHONE CALLS AS WELL AS EMAILS AND REFERRING ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY CAN ANSWER TO US.
AND, UH, WE'LL ALSO BE PROVIDING ALL OF THESE SERVICES IN SPANISH.
UH, THREE, OUR CHRISTIAN OFFICER, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO HIRE SPANISH SPEAKING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES AND ASSIST.
SO THEY WON'T BE IN ATTENDANCE AT BOTH WORKSHOPS AND AT THE VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS FOR ATION SERVICES.
AND EVERYTHING THAT KNOW WILL PUBLISH WILL ALSO BE IN SPANISH.
SO WE'RE REALLY, REALLY GOOD ABOUT THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WE HAVE LINING UP.
UH, BUT THE COMMUNITY NAVIGATE THEIR PROGRAM, IT'S STILL AVAILABLE.
[00:20:01]
OF LIVES DO THAT.WE WERE JUST TRYING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, BREAK DOWN SOME BARRIERS SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO APPLY TO NAVIGATOR, AND THEN FOR THE ASSISTANCE THAT HAVE A DIRECT ONE ON ONE CONNECTION TO THE ASSISTANCE FOR THIS PROGRAM.
YES, MR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, WITH US, REALLY HELPFUL.
UH, COMMISSIONER, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
E ERICA SCOTT STRICKLAND HERE.
I'M SORRY THAT YOU ARE SICK AND, UM, OFF CAMERA, BUT, UM, IT'S GOOD TO HEAR YOUR VOICE AT LEAST.
UM, THE, UH, QUESTION NUMBER ONE IS MU MUSIC COMMISSIONERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR, UH, THE GRANT.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
UH, THE MUSIC COMMISSIONERS HAD NO, UH, PART, OBVIOUSLY OF LOOKING AT EVALUATIONS AND SCORING.
SO YES, MR. COMMISSIONER ARE VOLUNTEERS.
THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY, BUT FULLTIME, UH, A BOSTON EMPLOYEE ARE INELIGIBLE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? ALL GREAT.
UM, ONCE AGAIN, PLEASE, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD OUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, UH, AND, AND, AND THE GOAL WOULD BE TO JUST, UM, JUST GET A BROAD, UH, DIVERSITY OF, UH, YOU KNOW, MUSICIANS, UH, INDEPENDENT PROMOTERS.
AND OF COURSE, WE ARE BRINGING IN THE VENUES THIS TIME TO APPLY.
[5. Presentation by Graham Williams, Resound Presents, on booking for live music venues]
MOVING ON.DISCUSSION ITEMS. UM, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY GRAHAM WILLIAMS, RESOUND PRESENCE ON BOOKING FOR LIVE MUSIC VENUES.
UH, COMMISSIONER CASDA, DID YOU WANNA SET UP SOME CONTEXT FOR UH, SURE, SURE.
OH, IS IT? I THINK NOW I THANK YOU.
SO, JUST A LITTLE CONTEXT OF, UM, GRAHAM, UH, WILLIAMS, I THINK THROUGHOUT THE LAST, UM, SEVERAL MONTHS, UM, WE'VE WANTED TO HEAR FROM THE, THE BOOKING SIDE OF THE MUSIC, UM, ECOSYSTEM.
SO, UM, I THINK WE'RE ALL HONORED TO HAVE, UH, GRAHAM HERE.
HE IS THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF RESOUND PRESENTS IN AUSTIN.
RESOUND PRESENTS FOCUSES ON BOOKING MARKETING, CREATIVE EVENTS AND BRAND ACTIVATIONS IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
UH, IT EXCLUSIVELY BOOKS THE AUSTIN'S MOHAWK, EMPIRE CONTROL ROOM AND GARAGE, UH, PARISH IN SAN ANTONIO'S PAPER TIGER.
UM, GRAHAM FOUNDED, UH, THE FUN, FUN, FUN FEST WAY BACK IN THE DAY.
UM, STARTED BOOKING EMOS IN THE LATE 1990S, SO ABOUT 2006.
SO LOTS OF, UM, AMAZING KIND OF GRASSROOTS EXPERIENCE OF, UM, CONJURING UP SOME VERY CREATIVE, FUN, UH, PROGRAMMING IN AUSTIN.
COMMISSIONER EDDA, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
UM, I'M PROBABLY BETTER AT ANSWERING QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND.
SO I SAID MOST OF IT, UM, BORN AND RAISED IN AUSTIN.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S A BIG MUSIC TOWN, SO, UH, I WAS A MUSIC FAN FROM A YOUNG AGE.
THERE WERE NOT A LOT OF ALL AGES VENUES IN THE NINETIES HERE.
UM, SO OUT OF NECESSITY, UH, MYSELF AND OTHERS WOULD RENT OUT BFW HALLS WAREHOUSES, PLAY AT CO-OPS, UH, STARTED PUTTING ON SHOWS AS A HOBBY, UM, WHICH EVENTUALLY LED TO A JOB DOING THAT FOR A VENUE HERE, UM, ON SIXTH STREET, UH, EMOS BEFORE IT MOVED.
UM, I DID THAT FOR A LONG TIME.
I LEFT AND STARTED A, A COMPANY CALLED TRANSMISSION AND A FESTIVAL.
AND THROUGH THAT, THE NAME CHANGED A FEW TIMES, BUT ESSENTIALLY STARTED BOOKING VENUES ALL OVER THE CITY AND EVENTUALLY THE STATE.
UM, UH, KNOWING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT, WHICH, AGAIN, ASK AWAY, BUT, UH, I THINK THERE WAS TALK OF ALL AGES, SHOWS BEING KIND OF A CONCERN.
AND, AND THAT'S THE WORLD I CAME FROM.
UH, AS I SAID, OUTTA NECESSITY, WE KIND OF HAD TO BOOK SHOWS THAT WAY.
STILL TO THIS DAY, THAT'S OUR MAIN FOCUS IN HOW WE BOOK SHOWS.
UH, ALL THE VENUES WE BOOK ARE ALL AGES.
MOST OF THE ROOMS WE GO INTO ARE ALL AGES.
WE PROBABLY PUT ON A THOUSAND SHOWS A YEAR, UM, ONLY A HANDFUL OR EVER, NOT ALL AGES.
AND, AND RARELY WE'LL GO INTO A VENUE THAT HAS
[00:25:01]
A STRICT RULE AND WE HAVE TO DO WHAT THEY SAY DUE TO THEIR SETUP, WHICH IS FINE, BUT WE KIND OF TRY TO AVOID IT.UM, BUT YEAH, SO THAT'S KIND OF BEEN OUR PHILOSOPHY.
UH, I FEEL LIKE THE SCENE IS BUILT ON YOUTH AND YOUNG PEOPLE AND, AND HOW THEY'RE ABLE TO GET INTO MUSIC AT A YOUNG AGE.
I MEAN, I WOULDN'T BE DOING THIS IF I WASN'T ABLE TO GO SEE SHOWS AS A KID, UM, RIGHT NEXT DOOR OR HERE, WHEREVER LIBERTY LUNCH WAS.
UH, AND, UM, YEAH, SO IT'S, UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS SUPER VITAL, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY, BOTH IN HOW WE DO BUSINESS, HOW WE SHARE ART, HOW ARTISTS ARE ABLE TO GROW.
YOU CAN KIND OF ONLY PLAY TO THE SAME PEOPLE SO MANY TIMES.
UM, AND YOUNG PEOPLE ARE INTO MUSIC MORE THAN EVER RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF STREAMING.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS A KID, YOU HAD TO MOW A LOT OF LAWNS TO GET ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY A NEW CASSETTE, UM, AT SOUND EXCHANGE.
BUT, UH, NOW, I MEAN, KIDS CAN LISTEN TO ALL THEIR FAVORITE RECORDS IN NO TIME STREAMING AND FIND OUT 10 NEW BANDS IN NO TIME.
AND THEY WANT TO GO SEE THOSE ARTISTS WHEN THEY COME THROUGH, OR IF THEY'RE LOCAL AND, AND THEY WANNA SUPPORT THEM.
AND WE'RE KIND OF ONLY ABLE TO DO THAT IF WE'RE ABLE TO KIND OF PROTECT THAT PART OF THE COMMUNITY HERE, SINCE IT'S SO VITAL TO GROWING THAT MUSIC SCENE AND MUSIC BUSINESS HERE FOR THE ARTISTS AND, UH, FOR THE BARS, RESTAURANTS, AND VENUES THAT ARE SUPPORTING IT AS WELL.
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ON MY BACKGROUND AND WHAT I DO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, GRAHAM, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
ONE, I I HAD ONE QUESTION THAT YOU HAD SUCH, UM, HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE AUSTIN MUSIC SCENE.
UM, ONE THING THAT I THINK THAT HAS COME UP IN CONVERSATION BEFORE, UM, AROUND A CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE OF NOW, THE CITY OF AUSTIN PAYS ITS MUSICIANS.
WHEN IT'S, UH, A, A CITY OF AUSTIN PROGRAM.
EACH ARTIST IS PAID, UM, A MINIMUM OF $200 FOR THE PERFORMANCE, $200 PER PERFORMANCE.
UM, WHICH IS GREAT THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOES THAT.
AND IT'S KIND OF A NORTH STAR OF WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, OTHER CLUBS.
UM, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PLATFORM FOR YOU TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT AS TO WHY YOU CREATED FREE WEEK.
BE YOU, YOU, THAT WAS YOUR IDEA.
AND IT WAS MANY YEARS AGO THAT YOU CREATED FREE WEEK.
AND WHAT WAS THE, THE, THE REASON BEHIND DOING THAT? AND WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES YOU WERE FACING AS A BOOKER TO CREATE THAT WEEK? UH, YEAH, IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO.
UM, HONESTLY, IT WAS SELFISHLY MORE OF A WE'RE CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
YOU'RE REOPENING AFTER NEW YEAR'S EVE AND NO ONE'S INTENT, NO ONE'S TOURING THROUGH.
AND UH, WE JUST PICKED A WEEKEND AT EMOS ON SIXTH STREET ON RED RIVER AND THOUGHT, LET'S JUST HAVE IT MAKE IT FREE TO GET IN.
WE'LL, WE'LL PAY ALL THE BANDS AND DRINK TICKETS AND GIVE THEM, BASICALLY MAKE A PARTY OUT OF IT, COVER COSTS OUT OF THE BAR.
IT EXPANDED THE NEXT YEAR AND GOT, BECAME, WENT FROM A WEEKEND TO A WEEK.
UH, BUT EVENTUALLY IT MADE SENSE TO START PAYING THE ARTISTS.
SO, UM, OTHER VENUES STARTED HOPPING ON, ON RED RIVER AND STARTED DOING IT AS WELL.
SO IT BECAME A DISTRICT-WIDE THING.
AND MOST PEOPLE WOULD PAY BANDS OUT OF THE BAR AND JUST KICK 'EM A PERCENTAGE.
AND THEN OVER TIME IT GOT MORE AND MORE ORGANIZED.
AND NOW I BELIEVE THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICTS INVOLVED.
AND, UH, THEY HELP RAISE FUNDS THROUGH SPONSORS.
UH, SO THERE'S KIND OF A MINIMUM AMOUNT THAT EVERY ARTIST HAS PAID FOR PERFORMING, WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE, UH, EVERYONE'S GUARANTEED THE SAME AMOUNT NO MATTER WHAT.
AND, UH, IT'S HELPED EVERYONE PLAYED A BIGGER AND BIGGER CROWDS.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE A MINI LOCAL SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IN THAT IT'S ALL, UH, PEOPLE ARE BOUNCING TO AND FROM ALL THESE DIFFERENT VENUES UP AND DOWN THE STREET.
UM, AND YOU GET TO SEE ALL THESE NEW ARTISTS AND, UH, BANDS THAT NORMALLY PLAY TO A COUPLE HUNDRED PEOPLE MIGHT BE PLAYING TO A THOUSAND PEOPLE.
'CAUSE ALL THE CLUBS ARE PRETTY PACKED 'CAUSE IT'S FREE.
AND, UH, YEAH, EVERYONE'S GETTING PAID.
SO IT STARTED MORE AS A WAY JUST TO KIND OF BEEF UP A SLOW WEEKEND, KIND OF REOPEN AT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW YEAR AND KIND OF BECAME THIS PRETTY VITAL THING FOR ARTISTS TO KIND OF LAUNCH THEIR YEAR.
UM, BUT YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAD STARTED WORKING ON BACK THEN, AND IT KIND OF ORGANICALLY EXPANDED, WHICH IS, I DON'T OWN IT, I JUST STARTED DOING IT.
I THINK EVERYONE JUST DOES IT.
UM, IT'S A VERY AUSTIN THING IN THAT WAY.
IT'S VERY, UH, DO IT YOURSELF.
PEOPLE JUST KIND OF PICK UP THE FLAG AND RUN WITH IT.
UM, I DON'T FEEL LIKE ANYONE SHOULD REALLY OWN IT.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A THING PEOPLE SHOULD DO.
I WISH RESTAURANTS AND ALAMO DRAFT HALL.
I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE, THE FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY AFTER THE HOLIDAYS WHEN EVERYONE'S BROKE, SEEMS LIKE A GOOD TIME.
UH, EVERYONE'S STILL OUT OF SCHOOL AND WORK TOO, SO IT'S JUST A TIME TO GET PEOPLE OUT.
IT'S A SMART BUSINESS DECISION, I THINK, TO ADD SOME
[00:30:01]
FREE ELEMENT TO GET PEOPLE INTO YOUR STORES OR YOUR RESTAURANTS OR YOUR BARS.UH, BUT ANYWAY, YEAH, THAT'S KIND OF WHY WE STARTED DOING IT AND IT'S, IT'S BECOME A COOL THING.
UM, SO GLAD TO SEE YOU HERE, GRAHAM.
WHAT'S UP PEDRO? I FEEL LIKE SO MUCH OF AUSTIN MUSIC SCENE OWES SO MUCH OF ITS LONGEVITY AND LIFE TO WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND WHAT YOUR CIRCLE OF PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT TO AUSTIN.
UM, I THINK FREE WEEK AND THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF SUCH A SLOW DEAD SEASON FOR ESPECIALLY OUTDOOR MUSIC VENUES IN TOWN.
UM, BEING A PART OF ONE, I MEAN, IT'S ALWAYS LIKE THE SCARIEST TIME OF THE YEAR.
YOU JUST KIND OF DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GONNA MAKE IT THROUGH IT OR NOT.
AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE DO AND SOMETIMES WE DON'T.
BUT IT'S, IT'S AN INJECTION OF LIFE INTO LIKE A REALLY KIND OF SCARY TIME.
AND I'M GLAD TO SEE IT GROW EVERY YEAR.
BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT IT WOULD BE REALLY BENEFICIAL TO AUSTIN AS A MUSIC CITY TO HAVE A BIGGER IMPACT FROM THE CITY ITSELF TO SUPPORT WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING THROUGH THREE WEEKS.
SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP, LIKE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE MORE FUNDS TO HELP MORE BANDS GET, YOU KNOW, MORE MONEY OUT OF IT OR MORE VENUES TO BE INVOLVED, BECAUSE THAT'S A TIME WHERE YOU CAN'T REALLY TOUR NORTH 'CAUSE IT'S TOO COLD.
SO VENUES AREN'T GETTING SHOWS AND LOCAL BANDS ARE JUST PICKING UP THEIR RANDOM GIGS BECAUSE NO ONE'S REALLY PAYING THAT WELL.
SO I'M, IT'S MORE OF A COMMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US PARTICIPATE IN IT MORE AS A CITY AND TO SUPPORT IT MORE.
YEAH, I WOULD LOVE THAT AS WELL.
I KNOW THE MUSIC COMMUNITY WOULD, UM, AS I SAID, WHERE WE ARE, THE BULK OF THE VENUES WE HANDLE ARE ON RED RIVER.
I KNOW YOUR VENUES IN SOUTH AUSTIN, OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE VENUES ON THE EAST SIDE WHO PARTICIPATE LIKE HOTEL VEGAS AND SOME OF THE OTHERS THAT AREN'T ACTUALLY IN THE DISTRICT THAT'S FUNDED, BUT DO SEE VALUE IN DOING IT.
IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE IT EXPAND AND JUST BE KIND OF A, A GENERAL CITYWIDE CELEBRATION OF, YOU KNOW, ART, MUSIC, AND BUSINESSES.
'CAUSE UH, WHILE EVERYONE DOES HAVE, I MEAN, MOST BUSINESSES SEE A POP DURING THE HOLIDAYS, BUT FOR LIVE MUSIC, IT'S THE OPPOSITE.
IT'S THE ONE TIME OF THE YEAR WHERE YOU MAKE NO MONEY.
I MEAN, BASICALLY MID-DECEMBER, UNLESS YOU HAVE A REALLY GREAT NEW YEAR'S EVE SHOW, YOU KIND OF DON'T, YOU ALMOST HAVE LIKE THREE WEEKS TO A MONTH OF NOTHING.
IT'S HARD FOR EVEN LOCAL BANDS.
'CAUSE IF YOUR BASSIST GOES OUT OF TOWN FOR THE HOLIDAYS, YOU STILL CAN'T PLAY YOUR SHOWS.
SO, UM, IT'S A REAL TOUGH TIME FOR LIVE MUSIC.
NOT TO MENTION IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S COLD AND, AND PEOPLE ARE IN AND OUT OF TOWN FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
SO IT IS A GREAT WAY TO KIND OF RE WAKE EVERYONE UP AND, AND, UH, IT'S BECOME SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE OF THAT.
IT'S, IT'S A SLOW NEWS WEEK, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, FOR PEOPLE HERE, I I THEY'RE JUST LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO COVER.
THERE'S NO TOURS, THERE'S NO SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
THAT STUFF HASN'T BEEN ANNOUNCED YET.
SO, UH, I FEEL LIKE THE PRESS JUMPS ALL OVER IT 'CAUSE IT'S A REALLY COOL COMMUNITY THING.
AND, UM, YEAH, I'D LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING EXPAND.
IF, IF THERE'S A WAY TO DO THAT, THAT WOULD BE AMAZING.
A, A QUESTION? A QUESTION? MAYBE A COUPLE.
UH, THE, WHAT, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE LIKE THE VIABILITY OF, OF, OF LIVE MUSIC VENUES? UM, LIKE, JUST AS LIKE A, LIKE A, LIKE AS A WHOLE, UM, DURING, I, I KNOW FOR MUSICIANS SPEAKING AS LIKE A, YOU KNOW, A MUSICIAN MYSELF, LIKE, I MEAN, IT'S, IT, WHEN IT, WHEN IT'S SLOW, IT'S LIKE, IT'S JUST, IT'S DEAD.
UM, SO LIKE, I MEAN, I'M ASSUMING THAT THE VENUE'S HAVING, YOU KNOW, THE CONSISTENT OVERHEAD AND ALL THAT STUFF, THERE'S PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, ISSUES, CONCERNS WITH THAT POSSIBLY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S A DEFIBRILLATOR MORE OF LIKE A INCENTIVE.
UM, I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME VENUES THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ORGANICALLY PROTECTED AND SURE.
THEY'VE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH, THEY HAVE A IN AUDIENCE OR IF YOU'RE SMALL AND YOUR RENT OR YOUR MORTGAGE IS REALLY LOW, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SURVIVE, UH, WITH A LOT LESS.
BUT YEAH, IT'S A PASSION PROJECT.
I MEAN, MOST PEOPLE IN THE LIVE MUSIC VENUES BUSINESS AREN'T GETTING RICH.
UM, IT'S KIND OF LIKE RESTAURANTS, LIKE YOUR MARGIN IS SO SLIM.
UM, AND, UH, BECAUSE IT'S SEASONAL, AT LEAST FOR TOURING SHOWS, PEOPLE TOUR IN THE SPRING, THEY TOUR IN THE FALL, THEY TOUR A LITTLE IN THE SUMMER, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS YOU WOULD THINK.
SO THEY'RE GONNA PREFER THE TOUR UP NORTH VERSUS THE HOT SOUTH.
IT'S, THIS IS BIG COLLEGE TOWNS, LIKE EVERY CITY IN TEXAS IS THAT YOU WOULD TOUR IN OR, OR PRETTY BIG COLLEGE COMMUNITIES.
AND IF YOU'RE A MUSICIAN, A LOT OF YOUR FAN BASE IS GONNA BE IN THAT 18 TO 25 DEMOGRAPHIC.
AND IF YOU CAN SELL 20% MORE TICKETS DOING IT IN THE SPRING OR FALL, YOU'RE GONNA SKIP SUMMERS.
[00:35:01]
RIGHT.SO SUMMERS CAN BE TOUGH DOWN HERE.
UM, AND THEN WINTERS FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, HOLIDAYS, UM, A LOT OF BANDS AREN'T TOURING.
SO FROM THE VENUES WHO MAKE ALL OR EVEN SOME OTHER MONEY ON TOURING ARTISTS, WHICH IS A LOT, UH, YEAH, IT'S WILD.
IT'S LIKE YOU JUST HAVE THESE PEAKS AND VALLEYS AND THEN THOSE VALLEYS YOU'RE KIND OF BURNING THROUGH WHAT YOU'VE SAVED FROM THE PEAKS.
AND THEN, UH, AS YOU SAID, SOUTH BY IS ALMOST LIKE A, A WAY TO DIG OUT OF THE SLOW WINTER MONTHS.
SO ALL THE THINGS WE CAN DO AND GET CREATIVE DURING THE SUMMER, THERE'S NOW A VERSION OF FREE WEEK CALLED HOT SUMMER NIGHTS.
IT'S LIKE A LITTLE BOOST, UM, FESTIVALS THAT HAPPEN.
PEDRO HAD A FESTIVAL LAST WEEKEND, UH, AT
UM, SO ALL THOSE TYPE OF CREATIVE EVENTS THAT KIND OF BRING PEOPLE OUT TO CELEBRATE MUSIC AND ART AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE YEAR ARE KIND OF KEY TO GETTING MONEY INTO THOSE VENUES AND KEEPING THEM AFLOAT.
UH, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF LOCAL ARTISTS PLAY THESE VENUES AND THAT'S AMAZING 'CAUSE THE LOCAL SCENE IS KINDA THE HEARTBEAT OF WHAT WE HAVE GOING HERE.
UM, BUT OFTEN IT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH.
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH LOCAL BANDS TO FILL THAT MANY VENUES.
UM, AND THAT MANY NIGHTS, 'CAUSE WE ARE 365 DAYS PRETTY MUCH, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A CITY THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO TORONTO AND PEOPLE JUST CLOSE A VENUE FOR A MONTH 'CAUSE IT'S SNOW'S SIX FEET HIGH AND WHY WOULD THEY OPEN? BUT HERE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE KIND OF KEEP PUSHING THROUGH AND IT'S A BIG MUSIC TOWN, SO IT'S A BIG PART OF THE ECONOMY AND CULTURE.
UM, SO YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, IT CAN BE TOUGH.
UH, IT'S DEFINITELY NOT EASY OWNING VENUES, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A FUN LIVING IF YOU CAN
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM YOU? COMMISSIONER STRICKLAND? ONE LAST QUESTION.
WHAT WOULD A CITY SPONSORED PROGRAM LOOK LIKE FOR, UM, FREE WEEK? OH MAN, I DON'T KNOW.
WHAT WOULD A CITY SPONSORED PROGRAM LOOK LIKE? I WOULD, I'LL DRAFT SOMETHING AND COME BACK.
YEAH, I MEAN, HONESTLY, ANYTHING LIKE, UH, AS I SAID, RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT'S BEEN PRETTY HEAVILY INVOLVED THE LAST FEW YEARS AND THEY'RE RAISING SPONSORSHIP AND YOU KNOW, ONE YEAR IF THEY DON'T, THAT LONE STAR BEER OR WHOEVER DOESN'T SIGN ON, IT'S LIKE, HEY, WE HAVE NEXT TO NOTHING.
LAST YEAR THEY CUT IT DOWN FROM A WEEK TO A WEEKEND.
THEY DID, THEY HAD TO DO TWO OR THREE NIGHTS.
IT WAS JUST LIKE, AH, WE JUST DON'T HAVE A WEEK'S WORTH OF FUNDING, SO WE'RE GONNA BE CLOSED FOUR NIGHTS.
AND THAT'S WILD TO THINK LIKE HALF OR MORE THAN HALF YOUR WEEK.
SOME OF THE VENUES JUST WERE OPEN AND PAID BANDS OUT OF THE BAR, DID THEIR BEST.
MOST OF THE VENUES WE WORKED WITH WERE LIKE, YEAH, IT WAS KIND OF LIKE WE BROKE EVEN.
WE SPENT ALL WE MADE AT THE BAR AND WE'RE ONLY UPSIDE DOWN A FEW HUNDRED BUCKS.
AND YOU'RE LIKE, THAT'S, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE OPEN BY THE END OF JANUARY IF THAT'S YOUR OUTLOOK.
WE'VE GOTTA MAKE IT MAKE SENSE MATHEMATICALLY.
SO YEAH, ANYTHING THE CITY COULD DO WOULD BE INCREDIBLE.
I THINK, UH, WHETHER IT'S HOTEL FUNDS OR THINGS THAT ARE CARVED OUT FOR THINGS LIKE THIS, THIS IS A VERY LIKE, LOCAL CENTRIC EVENT.
IT'S ONE OF THE FEW EVENTS EACH YEAR IN TERMS OF LIKE HIGH PROFILE ALL THE VENUES, MANY OF THE VENUES BEING ACTIVE THAT ACTUALLY, UH, UM, IS LIKE 99% LOCAL.
THERE'S USUALLY ONE OR TWO RANDOM TOURING BANDS THAT JUST HAPPEN TO BE DOING A LITTLE HOLIDAY TOUR THAT HAPPENS TO HIT THE TOWN THAT WILL SQUEEZE ON A BILL.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, IT'S ALL LOCAL ARTISTS AND THEY'RE ALL PLAYING TO TONS OF PEOPLE.
'CAUSE 'CAUSE ALL THOSE SHOWS ARE PACKED.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I KNOW SOME OF THE PEOPLE UP HERE ARE MUSICIANS.
IF YOU EVER PLAYED FREE WEEK, IT'S, IT'S, THERE'S USUALLY A PRETTY GOOD TIME.
UM, AND UH, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD PROGRAM TO GET BEHIND THAT.
OR HOT SUMMER NIGHTS, ANY OF THE ONES THAT ARE LIKE, BASED AROUND LOCAL ARTISTS AND, UH, LOCAL VENUES TO KIND OF BEEF THINGS UP DURING THOSE TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE.
UM, BUT YEAH, I'LL, I'LL TALK TO THE CABAL, THE SECRET MEETING WE HAVE AND COME BACK TO YOU GUYS WITH THE LIZARD PEOPLE, OUR PLANS.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, UM, COMING IN GRAHAM.
UM, JUST, UM, COULD YOU PROVIDE SOME PERSPECTIVE ON, UH, UH, WHAT ARE THE, UM, AS THE CITY HAS EVOLVED AND THE MUSIC SCENE HAS EVOLVED, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME VERY POSITIVE, SOME NOT SO MUCH, UM, WHAT, WHAT ARE THE, SOME OF THE CORE CHALLENGES? AND, UH, AT THE COMMISSION WE, YOU KNOW, WE, OUR JOB IS TO BASICALLY, UH, INFLUENCE ANYTHING WE CAN FROM A, WHAT WE CAN DO FROM A, UH, UTILIZING GOVERNMENT RESOURCES, UH, IN, IN HELPING US SUSTAIN AND BUILD A SCENE.
UH, SO JUST IF YOU COULD PROVIDE SOME PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CORE CHALLENGES THAT HAVE KIND OF EVOLVED OVER TIME, SAY IN THE LAST DECADE HERE, AND, UH, WHAT POSSIBLY, UH, HOW THE CITY COULD BE INVOLVED.
UM, IN, IN ANYTHING, ANYTHING IN THAT CONTEXT.
UH, I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON WHO
[00:40:01]
YOU ASK.UM, YOU KNOW, RECENTLY THE STATE PASSED, UH, A MEASURE TO GIVE FUNDS BACK ON LIQUOR TAXES.
YOU CAN APPLY FOR A REBATE, WHICH IS HUGE.
UH, I MEAN, IT, IT'S A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU CAN GET BACK, UH, IF YOU DO ALL YOUR PAPERWORK, RIGHT.
SO A LOT OF VENUES HAVE BEEN APPLYING FOR THAT.
IT REALLY HELPS SUPPORT MUSIC.
UM, AS I SAID, IF THERE'S FUNDS THAT CAN BE DIVERTED TOWARDS SOME OF THESE PROJECTS THAT, UH, THE LOCAL MUSIC COMMUNITY'S PUTTING TOGETHER, THAT WOULD BE AMAZING.
UM, A LOT OF TIMES IT'S, I FEEL LIKE MOST VENUE OWNERS AND THAT I KNOW ARE KIND OF IN THE SAME BOAT WHERE THEY'RE HAPPY AND WILLING TO DO WHAT IT IS THEY DO, BUT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HIT ROADBLOCKS.
THERE'S SOME PERMITTING SITUATION.
THERE'S SOMETHING THAT SEEMS REALLY SIMPLE THAT MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO MOVE FORWARD.
OR, UH, WHETHER IT'S A REGULATION THAT MAYBE IT'S NEEDED, MAYBE IT'S A SAFETY CONCERN THAT WE ALL WANT TO HAVE SAFE VENUES, BUT CASUALLY IT'LL BE LIKE, HERE'S A NEW REGULATION, IT'S GONNA COST YOU ABOUT $200,000 TO UPDATE YOUR ROOM.
AND WHEN THESE ARE CLUBS THAT COULDN'T EVEN FATHOM THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY, MUCH LESS PUTTING THAT TOGETHER TO PUT IN A, A WHEEL CHAIR ELEVATOR TO THEIR SECOND FLOOR OR WHATEVER.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF OF ANY OF AN EXAMPLE OF THAT HAPPENING, BUT I'M JUST THROWING SOMETHING OUT THERE.
UM, SO THEY'RE ALL IN PLACE FOR A REASON, BUT SOMETIMES THEY'RE ECONOMICALLY REALLY, REALLY TOUGH.
UM, WHETHER IT'S SAFETY STUFF, WHETHER IT'S, UH, JUST NEW, THERE'S A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS.
UM, ALL STUFF I THINK I'M PRETTY MUCH FOR PERSONALLY.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, HOW DO YOU PHASE THAT IN WITH A LOT OF THESE PLACES? UM, WHETHER IT'S PERMITS OR JUST BIG CHANGES THAT'LL COME DOWN, UH, THAT'LL KIND OF BE BLANK.
LIKE, ALL VENUES HAVE TO HAVE THIS, OR ALL SOUND ORDINANCES HAVE TO APPLY TO THIS CERTAIN DB LIMIT.
AND I FEEL LIKE THOSE TYPE OF CHALLENGES, AND I DON'T WANNA SPEAK TO ANY SPECIFIC 'CAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT FOR DIFFERENT VENUES AND DIFFERENT VENUE OWNERS, BUT I FEEL LIKE THOSE SEEM TO BE THE BIGGEST HURDLES WHERE THINGS JUST POP UP HERE AND THERE THAT ARE, ARE JUST REALLY, REALLY HARD TO JUMP OVER THAT NO ONE REALLY HAD PLANNED OUT AND SOMETIMES ARE A BIGGER LIFT THAN EVERYONE'S EXPECTING.
UM, THINGS LIKE THAT I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE, IF IT'S DIRECTLY RELATED TO CITY OR GOVERNMENT IN ANY WAY, THAT'S PROBABLY, UH, THE MOST COMMON.
MORE OF A, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR A HANDOUT NECESSARILY, WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR A CLEAR RUNWAY.
UM, AND THEN THINGS LIKE, RENT IS WILD IN AUSTIN, BUT I DON'T EXPECT YOU GUYS TO LOWER THE RENT OF A ALL OF A DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ANYTIME SOON.
SO, UH, UH, BUT THAT'S ALWAYS TOUGH.
UM, TRYING TO, THE CHALLENGES OF TRYING TO MAINTAIN A A, A VENUE IN A, A CITY THAT'S CHANGING AND IT'S VALUABLE AND PEOPLE WANNA LIVE IN A LOT OF THESE PLACES OR BUILDING A LOT OF THESE PLACES THAT WERE UNDESIRABLE SPOTS AND AFFORDABLE PLACES TO GRAB A, UM, A CHEAP BUILDING BACK IN THE DAY.
AND MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS AND MUSIC FANS WERE HAPPY TO GO TO.
UH, A LOT OF THOSE SPOTS BECOME HOTSPOTS AND YOU KINDA GET PRICED OUT.
BUT I MEAN, THAT'S THE WHOLE WORLD.
SO I, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX THAT.
UH, BUT THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE, SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES I HEAR ABOUT FROM VENUE OWNERS EVERY WEEK, IF NOT EVERY DAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER? UH, COMMISSIONER? OKAY.
PLEASE GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER, GO.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING ALL THAT.
UM, IT, IT JUST KIND OF POPPED INTO MY HEAD WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, UH, THE KIND OF ROADBLOCKS AND THE, AND, AND WHENEVER, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT REGULATIONS COME IN THAT ARE PROBABLY WELL FOUNDED AND NEEDED, BUT BUT COST PROHIBITIVE AND MADE ME THINK ABOUT THINGS LIKE, UM, I PERSONALLY WAS ABLE TO GET THE AUSTIN ENERGY WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM AND THEY CAME TO OUR HOUSE AND THEY, YOU KNOW, WE APPLIED FOR IT AND THEY LIKE DID ALL OF THESE INCREDIBLE UPDATES TO OUR HOUSE WITH INSULATION AND WHATEVER.
AND, UM, I'M JUST WONDERING IF, UH, IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO MAYBE HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT IF THERE'S LIKE, UM, IF, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE SPECIFICS COULD BE TEASED OUT CERTAIN THINGS, UPDATES OR THINGS THAT WERE PROHIBITIVE AND THEN IF THERE COULD BE MAYBE A CITY FUND SOMEWHERE THAT YOU COULD APPLY FOR, FOR ASSISTANCE FOR UP MAKING THOSE UPDATES.
IT'S JUST, YEAH, THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING.
IF THERE WAS A WAY, WAY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I MEAN, YEAH, I DUNNO, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALMOST LIKE, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S DONE AT A CITY LEVEL, BUT I WOULD IMAGINE IF IT'S HOMES NEED TO BE UPDATED A CERTAIN WAY, THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT THAT'S SET ASIDE FOR X AMOUNT OF HOMES AND IT'S A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT GOES TO WEATHERIZING DOORS AND WINDOWS.
UH, IF THERE WAS SOMETHING SIMILAR FOR VENUES THAT'S BASED ON NEW, CERTAIN KINDS OF AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS THAT HAVE TO BE PUT IN TO MEET THE NEW REGULATIONS OR, UM, OR WHATEVER.
I MEAN, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU ALSO KIND OF WILL RUN
[00:45:01]
INTO THINGS WHERE A LOT OF THESE VENUES ARE HUGGING CITY PROPERTIES.SO I HEAR THAT A LOT FROM VENUES WHERE THIS, THE, THE BATHROOMS AREN'T FLUSHING.
UH, WELL, WE'VE CLEARED OUT THE LINE, WE FIXED IT ALL THE WAY TO THE STREET.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A CITY ISSUE.
THE PIPE THAT GOES THROUGH THE ALLEY AT THIS PARTICULAR VENUE, WELL, THE CITIES ARE THEY MOTIVATED, THEY TEAR UP THE ENTIRE STREET AND THERE'S RIGHT AWAY WHEN A CLOSE OFF TRAFFIC AND CAUSE A HUGE TRAFFIC PROBLEM IN AUSTIN TO FIX A A GIANT PIPE AND TEAR UP A ROAD THAT IS TECHNICALLY WORKING.
IT'S JUST CAUSING PROBLEMS TO ONE BUSINESS OUT OF A HUNDRED BUSINESSES.
LIKE I GET THE CITY'S POINT OF VIEW THERE, BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY KIND OF A, WHO FIXES IT KIND OF SCENARIO.
THERE WAS A VENUE WE WERE INVOLVED WITH YEARS AGO THAT WAS LIKE RIGHT ON THE WATER AND, YOU KNOW, THE WA THE, THE CREEK HAD ERODED SO MUCH THAT THE STAGE WAS ABOUT TO FALL INTO THE CREEK AND THERE WAS JUST THIS LANDLORD STANDOFF WHERE THE CITY'S LIKE, TECHNICALLY IT'S ERODED ONTO YOUR PROPERTY
AND THE LANDLORD'S LIKE, WELL TECHNICALLY THE EIGHT FEET FORWARD IS CITY PROPERTY WITHIN, INTO THE CREEK.
AND THAT VENUE HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR AT LEAST A DECADE.
IT'S JUST, THERE'S JUST A STAGE HANGING ABOVE A A CREEK RIGHT NOW.
'CAUSE WHO'S GONNA PUSH IT THROUGH? UM, I THINK IT'LL JUST STAY CLOSED.
THE LANDLORD HAS ENOUGH PROPERTY, IT, HE CAN AFFORD TO LEAVE IT CLOSED AND THE CITY UNDERSTANDABLY DOESN'T REALLY WANNA FIX THIS CLOSED VENUES EROSION SITUATION.
UM, SO YEAH, THERE, THAT, THAT HAPPENS A LOT TOO, WHERE A LOT OF THE RESOURCES WE ALL USE AS VENUES ARE CITY RESOURCES AND THAT THEY'RE CONNECTED TO THE GRID AND, UH, WHETHER IT'S ELECTRIC OR WATER OR CITY SERVICES THAT WE NEED TO ADD A CERTAIN ROAD TO, TO BE ABLE TO GET TO CERTAIN KINDS OF TRASH CANS OR ALLEYS.
AND UH, IF THERE'S A WAY TO KIND OF OVERLAP THERE, I COULD SEE THAT HELPING A LOT.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, YEAH, I I, I'LL THINK ON IT THOUGH.
I, I CAN COME BACK, I CAN GO TALK TO THE MUSIC SCENE AND GET A WHOLE LIST OF
THEY'RE GONNA COME BEGGING NOW THAT THEY KNOW THERE'S A, AN AVENUE
UH, COMMISSIONER, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, GRAHAM IS A FOUNDING MEMBER, UM, OF THE NATIONAL INDEPENDENT VENUE ASSOCIATION.
UM, AND HAS DEFINITELY GONE TO, UH, DC TO ADVOCATE, UM, FOR ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT REFORM LIKE TICKETING REFORM.
AND JUST TO KIND OF NOTE AS A COMMISSIONER HERE AMONGST ALL THESE OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT, UM, THIS IS, THIS IS A RESOURCE, GRAHAM IS A RESOURCES COMPANY, IS A RESOURCE, AND, UM, VERY INDEPENDENT.
THE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT, UH, I, I KNOW AND LOVE A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH LIVE NATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT THIS IS HOMEGROWN IN AUSTIN AND WE NEED TO KNOW THAT IF WE NEED TO, UM, TAP ON SOME OF THESE RESOURCES THAT, UM, THAT THEY'RE HERE, THAT THEY'RE HERE IN OUR WORLD, AND WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN.
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, UM, KEEP LISTENING AND, UM, AND MAKING SOME REAL CONNECTIONS WITH INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES, THEN WE'RE, WE WILL BECOME HOMOGENIZED
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING DOWN.
I'M HAPPY TO HELP IN ANY WAY, ADMITTEDLY.
I, I LIKE EVERY OTHER PROMOTER I KNOW GETS SO BUSY, WE JUST PUT OUR HEADS DOWN AND GET IN FRONT OF OUR COMPUTER AND GET BACK TO WORK.
AND I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE DON'T ORGANIZE AS MUCH IN OUR WORLD IN THE MUSIC WORLD, WHICH I'M SURE YOU GUYS SEE EVERY WEEK OR EVERY MONTH WHEN YOU DO THESE.
SO YOU OFTEN FORGET THAT THERE IS A RESOURCE IN YOUR CITY THAT, UH, YOU CAN GO TO.
AND, AND IT'S UNIQUE THAT WE HAVE THIS, UH, I TRAVEL A LOT AND MOST PLACES DO NOT HAVE A MUSIC COMMISSION.
THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THIS THAT ACTUALLY SPEAKS TO THE MUSIC COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE LEFT ON THEIR OWN.
SO IT'S DEFINITELY A RESOURCE WE NEED TO TAP INTO MORE.
AND YEAH, IF THERE'S ANYTHING I CAN, I CAN DO.
I KNOW SOME OF YOU GUYS FROM VENUES AND NELSON, I USED TO BOOK HIS BAND, UH, BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL.
SHAFT
UM, SO ALL, A LOT OF YOU FOLKS I'VE KNOWN FOREVER AND, AND, UH, I DON'T PLAN ON LEAVING ANYTIME SOON.
SO HAPPY TO BE A, A BRIDGE TO ANY OF THE FOLKS WE NEED TO TALK TO AND, AND BRING MORE TO THE TABLE, IF THAT HELPS.
[6. Update on live musical performances for Music Commission meetings by AnneCharlotte.]
THE NEXT UH, UM, AGENDA ITEM IS UPDATE ON LIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCES FOR MUSIC COMMISSION MEETINGS BY ANN CHARLOTTE.UM, GOT A COUPLE MORE, UH, TOPICS TO GO HERE.
[00:50:01]
I THINK THERE ARE, THERE ARE SOME AGENDA ITEMS HERE WHERE WE CAN MOVE, MOVE THROUGH FAST AND THEN, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO SPEND SOME TIME ON THE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS. PLEASE GO AHEAD.UM, SO QUICK UPDATE ABOUT THIS EVENT THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
SO THIS IS, UM, ESSENTIALLY GONNA BE A SPECIAL CALLED MUSIC COMMISSION MEETING.
SHELBY'S BEEN HELPING US SO MUCH.
SCOTT AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH HER ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES.
SO SOME SPECIFICS THAT WE KNOW NOW.
WE'D REALLY LIKE TO, TO HAVE IT AT THE LIBRARY ROOFTOP.
UM, SOME MORE ON THAT SELECTION PROCESS WILL BE FORTHCOMING.
UM, WE'RE HOPING TO MEET, UH, WITH, UH, THE EVENTS MANAGER AT THE LIBRARY SO WE CAN GET A LITTLE TOUR.
AND, UM, SHELBY'S BEEN SUPER HELPFUL WITH HELPING US THINK ABOUT BUDGET FOR THIS EVENT.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE BUDGET-WISE, UM, WITH MUSIC FEES.
AND OF COURSE WE WANNA PAY THE BANDS AND HAVE A LITTLE FOOD AND, UH, HAVE THIS NICE VENUE.
IT PROBABLY, IT MIGHT MAKE MORE SENSE, LIKE WE WERE THINKING TO HAVE ONE EVENT, UH, IN, IN THE FALL MAYBE.
SO WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO DO PROMO, SO MORE DETAILS TO COME ON THAT.
BUT I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A REALLY NICE WAY FOR THE, THE COMMUNITY TO, TO ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY TO COME OUT AND ENJOY, ACTUALLY ENJOY A MUSIC COMMISSION MEETING.
SO WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MEETING AND A LOT OF, A LOT OF MUSIC AND A LOT OF, UM, COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER PATTERSON.
WE, UH, ALSO HAVE A, A JOINT ARTS AND MUSIC COMMISSION MEETING, UH, PROPOSAL, UM, UP RIGHT NOW.
SO, UH, PLEASE EXPECT, UH, A DUAL POLL, UH, ON AVAILABILITY FOR JULY AND AUGUST AND WE'LL FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.
[7. Presentation on budget recommendation for marketing and advertising for venues and musicians by Chris Hawkes.]
ON.UH, AGENDA ITEM SEVEN, PRESENTATION ON BUDGET RECOMMENDATION FOR MARKETING AND ADVERTISING FOR VENUES AND MUSICIANS BY CHRIS HAWKS.
AND CHRIS? UH, CHRIS IS NOT HERE.
WE, WE WERE BOTH GOING TO, UM, TO, TO HANDLE AND, AND PRESENT THIS ITEM.
I, I'M NOT SURE ON THE RULES OF PRESENTATION WITH ME BEING ON THE COMMISSION AND HE, HE WOULD BE THERE, BUT, UM, ANYWAY, I ASKED HIM NOT TO COME BECAUSE, UM, I HAVEN'T FINISHED THE PRESENTATION, UH, JUST YET 'CAUSE I WAS ON TOUR AND DID YOU, AND I'M EXHAUSTED, SO WANT TO MOVE THE AGENDA ITEM TO NEXT MONTH? I DON'T, YEAH.
I DO, I DO WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT.
AND THEN WE CAN PLEASE GO AHEAD.
BUT THE, THE, THE IDEA BEHIND THIS IS, UH, BASICALLY HAVING A POOL OF FUNDS FOR, UM, THE INDEPENDENT MUSIC COMMUNITY, THE ECOSYSTEM TO, TO USE FOR, UM, SHOW ADVERTISING.
UM, CHRIS AND I HAVE DIFFERING, UM, PERS PERSPECTIVES ON THIS AND, AND, AND, AND, AND IT'S NOT LIKE A, IT'S, IT'S A BOTH AND KIND OF A SITUATION.
IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT AN EITHER OR, BUT I DO WANT TO BACK UP A LITTLE BIT AND TALK ABOUT THE WAY THAT, UM, THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATION KIND OF THING WORKS.
'CAUSE WE PUT THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, AND SENT THEM TO CITY COUNCIL.
THE CITY MANAGER HANDLES IT, AND THEN IF IT GETS APPROVED, THEN IT GETS APPROVED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025, WHICH I BELIEVE IS IN OCTOBER.
UM, THE WAY THAT THE, THE REASON WHY THIS BOARD AND THE OTHER BOARDS ARE, ARE, ARE REALLY IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE IF SOMEONE JUST GOES TO CITY COUNCIL AND THEY WANT TO HAVE SOMETHING DONE, WHATEVER THAT THING IS, IT MAY TAKE SIX MONTHS FOR THEM TO EVEN CONSIDER IT.
BUT IF THEY COME TO THE MUSIC COMMISSION OR ANY OTHER COMMISSION, WE COULD BASICALLY FAST TRACK THAT RECOMMENDATION AS A COMMISSION AND WE CAN GET IT ON THEIR AGENDA IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF THESE REALLY GOOD IDEAS AND THEN IT GOES TO COUNCIL AND THEN NOTHING HAPPENS WITH THAT.
AND IT'S NOTHING AGAINST CITY COUNCIL AT ALL.
I'M SURE THEY'RE EXTREMELY BUSY AND THEY HAVE A JOB THAT I HONESTLY DON'T ENVY, BUT THEY, UM, UH, I I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A VERY INTENTIONAL APPROACH THAT WE COULD HAVE IN RECOMMENDING SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALSO RECOMMENDED A BUDGET, UM, THING FOR MEANING THAT, UM, WE'VE ALREADY SUBMITTED A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION.
WE COULD ALSO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE AGENDA ITEM GOES TO CITY COUNCIL.
IT JUST KIND OF PUTS A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA PRESSURE AND THEN BASICALLY WE CAN GO AND SPIKE THE BALL IN THE END ZONE, UM, TO COUNSEL, LIKE GO AND PRESENT TO THEM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT, UM, THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE PROCEDURAL PROCESSING THING THAT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT MORE NEXT MONTH.
BUT THE, WHAT THIS WOULD BE CHRIS, CHRIS HAWK'S IDEA, AND IT'S A VERY, VERY GOOD IDEA, IS USING, UM, WE HAVE A $4,000 SURPLUS IN THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, UM, BUDGET, HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES.
UM, THAT'S WHAT IT WAS AT LEAST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
THE IDEA IS TO, UH, CHRIS HAWK'S IDEA IS TO USE THOSE FUNDS TO BASICALLY ADVERTISE RADIO AND BA USE THOSE FUNDS
[00:55:01]
FOR RADIO ADVERTISING AND TO BASICALLY PUT LOCAL AUSTIN MUSICIANS ON THE MAP TO MAKE LOCAL AUSTIN MUSICIANS HOUSEHOLD NAMES HERE IN THE CITY AND THE EXTENDING, UM, EXTRATERRITORIAL DISTRICTS AND ALL THAT STUFF.AND I, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION, THEY ALREADY HAVE BUDGETS AND THINGS SET UP FOR THAT.
BUT, BUT, BUT THIS WOULD BE A, A, A MUCH BIGGER, MORE ELEVATED PUSH BASICALLY, UM, SHOWCASING LOCAL TALENT ON A REGIONAL LEVEL TO GET MORE PEOPLE INTO LOCAL BARS.
UM, AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING THIS IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THE MOODY, UM, GET BUILT AND ALL THESE HUGE ACTS ARE COMING THROUGH AND EVERYTHING.
AND I MEAN, NOT THAT, I MEAN, HUG ACTS ARE ALWAYS COMING THROUGH AUSTIN, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE LIKE IT'S MORE, UM, UH, OFTEN THAT THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING NOW.
THE MOODY CENTER IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST GROSSING MUSIC VIDEOS IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.
AND IT SEEMS THAT, UM, LOCAL ARTISTS ARE, ARE, ARE GETTING SOMEWHAT ECLIPSED BY THIS.
AND IT, UM, THE OTHER PART OF THAT ALSO IS, YOU KNOW, RISING RENTS AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
IT, YOU KNOW, UH, THE VENUES ARE, UM, BASICALLY IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARDER FOR ARTISTS TO, TO MAKE THEIR MONEY AND FOR, AND HARDER FOR VENUES AS WELL TO, TO, TO, TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
AND SO IF WE COULD PUT THESE DOLLARS BACK INTO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND IN A WAY WHERE WE'RE ADVERTISING AND ELEVATING LOCAL ARTISTS OUR ARTISTRY, THEN THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD, UM, DISCUSS AND TALK ABOUT.
UM, I KNOW COMMISSIONER STRICKLAND AND I HAVE ALSO HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE NEED FOR MARKETING.
THE ONE I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE EVEN WHEN RAUL HERNANDEZ CAME THE, YOU KNOW, UM, LAST MEETING OR THE MEETING BEFORE, UM, JUST TALKING ABOUT, UM, MUSIC JOURNALISM AND WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH THAT.
SO DEBORAH SAN GUPTA IS NOW THE FEATURES EDITOR OF THE STATESMAN, THE STATESMAN'S, HIRING A MUSIC WRITER.
AND RACHEL ROSCOE ALSO JUST RESIGNED FROM THE CHRONICLE.
SO WE'RE KIND OF DOWN
THEREFORE, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IN TERMS OF LIKE, THERE'S NO ROOM FOR LOCAL BANDS TO BE IN