Austinist: Austin Music Commission's Town Hall Meeting Notes

Joel Nihlean

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 11:29:49 -0600

Shadylady, you make a good point. Tangential to that, remember when Redriver back around 2000 and prior? Back then there weren't really many clubs to speak of down there. Blue Flamingo/Purgatory, Atomic Cafe and a gaggle of crackheads was all there was to see. Back then we referred to Redriver as crack alley. So, I guess what I am saying is, "Growth" and "Progress" are great from your relative perspective. I'm glad most of the crackheads are gone (even if it is just around the corner) and I'm sure the people complaining about the noise from the entertainment districts will be glad when we are gone (even if it's just around the corner).

shadylady

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:04:05 -0600

i've worked and played on red river for over eight years and am outraged at the amount of time and energy officials focus on noise complaints and club capacity issues when my friends are getting mugged at gunpoint, assaulted, countless cars are getting broken into, and the main place to find or do drugs in town is only one block from the city jail. the CRIME downtown poses more of a threat than a few noise complaints...

mdahmus

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:03:06 -0600

Sean, That's what I thought. Good work. Heyzeus, That's also what I thought. It's abundantly clear that the main source of complaints is from residents of single-family houses in the close-in neighborhoods, NOT the oft-reviled condo dweller.

heyzeus

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:50:59 -0600

I know 4 current downtown residents, and a fifth who is moving in soon. All 5 fit the same description of Cram: Young professional, loves bars/restaurants/shows downtown, hates driving, won't drive drunk, doesn't want a house and yard to take care of, goes out 4+ nights a week. By and large, that's who's moving in downtown. That's why you aren't seeing condo dwellers piss and moan about noise, because they're out there enjoying it. That, and if you're on say the 5th floor or higher, you don't hear much noise unless you're on your balcony.

Sean_Sallier

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:30:31 -0600

Save the photo and change it in your profile. However I doubt it will appear any time prior to whatever post amount/limit they set in order for certain options to be applicable.

Cortez

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:28:06 -0600

I didnt read this b/c it seems really long. What i want to know is there anyway to get Skeletor playing the drums by my name instead of this panda? AYC? Please? Pretty please?

Sean_Sallier

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:22:40 -0600

MD, "those codo-dwellers don't have the balls the get up and speak." is what I used to characterize you (incorrectly?) as one of the many people who thinks the condo-dwellers are ruining Austin. Please let me know how I got this wrong. Me pointing out that no one got up representing them does not constitute that. It is apparent that you feel victimized by this and I am not your therapist so I cannot help you figure out all of your wrongful judgments of people. I was there and I didn't see anyone who looked like Paul McCartney (i.e. your avatar) so I'm guessing that your guilt stems from more than just your dwelling.

seth

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:13:56 -0600

If the city assigns enforcement to the same crew responsible for policing the smoking ban, then club owners won't have anything to worry about on this front, either. Seth

mdahmus

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:13:02 -0600

Sean, "those codo-dwellers don't have the balls the get up and speak." is what I used to characterize you (incorrectly?) as one of the many people who thinks the condo-dwellers are ruining Austin. Please let me know how I got this wrong.

cram

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:10:36 -0600

I won't deny the fact that there are asshole pro-gentrification condo dwellers who honestly do believe downtown would be more livable without live music. There are probably a number of them who would support the ordinance being discussed. But, the vast majority of people who are making very expensive real estate investments downtown are choosing to do so because they want to live closer to the current downtown. They aren't living in a pipe dream that in 10 years downtown will have transformed drastically other than it being dense enough to support a real supermarket. People like myself and my neighbors bought condos because our activity in the downtown nightlife/music scene would be significantly less if we had to drive around. Just this past week, places like Room 710 and Red 7 reaped the benefit. I didn't have to debate going to see bands play on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday because no matter how lazy I was those nights, it's a couple block walk and not a drive with parking, etc. And you better believe that the money I save on gas + parking inevitably winds up being consumed in the form of an extra couple beers + tips since I don't have to drive home drunk. I suppose I could also be the mythical non-smoking downtown condo owner who goes out to see live music all the time.

Sean_Sallier

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:07:41 -0600

"...squarely on you condo-whiners, I'd say..." How is it that you classify me in this category again? Seems pretty self righteous of you considering I've not said a damn word along those lines.

mdahmus

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 15:38:07 -0600

Sean, at this point the burden of proof is pretty squarely on you condo-whiners, I'd say. cram, I'd agree; I hear a lot more noise from idiots with accidentally or purposefully broken mufflers than I do from music, and I live amongst college students.

uselessgoo

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 15:29:34 -0600

East Austin could sure use some condos.....

heyjude

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:45:19 -0600

I think the musicians in Austin have smoked too much dope--they are so apathetic and seem to think "it could never happen, maaaannnn....." Believe me, don't take it for granted. I live in LA, and I would give my eye teeth to be back where I belong. The rest of the world is ugly, dumb,and rude.

cram

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:32:43 -0600

To Stubbs' credit -- probably because of the existing noise ordinances -- most of their outside shows end by 11pm. It's actually a nice change of pace to see a show, have it end early, and go grab a beer down the street. Also, having lived downtown for almost 5 years, I can tell you that the noise isn't coming from live music venues. There's a certain level of noise bleed from non-traditional venues on 6th depending on the cloud cover, which way the wind is blowing, how the speakers are angled that night, whatever. But most of the noise comes from motorcycles/cars with no mufflers and bars dumping glass bottles into empty dumpsters. I made a decision years ago to invest in property downtown because walking -- and not driving drunk -- home from what I love most (Red River shows, SXSW, etc) is more important than a quiet house in the suburbs or country. Most of my neighbors/hallway folks feel similarly and aren't in favor of quieting bands (those people wind up moving out/selling their property).

Sean_Sallier

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:27:51 -0600

Mdahmus in regards to Joel; those codo-dwellers don't have the balls the get up and speak. Another radical idea would be to not move next door to the music if you're going to cry about the noise.

mdahmus

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:55:52 -0600

Joel, did you miss the part where Allen pointed out that nobody complaining seemed to be one of those condo-dwellers anyways? It's old people in old houses, mainly, and to an extent they're complaining about a 'problem' which has existed in the same way for decades (i.e. Stubbs isn't new, yet the people in my neighborhood somehow manage to use the new construction downtown as a tool to complain about the noise that bounces up the creek bed once in a while). Here's a radical idea, which paints me as old: outdoor music should be done earlier in the day. What the hell's wrong with an outdoor show from 6-10 instead of from 8-12? Even when I was 25 and was spending the time and money on music, I'd have enjoyed the 6-10 show more than the 8-12 one.

Joel Nihlean

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:21:24 -0600

Lowering the sound level is not sensible. True, not every band needs to blast their amps at eleven, but for some kinds of music it is totally appropriate to be loud, sloppy and off the wall. Those are the kind of shows that happen at many redriver bars and are the kind of show that you should not have conversations during either. If anything, better sound proofing of condos is needed. Duh! They built in an entertainment district(read:loud)! Also, better sound proofing at clubs is needed and entertainment districts should receive and exemption from Draconian sound ordinances. They meant to benefit people who have no business living in an entertainment district anyway.

AcesHigh

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:13:55 -0600

The meeting was informative and brought out a lot of details about how the noise ordinance will be enforced. Lowering the sound levels is sensible move but I'm concerned about the enforcement. Apparently police don't need a complaint to make a citation. I think the proposal for lowering the db should be coupled with a provision to first ensure that someone is being bothered by the noise.

spee

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 12:56:33 -0600

...just another day in the "Live Music Capital of the World," right? Jeez. In a town full of so many musicians, venue owners, booking agents and other music industry professionals, you would think we'd have a more coagulated group of people who retaliated with crushing force when economic threats such as this rose to the surface. If that were the case, this wouldn't even be news. Perhaps if the Austin music community banded together and sought out new ways of monetizing the industry in this town, news ways of giving it real economic presence, artists and club-owners wouldn't have to put up with this silly nonsense. The fact that this issue is even news is merely proof that Austin's music community is shockingly under-developed and fragmented. We need to start a union. Heheh...