How's Austin TX for living?

mambo4 · #1 07-20-2011, 09:35 AM

The wife and I are considering an eventual move to warmer climates (I'm in seattle now.) Austin has come up a few times as an Idea. As a computer graphics guy by day I think there would be work for me, and It's certainly known for its music scene. So, any TBr's who live or have lived in Austin care to share what you found?

()smoke() · #2 07-20-2011, 09:54 AM

it's been over 10 years since i lived there, but it's one of my favorite cities...i'm actually looking at a project there right now, reminding me of how much i enjoy the place...i can't speak for the job market...traffic can be unpleasant depending on where you are driving/if you are driving...abundant green space, great nightlife, beautiful scenery, interesting people...i certainly recommend visiting to get a true feel, there are lots of intangibles

Webtroll · #3 07-20-2011, 10:06 AM

i dig it. dunno how much work is avail for graphics guys, but there's plenty of tech businesses around. there is a music scene, but a lot of the reputation was built on the past. between the Bass Emporum and other stores there's plenty of bass gear in town, new and used. i like the vintage guitar shop down south (like? love!) and South Austin Music tends to have some nice stuff in it as well (bought a few pieces there including a used Warwick LX5 fretless). it doesn't get particularly cold in the winter, rarely enough for a flurry, but it does get hot in the summers. lots of trails and stuff for the nature minded, mediocre bus system, wide variety of restraunts.

tspivey · #4 07-20-2011, 10:12 AM

We've been here for 9 years now and we really love it here. Traffic can be brutal, but I've managed to play in pretty interesting projects more often than not without really being much of a "scene-guy."

rockstarbassist · #5 07-20-2011, 10:22 AM

It's a very trendy place right now, one reason I don't wanna go there. :lol: It's big on the hipster/emo/enviro-whacko/hippie scene and very liberal vs. the rest of Texas. Which is why I don't mind visiting, but I wouldn't wanna live there.
Are you looking specifically in Austin, or maybe on the outskirts? I wouldn't mind Round Rock or Georgetown. More my speed and you can travel into the warzone of downtown when necessary. :thu: Most of my college friends were from the area so I spent most all my free time in the metro area.
Music scene as others have said isn't bad, but it's more "what useta be" than is now. So oversaturated IME.

KillerNeuron · #6 07-20-2011, 10:23 AM

Traffic is a total nightmare, but it's a great city. Plenty of jobs (especially in technology and other sciences... Medical, etc). Can't beat the music scene. Lots of active, healthy people... Nice parks to enjoy, health food stores, plenty of activities to keep you busy. Austin has a great diverse culture about it from UT football to ecclectic bars and everything in between. You are also close to San Antonio which is a great city in itself, the Guadalupe river (great for floating and drinking!), and some awesome camping too.

rockstarbassist · #7 07-20-2011, 10:25 AM

SA is the new butthole of the state. Taking the title away from Lubbock. :lol:

Handyman · #8 07-20-2011, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Webtroll

i dig it. dunno how much work is avail for graphics guys, but there's plenty of tech businesses around. there is a music scene, but a lot of the reputation was built on the past. between the Bass Emporum and other stores there's plenty of bass gear in town, new and used. i like the vintage guitar shop down south (like? love!) and South Austin Music tends to have some nice stuff in it as well (bought a few pieces there including a used Warwick LX5 fretless). it doesn't get particularly cold in the winter, rarely enough for a flurry, but it does get hot in the summers. lots of trails and stuff for the nature minded, mediocre bus system, wide variety of restraunts.

Ya, that's Austin in a nutshell. I'm really not sure about computer graphics jobs, though I know there are several large game developers in town.

The Bass Emporium and Austin Vintage Guitars are both awesome, and located that you'll never be too far from one of them no matter where you are in town.

My take on the weather is to just stay indoors from 11am to 8pm from July through August. We have 9 months of great weather, and 2-3 months of really hot. Its not the same sort of dry heat that you'll find in Arizona, but its WAY less humid than the midwest.

In general, I'm very glad that I moved here from the North East.

PocketGroove82 · #9 07-20-2011, 11:29 AM

Austin is awesome. It's as close as you can get to your typical liberal east coast/west coast city in texas, and it has a lot to offer. Great music, good food, decent gigging, a vast and diverse economy with all kinds of industry and business, that's why the city really hasn't been effect that much by the economic downturn. The computer tech/game design industry loves austin. There are over 80 major computer/game developers located in Austin.

Austin Game Companies and Links

I'd love to live down there, but I'm up at UNT in Denton...which somepeople call "little austin" Those people are wrong. =D Nothing quite like Austin, TX.

KillerNeuron · #10 07-20-2011, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockstarbassist

SA is the new butthole of the state. Taking the title away from Lubbock. :lol:

WHAT?! SA is my hometown so I must make a rebuttal. I never understand why people say this... San Antonio is growing so fast (like it wasn't already huge) and even though the traffic can be outrageous, there is SO much to do! The tourist stuff is NOT what San Antonio is about. The north side kicks all kinds of ass. There are some REALLY awesome unique bars and restaurants ranging from super swanky martini bars to hill country romance gourmet experiences. There is plenty of live music and some really neat venues too. There are tons of awesome shopping (like La Cantara), several Alamo Drafthouses, a great classical music scene, all kinds of historical stuff to see (other than the Alamo), an awesome zoo, Sea World, and who the hell can beat FIESTA and all the partying that comes with NIOSA and such? Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Natural Bridge Caverns, Retama Park horse racing, museums, an awesome sports team... and the super trendy aspects of Austin are starting to proliferate there as well. San Antonio is a much better city than Austin. It also has a very strong economy.

I love SA!!!

bassbrad · #11 07-20-2011, 12:12 PM

All of the above but some caveats about the music scene, you can play, lots of opportunities and great players but don't expect to get worthwhile pay unless you play C&W.
6th street is a famous music area but it is a shadow of what it once was, it has become too trendy.

Handyman · #12 07-20-2011, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassbrad

6th street is a famous music area but it is a shadow of what it once was, it has become too trendy.

Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded.

mambo4 · #13 07-20-2011, 01:59 PM

thanks for the replies guys!
perhaps my current band will make to SXSW in the next year or two and I can check it out (tho I realize it ain't gonna be representative during SWXW)

Handyman · #14 07-20-2011, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mambo4

thanks for the replies guys!
perhaps my current band will make to SXSW in the next year or two and I can check it out (tho I realize it ain't gonna be representative during SWXW)

Oh man. Downtown is just an insane nuthouse during SXSW. If you want to get a feel for Austin during that time, try to get a couple miles out of downtown.

GregC · #15 07-20-2011, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockstarbassist

very liberal vs. the rest of Texas.

So was Genghis Khan.

mambo4 · #16 07-21-2011, 12:45 PM

So "traffic can be a nightmare"?
I wonder how it compares to Seattle...I-5 and downtown at rush hour during a Mariners/Seahawks game is molasses...30 minutes for 5 blocks.

Frank Tuesday · #17 07-21-2011, 12:51 PM

The only bad thing about Austin is that once you leave, you're in Tex.as

MJ5150 · #18 07-21-2011, 12:54 PM

We visited Austin once, so we could eat at Casino El Camino. Seems like a cool place, but too trendy for me. It does get hot, which I can not handle.

-Mike

ProgRapture · #19 07-21-2011, 07:24 PM

I enjoyed my time there, but it does have a large share of patchouli soaked stinky enviro-loons, and white guy dreads, but it's a pretty cool place.

I still like Dallas better due to it's fine arts and high saturation of awesome restaurants. But it also has it's fair share of rich a**holes who drive like idiots and park their SUV's into 2 compact parking spots.

Valerus · #20 07-21-2011, 07:53 PM

Cool city, I've been contemplating moving there after college. (Yes, I know I'm an Aggie...but Austin is sweet)

The traffic is pretty horrendous though.