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How's Austin TX for living?
- Thread starter mambo4
- Start date
SA is the new butthole of the state. Taking the title away from Lubbock. :lol:
Let's bring it altogether now.
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I love Houston, but yeah, it's an ugly city. I never understood the Dallas pretentiousness. Not as pretty or cool as Austin, and not the economic powerhouse of Houston. I guess they have a popular football team and a TV show. </State Smack Talk>
To the OP: Yes, Austin rocks. Good place to live...decent weather (except right about now), beautiful, great night life, good bands coming through all the time. San Antonio is a stone's throw away and Houston is only about a 2 1/2 hour drive.
Is that a band name?
Seriously, my wife's cousins live in Austin and Round Rock, been there a few times to visit. While the city is really fun to walk around in; UT campus is cool, 6th street is ok (if you like to play for free) the "vibe" is too liberal for me and I am in Massachusetts! You may want to visit for a few days to get an idea. I know it gets really hot! (need to head to the Oasis on Lake Travis for some refreshments
)Really depends on what you like.
I was just chatting with an ex local now based in Austin. He's a pretty damn handy lead vocalist and guitarist to boot. By his assessment you don't want to be trying to make your living playing bars in Austin. Apparently lots of bands are prepared to play for tips only.
that's honestly something that's widespread throughout, ime
...kind of sad, but just how it goes
really? i didn't go there, and i'm not a professional musician, but i know a few of the instructors there and have played in circles with students and i can't recall hearing much negative about the program--seems like a quality school from my experience
()smoke() said:
It's not bad by any means but I wasn't impressed and turned down their acceptance almost immediately after my audition (cello). There are MUCH better music programs in the state to include Baylor (where I went), UT, and Rice. Their main jazz band just gets hyped Alot.
UNT is a fun campus though minus the hipsters!
The whole AusTX play for free/tips and pay to play BS is really killing the band scene in Austin and IMO really raising the "crap band" factor*. Time was a decent band could make good money playing Austin cover or original, but now it's a complete joke.
*Crap band= who else but crap bands play for nuttin'. One of the reasons folks don't go out to clubs much anymore is all the crap bands in clubs. Not like in the 70's thru mid 90's when 6th street was happening, lots of great bands playing Rock, R&B, Jazz, Blues.
*Crap band= who else but crap bands play for nuttin'. One of the reasons folks don't go out to clubs much anymore is all the crap bands in clubs. Not like in the 70's thru mid 90's when 6th street was happening, lots of great bands playing Rock, R&B, Jazz, Blues.
Never been to Austin, but I can't blame you for leaving Seattle.
Traffic rots and the dark/wet weather will drive a person crazy.
Northern Cali. is starting to look pretty good these days.
Traffic rots and the dark/wet weather will drive a person crazy.
Northern Cali. is starting to look pretty good these days.
move to Dallas FtWorth Metro area ... it's slightly more mild up here, we actually get rain in the spring and it actually feels like fall and winter.
you will dry out and turn to dust in Austin it's dry and hot
That being said ... if i moved to that area ... i'd look just south of Austin in Kyle.
you will dry out and turn to dust in Austin it's dry and hot
That being said ... if i moved to that area ... i'd look just south of Austin in Kyle.
Well I have been in Austin off and on for over a quarter of a century. Honestly, too many people want to live here. It's not near as cool as it used to be because there are way too many conservatives moving here. As a result, everyone is turning into bunch of opportunistic jerks. The city itself is very aesthetically pleasing, but the people I can really take or leave. It's very politcal and polarized. It's almost like you can't find anyone who is normal and who doesn't have some kind of cause.
The nightlife is great if you can manage to get past the cops waiting outside of bars waiting to pull people over. The music scene is constantly getting threatened by sound ordinances initiated by people who are trying to be cool by buying lofts downtown right next to music venues to pretend like they are in New York.
If the traffic isn't bad enough, everyone has to be a major league rubber neck and has to slow down to 25 mph on a major thoroughfare to see a flat tire.
Personally, I really feel like the culture itself is going through some sort of identity crises.
So if you can put up with all of that... you might just love it!
And by the way... Go Mavs! and Spurs!
"blows raspberry" Lakers!
The nightlife is great if you can manage to get past the cops waiting outside of bars waiting to pull people over. The music scene is constantly getting threatened by sound ordinances initiated by people who are trying to be cool by buying lofts downtown right next to music venues to pretend like they are in New York.
If the traffic isn't bad enough, everyone has to be a major league rubber neck and has to slow down to 25 mph on a major thoroughfare to see a flat tire.
Personally, I really feel like the culture itself is going through some sort of identity crises.
So if you can put up with all of that... you might just love it!
And by the way... Go Mavs! and Spurs!
"blows raspberry" Lakers!
I was born in Austin. Great town with a cool vibe BUT it has grown exponentially the past couple of decades making it crowded in parts, sprawling in others, traffic is a nightmare and cost of living/housing has really gone crazy.
The main thing that would prevent me from ever living there again is the weather. I personally don't care for weeks and long weeks of 100+ temps and 98% humidity.
The main thing that would prevent me from ever living there again is the weather. I personally don't care for weeks and long weeks of 100+ temps and 98% humidity.
I was wondering if you had considered a less major move, perhaps Southern Oregon or Northern Cal?
I think that (at the moment) employment and general economy may be better in Texas, but as has been mentioned here, the music scene aspect of Austin has changed dramatically the last several years.
I haven't spent a lot of time in the lower half of Oregon, but it seems like a nice region with (IMO) much better weather than Texas, not as landlocked (still close to ocean and mountains) etc...
Of course, I don't know what size town/city you are wanting to live in...
I think that (at the moment) employment and general economy may be better in Texas, but as has been mentioned here, the music scene aspect of Austin has changed dramatically the last several years.
I haven't spent a lot of time in the lower half of Oregon, but it seems like a nice region with (IMO) much better weather than Texas, not as landlocked (still close to ocean and mountains) etc...
Of course, I don't know what size town/city you are wanting to live in...
Update I just spent the day "in town" and some of it was great and then almost turned to murder and back again. Most of my old haunts are still off the beaten track and that's cool but sadly some of them have become trendy and have been invaded by wannabehipstercoolonoidsbutdon'tgottacluedikwads. Harry Ransom Center is an interesting museum of sorts and free, only had to pay parking. Where else can you see Frida Kahlo, Tenesee Williams and a Guttenberg Bible? Then we went to El Patio on the drag for good old time TexMex, spurned by the trendonites for Chuy's which is all well and good for those who know better. Don't get me wrong I love Chuy's too. But then we went to Toy Joy and was almost driven to murder by the wannabehipstercoolonoidsbutdon'tgottacluedikwads who have found this once cool hide out for retro toy shopping (go back to SoCo you mundless skum!.) But Room Service saved the day by returning me to my calm state of Austinishiousness, with it's retro kitschyness.
*wannabehipstercoolonoidsbutdon'tgottacluedikwads former males lacking the balls and brains to develop their own personality and have to hype a trendy stance, attitude, dress style or current apple or prius product to attach coolness while are attempting to impress girls who could care less but like that they have money to spend while they look for the next drummer or guitar player to get ruined by.
*wannabehipstercoolonoidsbutdon'tgottacluedikwads former males lacking the balls and brains to develop their own personality and have to hype a trendy stance, attitude, dress style or current apple or prius product to attach coolness while are attempting to impress girls who could care less but like that they have money to spend while they look for the next drummer or guitar player to get ruined by.
