Austin music venue owners are difficult to contact, at least the ones we contacted. And when they are reached, it’s difficult to schedule (and have them stick to) an interview time and date. The same can be said of the Austin musicians we contacted.
We initially wanted to focus our Texas music project on a handful of Austin music venues and their relationships with the city’s musicians. One Austin music venue owner (okay, their assistant) replied to our enquiries and agreed to be interviewed, and five Austin musicians replied; no Austin music venue owners followed-up on an interview, and one Austin musician was interviewed (for this we are now Austin-based musician Warren Hood’s biggest fans).
Maybe Austin music venue owners and the city’s musicians who play there were put off by our project’s topic, the questions we wanted to ask: how much on average does each venue pay performing artists? how is this pay determined? what type of payment, e.g., cash, alcohol, etc.? does payment vary by the time of the year, e.g., October during Fun Fun Fun Fest and March during SXSW? what are venues’ average attendance? what are venues’ maximum capacity?
We even played phone tag with a representative of the music and entertainment division of the City of Austin’s Economic Development Office.
Maybe no one has the answers to our questions (yet).
The good news is the City of Austin recently launched the first music industry “census and assessment survey” that may help answer our questions.
Hood was very accommodating and provided us with useful, anecdotal information about booking a gig at an Austin live music venue, as well as how local musicians/bands are compensated and treated by booking agents and venue owners.
In honor of Hood’s generosity, please enjoy a performance of his from Jan. 18, 2011 at Austin’s The Continental Club, where he used to routinely perform. The video was created by Austin Music Weekly: