This past Monday night, I had the honor of joining a panel discussion hosted by the Austin Music Foundation on the future of Austin music. About 150 Austinites turned out for the event at Antone’s. Moderated by David Sullivan, who chaired the musicians’ services sub committee of the recent Live Music Task Force, the panel also included Rich Garza from Giant Noise PR, who is responsible for the success of last year’s Pachanga Fest, Waterloo Records owner John Kunz, Transmission Entertainment’s Graham Williams, and artists Carolyn Wonderland and Alex Vallejo.
Carolyn Wonderland, who seems only able to speak in poetic metaphors, served as the highlight of the panel, but the conversation was lively, balancing a guarded recognition of the tough times that the economy is leveraging on Austin music with an excitement for the possibilities. There was a general echo from all the various industry representatives of Wonderland’s statement that we need to embrace the change to new mediums and models rather than resist them. Otherwise artists, retailers, PR, and even media risk falling behind the pace of their audiences and ultimately being left out.
For Kunz, that includes making forays into digital sales beyond Waterloo’s brick-and-mortar operation, such as the new download store to be launched soon in partnership with the Coalition of Independent Music Stores. For promoters Reynolds and Garza, that means taking advantage of available technology to garner attention in an ever-widening but strongly focused pool, while never losing sight of how to draw Austin music supporters back into the scene.
While none of us on the panel had any idea exactly which of the music industry’s new models would eventually take hold, there was agreement that Austin has an amazing opportunity to help foster new entrepreneurial ideas and companies, precisely because the old music business models are not entrenched here. While other cities attempt to find some way to support traditional businesses of booking, major labels, etc., the lack of that industry in Austin’s live music-based economy may actually provide an advantage in fostering the future of the industry here.
None of the panelists were particularly optimistic about the support local government may provide to the music scene, especially considering City Hall’s recent budget slicings. Whatever the outcome of the proposed Music Department, however, it’s clear organizations like the Austin Music Foundation and Save Austin Music have motivated a large constituency that is interested in finding ways for the local music industry to not simply survive, but to progress and expand and ultimately better support the artists that are the heart of Austin’s reputation. What those opportunities may be are still unclear, but with the kind of local community encouragement and potential lobbying force generated by AMF, there is certainly an opportunity for new ideas and businesses to emerge and help grow the music economy here.
AMF’s efforts to promote discussion continue tonight, Feb. 25, with Will Taylor and John Pointer, who’ll chat about “Innovative Revenue Generation.” The small group session begins at 7pm at the Belmont.
This article appears in February 20 • 2009.
