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 • Culture  • Scene Change: Austin Musicians Adapt to the New Weird

Scene Change: Austin Musicians Adapt to the New Weird

By the weekend of March 13th, 2020, what had begun as a low rumbling somewhere far across the Pacific Ocean had become a resounding roar on our own shores, through our own streets, at our own doorsteps.

What no one in Austin, the rollicking Live Music Capitol of the World, could foresee was the catastrophic shift on the horizon. First came the initial shockwave of Covid-19 related lockdowns and closures, which left our hallowed venues dark and silent. Then came the ripple effects, which emerged in every shape and size, to impact our lives and livelihoods in unexpected ways.

Austin’s music community, varied and wide-ranging though it is, waited for updates together: a concerned and anxious collective. We scanned the news outlets and refreshed our Twitter feeds for any indication as to what was coming next. As the uncertain danger grew, we reluctantly canceled shows and cleared our calendars. “Surely by SxSW,” we hoped aloud. “What about Urban Music Fest?” we wondered.

As a quiet Spring gave way to a restless Summer, our gigs took on new forms. Live shows moved online and outdoors. We mastered the social media broadcast. For our sanity and survival, we streamed, dropping our CashApp handles and rattling virtual tip jars along the way.

Emergency funds for Austin musicians, some specifically for musicians of color, appeared to offer a kind of relief. We checked in

with one another, made new connections, shared our opportunities, and employed our peers.

Somehow, against the bleak backdrop of physical disease and social unrest, we discovered strengthened voices and reinforced bonds. In the face of daunting odds, we have defiantly thrived.

Austin musicians have tempered their product to reflect the heaviness of the times, and painted hopeful visions of a better tomorrow. This is the strange beauty of our scene: forced to undergo a rapid and uncomfortable evolution, Austin musicians have lovingly embraced the new weird

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