Business

Pause/Play

A podcast about live music, why it matters and what comes next.

Pause/Play Episode 1: The Pause

KUT 90.5 | By KUT/X Staff

Published September 22, 2020 at 8:00 AM CDT

A SXSW banner outside the Empire Control Room on East Seventh Street.

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Venues in the Red River Cultural District were gearing up for South by Southwest as a novel coronavirus was spreading across the globe.

Julia Reihs / KUT

Austin Mayor Steve Adler at a press conference with other City Council members and health officials.

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On March 6, Austin Mayor Steve Adler declared a disaster because of COVID-19, effectively canceling the festival.

Julia Reihs / KUT

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SXSW draws hundreds of thousands of people to Austin each year. In 2019, it brought in an estimated $356 million.

Marshall Tidrick for KUTX

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A day after SXSW was canceled, Cody Cowan, executive director of the Red River Cultural District, and other members of the music industry discuss organizing fundraisers and smaller events for local artists and vendors.

Julia Reihs / KUT

A man spray paints a boarded-up restaurant.

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A pandemic is declared, and the city shuts down bars and bans gatherings of more than 10 people. Zach Volta, chef at Casino El Camino, spray paints the boarded window in front of the venue on March 19.

Julia Reihs / KUT

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Bars and restaurants are boarded up along Sixth Street.

Julia Reihs / KUT

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Downtown Austin is nearly empty on St. Patrick's Day.

Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon / KUT

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Barracuda becomes one of the first venues to close permanently because of the shutdown.

Julia Reihs / KUT

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Broken Spoke owner James White shakes hands with Austen Bailey, talent buyer at Mohawk, during an event Sept. 10 in support of the federal Save Our Stages Act. The legislation would allocate $10 billion for independent music venues struggling to survive.

Julia Reihs / KUT

Demonstrators rally outside Austin City Hall on Sept. 16 in support of a resolution that would provide funding sources for relief programs for the music and arts industries.

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Demonstrators rally outside Austin City Hall on Sept. 16 in support of a resolution that would provide funding sources for programs to support the music and arts industries.

Julia Reihs / KUT

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Antone's Nightclub is one of the hundreds of venues shut down because of the pandemic.

Michael Minasi / KUT

On March 6, 2020, the City of Austin canceled South by Southwest. The decision had an economic ripple effect throughout the city and marked the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis in Austin.

In this episode, hosts Miles Bloxson and Elizabeth McQueen explore why Austin calls itself the Live Music Capital of the World. They’ll look at the effect SXSW's cancellation and the subsequent shutdown of bars had on the city through the experiences of musicians, venue owners, venue staff and music nonprofits that make up Austin's live music ecosystem.

In this episode, you’ll hear the voices of:

Mobley, musician
Reenie Collins, CEO of The Heath Alliance of Austin Musicians
J Soulja, musician
Brodie Elkins, general manager of Scratchouse
Stephanie Begara, musician
Pat Buchta, executive director of Austin Texas Musicians
Ray Benson, musician
Nakia, musician
Michael Hall, executive editor at Texas Monthly
Cody Cowan, executive director of the Red River Cultural District
Qunicy Dunlap, president and CEO of the Austin Urban League
Mélat, musician
Hope Irish, musician
Maggie Lea and Tamara Hoover, owners of Cheer Up Charlies
Homer Hill, executive director of the Urban Music Fest
TeddytheLegacy, musician
Lars Russell
Jackie Venson, musician

Listen to the music in this episode:

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