Pause/Play

Jeannette Gregor has worn many hats: bartender, event coordinator, music festival production worker, screenwriter. When the music industry began to feel the economic effects of the pandemic, she put on another one.

We all found out during the pandemic how hard it is to live without live music — and just how fragile the Austin music ecosystem is.

This episode is all about the fans. You’ll hear how they coped when there were no live shows and how they feel now that things are opening back up.

This episode is about whether or not the change in mask guidance for vaccinated individuals coupled with the big reopening in Austin music venues signals the end of the pandemic for Austin’s music scene.

We asked 15 Austin musicians the same questions: Have you performed during the pandemic? Are you ready to perform now? What would it take to make you feel comfortable performing the way we used to pre-pandemic?

In the latest episode of Pause/Play we talk to the lunch ladies of Free Lunch, musician J Soulja, the founders of Mosaic Live Wire, and entrepreneur and artist Cam The TSTMKR about how they've pivoted during the pandemic.

Hear how people are approaching livestreaming and what it could mean for the future of the Austin music community.

Businesses in Texas can now operate at 100% capacity. The statewide mask mandate has also been removed. We talked to musicians, venue owners and staff about how they plan to navigate the reopening.

We talked to people from across the spectrum of the Austin music ecosystem on the anniversary of the cancellation of South by Southwest. In this episode, you’ll hear how they’ve coped, pivoted, evolved, gained new perspectives and dealt with trauma during the last 12 months.

The pandemic has exposed the dirt swept under the rug, the cans kicked down the road. Income inequality, inadequate medical coverage, leadership and preparedness deficits, gaps in social safety nets, indifference for our artists. In terrifying terms, we're now seeing the damage.