Austin is a very unique city that separates itself not only from the other cities in the state of Texas, but from capital cities around the world. The abundance of music is one aspect, among many others, of Austin culture that is unique. This said, I went on a five day music binge to observe the different types of people who participate in this important part of life in the city and why they do so. From March 21st through March 25th I went to five shows, one each night, to listen to the music and observe and interact with the audience, and when it was possible, the performers themselves. The performances I went to were by four musicians who live in Austin, and one by a touring artist, each at a different venue. The length of the performances were about two and a half hours long each and took place from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. with a break in between sets. I personally picked what shows to go see based on what artists I believe best represent the Austin music scene. The five performances I chose were: John Abercrombie at The Elephant Room, W.C. Clark at The Saxon Pub, Redd Volkaert at the Continental Club, The Joe Richardson Express at Joe's Generic Bar, and Gary Clark Jr. at Friend's Bar, respectively. While at the shows I was able to conduct interviews with the audience. The questions I asked them ranged from "why are you here?", to "why do you relate to this particular style of music or artist?". So that I would not have to deal with consent forms, all of the names of the people I interviewed have been changed. The total number of participants was 25 and were randomly selected, but I did try to create a diverse group of ages, gender, race and ethnicity. Music is and will continue to be a major part of any culture, by observing and interacting with the participants I gained a unique insight into the life of the city. .
John Abercrombie is a 59 year old Anglo jazz guitarist from New York who is a mainstay in the jazz community.
