For more information on this and other leasing opportunities contact:
Marianne Etie
Austin City Permits
marianneviolet@gmail.com
512 947-3745

Get started, if you haven’t already.
And .. do not let the Holiday season delay your preparations.

• Brands, Labels, Producers, Managers, Sponsors, if you need a venue …
• Property/Business Owners, if you have a building and/or lot you would like to lease …

give me call / shoot me an email
512 – 850 – 5446
garyetie@gmail.com

Interactive: March 8-12
Film: March 8-16
Music: March 12-17

Here is an example of a Temporary Venue that I scouted and Permitted during SxSW 2009.
Client: Lacy Maxwell Productions/ Cornerstone Productions/Levi’s – Fader Fort
Venue: Pine Street Station

That’s why, when you face certain facts, healthwise, it sharpens your sense of priorities, to the point where one instinctively narrows in on the pertinent facts. (More on the health stuff later, too, as “things” are narrowed down)

In my case, the priorities tend to fall along the line of, “after caring for, as best I can, to show my love and concern for my family and friends, is to do the right thing for my community”. That community is Austin, my main base, for 35 years. Specifically, my community is the Austin Music Community.

To that end, in this post, and those that will follow, I don’t want to accuse people of being Nazis, not even as being, necessarily, ”evil” people … I just want to set the record straight with facts, as I know them, with a bit of opinion, and intuitive reasoning, thrown in. So, bear with me while I attempt to “Keep My Lamps Trimmed and Burnin’ “, and my knife blades sharp, in doing the right thing, to the best of my ability.

The subject that I must focus on is The Austin Music Office, and will be my attempt to expose a current and ongoing campaign to discredit the Music Office’s good work. The campaign that I’m referring to is being conducted, in part, and in my opinion, by Stratus Properties, with CEO Beau Armstrong at the lead.

This is the man who helped bring pesticides and fertilizer, from the Source Point at his company’s Barton Creek Country Club, directly to the outflow of Barton Springs Pool. That, after Mr. Armstrong having to take over duties of the former Stratus CEO, Jim Bob Moffett, when Jim Bob was exposed as owning the company, Freeport Macmoran, that possessed the mineral rights to the largest gold mines in the world, and was the worst kind of polluter, perhaps the world’s worst polluter, of traditional indigenous peoples and lands.

Basically, Status has blown it, on a number of fronts, regarding decision on the specifications for their building materials, and it is causing problems that they are trying to hide, in there current campaign against both long-time, Downtown, Outdoor Music Venues, and the Music Office.

The sound issues are only part of the problems that Mr. Armstrong faces;

W Hotel to Close after More Glass Falls: MyFoxATLANTA.com

The  focus of this series, however, will be on the campaign Mr. Armstrong is currently, in my opinion, waging, and directing, at long-time Downtown venues, and the Music Office Staff, which is, by my account, the best thing to happen to Austin Music, in the past 3 decades.

This is one of best, and most accurate reports I’ve seen. Excellent reporting, by KXAN’s staff and Reporter Jarred Wise:

More to follow.

———- begin Comment ———-

Joshua,

First, I want to applaud your comprehensive and professional approach to the issue
of Noise & Austin. Your most recent post, analyzing the Nutty Brown Cafe sound
issues, is excellent.

You have my complete support in continuing your efforts to educate all parties;
the public, business owners (especially venue managers), and developers as to the
facts, and workings of the current state of affairs, especially in the area of
analyzing the extremely bad and broken Noise & Sound Ordinance, in it’s current
form.

I’ll point out the following, however, as to what, in my personal opinion, is the
real problem, in spite of the Music Commissions great work. I feel that if this
central problem is addressed, it would make your work, my work, and the Music
Commission’s work, much more effective and beneficial to everyone concerned.

At the following links, you can read certain facts, along with my analysis of why
the City Council is moving (albeit, as slow as molasses), in the exact opposite
direction of the Music Commission’s Recommendations to Council (which is the limit
of the Music Commission’s power.

“DANA Letter to the Mayor & Council” – http://goo.gl/y2pD4

“Disingenuous Politickin’” – http://austincitypermits.com/?p=4170

“Mistake on Decibel Reading Location” – http://austincitypermits.com/?p=4510

In the posts, above, it is clear as to why, on Feb 17th of this year, Council
staff basically “screwed the pooch” and set back Austin’s Noise & Sound Ordinance
several years

The letter was from DANA (Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association) who were, at
the time, very much “at the stakeholder’s table” of the backdoor meetings being
called by certain members of the Council. I am of the opinion that DANA was
overzealous, drunk on the attention and support they were getting from Council and
Staff, and simply overstepped the boundary of just what an organization can
insert, of it’s own agenda, directly into the Code.

“Inadvertently … left in place?” – http://austincitypermits.com/?p=4526

That Ordinance included the provision that: ““The decibel limits prescribed under
this section must be measured … from the location of the sound equipment on the
property or site where the permit is issued.”

This meant that the current 70 dB (Restaurant) and 85 dB (Cocktail Lounges &
non-Restaurant venues) decibel level limits would hence forth be measured in front
of the speakers!

I was told that Staff didn’t have an Ordinance ready, and with mere weeks before
SxSW, a Council Member ordered, “We need something now. Put something together,
and get it on the Agenda!”. The Mea Culpa in the form of a Memo by the Council’s
staff lawyer, can be read here:

http://goo.gl/5nk7I

As a result of my efforts to quickly call attention the mistake, an additional
ordinance was passed (!) 2 weeks later, in order to rid the Code of the
inappropriate “mistake”.

“Location of dB Readings Changed” – http://austincitypermits.com/?p=4494

However, if you’ll notice, several other “suggestions” from the Dana letter have
remained in the Code, as of that one rushed Ordinance.

The Music Commission, as well as the City’s Music Office have been doing an
excellent job of communicating these damaging inclusions, starting as recently as
6 months ago, so far, absolutely NO action has been taken by Council … and that’s
my point.

Respectfully, Gary Etie

———- end Comment ———-

I stayed up on the night that the Ordinance was passed, and caught the one provision that stood out as the most ridiculous, namely… measuring decibel level readings “at the source” (in front of the speakers!) instead of measuring at the property line, as it had been. That was amended, with an additional “emergency” Ordinance, 2 weeks later.

That leaves several more bad insertions into the ordinance that are now starting to raise their ugly heads, and must be addressed. Therefore, tonight’s Special Called Meeting of the Austin Music Commission.

From the Agenda ( http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/edims/document.cfm?id=155555 )

D. NEW BUSINESS
1. Sound Ordinance Chapter 9-2 review – Clara Hilling and Greg Guernsey in attendance to
answer questions

One of the mistakes being discussed will be the decision to apply the “100 – 600 ft” rule to ALL permits under section 9-2. In the past, the rule applied to only Temporary Sound Permits. Currently, it must be applied to Outdoor Music Venue Permits, according to the flawed Code amendment.

That, coupled with a new and completely different legal interpretation of the term “Property Zoned & used as residential” … has created a quandary that has to be eliminated.

Currently, a Restaurant closer than 100 ft to any use consider by Austin legal to be residential, cannot get an Approved Outdoor Music Venue Permit, at all.

The term “residential” which in the past referred to ONLY Single Family Residences, is currently being ruled upon, by Austin legal staff, as including apartments, townhouses, condos &, significantly, RESIDENTIAL TOWERS (!)

This also affects the hours allowed for Restaurants that are closer than 600 ft to what is now being defined as “Residential” by the City of Austin legal eagle that calls these things … (cough – Brent Lloyd?)

The Ordinance passed on Feb 10th, was a blatant maneuver to subvert the process, with a rush to passage, on an emergency basis, on the Consent Agenda (no Council or Public discussion whatsoever), while failing (waiting?) to add the proposed Ordinance to the Council Agenda a mere 2-1/2 hours prior to passage, whereupon it went into immediate effect, it having been declared an emergency.

Many of the changes that made their way into the ordinance came directly from, or found their way into, a letter sent to the Mayor and City Council, by DANA, a neighborhood group that recently lost status, in several respects. I have a feeling that DANA may have overreached just a bit, on this one.

The problem remains, however, that DANA, and other “stakeholders” had to have one or more willing Council members, their staff, and their legal advisor involved, in making this happen the way it did, so expect a lot of the same kind of maneuvering for control that got us to this point, to remain as a proposed solution to the current problem. Inertia can be very difficult to overcome.

Location:
Austin City Hall
301 West 2nd Street, Austin, TX 78701
Room 1027 (Enter Cesar Chavez side, 1st room on he right after entry)

I’ve been troubled by a recent tendency to be aggravated by the simplest of inconveniences. Believe me, having experienced cancer diagnosis, surgery & radiation a couple of years ago, I have a new and fuller appreciation for the simple pleasures of life … but today, I’m wonderin’ if feeling dissatisfied might not be a necessity. Is being dissatisfied with existing conditions a driving force, in both the will to live, and in the evolutionary process?

Then there’s the major aggravations that I share with my community. Whether it’s over the right of owners to host live music, outdoors, at their place of business, or the changes at a beloved local radio station, I have a tendency to take it personally, combined with a feeling of obligation, and the need to try to do something about it, and, according to some people, a tendency to spend way too much time trying to do it.

A couple of years ago, I became very upset at the lack of respect my friend Larry Monroe was being shown by the corporate minded wankers down at KUT FM. What was once, hands down, the best radio station in the country, is now no better than a mediocre replica of countless commercial stations crowding the dial.

A group of people combined their efforts, and exploited some very strong connections, but we couldn’t really change what was happening. The fix was in. The PR firm that KUT hired to ease the transition created a slick, coordinated propaganda campaign. We were outmanned, and, simply, too late.

Deejay to Retire After Decades On Air:

Back to the Top – for a glimpse of the future Larry was referring to, although even he didn’t know what the future held, at the time.

On closing night, with Kanye doing the Kanye thang at Seaholm until 4 AM (how was that OK’ed or allowed by P.A.C.E.???), Red Bull at 4th & Congress, and other shows, both official and fringe, going violently overboard in their attempts to garner attention, it hardly felt like the good SxSW vibe of as little as 3 years ago.

Permits for the unofficial, unsanctioned Levi’s event, during SxSW, had been somewhat tricky, ever since 2005, when the temporary event popped up an outdoor venue at the Habaña Annex at 709 E 6th St. After 2 successful years, SxSW rented that venue out from under Levi’s, and went around town bragging about sticking it to Levi’s, and me.

So, I scouted and helped negotiate a new home, at the former American Youthworks warehouse, at 4th & Brazos. 2 more great years there.

Here’s where, from my viewpoint, it started to turn weird, and downhill … precisely at 12 Noon, at the very moment that the Levi’s-Fader “Fort” opened its doors, on the opening day of SxSW 2008, the SxSW organization hired a fairly large group of homeless folks, gave them PETA signs, and proceeded to march them adjacent to the entry line that was stretched around the block, allegedly protesting Levi’s cruel treatment of animals(?!). I started to intervene … I couldn’t help it … I was so taken aback by the “dirty pool” nature of the tactic, I started confronting the “protesters” … but quickly got shooed out of there, and rightfully so, by the event production crew. It wasn’t any of my business anyway, so, I left, even though I was shocked and ashamed of how low SxSW would stoop, to fuck things up.

For SxSW 2009, the planning arm of the SxSW org, High Beam Events, leased the Levi’s, venue location out from under them, again.

However, even though I had been explaining the set-up that made the Levi’s-Fader event possible, High Beam and SxSW couldn’t figure out how to use the property for a music event, much less one that would include alcohol. Lame So, what did they do with the space, having negotiated a $40,000+ lease, for a 4 day event? High Beam/SxSW let American Apparel (the company known for its ads that featuring offensive photos of 18 year olds that look like 15 year olds) put a bunch of cardboard boxes of not-so-sellable clothing out in the parking lot, for sale. I have no idea how that went, but Yuk!

Sooo .. in 2009, I found a nice little spot just east of downtown for the annual Levi’s-Fader event, even suggesting a name the owner liked, “Pine Street Station”, and got that fully permitted for a great outdoor music venue. Unfortunately Kanye West announced a closing night appearance at the venue, 4 days prior to the 2009 festival, and caused major problems. The next year, 2010, the City’s guard was understandably up, but we worked everything out, even as Transmission Entertainment’s “Mess with Texas” event (also my client that year) moved in across the street.

Not long after SxSW 2010, I came to the difficult realization that I did not want to be the one to pull the Permits for the event in 2011. That, it ends up, was a lucky call.

The first mention of something afoot was by Michael Corcoran | Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 12:05 PM:

The Fader Fort is celebrating its 10th anniversary of annoying South by Southwest officials with a new partner and plans to stream performances live in conjunction with MySpace Music. Expected to be held at the same Pine Street Station location at East Fifth and Waller Streets, the four-day invitation-only event will be called the Fader Fort by Fiat this year.

Rumors have been swirling about Fiat flying in some big names (the Strokes?) this year. In the past, such acts as Amy Winehouse, Lou Reed, Kanye West, M.I.A., Kid Cudi, the Black Keys and more have played the Fader Fort.

… Although officially-credentialed SXSW-goers usually get some sort of priority entry, the Fader Fort’s practice of admitting some lucky fans without music business ties, has made it the hottest fringe party spot of SXSW.

As it turned out, Levi’s payed for the official, free SxSW Strokes show at Auditorium Shores. Was there a lack of proper security measures? Notice the guy in the video with “SAFETY” on his T-shirt. He isn’t a licensed Security provider, and has no idea what to do:

and how did it go at the “unofficial”, but behind the scenes – SxSW-won’t-try-to-block-your-permits-this-year” Fader Fort byFiat? You decide:

The Austin Music Office, a division of the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau (Austin CVB) just released their 10th annual Austin Music album. “Austin Music Volume 10″ is a compilation of local music artists that celebrates Austin’s rich musical history, while showcasing the future of established musicians, alongside the voices of rising stars. It features an eclectic mix of genres ranging from indie rock, Latin, folk rock and blues, to experimental pop, hip-hop and western swing.

Buy the album

In celebration of the ten-year anniversary of this compilation, vinyl albums will also be made available for the first time ever. “Austin Music Volume 10″ will be distributed at many of the leading festivals and music events this year throughout the country, including: Americana Music Festival and Conference, Austin City Limits Music Festival, Fun Fun Fun Fest, South by Southwest Music Conference, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Sync Up Fest, Latino Music Month & Pachanga Fest, and Latin Alternative Music Conference. The CD will sell for $12.99 and vinyl will sell for $14.99. For further information or to purchase a download card, vinyl album, or CD, please visit http://www.austintexas.org/

• A link to each and every OMV Application/Permit in the City of Austin database
• The status of all OMV Applications/Permits
• A link to a QR Code that provides a venue’s Permit information.

• A direct text link to the City of Austin’s official Permit record.
• The status of all OMV Applications/Permits, as of May 18th, 2011
• A QR Code image to download and print, or creatively replicated in other mediums.

Venue owners/managers,  the QR Code images are provided for download and your use. They can be incorporated into a sign, poster, business card, etc. QR Codes can be replicated in concrete, wood, yarn, Legos,  just about anything that can display the opposing pattern. If anyone needs to know the details of your Music Permit, “show ‘em the Code”. QR Code readers are currently being built into newer smartphone cameras. But don’t worry, if your phone’s camera is not QR ready, there are plenty of Apps for that. Need a QR Code Reader App to try it out?

iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad: “Scan”, by QR Code City
Android: “Barcode Scanner” by ZXing
More: iPhone | Android | Blackberry

Examples to scan on your computer. Imagining that you are a Code Compliance officer, or a disgruntled neighbor outside of a Live Music Venue, at 11 PM, and want to know the cut-off times specified on the Permit:

1. Immediately receive simple text, in the App, detailing the allowed decibel level and operating hours specified by the OMV Permit for a specific venue. In this example, scan this image for the official OMV Permit details for The Mean Eyed Cat:

2. Link directly to the City of Austin’s official Permit record, containing additional information. In this example, scan the image to view the entire OMV Permit for Threadgill’s World Headquarters South:

3. To see the complete list of OMV Permits, on your smartphone, scan this image:

Courtesy of Gary Etie, Austin City Permits

Information Source:  Public Records, City of Austin

Meetings prior to February are, hopefully, being added as they are processed by the City’s vendor. I know that I would especially appreciate the public being able to view the November 1st meeting.

Archive of all Boards and Commissions Meeting Videos, including Music Commission meetings

CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS:
Brad Stein (Chair), Paul Oveisi (Vice Chair) Rich Garza, Margaret Moser, Marcia Zwilling,
Michael Feferman, Joah Spearman

I love you, Austin Music, but there’s something rotten in the state of Denmark. I am just not willing to treat people with respect, when they don’t deserve it. Stay tuned.

Live on the BBC | Recorded October 9, 1970