Informed Speculation

I care about music. That’s obvious to everyone who visits this blog. I care about music so much I based my decision on where to live on my love of music. Austin, TX, is my home for one reason and one reason only: I came here to see the greatest live music on the planet.  I have memories that will last a lifetime of a thousand shows, and I can remember something about almost every one of them.

Dozens of those shows have been at the Cactus Cafe on the campus of the University of Texas.  The Cactus is perhaps THE premiere venue in town for those who truly care about music.  At the Cactus, there is no talking during acts – there are no cell phones – there are no distractions.  It is about the music.  The soul of Austin, Townes Van Zandt, played at the Cactus over 100 times.  Lyle Lovett played some of his first gigs there.  I have seen Joe Ely tear up the stage there on too many nights to count.  I saw a young Ryan Bingham, recent winner of the Golden Globe, and perhaps soon the Oscar, put on an electrifying performance. 

I have been at the Cactus on nights that will live forever in my mind.  And now UT wants to close it to save a lousy $122,000 a year.

Do you have ANY clue how big the budget of the University of Texas is?  Do you know how much money Mack Brown makes in a year?  Do you have the slightest idea what the Cactus means to Austin?  If you live in Austin, you know the answer to all these questions, and you know that this decision is outrageous.

Yes, the Cactus serves mostly nonstudents – so what?  The University has brought much to Austin, but Austin has brought far, far more to the University.  Every year, tens of thousands of students enroll at UT for one big reason: Austin.  Very few people come to UT because of the faculty (sorry, Jacques!).  They come here because of the location.  Yes, Austin would not be Austin without the University of Texas – but UT would be almost nothing without Austin.

This city is full of vibrant, bright, young, resourceful minds – SURELY someone can come up with a plan that closes a lousy hundred grand a year spending gap.  This town has already lost the Armadillo World Headquarters.  It’s already lost the Soap Creek Saloon.  It’s already lost Liberty Lunch.  It’s already lost Steamboat.  If you know this town and its history, you know the meaning of those revered names. You know the memories that were forged there.  You know the heart and soul of this town beats with its music, and you know that the Cactus is worth far, far more than the nickel-and-dime price put on its head by UT administrators.

Today at 4:00 p.m., the University holds a town hall meeting at 24th and Speedway, in the Avaya Auditorium of the ACES building, room 2.302.  The “Save the Cactus Cafe” site on Facebook is already nearing 13,000 friends.  If a fraction of those people show up to be heard, we can bring that town hall meeting to a halt.  The relationship between UT and the citizens of Austin is a reciprocal, bilateral one.  We do not have to stand for decisions that impact our community negatively because we are not students at UT.  We have a right to be heard because we live in the city that has given so much to the university – and we will be heard.

You can’t take the Cactus Cafe from Austin – not without a fight.  Since this university lives and breathes off of money, I’ll make a pledge right here and now:  if the University of Texas closes the Cactus, I will not attend another sporting event on the University of Texas campus.  I will not park my car in any of its parking garages.  I will not see another concert at the Frank Erwin Center – okay, that last one might be hard – because, after all, I DO love music.  That’s what this is all about.  And ultimatums are hard to live by – but I will promise you this:  I’ll weigh every purchase I make of any item that might benefit the University very carefully – and I’ll cut back on all but the most essential concerts at any venue associated with it.  If everyone in Austin that cared about the Cactus did the same, the University would find out just how small that $122,000 a year is. 

This is Bob Schneider at the Cactus Cafe on 9/11/09, singing the great 40 Dogs (Like Romeo and Juliet):

The great Guy Clark, friend of Townes, with Verlon Thompson, and “The Guitar”:

…and for now, I end with Guy Forsyth and “Plant A Little Seed”: