On Tap: Sunday Concerts at Cap City Comedy Club, Crowne Plaza's Club Max
By Malcolm Rodman
When it comes to finding a new home for Dixieland jazz in Austin, it's a good news-better news situation.
Good news: we've found several acceptable alternatives to our former home for 18 years.
Better news: following a near sell-out for Jim Cullum's concert, our last two concerts drew audiences 40 per cent larger than anything we'd ever known at our old home.
We completely filled the Saxon Pub in April and the Club Max at the Red Lion Hotel (since re-named Crowne Plaza) in June. This forced us to turn away some cherished members. We thank everyone for your good-humored tolerance. All of us take delight in seeing a room full of people enjoying trad jazz.
In response to the challenge of accommodating all, our Board has negotiated with a 350-seat Capital City Comedy Club, 8120 Research Blvd., as the venue for our Sept. 10th concert. The room has not only has cabaret seating for all, but a dance floor, a full bar, food service and ample free parking.
Our Nov. 12 concert probably will be at the remodeled Club Max at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (formerly Red Lion Hotel), where we anticipate better sight lines and more seating.
Wherever we go, we will be dealing with business people who expect to generate sufficient food and beverage business. Our members will have to loosen their purse strings, at the risk of seeing live Dixieland disappear from Austin.
Until we settle down, you'll have to remain aware of our new locations. We'll inform all paid members by mail before each concert, in addition to e-mail notices and postings on our web site -- atjs.org.
