Cactus Cafe closing

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Richard + Jela
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Cactus Cafe closing

Postby Richard + Jela » Sun Jan 31, 2010 3:43 pm

Cactus Cafe, Austin, to close

Heard this really bad news last night - am still in shock as I can't believe that such an iconic venue, which gave starts to so many musicians and hosted the most wonderful live concerts could even think about closing down.

See a news article here

There is a Facebook page for Save the Cactus Cafe - I've joined.

Jela

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KarenZ
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Re: Music in the News

Postby KarenZ » Sun Jan 31, 2010 8:04 pm

I also was shocked when I heard this news earlier today. :( I've been to shows at the Cactus quite a few times and it truly has been one of my favorite rooms to hear live music. Lots of terrific memories of shows past....like the time EP stumbled over the lyrics to "Paris in a Day" and without missing a beat (literally!) BillE shouted out "We were at the mercy of a passionate waiter."! :) I hope that there is such a hue and cry that the UT powers that be will change their minds.....but it does seem like when these kinds of decisions are made, they are hard to reverse. :(

Jela, keep us updated.

KarenZ

Richard + Jela wrote:Cactus Cafe, Austin, to close

Heard this really bad news last night - am still in shock as I can't believe that such an iconic venue, which gave starts to so many musicians and hosted the most wonderful live concerts could even think about closing down.

See a news article here

There is a Facebook page for Save the Cactus Cafe - I've joined.

Jela
"Some people are born to make great art and others are born to appreciate it. It is a kind of talent in itself, to be an audience, whether you are the spectator in the gallery or you are listening to the voice of the world's greatest soprano. Not everyone can be the artist. There have to be those who witness the art, who love and appreciate what they have been privileged to see." -- Ann Patchett in Bel Canto.

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Re: Music in the News

Postby paddyinthepub » Mon Feb 01, 2010 1:43 am

Back before Austin was crowned Music Capital of the World I happened upon the Cactus Cafe in Austin Texas. I'd never really heard of it until I'd just become a fan of a new artist to me on the Texas scene. Can't recall the year but I'd place it ca mid 80's.

That's when Darden Smith got my attention. First with a song on the radio. Ya know how it goes. Then the album. Native Soil. Soonafter the first live show. Anderson Fair. So taken by the Darden Smith trio which had Paul Pearcy on drums and Roland Denney on upright bass that when I learned that night they were in Austin the next night at a place called Cactus Cafe I knew I was Austin Texas Cactus Cafe bound!

One of the coolest music rooms I'd ever experienced. The show was as good as the one the night before at Anderson Fair and maybe just a little better because it was Austin. The vibe was something else.

I hope the campaign to keep Cactus Cafe Cactus Cafe works.
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

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KarenZ
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Re: Cactus Cafe to close

Postby KarenZ » Tue Feb 02, 2010 7:30 am

Folks,

From Austin TV station KXAN: (MonicaR, Jimmy sighting.)

Cactus Cafe closing

KarenZ
"Some people are born to make great art and others are born to appreciate it. It is a kind of talent in itself, to be an audience, whether you are the spectator in the gallery or you are listening to the voice of the world's greatest soprano. Not everyone can be the artist. There have to be those who witness the art, who love and appreciate what they have been privileged to see." -- Ann Patchett in Bel Canto.

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Re: Cactus Cafe closing

Postby monicar » Tue Feb 02, 2010 8:49 am

Thank you, Karen. Jela sent me the link for the FB page to Save the Cactus and Freddie sent me a note regarding same. Woke up to see/hear Jimmy talking about it.

I've never been there but I've certainly heard great things about the place and it was on my list of places I want to visit!

MonicaR.

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Re: Cactus Cafe closing

Postby paddyinthepub » Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:15 am

I have been seeing the talk on facebook about the fight on to alter the winds of change as it pertains to saving this storied music room on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin, Tx, the music capital of the world. I read a piece from one of the Austin newspapers last night and this move seems to have fallen under the guise of budget cuts at the school. When I look around these days at businesses shuttering windows and closing doors I'm not really surprised when I hear news like this. The Joni Mitchell line in Big Yellow Taxi comes to mind more and more often these days when I read about changes taking place in places once believed invincible. Don't it always seem to go you don't know what you've got til it's gone. The logistics of the school's operating budget said something had to go. Cactus Cafe. Unbelievable, really, that we have come to a place in time where a room like the Cactus Cafe can be closed so the school can use it's funds more wisely. I don't think I understand the full scope of the decision or exactly how Cactus Cafe operates when it's not hosting live music. The school's position seems to be that they have bigger fish to fry. If I were a betting man I would put my money on it closing. There are letter and emailing writing campaigns afoot to try and sway the powers that be. I hope it works. I'd love to be able to take in a show there again. Of note, the projected savings by closing the room are 122k per year. It seems with all the University Alum funds that pour into the school there ought to be enough of them to each kick in a buck to keep her open.


UT Defends Plans to Close Cactus Cafe
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
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Richard + Jela
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Re: Cactus Cafe closing

Postby Richard + Jela » Tue Feb 02, 2010 10:08 am

This is the unedited TV interview Jimmy LaFave did about saving the Cactus Cafe

Jimmy LaFave on the Cactus

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KarenZ
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Re: Cactus Cafe closing

Postby KarenZ » Tue Feb 02, 2010 10:40 am

Thanks, Jela. I sure hope Jimmy is right that there will be a reprieve. But I also think he's right when he says there must be some back story that the university isn't revealing.....

KarenZ
"Some people are born to make great art and others are born to appreciate it. It is a kind of talent in itself, to be an audience, whether you are the spectator in the gallery or you are listening to the voice of the world's greatest soprano. Not everyone can be the artist. There have to be those who witness the art, who love and appreciate what they have been privileged to see." -- Ann Patchett in Bel Canto.

Richard + Jela
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Re: Cactus Cafe closing

Postby Richard + Jela » Tue Feb 02, 2010 12:33 pm

The Facebook site Save the Cactus Cafe, Austin currently has 13,313 members and is growing by the minute!

The Facebook fan page for Save the Cactus has 1906 fans - this had to be set up once the first site exceeded 5000 members so that messages could continue to go out.

I've joined both. If you haven't yet done so please join me.

There's a Town Hall meeting later today at UT - wish I could be there to support all my Austin based friends in protest at the planned closure.

Jela

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Re: Cactus Cafe closing

Postby KarenZ » Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:21 pm

Now up to 14,991! In like two days! :shock:

KarenZ
Richard + Jela wrote:The Facebook site Save the Cactus Cafe, Austin currently has 13,313 members and is growing by the minute!
"Some people are born to make great art and others are born to appreciate it. It is a kind of talent in itself, to be an audience, whether you are the spectator in the gallery or you are listening to the voice of the world's greatest soprano. Not everyone can be the artist. There have to be those who witness the art, who love and appreciate what they have been privileged to see." -- Ann Patchett in Bel Canto.

paddyinthepub
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Re: Cactus Cafe closing

Postby paddyinthepub » Tue Feb 02, 2010 11:22 pm

U can stream the archive of this around the clock.....

running time is approx 2h15m and worth every minute.

Town Hall Meeting on Cactus Cafe
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

Richard + Jela
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Re: Cactus Cafe closing

Postby Richard + Jela » Wed Feb 03, 2010 4:38 am

I watched just over an hour of the live stream; people made some thoughtful, considerate comments mainly asking what they/the community could do to help but President Powers just seemed to bat them away saying that he supported the decision made by the UT Board (of Students) to close the Cactus.

He did not listen and was very unimpressive.

The Board of Regents who meet 4/5th Feb have, as I understand it, to ratify the decision/recommendation and I can only hope that the sheer groundswell of support for keeping the Cactus open, makes them see what a catastrophe closure would be.

500 people joined the FB sites during the Town Hall meeting.

paddyinthepub
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Re: Cactus Cafe closing

Postby paddyinthepub » Wed Feb 03, 2010 7:48 am

Jela, it got better the second hour and at the end. President Powers (is it really even possible that his name is part of "The Powers That Be???") did seem to toe the hard line on support of the students that had already made the decision to close the cactus Cafe. Didn't make him or this student governing body look very, well, uh, smart.

To say that the Cactus is just a room
Is to say that that star is just the moon
Save the Cactus Cafe


you heard it here, first
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
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Re: Cactus Cafe closing

Postby paddyinthepub » Thu Feb 04, 2010 2:47 pm

"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

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Re: Cactus Cafe closing

Postby paddyinthepub » Tue Feb 09, 2010 3:50 pm

Watched the two hour forum online with the President of the University of Texas fielding comments from a community up in arms about the planned closing of Cactus Cafe. All the while I watched the night unfold I noticed Carrie Elkin and Danny Schmidt in the auditorium seated a few rows back of the podium and right there on camera. I was kind of hoping they would get up and speak to the issue but I understand the need to be there and listen. Got Danny Schmidt's newsletter in the email today and here's Danny's words on Cactus Cafe.....thanks!


Danny Schmidt:

The Cactus Cafe is Austin's premier singer/songwriter listening room, and has been for over 30 years. I don't believe it's hyperbole to say that it's truly a cultural treasure for Austin, and for the international songwriter community. I could go on and on about how much the place has meant to me, personally, growing up in Austin, and first being exposed to some of the world's finest writers in such an intimate and accessible setting . . . but I think it would be largely preaching to the choir.

So I will just say this. The Cactus is in the middle of a budgetary and political storm with its parent organization, the University of Texas, and is at risk of being closed. We're not trying to raise money to keep the doors open, we're trying to raise public support and awareness. This is more political than it is financial. So to contribute your voice and to help spread the word, please visit:

http://www.savethecactuscafe.org
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

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Re: Cactus Cafe closing

Postby paddyinthepub » Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:51 am

This song is about the loss of a friend and I hope the reason I am posting this here is obvious to everyone and if it is not obvious to those on the SEC ask them to kindly sit with it for 15 minutes until it sinks in I mean the University of Texas is a beacon for higher learning it's high time they started to learn something about this art form that has called The Cactus Cafe home for over 30 years. John Gorka has graced the stage of The Cactus Cafe for 20 years now. Let it continue.

Can't Get Over It by John Gorka

I seem to have a magic radio in the garage. No sooner than I posted this link I went out to the garage for something and turned on the radio and this is what I heard: Hello, this is John Gorka and you're listening to wxpn radio in Philadelphia. John's song I'm From New Jersey then plays with the noted line I'm from New Jersey, it's not like Texas, there is no mystery here, I can't pretend. Then it hit me. Save the Cactus Cafe compilation CDs where artists donate songs that might pertain to loss or change or almost anything that lends voice to the times that are (or almost) a changin. Brand the concept of Save the Cactus Cafe and let CD sales fund the costs associated with keeping it alive.

I posted the above link and words on the Save the Spirit of the Cactus Cafe Facebook page. You all know that much like Ellis I am a fan of coincidence. This one was too good not to repeat here. For the record I've also posted a link on the Save the Cactus Cafe Facebook pages to the Youtube video of Ellis Paul at Canal Street Tavern in Dayton Ohio performing a moving and somehow fitting Snow in Austin. For my money Snow in Austin is the very essence of this fight to Save the Cactus Cafe.

See if you don't agree.

Snow in Austin by Ellis Paul
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

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Re: Cactus Cafe closing

Postby paddyinthepub » Thu Mar 11, 2010 5:20 pm

"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

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Re: Cactus Cafe closing

Postby paddyinthepub » Fri Mar 12, 2010 11:37 am

"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy


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