Chad Swiatecki

With scores of live music venues and thousands of music fans moving here every year, Austin seems to live up to its reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World. But the times they are a-changin’. As living costs rise and album sales continue to wither, being an artist in Austin requires a little more strategizing than it did a decade ago. To get a sense of what it’s like working in our city’s ever-changing music scene, we chatted with musicians, bookers, and label and venue owners about where the industry is headed.