Houston the Most Fun City in Texas! Suck it, Dallas!

Austin is like a city-sized version of The Montrose. It's lost all the character it had during the 80's and 90's. Quirky houses, local art galleries and indie bookstores have been replaced by luxury apartments, chain restaurants and heavy traffic.

 

That's what's funny. People from Houston think Dallas is infatuated with them, and vice versa. I can honestly say that in about 27 years or so of living in the DFW area, I've probably heard 3 or 4 snide remarks about Houston when I mention I grew up there. And all of them were jokingly about the humidity, I think - maybe one of them was about pollution. The Houston vs Dallas "rivalry" has rarely come up. I honestly don't think most people care. lol.

For me, I think big cities suck, in general, so I'm not a huge fan of either, but I'd choose Houston (except during hurricane season). One of the snide comments about Houston I mentioned above was about the dirty beaches. I remember I responded with, yeah, I could say something bad about Dallas, but what is Dallas actually known for? I mean, y'all shot and killed a President, so there's that, and then there's the Cowboys, but that's only when they're winning, and I can't remember when that was... so what else? *crickets* It's just a generic city propped up by its suburbs to me.

 

Glad someone said that. I mean, Astros/rangers rivalry is great but Rockets/mavs are never good at the same time and the Texans/cowboys don't even play each other most seasons. There's no UH/SMU rivalry at all. Dallas doesn't really occupy much space in my brain and I have family in Plano and they don't really care about the "rivalry" either except when the Astros and rangers play.

 

I know everyone who's older than me ***cough, @Deckard, cough*** says Austin was way better before...but I miss the 90-2010 era South Congress/Lamar/Rainey St sort of vibe. And a bunch of the actual independent music venues around downtown.

I was shocked the last time I was in Houston and was driving around Montrose/Heights/Midtown ("I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Upper Kirby"). Wow, talk about change.

 

When I think of Houston I don’t immediately think “fun.” Maybe it’s because I was born here and have lived here most of my life. People from other places may view Houston as more fun than me.

We don’t even have an amusement park anymore.

 

I was in the Heights last week and I drove by the Studemont/White Oak intersection where Fitzgerald's use to be and it was very jarring. I mean, I know it was closed years ago but it's literally a parking lot now. You can still see the foundation and the sidewalk leading to the entrance, which for me was pretty depressing. All the good times I had at that place...

 

Many, many good times. That is indeed sad.

 

My first Sonic Youth show. An incredible Swans gig. Ah, nothing lasts forever. Place really had great sound for just being a barn, basically.

 

I did just google to make sure Rudyard's is still there. It is.

eta: so is the Mucky Duck

Warren's

La Carafe



...and TK Bitterman's across the street

 

My Police Tribute band played downstairs many times in my high school days. Never did make it upstairs though...probably because we weren't quite as good as we thought we were back then. Props to Fitz's for even letting us and many other very young bands get the experience of playing there.

I've seen a million acts there that I can't even remember today. I saw Ten Hands (amazing band from Denton, think Frank Zappa meets James Brown) a million times. We'd drive down from Huntsville every time they played.

We used to play at a place called The Mausoleum across the street from #'s. Looks like it's now called the Avant Garden and it still hosts local bands/artists.

 

I love all of this. I remember the Mausoleum.

eta: Holy crap, I am shocked the Last Concert Cafe is still there

eta2: I'm assuming the Satellite Lounge is gone?

 

Fitzgerald's was so much fun definitely one of my favorite venues.

 

I rarely hear it in Dallas. Heard it *a lot* in Austin. Dallas is boring as all hell. Just no real culture to it. Just feels like a city created by AI.

If youre a beach in the US youre either in Florida or youre not. People for some reason unbeknownst to me think LA beaches are great and they're awful. I prefer Galveston.

 

Wait, you're in Scrantonicity II?

 

Reggae Cafe, back corner of the shopping center on Westheimer next to Sun and Ski Sports.

Ice cold Red Stripe, delicious food.

Now I'm craving jerk goat/chicken.

Jerk.

 

Still there! My kid's band played there last year. They still have the red front door that you have to knock twice on to get into.

 

Awesome! Lots of good times there. That was a lunch place for the BoA downtown suits every once in a while....my dad mentioned going there and I looked a little sideways at him, like "where?". Then eventually I told him what went down after dark...iirc Hightailers were Wednesdays and Carolyn Wonderland was Thursdays, every week.

 

All those joints bring back the daze…
Any of you boys used to go to the Cabaret Voltaire shows?

 

Is Lola's still open?