Vanishing Austin? On Guard at the Pub by Jann Alexander ©2012
“One night, on the stage at the same time, there was Bonnie Raitt, Eric Johnson, Stephen Bruton, Michael McDonald and Mickey Raphael.” —Joe Ables, Saxon Pub co-founder
Since 1990, the Saxon Pub has hosted more than 22,000 musical performances, served as the location for films, videos and live recordings, and entertained Austin fans, tourists and celebrities alike with its packed shows filling a mere 150-capacity club. Chalk that up to its great music offerings, day in and day out for 25 years. And after a recent decade in Austin, Texas that’s seen a massive urban building boom and change, the Saxon Pub still remains a funky neighborhood bar, nothing fancy about it inside or out.
The Pub’s silver-anniversary longevity hints at its unique features: As a beloved local music landmark in a fast-developing urban stretch of Austin’s South Lamar corridor, it stands firmly entrenched in success as one of the champion holdouts against development. Its bonus feature is the silver knight standing guard at the Saxon Pub—contributing one more chink in the armor that keeps Austin weird. ♣
What’s your favorite Austin landmark success story?
Endangered Species of Austin poster
About my Vanishing Austin series: While many Austin landmarks are lost, many are survivors still. Admire them all in a slideshow, HERE. Prints start at $35.
You can marvel at what’s lost and what’s survived in my Endangered Species of Austin poster, featuring 16 Austin icons, and sized at a handsomely large 24 x 36,” available for $25, HERE.
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