The transformation of Austin, Texas

On Point | Podcast

WBUR

Talk Show, Daily News, News, Npr, On Point, Daily

4.2 • 3.5K Ratings

🗓️ 1 May 2025

⏱️ 48 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Austin, Texas was known as a funky, liberal haven in a deep red state. Now, there’s big tech money pouring in and huge growth. How has life changed there?

Transcript

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0:00.0	Support for this podcast comes from the Boston Pops. Join America's Orchestra and legendary guest artists for a spectacular spring, featuring George Decay, Orville Peck, the music of Star Wars, Disney's Frozen in concert, and so much more. May 8th through June 7th. Visit BostonPops.org for tickets.
0:19.7	Support for WBUR comes from MathWorks,
0:22.7	creator of MATLAB and Simulink Software
0:25.2	for technical computing and model-based design.
0:28.6	MathWorks, accelerating the pace of discovery
0:31.2	in engineering and science.
0:33.2	Learn more at mathworks.com.
0:36.9	WBUR Podcasts, Boston.
0:44.1	This is on point. I'm Megna Chakra-Bardi.
0:47.5	It's New Year's Eve in 1980 in Austin, Texas.
0:52.2	A man wearing a hat decorated with an armadillo shell and deer antlers steps to the microphone at a music club.
1:01.5	Live from deep in the heart of Texas.
1:08.0	Live from the Armadillo World Headquarters, Commander Cooney.
1:20.6	Everyone who loves the Armadillo, I want you to give me a cheer.
1:29.4	The Armadillo is in fact called the Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin.
1:36.3	Sadly, it was the music venues last night.
1:40.5	The club was closing after roughly a decade in Austin.
1:43.7	The band Commander Cody and his lost Planet Airmen had the stage.
1:49.4	The Armadillo hosted hundreds of musical acts during its run.
2:02.6	People like Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker, Frank Zappa, Waylon Jennings, and Charlie Daniels.
2:08.6	Armadillo's a special place to place, no doubt about it.
2:11.6	When they put that few inches of asphalt over the top of this place. They'll be burying something.
	...

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