Hopelessly Devoted to Houston or Just Passing Through?

[N Judah]

What a depressing thread. I'm beginning to think I won't ever be able to get far enough away. Everybody just move to Dallas, you'll all really like it there. Or are you afraid you'll really, really like it and won't ever want to move back?

[Dan the Man]

I have a love/hate relationship with Houston. I'm sentimentally attached to the city because I grew up here and most of my family and childhood friends still live here. However, I don't care for how much Houston has grown. There are just getting to be too many people for my taste, and congestion seems to be getting worse, especially in parts of the inner-loop. I'm planning to leave in a few years, and I'll probably move to a smaller Texas city.

[barracuda]

What a depressing thread. I'm beginning to think I won't ever be able to get far enough away. Everybody just move to Dallas, you'll all really like it there. Or are you afraid you'll really, really like it and won't ever want to move back?

The problem with your suggestion (and I'm assuming you're being sarcastic) is that Dallas has little to offer above and beyond what Houston already offers.

Someday I will probably leave Houston, and I will want something completely different. But for now, I feel Houston is an underrated city and a great place to afford a good middle-class life.

[sheeats]

Glad to see I'm one of 10 people who would "never live anywhere else, at least willingly." LOL.

I know there's bigger and better out there, but Houston has been good to me. My roots are here. My family (both blood and otherwise) is here. Houston is my home and I will cut a delicate flower who lives high on the hog off our city and hates it. Suggestion: GTFO.

(Yes, I'm very loyal and protective of her...WHAT?)

[KristinDaugherty]

Born here in 1968. Spent my entire life here, except my kindergarten year (family issues led us to Seguin for the school year).

Would leave if another job paid me LOTS, but wouldn't like it.

H-town is my home.

My dirty, smelly, littered, noisy, hoboed-up parking lot of a home.

My fun, bright, yummy, friendly, handshaking melting pot of a home.

[Ringo3Khan]

Like someone else said, I have a very much love/hate relationship with Houston. I grew up here from 1961~1966; left in 5th grade when my family was transferred overseas; came back in 1973 and went to University here and to Law School. There's an awful lot to like here, but, by the same token, I feel like it's closed in on me; the overcrowding is obnoxious, the freeways are outa control. I might like it better if I could live inside or near inside the Loop but I'm stuck in Spring, (my wife, now a grandmother won't leave Spring). There's been so much change here, so much outa control development it's gotten pretty nerve wracking and frankly, the crime is outa control. We don't sleep very well here anymore. Our retirement plan is the hill country region. I will say that of all the cities I've visited/lived in in Texas, Houston is the most affordable and the best laid out, (IMHO). But the "feel" of the place has turned hostile. We feel beseiged.

[Subdude]

I'm a bit surprised at the number who expect to leave.

Myself, I fully expect to move back to Houston at some point. It wouldn't be the first time I have left and returned. The odd thing is that I didn't set out to leave. I was out of town for a few weeks, stumbled onto a good job, and just stayed.

[sunsets]

I voted, "leave if the opportunity is right". Mostly because I really like it here, but the spouse is not a fan of the city. So if we both can find meaningful employment in a place we would like to live, we'll go. But that's a tall order given that we're both pretty specialized.

I love the mountains, and was privileged to go to grad school in one of the most gorgeous places in the US, but the chances of me getting a job there are slim. So we go back there to visit.

In the meantime, I love living in the "Hot Mess" that is Houston. I've had the chance to start my career on a good note, have a house in a nice neighborhood, and meet a lot of very cool people. That's not a bad deal. I just wish we had more of a view and less of a summer.

[Montrose1100]

I plan on spending the rest of my young adult life in Houston. After that, I'm moving to Germany.

[KinkaidAlum]

I've been back in Houston for just over a year now and am loving it. I truly don't miss Boston at all. People always assume the grass is greener, but Houston is a great place to call home. Life is easier here and that includes these dog days of summer. Give me a sweaty forehead over having to scrape ice off of stoops any day. Additionally, after being stuck in a terrible condo situation (crazy-assed neighbor who would rather the building fall down than make repairs), it's nice to live close in but also to have a small lawn and a FENCE.

[little frau]

I've been here almost all my life. Since Ding Dong School was on TV.

Being retired now, I'll be moving to "the country" soon and am really looking forward to that. The old family place beckons.

Downside is, it's remote and the nearest grocery stores are 10+ miles away, in several directions. TV reception without a dish sucks and with one is iffy so we've been told. We've not looked into internet service as most of the folks out there, in a 5 mile area, could not be bothered with computers. But, the air is clean, it's still hot as blazes and we do have A/C! And the well water really does taste good (which is not always the case in rural areas). Plus, there is a nice big sky out there....especially at night.

[sidegate]

Just being a Nosey Parker here I suppose, but I got to wondering how committed people were to Houston. Would you consider living elsewhere, and if so why and where? Or do you want this to be home for life? I would guess that if you post on HAIF you're pretty much in love with Houston.

Are there any options in between? Can you be one thing one day and another thing the next?

[Gary]

For the most part I've enjoyed Houston, but seeing how the local music industry has almost completely tanked, I'm looking to move. Love the cost of living here, but in my industry, that doesn't always matter. And, although I enjoy the heat more than bitter cold, it's getting to where I dread the Summer here.

[sidegate]

For the most part I've enjoyed Houston, but seeing how the local music industry has almost completely tanked, I'm looking to move. Love the cost of living here, but in my industry, that doesn't always matter. And, although I enjoy the heat more than bitter cold, it's getting to where I dread the Summer here.

Very true, it almost saps one's will to do anything. But so do ice and snow, and what's more they take many lives and endanger any more. On purely meteorological grounds, I think this city trumps many. On other grounds, it certainly doesn't.

[jfre81]

This is interesting.

I was born and raised in Texas City which, distance-wise, isn't far from Houston but culturally it's worlds apart. I left and lived in North Carolina for awhile, when I started really appreciating what we do have here. July and August suck just about everywhere. It might be a little more humid here, but there's a point when hot and humid is hot and humid. It stops mattering. But I saw enough of a winter in NC to make me know I don't really look forward to winter when that comes around. At least in the summer here I am not going to experience the thrills of driving in an ice storm. Has nothing to do with the way I physically feel when it's cold. I'll get out in most anything. I just don't want to drive in that crap.

I'll go somewhere if the right thing comes around, but I'm not actively looking to leave town. I just might move closer in instead.

[Gary]

Very true, it almost saps one's will to do anything. But so do ice and snow, and what's more they take many lives and endanger any more. On purely meteorological grounds, I think this city trumps many. On other grounds, it certainly doesn't.

I agree that the Summer here is similar to many areas of the country, save the humidity, but my main reason for leaving is the music industry. Houston is really in bad shape. Even Dallas, and I can't stand Dallas, has a much better industry right now. It's as if H-Town's club owners don't care about moving the cities bands forward anymore and that has not always been the case.

[AtticaFlinch]

I agree that the Summer here is similar to many areas of the country, save the humidity, but my main reason for leaving is the music industry. Houston is really in bad shape. Even Dallas, and I can't stand Dallas, has a much better industry right now. It's as if H-Town's club owners don't care about moving the cities bands forward anymore and that has not always been the case.

Last week's Press ran a cover story that said the music scene here was particularly good, though I grant that was for more of what can be called outlaw country or Texas country. Is the quality of the scene here genre specific? I understand hip-hop, the blues and tejano also have a great scene here.

[sidegate]

As long as there are houses being built in Houston, Tejano will be alive and well....

[AtticaFlinch]

As long as there are houses being built in Houston, Tejano will be alive and well....

Texas has some pretty cool music styles associated with it, but none are, in my opinion, anywhere as unique as Tejano. It's about the most Texas-y fusion of music that's even possible. I love its uniqueness, and I'd gladly spend many evenings of my life listening to it.

[Gary]

Last week's Press ran a cover story that said the music scene here was particularly good, though I grant that was for more of what can be called outlaw country or Texas country. Is the quality of the scene here genre specific? I understand hip-hop, the blues and tejano also have a great scene here.

The Press is generally very politcal musically... What I mean is that they are locked into a certain musical camp each year and do little to move new/original acts forward, regardless of genre. That's not to say that they're doing nothing to promote the Houston scene, but they're mainly promoting the same peeps over and over. They've done very little for anyone locally that doesn't already have a regional following.

When I first got to Houston the scene was fabulous, in fact, one of the best in the country. Club owners were really pushing the good acts, not just here, but across Texas and Louisiana, and really took pride in the local scene. Now, not so much, if at all. There are still a few, but most have lost the civic pride that once existed. Even hip hop has taken a downward turn here.

Fortunately I've made enough money in Europe and Japan to last it through, but I'm settling down now into session work, and it's almost non existant here anymore. I'm not an Austin bandwagon jumper, but it looks like that's my next stop. I sure as hell don't want to go to Nashville.

[dbigtex56]

Could the lack of zoning in Houston be partially responsible for the lack of a local music scene?

In other cities there are streets or districts where it seems entertainment is given some protection. Here, any cranky neighbor can shut down a club, citing the noise ordinance. No wonder people are reluctant to invest in live-music venues. And the city, as a whole, suffers.

[TheNiche]

Could the lack of zoning in Houston be partially responsible for the lack of a local music scene?

[facepalm] I'm going to quote you on this until the end of days.

Dallas has zoning. Like most cities with zoning, they granted variances liberally. New townhomes were built, were purchased, and were occupied. Complaints from the purchasers and residents of the new townhomes were instrumental in deflating the Deep Ellum scene, which existed before the townhomes did and made the area attractive for developers of townhomes in the first place. (Which is to say, it's a lot like the Washington Ave. scene, except nobody takes townhome owners seriously here. We give them lip service.)

Dallas' politicians are also renowned for grafting and cronyism. One is in prison because he double-crossed a developer with whom he had been cutting back room P&Z deals.

I don't think that any of this materially impacted the music scene in Dallas. It just moved on.

[dbigtex56]

[facepalm] I'm going to quote you on this until the end of days.

Dallas has zoning. Like most cities with zoning, they granted variances liberally. New townhomes were built, were purchased, and were occupied. Complaints from the purchasers and residents of the new townhomes were instrumental in deflating the Deep Ellum scene, which existed before the townhomes did and made the area attractive for developers of townhomes in the first place. (Which is to say, it's a lot like the Washington Ave. scene, except nobody takes townhome owners seriously here. We give them lip service.)

Dallas' politicians are also renowned for grafting and cronyism. One is in prison because he double-crossed a developer with whom he had been cutting back room P&Z deals.

I don't think that any of this materially impacted the music scene in Dallas. It just moved on.

I understand. The problem is the variances, and lack of enforcement.

[Gary]

Houston's wide spread club industry was a blessing at one time and had more large showcase clubs than any city I've played in, save L.A. At one time, I remember at least 8 in town. Now it's down to 3 and two of them are oversized for local showcases (Wharehouse Live & Meridian). I'm not so sure that Zoning or any law has to do with the downfall, I think it's a loss of civic pride in the scene.

[crunchtastic]

Houston's wide spread club industry was a blessing at one time and had more large showcase clubs than any city I've played in, save L.A. At one time, I remember at least 8 in town. Now it's down to 3 and two of them are oversized for local showcases (Wharehouse Live & Meridian). I'm not so sure that Zoning or any law has to do with the downfall, I think it's a loss of civic pride in the scene.

Definitely lack of interest. It's all about demand. By way of contrast,I spent last weekend in New Orleans for a local jazz

festival. Two straight days with tons of of people out in 100 degree heat with very little shade, dancing like crazy. All for local acts. It's an unfair comparison, of course, but it really hits you what a difference a deep musical culture brings to a city. Their jazz and funk scene is one of, if not the primary reason we go there so frequently. I'd say on a yearly basis, we go to more live club shows there than we do

in Houston. Ridiculous when you think about it.

But progress comes even to NOLA: one of the latest battles in the French Quarter is businesses and residents attempting to

restrict street musicians to specific locations and hours.(i.e. move them off of Jackson Square and Royal St) Predicatalby, it's largely the new money/new residents with their suburban sensiblities who are pushing for the ordinance. It sounds innocuous, but playing on the corner for toruists is exaclty how Kermit Ruffins and Trombone Shorty and dozens others, especially brass

band guys, start their careers.

[Gary]

Definitely lack of interest. It's all about demand. By way of contrast,I spent last weekend in New Orleans for a local jazz

festival. Two straight days with tons of of people out in 100 degree heat with very little shade, dancing like crazy. All for local acts. It's an unfair comparison, of course, but it really hits you what a difference a deep musical culture brings to a city. Their jazz and funk scene is one of, if not the primary reason we go there so frequently. I'd say on a yearly basis, we go to more live club shows there than we do

in Houston. Ridiculous when you think about it.

But progress comes even to NOLA: one of the latest battles in the French Quarter is businesses and residents attempting to

restrict street musicians to specific locations and hours.(i.e. move them off of Jackson Square and Royal St) Predicatalby, it's largely the new money/new residents with their suburban sensiblities who are pushing for the ordinance. It sounds innocuous, but playing on the corner for toruists is exaclty how Kermit Ruffins and Trombone Shorty and dozens others, especially brass

band guys, start their careers.

Good post, however, it doesn't seem to be that Houston has a total lack of interest, rather it has a lack of promotion. As I've said twice, there is very little civic pride where music is concerned here. It's very strange because at one time this place was hoppin. It seems to be more about business now than moving the industry forward which would help the clubs in the long run. Of course it's very difficult to compare Houstons scene to NO, especially where great jazz in concerned, but Houston was great as a multi genre city in the eighties and nineties.

[TheNiche]

Good post, however, it doesn't seem to be that Houston has a total lack of interest, rather it has a lack of promotion. As I've said twice, there is very little civic pride where music is concerned here. It's very strange because at one time this place was hoppin. It seems to be more about business now than moving the industry forward which would help the clubs in the long run. Of course it's very difficult to compare Houstons scene to NO, especially where great jazz in concerned, but Houston was great as a multi genre city in the eighties and nineties.

Sounds about right. Unusual things can happen when an oil bust leaves vast numbers of large, highly visible, and conveniently-located commercial properties economically and functionally obsolete, completely unmarketable.

One wonders what's going on in Detroit...

[Gary]

Sounds about right. Unusual things can happen when an oil bust leaves vast numbers of large, highly visible, and conveniently-located commercial properties economically and functionally obsolete, completely unmarketable.

One wonders what's going on in Detroit...

The oil bust was way before the time that I'm talking about. The music industry was kicking hard in Houston from around 86 through the mid nineties and started really going down around 2000. Of course there is the exception of Hip Hop (Screw) that did well after the turn of the century, but it to has died off.

[HtownWxBoy]

I moved to Houston in July of 2002 after graduating college in Pennsylvania where I am from. I have been living here for 8 years and absolutely love it. Are there things I don't like about Houston... of course, but I focus on the good things. The summers are hot but I have actually learned to like them (pool parties!) ... and I would take the hot summers over the cold northern winters which I experienced for 22 years ANY DAY! The long, cold winters up north get depressing (January through March are just horrible) ... the heat and humidity can get to you here but I never get depressed. The weather here is amazing October through April! I like when it gets cold here in the winter b/c I know it doesn't last. Being from the Northeast where the cities are so much more "urban" I would like to see Houston become more like that but it doesn't make me not like the city. The people are friendly, the restaurant scene is amazing, great theater district, great museums, great shopping, low cost of living... I have made lots of amazing friends... all reasons I love living here. I can't say I will live here forever but if I do I will be happy with it... I have no intention on leaving.

[TheNiche]

The music industry was kicking hard in Houston from around 86 through the mid nineties

Yep, that was Houston's own 'lost decade' where commercial real estate was concerned. I think it was the oil bust that did it. There's nothing quite like low rents on big spaces to make bars, clubs, and bigger venues feasible.