You may have passed it when it was Club Volume. You may have walked right by it when it changed it's name to Club Mixx. The all ages dance club that keeps changing names has turned over a new leaf and wants to become a premiere live music venue in Austin. It's got it's work cut out for it.
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At first (and second) glance, it looks like an all ages dance club. The walls are mostly barren, the dancefloor is front and center, and a DJ booth peers down from the second story. The accommodations are spartan and utilitarian. The location isn't perfect, but it isn't bad. At the corner of 6th and Red River, Club Mixx is on the outskirts of two very different worlds. Sixth Street is the land of frat boys and cover bands while Red River is known more for hipsters and original music. Foot traffic by the venue is light, but it is still within stumbling distance of most of the major downtown hot spots.
The potential for the venue comes via the managing partner, Arash Saberi. A hands-on manager and professed music lover, Saberi comments, "People love music, we want to hear music, and Austin is music. I want to hear good music and provide these great bands with an avenue to their fans and the fans a chance to see their bands in an exciting environment."
Saberi is working on advertising deals with local rock station 101X as well as the ubiquitous Austin Chronicle in addition to trying to book local acts to play Thursday through Sunday nights. The venue is large, holding about 400 people, which is a double-edged sword. Many local bands are happy when they bring out 50 people to a show; Club Mixx feels empty with 50 people. On the other hand, the upper limit is very high for bands that get their promotion together and bring out a crowd. Saberi offers bands a cut of bar sales which can quickly skyrocket when 400 people are drinking.
It's cliche, but only time will tell if Club Mixx has what it takes to overcome it's dance club roots to become a serious music venue on the Austin stage. For now, the club is looking to book bands and shed it's former visage.
Comments
6th & Red River? What corner? There's Esther's, Sol Y Luna, Lottery building, and what else? Is it off the corner?
It's 612 E 6th. Just east of the corner on the north side.
Nice article, Tyler. I think Mixx has a lot of branding issues to sort out before anyone would begin to take them seriously as a "live music venue." From the logo in your article to the current look of their Myspace, they don't really appear to be shedding the tremendously unsuccessful Club Volume vibe.
With that kind of capacity, and the willingness to give bands a cut at the bar, it'd be a shame to see them fail before they even got started. Branding and marketing is the absolute most important aspect of growing a new venue in this town. Once people have their minds made up about a place, you've really got to work to change them - especially in a location so close to the I-35 bridge and the East Side.
You are absolutely dead-on correct. It's an uphill battle to be sure, but I think it can be done.
The real trick will be to attract the bands and let them know that Club Mixx is serious about fostering music, despite it's current image.
And yeah, I'm suggesting they change the logo. :) The transition has just begun and a lot of the key things (Facebook, MySpace, etc) aren't in place yet.
Awesome! Best of luck to you guys; I'll definitely keep an eye open.
Definitely need a marketing upgrade. Loose the logo and the name. It still sounds like a dance club and if they want to attract the music loving red river crowd instead of the frat boy world of 6th street they need a makeover and someone who really knows the local music scene.
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