MUSIC

Musicians serenade Backyard like there's no tomorrow

By Joe Gross
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Sunday, October 26, 2008

BEE CAVE — The Backyard got one heck of a send-off Sunday night and into this morning, filling a gorgeous Hill Country night full of the sort of soulful American music that the storied music venue's fans adore.

But will it be back? After weeks of speculation, Backyard owner Tim O'Connor remained ambiguous.

"We're not quite done," O'Connor said, gesturing to schematics of a proposed new venture that patrons passed on their way into the venue. O'Connor announced in April that he was closing the Backyard in part because of difficulties arising from rapid development in Bee Cave. At the time, hesaid that he would like to open a new Backyard no later than 2010.

Musicians and fans came to Sunday's event with the attitude that it could be the last show. As the Gourds wrapped up their signature cover of Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice," a black flag featuring the venue's birth and death dates quietly moved in the wind.

"It's bittersweet," singer-songwriter Kelly Willis said from the stage. "It's so much fun to be here, but say it ain't so."

Willis, the Gourds, Willie Nelson and Grupo Fantasma were among the musicians who celebrated the final performance at the Bee Cave amphitheater. Gates opened at 2 p.m., and although the schedule said Nelson would end his set at 12:30 a.m., rumors abounded that he could go as late as 1:30 a.m.

While welcoming artist Jimmie Vaughan onto the stage, O'Connor told patrons, "Enjoy tonight. It's your night."

All but the most expensive tickets, which ran more than $300, had been sold out for weeks. Stephanie Paver, 29, said she bought tickets months ago.

"I was born and raised in Austin and went to high school out at St. Michael's (Catholic Academy). There was nothing out here then," Paver said. "It's really sad to see what's happened, but we kind of knew this day was coming."

The only snag was a small crisis around the dinner hour when the venue ran out of food, stranding more than 100 people in line for well over an hour. Many patrons could be seen somewhat desperately ordering pizzas to be delivered. Food ran out again before 9:30 p.m.

The 5,000-person capacity Backyard, at Texas 71 West and RM 620, opened it doors in 1993. A second venue on the same property, the 2,200-capacity Glenn, opened in 2005; it is also closing. All that remained of the Glenn stage Sunday was scaffolding. Patrons used the stage as a quiet spot to make out.

More than 400 acts have played both venues, including Bob Dylan, Merle Haggard, David Bowie, Bonnie Raitt, Coldplay, Morrissey and Norah Jones. Sunday's show was Nelson's 31st gig at the venue.

Problems arose in 2006, when the Shops at the Galleria opened next door to the Backyard and took away a lot of the land that the venue used for parking. The retail development also destroyed the amphitheater's bucolic atmosphere.

Galleria managers won't allow patrons to use mall parking during shows, so lots were created from nearby pastureland. To get to the venue, Backyard patrons must make a brisk, eight-minute hike uphill.

However, even with the mall next door, the Backyard felt secluded Sunday.

As early as January of this year, O'Connor hinted that he was looking for a new location for the Backyard. In April, he said he intended to build a new, 7,500-capacity Backyard on 37 acres northwest of RM 620 and Texas 71 West, across the street and west of the current location.

But in recent weeks, O'Connor seemed to back away from that idea, citing the poor economy and his age — he's 63 — and saying that replicating the Backyard's vibe would be impossible.

"As wonderful as it is to have a brand-new canvas, it's like you're finally told you have to get rid of that favorite chair," he said a few weeks ago. "The new one has all the bells and whistles, but it doesn't have all those lumps that you've created over the years."

O'Connor also mentioned the possibility of turning the Backyard into essentially a Bee Cave neighborhood bar, putting on smaller, local shows for a cover charge.

On Sunday, even while standing next to blueprints for a new Backyard, when asked if he had had enough of putting on large-scale shows, O'Connor replied, "I have."