Clubland Paradise: Antone's on Guadalupe

The blues were alive and kickin' at the former Shakey's Pizza from '82 - '97

After I started writing the “Don’t You Start Me Talking” music/gossip column for the Austin Chronicle in Dec. 1984, I was voted “The Worst Thing to Happen to Austin Music” in the Chron’s annual music awards poll. But I also received one of the great honors of that era- kitchen entry privilege at Antone’s. This was the ‘80s Austin version of the Copa stroll of Goodfellas, except the kitchen was no longer operational so there was no banter with cooks. Instead there were blues greats like Hubert Sumlin, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith and Lazy Lester, just hanging out, shooting the shit with Sugar Bear, the gentle giant who ran that back door. These guys would tell stories and crack each other up, and you’d laugh too, even though you could make out only about 25% of the words.

The Vaughan brothers and Bono 1987.

Now, scene oldtimers will tell you that the greatest location of Antone’s was the first one, in an old used furniture store across from the Driskill Hotel. Antone’s #1 closed in February 1979 after the building was sold and had a date with the bulldozers. But I don’t see how it could’ve been better than the one on Guadalupe. That place, a former Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, then the Still, then Hondo’s Saloon, had a “what a privilege to be here” vibe. The 600-capacity room was where U2 jammed with Stevie Ray Vaughan and T Bone Burnett after their sold-out show at the Erwin Center in ’87. It’s where Buddy Guy, who’d been semi-retired, came back hard to show everyone where Jimi Hendrix got some of his licks. Albert Collins, Albert King, Johnny Copeland, Katie Webster, Matt “Guitar” Murphy, Barbara Lynn, Big Joe Turner and on and on. Another night, another legend. None of ‘em phoning it in because the crowd would let them.

Muddy Waters and Lou Ann Barton at Antone’s #1, 1976.

Because of the platinum success of Stevie Ray Vaughan and the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Antone’s was becoming the internationally-known “Home of the Blues.” Every celebrity passing through town had to pop in at Antone’s and if they thought they could play a little they jumped onstage. My favorite night was when Bruce Willis moonlighted as a blues harp player with the house band. Not that part, the next, when Snooky Pryor followed and shoved that weak Hohner shit right up “Bruno”’s tailpipe.

Blues education was big with Antone, who gave long “Cliffipedia” intros to little known sidemen like Wayne Bennett and pre- Blues Brothers Matt “Guitar” Murphy. And nobody heckled his resume rattling because that was part of the deal.

Antone’s second location, opening in September 1979 and closing 18 months later, was on Great Northern Blvd., near MoPac and Anderson Lane. It was a big room, maybe too big for the blues, and it was way north. Clifford booked some great shows- James Brown, B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis and the night Iggy Pop sang with Bobby “Blue” Bland. But the club had to expand to country- George Jones, Johnny Paycheck, Gary Stewart, Tanya Tucker- and Mexican orquestra- Little Joe Hernandez and Ruben Ramous- to keep the lights on. In a Sept. 1980 interview with Ed Ward, Antone said he’d rather just book blues, but those shows were break-even at best. Antone’s #2 closed in 1981, and Club Foot took over the bookings.

“I consulted with Clifford on every blues show and left him tickets at the box office,” said Brad First of Club Foot. That gesture would be rewarded years later when First was hired to manage Antone’s #4 on West Fifth at Lavaca (1997-2013).

Clifford looked for a place closer to downtown, with less overhead, and thanks to his Lebanese connections (relatives still own Centennial Liquors and the building where Antone’s Records stands) found 2915 Guadalupe after Hondo’s moved to Sixth Street. Antone’s #3, the perfect size and location, opened in the summer of ‘82.

That was the year Antone was arrested for felony marijuana possession in a restaurant parking lot on Oltorf St., but you’d never know that was hanging over his head. He pleaded guity in ‘84 and spent 14 months in the Big Spring federal prison, where the blues came to him. The Cobras were one of the Antone’s bands to play from the prisoners when Clifford was locked up. Sister Susan Antone moved to Austin in ‘85 to run the club. Antone’s had a great run in the ‘80s, but business slacked off in the ‘90s, when all the college kids who used to dance to Maceo Parker at Antone’s were hanging out on Sixth Street. Even Antone was rarely seen at his namesake club, which hited SXSW co-founder Louis Meyers to book it in 1995.

Moving to Jellyroll piano bar on West Fifth in ‘97, in partnership with its owners, gave Antone’s a much-needed shot in the arm. Especially when Bob Schneider’s filthy funk band the Scabs packed the place. I had a favorite viewing spot when the club was packed- right by the shoeshine stand- and saw tons of great shows at #4, including Ike Turner and Wilco, but parking was a hassle, which was never the case on Guadalupe.

Read more about the original Antone’s (pictured above) in this concise history of Sixth Street.