[pullquote quote="We're bringing Austin's music to listeners around the world by archiving live performances on a local level"]In less than a year, Austin Music Weekly recorded, produced, and posted 100 live shows online, and they’re just getting rolling. A small crew launched the Austin-based venture in December 2010 with the goal of creating accessible high-quality video and audio recordings of the city’s live music scene. The best part: the recordings are available for free to anyone with internet access.

The website presents the recordings with a clean, minimalist approach. In a simple blog-type format, recently added videos cascade down the screen on the left with a music player situated on the right featuring the latest audio files. Head on over to the “Discover” page for an easily customizable list of all the Austin bands featured on the site, where they played, and when. The list can be sorted by genre (rock, pop, bluegrass/folk, western swing, etc.) and style (acoustic, instrumental, female vocalist, etc.). Users looking for a specific band, or for shows recorded at a specific venue, will find the “Browse” page particularly helpful as Austin Music Weekly catalogs all Austin-based bands and venues alphabetically.
“The mission of Austin Music Weekly is to bring Austin’s music to listeners around the world by archiving live performances on a local level,” says co-founder Luke Borders.

Since the site is also dedicated to promoting the local venues, they have video recordings of national acts that have passed through Austin’s venues in the Extras section. We found some overlap between XRT’s “50 Bands You Should Know in 2011” and Austin Music Weekly’s Extras page.

“AMW is about inspiring people to discover new Austin music – to get out and see new bands and visit new venues,” Borders says.”

For those of us who can’t experience Austin’s local scene first hand, Austin Music Weekly brings the city’s sound to your screen and speakers.

More at austinmusicweekly.com