The COMO Mojo: The Good, The Weird, The Unexpected

This article was updated on 5/12 to correct information originally sourced from Rose Music Hall’s website. The previous version included inaccurate details, which have since been verified and amended for accuracy.

Back in March, I had the chance to visit one of my favorite U.S. cities: Austin, Texas. I’d been there a few times growing up, but since 2022, I’ve made it an annual tradition to visit my aunt, uncle, and cousins. Usually, these trips are all about the great outdoors — hiking, swimming, paddleboarding, and park strolls. This time, though, I was on dog-sitting duty while they jetted off to hit the slopes in Aspen. Luckily, my cousin, who’s my age, was available to join me.  

And it ended up being a perfect mix of nature and nightlife.  

As luck would have it, we were there during South by Southwest, which meant music events popped up all around, and the streets swarmed with people (and, randomly, a lone Texas Longhorn, but that’s a whole other story).  

One of the best nights during my week there was at The Continental Club, a legendary venue known as “the granddaddy of live music spots” in Austin. Over the years, it’s hosted several iconic performers, including Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, and Kathy Valentine of the Go-Go’s, among other celebrity patrons. Though the venue felt a little small with the overwhelming audience turnout, the energy never dipped. People danced and sang along while an occasional person squeezed by, holding drinks in both hands.   

Of the several bands that played, we spent most of our time listening to Kimmi Bitter and the Westside Twang. The frontwoman, Kimmi Bitter, was the embodiment of country cowgirl meets ‘60s psychedelic rock. Now, full disclosure: I usually steer clear of country music (don’t come after me, y’all), but there was something about her rock-infused sound that I couldn’t resist. Bitter’s bandmates were equally charming, and the guitar player practically had the audience eating out of his hand during his solos.   

Later that week, on our way to Barton Springs, we had another unexpected experience: a driverless Uber. Yep, you heard that right. Technically, it was a Waymo, one of the self-driving cars that currently exist in only four U.S. cities. It felt like I had time-traveled to the year 2500 with an iPad-like console that let us start the ride, request stops, and play music. Sure enough, it yielded to cars, stopped at red lights (except for one …), and got us to our destination.  

Obviously, Austin is a massive city (“Everything is bigger in Texas,” right?), and it could swallow Columbia whole, outnumbering its population by nearly 800,000. But in many ways, the Texan city reminded me of home — especially downtown.  

Take Rose Music Hall and The Blue Note, for example. While they may not be as nationally renowned as Austin’s Continental Club, they have a rich history of their own. Since 1980, the two Columbia venues have hosted major acts like R.E.M., The Pixies, and Spoon — which, fun fact, hails from Austin and has also played at the Continental Club, helping to cement that venue’s iconic status.

With both Austin and Columbia being college towns, there are a refreshing number of food trucks and other easy-to-grab snacks. For example, I couldn’t help but think of my beloved Pizza Tree while ordering a slice through Homeslice Pizza’s window. It made me realize that, in general, Austinites, like most Columbians, are more apt to embrace the local favorites than a national chain.   

Of course, there are also the great trails, fun festivals like True/False and Austin City Limits, and a diverse food scene.  

At any rate, it’s easy to romanticize a city when you’re just passing through for a week, but Austin’s energy, music, and love for all things local always remind me why I keep going back. The more I explored, the more I realized how much Columbia shares that same independent spirit — just on a smaller scale. Austin keeps things weird, and Columbia keeps things unexpected. That’s part of what makes both places feel like home in their own way.