Music Commission meeting canceled

A special emergency meeting of the Music Commission was canceled Monday as part of an overall curtailing of city operations and meetings intended to slow the spread of COVID-19. The meeting, which was to have taken place in City Council chambers Monday, was scheduled in the aftermath of the cancellation of South by Southwest. Commission Chair Rick Carney had hoped the meeting would present an opportunity for the music community to discuss measures to aid local venues, artists and others impacted by the cancellation of the 10-day festival, which accounts for approximately 25 percent of annual revenue for many music-related businesses in Austin. Carney wrote in a note: “The cancellation of SXSW was just the beginning of this crisis; this pandemic is threatening all aspects of the music business and the livelihoods of everyone involved. The Music Commission is fully committed to seeking disaster relief for musicians, venues, venue staff and music businesses victimized by this disaster.”