ABIA's live music to hit 5,000th show

AUSTIN (KXAN) - A big milestone happens Friday at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport -- its 5,000th live music performance.

Jazz musicians Silvie Rider and Red Young will play on the Asleep at the Wheel stage, next to Ray Benson's Roadhouse restaurant.

Travelers who will be in the airport from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. can catch the show.

Friday will be proclaimed DNC/ABIA 5000th Performance Day. The proclamation is scheduled for the Austin City Council meeting on Thursday night.

Airport concessionaire Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services has provided funding for all 5,000 performances. They are produced in cooperation with the city's Aviation Department.

The Music in the Air program has been playing at ABIA since 1999, started one month after the airport opened, with two shows per week. It has now grown to 13 shows a week and will expand to 15 per week in November.

The program has become a model for other cities who are working to implement an airport music program, according to Terry Mahlum, DNC's general manager and regional director.

Performances take place in five different locations in the airport:

• Ray Benson’s Roadhouse
• The Saxon Pub
• Lefty’s
• Earl Campbell’s Sports Bar
• Austin City Limits/Waterloo Records & Video.

All live music venues are accessible to ticketed passengers only, after they have gone through the security checkpoints.

Click here to view the ABIA performance schedule.