Historic music venue Antone's to move after SXSW

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Originally known as Austin’s haven for blues music, Antone’s on West Fifth Street will be relocating after South by Southwest in March.

There's just one hitch: The manager does not yet know for sure where the club will reopen.

Fran Hendrix, who manages Antone's and owns Emo's, confirmed he will would be looking at five different locations after Jan. 28.

“The reason for locating is each location we’re looking at has parking and they’re all larger venues,” said Frank Hendrix, manager of Antone’s.

Riverside in East Austin is at the top of the list for a possible new home.

Emo's and Beauty Ballroom are two other music venues that have already made the move East, Antone's could be the next.

Clifford Antone, the nightclub’s founder, attended the University of Texas before opening the original venue on Sixth Street in 1975 out of fear that blues was in danger of disappearing. Since then, the venue moved to the corner of Fifth and Lavaca Street, with blues “greats” passing through such as Clifton Chenier, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and Buddy Guy. Antone died in 2006 at age 56.

"My friends and I in Port Arthur just wanted to hear the blues," Antone said in 2005. "We figured the only way we could hear it is if we bring it to us."

Alongside blues music though, the venue helped Austin claim its title as the “Live Music Capital of the World” by launching the careers of Stevie Rau Vaughan, Los Lonely Boys, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Bob Schnieder.

Even big names such as Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Eric Clapton, Dwight Yoakam and Bono have graced the stage of Antone’s in past years. With awards such as the Austin Music Award and USA Today’s Nightclub of the Year under its belt, Antone’s has become a legendary music spot.

Antone furthered his contribution to music in 1987 when he established Antone’s Records, which recorded both live shows and studio sets. The record label produced recordings of artists such as Jamie Cotton, whose record was nominated for a Grammy Award. In 1989 he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Blues Foundation.

In 2000, Antone went to prison on federal charges of drug trafficking and money laundering and was released in 2003. Dozens of conspirators pleaded guilty to charges from a plot to distribute more than 2,000 pounds of marijuana and launder roughly $95,000 in drug proceeds.

His sister, Susan Antone, has owned the club since the mid-1980’s alongside a board of directors. Antone’s will celebrate its 38th anniversary this year.