Over the years, veteran Austin musician Paul Minor has played hundreds of benefit concerts and organized dozens more. But because New Orleans is a music city, for many Austin musicians, Katrina really hit close to home, he said.
"If a disaster like this happened in Austin that just so happened to displace the most low-income and vulnerable members of the population, there would be a lot of Austin musicians out on the street looking for resources," Minor said.
Last week, Minor, who books the Hole In The Wall, teamed up with musician Matt Meshbane for a two-tiered approach; the club would hold benefit shows and pass the hurricane hat for contributions while Meshbane would house and feed as many as two dozen displaced Austin musicians at the Austin Musician's Co-op. For Meshbane, making the rooms available was a no-brainer.
"We want to help maintain a music scene that existed so long and might not ever fully recuperate from the disaster. We wanted to give them another home, where they can make their connection and ties and bring their families and musical circles back together," Meshbane said.
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Musical fundraisers
Austin bands are raising money for evacuated Louisiana musicians.
 
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With the co-op connection and its ongoing series of benefits, the Hole In The Wall has already become a focal point for both displaced New Orleans musicians and Austinites looking for a grassroots way to pitch in.
"We're a club. People congregate. And people in vulnerable positions often wind up in places like the Hole In The Wall trying to rub elbows and meet people. New Orleans is full of people who are living off their wits and about being in the right place at the right time to make something happen and the Hole In The Wall is that kind of place too. A lot of the connections we've made have been through knowing somebody who knows somebody that's a musician that's here in Austin and needs someplace to crash," Minor said.
Meshbane says the co-op will house as many musicians as possible for a long as it is necessary, ultimately providing both shelter for musicians who need it most and a source of inspiration for the Austin music community that's making it possible.
"Primarily, I want to take people who just don't have anything and give them their free rent and meals. We have a recording studio and practice room they can use, plus a stage to stage benefits for them. It's something you can sink your teeth into. You can see the clothes you just donated on somebody's back. It's tangible evidence you're doing something to help people," Meshbane said.
The Austin Musician Coop is asking for donations of bedding, paper plates and cups, food and toiletries. Call (512) 275-6404 or drop off supplies at 5413 Guadalupe Dr.
