Elysium: My Second Home

Austin is a special city. It's a liberal oasis in a sea of conservative thoughts and ideals that not only welcomes all cultures, but makes an effort to integrate them into the tapestry of the city. Everywhere you turn in Austin, you're going to find a reminder that you're not quite in Texas anymore. I've lived here for seven years, and I still find amazing new things to see and do. Experiences to enrich my soul, music to carry me to other dimensions, and friends that I know will always be with me, no matter where I go from here.

When I first arrived, I had no one. A former small-town barfly, I had searched desperately for somewhere I could hang my hat. Something with a 'Cheers' feel. You know, “where everybody knows your name”. It took me a while to find it. Sometimes I would go somewhere intent on finding my scene, only to arrive at a restaurant with a bar in it! As we all know, that's about as low as you can go when you're searching for a bar to call home. “I'll have the quesadilla, please. Can I get a side of fish as well? Can you make sure it's out of water, and roasted in an over made of pure sadness? Super.”

However, sometimes you just end up in the right place at the right time. On one of these outings, I met a lovely young lady, and we became friends. Suddenly, it was on! We we're going to go to her bar. I had no idea that I would spend the net seven years in that very bar.

On 7^th and Red River, there's a long, gated patio sitting between two big, red doors. There will be someone by the door (usually either a long-haired, friendly fellow, or a severe-looking German) who will welcome you into Austin's premiere Goth bar. Elysium.

Formally known as the Atomic Cafe, Elysium is the darkly clothed den of clove cigarettes and reasonably priced drinks that 17 year old you used to write about when you couldn't think of any awful poetry.

The first thing you'll undoubtedly notice abut Elysium is that it's not your run-of-the-mill nightclub. It is a gathering place for all different kinds of people to come together and be welcome. Every few minutes, someone new will enter that door, and a crowd of people will greet them like a soldier returning from war. It's the happiest goth club you've ever seen, with smile all around, people handing their drinks to their friends so that they can go dance, and an experienced bar staff at the ready to put a drink in your hand.

There are two bar counters in the building; the main bar up top, and the lower, smaller bar that used for nights that would have larger crowds. The bar is well stocked, and while the bar itself may not have a cocktail menu, the bartenders have been at this game for a while, and can almost certainly make whatever you need.

The music scene at Elysium is delightfully varied, ranging from goth and industrial bands, to local rappers. From drag shows, to expert DJs, if there isn't something at Elysium that you want to listen to that night, you can always go and hang out with the regulars on the patio, as there's a decent chance that there will be something for you the next night or the night after.

Much of the time, Elysium offers more than your standard club fare. They have gallery nights where they invite local artists to come and show their work, many of them offering relatively low-cost prints of amazing artwork so that you are able to take the magic and talent home with you, while supporting the local artists that make our city so unique and amazing. There are also monthly nights when the club hosts the Witches Market, where local vendors come out with handmade jewelry, candles, masks, and oils to satisfy your various occult leanings.

And who could forget the vampires? That's right, Elysium is home to he vampire court of Austin, where the sharp-toothed, snappy dressers hold various fundraisers for the community, sell their handcrafted fangs that are built to fit your mouth specifically, and hold a yearly shindig know as the Austin Vampire Ball. Vampires come from all over the country to attend, and rub noses with the local royalty (We have a Vampire King and Queen here in out sunny oasis, and they are delightful, lovely people), which definitely makes it an even that you wouldn't want to miss.

I am proud to call Elysium “my” bar. It's the place that I can go where no matter what's going on in my life, I can always find someone with a smile for me, and a damn good martini waiting. It may not have the space or all the luxuries of other bars in Austin, but you would be remiss to count out this treasure of Red River.

Is it for everyone? Probably not. I can definitely see people walking in there and deciding that they don't want to be a part of anything there, but therein lies the beauty of Elysium: You may not accept Elysium, but it will always accept you.