Stephen Sternschein, owner of Empire Control Room, shares his journey from New Jersey to open one of the most successful venues in Austin:

• Being in a band from New Jersey and almost playing with The Roots and Lauryn Hill,
• Getting into the business side of the music industry,
• Coming to Austin during SXSW and organizing shows,
• How Empire Control Room came about and how it fits in the Red River Cultural District,
• The broken permit system in Austin
• Building a relationship with George Clinton aka P Funk
• Dealing with Fire Marshals

Quote from the show:

“Going back to my roots as an artist, being in a position wanting to work with a venue that cares more about the shows and wants to guide you through it rather than [showing you] tough love.” – Stephen Sternschein