The Duo Behind When Where What
Words Codi Chen | Photos Baptiste Despois
It all began with a love for wandering. Chris Cates, CEO and Founder of When Where What Austin, was bouncing from bar to gallery, rooftop to alleyway, chasing whatever was happening around town and taking notes.
“I wanted to go to everything,” Chris says. “Hidden parties, art pop-ups, the kind of stuff you have to dig for. Austin has so much energy, but it’s scattered. I wanted to capture it in one place.” What started as a personal hobby quickly became a visual diary for hundreds of thousands of Austinites eager to uncover the city’s local treasures.
Esteban Rey, COO and Managing Partner, encountered When Where What (WWW) in 2019, drawn in by the simple text and witty, sardonic humor. “I’d never seen anything like it,” Esteban says. “There were these conversations happening in every post. People talking about different shows, recommendations, and tagging their friends and local businesses. The posts were smart and funny, but they also gave the real pulse of the city.”
Esteban was hooked, and what began as a fascination became a partnership, blending his experience in entertainment and event production with Chris’s relentless curiosity for Austin life.
The royal blue Instagram squares, now instantly recognizable, weren’t a stroke of luck. Chris explains, “We experimented and tested what pops visually. That shade of blue felt right. It’s bold, and it tells people what’s going on in the city right now.”
Beyond Instagram, WWW has become a full-fledged presence in Austin. From warehouse parties to vinyl-filled Friday night watch parties and film screenings, Chris and Esteban bring the city’s energy to life, creating experiences they themselves want to attend.
For the pair, Austin’s Eastside is the city’s soul. “This is where the magic lives,” Chris enthuses. “It’s authentic, diverse, and vibrant. The heartbeat of the city is here.” Esteban agrees, adding, “It’s where local creatives and entrepreneurs thrive. Being part of this community, having our office here, is not an accident.”
At its core, WWW is about trust and care. The platform is a guide and a curator, whether sharing a new art exhibit or providing critical community information during an emergency. It’s about keeping Austin weird, keeping it local, and keeping it safe.
They make it easy to discover Austin beyond the headlines. WWW is a trusted guide to the city’s local treasures, important resources, creative energy, and unforgettable moments, one royal blue square at a time.
As Chris says, “When forty people are telling us about the same thing, we don’t ignore it.”
Want When Where What to share your event? The first step is to fill out the post request form on their website. But the best way to catch their attention is to make whatever you’re doing unforgettable. If your function is genuinely cool, the kind everyone wants to attend and is talking about, WWW will take notice.
