Thriving In Your Local Music Scene As A Fan, Artist, or Organizer

“Allergy @ 911 haus” Photo by: GRIT PHOTOZINE https://www.flickr.com/photos/rosereddd/

For music fans, not much is as thrilling as immersing yourself in your local music scene. Personal connections between artists and fans is an aspect that popular music is sorely missing. This sense of community is incredibly special, and it requires participation and dedication from all parties. I’ve compiled some tips for fans, artists, and show organizers to create and sustain a music scene in any area, populated or isolated.

Fans: First and foremost, do your research. Love it or hate it, social media is a crucial part of staying involved. Follow local music groups, bands you enjoy, and venues for news on shows and releases. For example, Rowan’s Wilson Hall and Student Center are great areas to find flyers for local artists. Rowan Alternative Music Club and 4333 are also great to hear about events in the area.

When you finally get to a show, there’s one precaution you need to take: WEAR EARPLUGS! It may not seem “cool” but house shows can get loud, and you can seriously damage your hearing. Target sells foam earplugs for under $5. If you go to a lot of shows, you can get a good pair for $25- $30.

After that, have fun! Talk to people. It is a community after all. You never know, maybe you’ll meet a like-minded artist, and play the next show yourself.

Think about how you can help out. Are you an artist who can help bands make album artwork or merch? Do you have a house that can be used for shows? Offer your assistance. Write about it. Take some pictures. Share your experiences with as many people as you can. Spreading the word is the easiest way to foster a music scene.

Organizers: A lot goes into hosting a house show. Setting up isn’t too difficult, but here are some tips to make sure everything goes swimmingly.

• Set a ticket price. This helps make sure artists know they’re going to be paid fairly before they even agree to the gig.
• Create a comfortable atmosphere. Many attendees will stand, but it’s good to have some couches and/or chairs on the side just in case. Make sure the lighting fits the mood. Really bright kitchen lights are awkward for a rock show. Have some dim lamps or lights. Obviously, don’t have it pitch black. If the show is low-key, light some candles. That makes for a more intimate atmosphere.
• Set up an area for the artist’s merch. If the band you’re hosting has a decent following, chances are they’ll have shirts, hats, or CD’s to sell. This is an important aspect of the band’s finances, but also creates a connection between artist and fan.
• Have some drinks. Water is a must. If the show is especially energetic, you don’t want a musician or attendee passing out. Soda and tea are also good choices to keep everyone comfortable. Steer away from alcohol. It won’t ruin the show, but it could cause some trouble. If you insist on having it, make sure everyone in attendance is of age, and regulate the number of drinks each person can have.

Artists: You are the lifeblood of the community, so you want to make sure you give the fans a positive experience. Nate Burr on YouTube created a video detailing how to succeed at every step. Despite his comedic approach, I can say from personal experience that most of his ideas are valid, and can be very helpful to new bands looking to break into the scene. Here are a few points I found to be the most beneficial.

• Your group must prepare. Take some time to write songs you’d be proud to play. Go to other shows to see what makes a performance work, and what could possibly harm it.
• Practice, practice, practice. Make sure each member is comfortable with the material and their instrument. See who may need some one on one help with a song or part.
• Push for all-ages shows. You don’t want to isolate any fans.
• Stick mainly to original material. Keep covers to a minimum. At most, play one per show.
• The pacing of your show can make or break a performance. Start off high energy, and keep it up for one or two more songs before mellowing out. Gradually get the energy back up before ending on a banger. Make sure you interact with the crowd throughout.
• Lastly, keep playing shows. You’ll only get better as you go, and playing multiple shows will get you a following.

I hope this will help you even a little bit in maintaining and enjoying your local music scene, and to be clear, just because a lot of work goes into it, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be having an absolute blast.

Hello, Hello

My favorite, out of tune piano in Wilson Hall’s practice room 78. Taken by myself.

Hello everyone! My name is Damon Mazer, and I’m a journalism major at Rowan University. I’ve created this site to give a glimpse into the indie music scene of Rowan University and the surrounding Glassboro area. I’m a musician myself (albeit a terrible one), but I adore writing about music as well. I’ve been writing music reviews for fun going on four years now, but I’ve recently started writing pieces for Rowan’s student newspaper, The Whit, as well.

I’m excited to work on this blog, so I can get my feet on the ground and begin interviewing artists and covering shows. Getting a glimpse into other musicians’ artistic philosophies and how they perform is always beneficial for someone who enjoys playing music. Rowan is home to many independent music acts who perform regularly, either on their own or in collaboration with Rowan’s Alternative Music club. I plan on attending and covering these shows. I’m particularly excited for a performance by pop punk band Handguns on Halloween night.

I’ve also dipped my feet into photography before, but now that I have a phone with an excellent camera and visually striking subject matter, I plan on doing it much more often.

I hope you find my coverage of this particular community to be entertaining. If you do, feel free to reach out, either on here or on Twitter. I love a good chat about music. Enjoy!