Part Two: Your Local Music Scene

Let’s face it, much as we would like, not all of us can live in a place where finding cool stuff to do is as easy as taking a subway ride or heading downtown. Sometimes you get stuck (be it thanks to a job or school) in a city that is less than conducive to a hip, jet setting lifestyle.

But fear not, weary traveler, for we are here to help. Are you into live music and want to discover some cool local bands you can catch on the regular in whatever town you currently find yourself in? Then follow me, and you’ll walk away with some helpful hints on how to conquer your local music scene.

When last we met, we talked for a bit on the best ways to scope out the scene and find out the best places to check out bands. Now it’s time to look at how you can best approach the music itself.

FOLLOWING THE SCENE

As a brash Corellian starpilot once said, here’s where the fun begins.

Obviously, not every band is worth listening to. This is magnified perhaps tenfold on the amateur, local circuit. I can’t begin to count the number of awful, generic metal bands I’ve run across as I made my way through the local music scene where I currently live. Sadly, it can often be a crapshoot when checking out a band. And if you’re a student or don’t have the luxury of a nice, high-paying job, chances are you don’t want to waste five bucks (at minimum) on a cover charge just to see if a band is good or not.

Sometimes you get lucky and just seeing the band’s name can tell you everything you need to know about them. For instance, when I first saw the name “Jonny Pecker & The Beaver-Bustin’ Pickle Weasels” on a poster outside Click’s, I pretty much knew then and there that these guys would provide a performance consisting of infantile musicianship and retarded sexuality.

Sometimes you get lucky and just seeing the band’s name can tell you everything you need to know about them.

Sometimes I hate being right.

If the name doesn’t (or can’t) tip you off, chances are the bartender (or barista, or waitress, depending on what sort of venue you’re at) can. Those guys and gals are there all the time and should have a pretty solid feel for which acts get the best response from patrons. Getting to know the manager/owner can help in this, too (it’s much more possible than you might think, especially at a lot of the smaller venues). The manager may not give you the straightest answer at first, but get to know them and let them know what your tastes are and it’s more than likely they’ll give you a heads up on who to check out.

But, thankfully, this is the 21st century, and we now have technology on our side as well. There’s no guarantee you’ll find a high-quality recording, but with even our phones having the ability to capture video, it’s a good bet that there’s some sort of recording out there of whoever you’re interested in hearing. But most enterprising musicians will have some sort of profile via social media as well, be it through MySpace, Facebook, their YouTube channel or even sites such as Reverb Nation that exist specifically to showcase musicians.

All that said, sometimes it’s best to simply ignore expectations, take a chance and go into a show blind. There’s something wholly unique and special about finding a really great local band. Yes, you may run across your share of Jonny Peckers, but it makes the eventual discovery of a Truffula Tree or The Papers (two of my favorite local bands in my town) all the more exciting. It’s an adventure.

Once you do find some bands worth following, it’s pretty easy to get to know them. Yeah, you’ll find one or two primadonnas, but by and large, most amateur musicians are desperate to build up their fanbase any way they can, so it’s a good bet they’ll be more than happy to chat with you after a show. They’ll also be more than happy to point you toward their website or toss an EP your way (assuming they have either).

CONQUERING THE SCENE

If there is one thing that I could say that is essential to finding your way through the local music scene, it is this: Keep an open mind.

This is especially important if you’re stuck in a small town as options will be severely limited. You never know what kind of talent you’ll run across, but solid, passionate musicians can be found just about anywhere if you’re willing to make the effort to seek them out. If you’re mostly into rock, go check out a jazz bar. If you’re mostly into metal, go check out that singer/songwriter who’s camped out in the back corner of a coffee shop. I can’t guarantee they’ll be worth listening to or that you’ll even enjoy them, but you never know until you try.