If you love music and going to live concerts, you might go to a lot of big concerts, but overlook your local music scene. If you’re aren’t going to see local bands and performers, you could be missing out. Here are the best reasons to support local bands.
Support The Local Economy
By going to see local bands, you’re putting money into the local economy and supporting the local music scene. Even if the gig tickets are cheap or even free, you will be supporting the venue by buying drinks while you’re there. Have dinner somewhere first? You’ve supported a local restaurant. By seeing local talent, you’re also helping to keep the music scene in your town lively and thriving.
See The Next Big Thing
You never know which local bands might make it big. It’s a great feeling to see someone make it big that you’ve been watching from the beginning. Artists like Joey Armstrong spent a lot of time playing in small venues before they began to make waves. As a music lover, it can be satisfying to spot someone you think is going to be a star.
Save Money
Tickets for famous bands in large venues can be very expensive, but local gigs are much cheaper, and sometimes even free. Free gigs sometimes require you to spend a minimum amount at the bar, but this is still much cheaper than tickets for big gigs. You can save money but still see a lot of live music, without breaking the bank. You also get to feel good knowing that the tickets you do buy are making more of a difference to an up-and-coming musician.
Get Closer To The Music
Local gigs will be in smaller venues. Whether you watch a band in a bar or a small local venue, you’re going to have a much better view of the band than you would if you were watching a concert in an arena or a stadium. Watching bands from much closer up can be really fun, especially if you know enough about music to appreciate their playing techniques.
If you want to find artists like Mitski, you’ll have a better chance at smaller, local shows where the energy is more intimate and personal. Local gigs also allow you to meet and interact with the artists themselves, something that rarely happens in larger concerts.
Musicians playing smaller gigs are often more accessible too, which can be great if you want to talk to them about their music. After the gig is over, chances are, the band will be drinking at the same bar as you, or will be selling their own merchandise at the merch stand. This is a good opportunity to tell them what you thought, ask them questions, or just have a chat about music.
Make Music Friends
If you’re seeing local bands, it’s a fair guess that most of the audience is going to be local too. Music fans like to talk to each other, so you can strike up a conversation with other gig-goers and make some like-minded friends in your area.
If you can make friends at gigs, you can see more gigs together, recommend new music, and share your passion with someone you know has the same interests.