Getting intimate with independent venues

The music industry is in a weird state. The sales of physical records seem to be on a downwards spiral. With songs being so easily robbed via youtube converters and download sites or the streaming options that are out there people tend to go online rather than opting for picking up a physical copy of the cd. The internet is a great place, but it's also a great tool for people who don't want to pay for their music. So, bands have to get out there, play shows, sell their merch and sell themselves to you in order to make you WANT to buy their music. You'll be so impressed with their efforts and sound that you'll pick up on of their CDs right? Everyone loves a good night out with some live music and fun and entertainment right?

So why is it that people just aren't going to smaller gigs anymore? Smaller bands NEED the support. They travel for hours in cramped transport to play gigs so that they can afford to carry on making music. As cliche as it sounds the bands of tomorrow need our help. The only way new music can emerge into the industry is if it's discovered, and if no one goes to the gigs there'll be no one there to discover it. So many talented bands and artists will be lost. Yes, go and see your favourite bands play arenas, I'm not saying you can't, just remember that all these huge acts started out playing to small audiences in hidden away venues. I'm just saying that every once in a while, check out what the little venues have on offer. If a cheap night out (tickets being about £6) isn't appealing enough, you can also boost your own morale by knowing that by going along to this little gig you've helped a band be a band. You enjoy a night out, they get to carry on doing what they love, it's a win win situation really.

It's not only the bands that need your support but also the venues. It's sad but true that venues are struggling, I've seen more stories than I'd like to about venues being forced to shut and changing into things like restaurants. These venues have history and their own stories of bands that have played for years before. They're where many of the bigger bands played their first gigs, to see them go is not only sad for the genuine music supporters who like attending gigs there, but also for the bands that have graced the stages of them. These days nearly every gig I go to is in a small venue which I didn't even know existed prior to the gig. They're great, you're closer to the band and the music all just feels more real. They're not completely over packed so you don't have to spend all night forcing someone's elbow out your ribs. These are the gigs where you actually get to talk to the band that have just played to you and find out a bit about them and tell them what you thought. Some of the best gigs I've been to have been tiny stages in hidden away venues and I'll do anything to make sure that these venues and gigs stay alive.

I hope that this blog post has maybe encouraged you to check out local venues and what's on there. Even if it's just once in a while try and make the time to bag yourself a bargain night of fun and help keep the industry going. If we don't do anything now to try and keep it alive it'll be lost. And then when it's too late everyone will complain that there are no venues left or new bands and new music coming through and that there are no affordable gigs to go to.