“Support your local music scene!”  

Whether you’re in a band, work for or own a venue, are in the business of promoting, or are content with simply supporting your favorite artists and musicians, you’ve probably heard the above admonition at least once in your life.  

And yes, supporting your local music scene is important. Even still, in 2018! Actually, it’s not just important—it’s essential. For bands, fans, and the community as a whole. 

And there are so many benefits for everyone involved—not just those hosting/booking/promoting or playing the shows.  

Below, we’ll examine some important reasons you should Get To The Gig today, and how you can benefit from doing just that.  

Networking Opportunities Galore 

As a band member, attending local shows (and not just the ones you’re playing) can have a great impact on furthering your connections within the scene.  

Maybe there’s a specific band you’re looking to play with or venue you want to get on a show at. It’s much easier to do this when you have a connection who’s already successfully done it. Or, maybe they haven’t done it themselves, but they have a connection who has and can help you facilitate. Whatever the case may be, networking is just as important for success in the music industry as it is in other industries.  

And if you’re not in a band, you can still benefit from meeting new people. You never know where your connections could lead you, so it’s important to make as many as you can—no matter what industry you’re in. 

Local Scenes Bring Communities Together 

After all, music is for everyone. 

And without the arts, where would our communities be? Where would they gather?  

The local music scene provides so much more than just entertainment. It gives people a place to go. Something to do. They get to feel a part of something that’s larger than themselves. They realize there are others out there who find beauty, power, and inspiration in the same things they do. 

And as a result, their lives can be positively impacted. 

You see—as much as it is about the music—it’s also about so much more. But you have to play an active role in supporting your local music scene and community if you want to experience these things for yourself.  

After all, how do you think it looks when you’re in a local band and expect people to support you, but don’t show up for anyone else? Not great. Stop making excuses and just do it. You’ll be glad you did. Promise! 

For the Fun of It 

Going to local shows is FUN. Plain and simple.  

Still, some of the bands are going to suck. They might be new to the game and not yet know how to avoid things like breaking guitar strings, and it could result in the seemingly most awkward 5 minutes of your life. But the truth, as we all know, is that no one’s perfect. Even The Grateful Dead had technical difficulties on stage. (And at Woodstock—no less!) 

No matter how perfect the night is (or isn’t) in the end, it’s almost always guaranteed to be a fun experience. And if not, it’ll be a memorable one, which you can hopefully look back on and laugh at in time. 

And if you don’t have friends who are into the same music as you are? Don’t feel weird about going to the show alone. You shouldn’t let anything stop you from supporting the artists and bands that you love and showing up for your community. In the end, all you’ll regret are the experiences you missed out on.  

Some Final Thoughts 

Going to local shows is a great way to reignite your passion for music. You can make connections and meet new people, gain ideas and inspiration, and have a great time doing it. 

If you’ve ever played a show for the sound guy, you know it can be discouraging putting time, effort, and money into something and feeling like you may never see any positive returns. When you feel discouraged, though, instead of isolating yourself from the scene and ignoring local happenings until your next show, you should do the exact opposite and get out to one. 

Sure, every show you attend isn’t going to be perfect. In fact, most of them won’t even come close. But they will be inspiring, fun, and rewarding. And all you have to do is show up.