Awhile back, I wrote about why it's important to support your local music scene. Local acts hold a prevalent place in the community, but sometimes don't recieve as much support as they deserve. Below I've listed some ways that you can support local bands and help them share their music.
Find local shows, and go to them.
Wow, who'd have thought, huh? Although this is fairly obvious, some people don't quite know how to find local shows. The easiest way, and the method I used, is to Google search music venues in your area. Many of the results will be arenas or other major general admission venues, but a majority of the results will be local bars or other small venues primarily focused on showcasing musical talent. Once you find and pick one that sounds interesting, plan a night to go. Local shows won't break the bank. Some cost between $5 to $20, and others are FREE. Once you find one show, finding more will be much easier. Local bands also play on a much more regular basis, so if you miss a group you wanted to see, you won't have to wait another year to catch them.
Listen to music from local groups.
If you're unable to attend multiple local shows, or your area is devoid of what can be considered local shows (it happens), another way you can show support is to listen to the locals' music wherever it's available. You can add more music to your playlist, or may find yourself listening to different genres of music because of a certain local artist.
Spread the word.
Whether you're posting a status, a tweet, an Instagram photo, or whatever other social media you may use, talking about a show you recently attended or a song you just listened to and enjoyed, you can help local musicians expand their audience. Because they typically aren't in the spotlight the same way big-name acts are, it's more difficult for them to build a strong fan base. Every positive thing you share about a local group helps them, and pushes them forward. Talking about the music also lets local groups know that people are supporting their work and are enthusiastic about it.
Get/keep in touch with local musicians.
Oftentimes, local groups are your friendly neighborhood co-workers, gym partners, teachers, etc. As I said earlier, once you find one, it's easy to find others, so it's not terribly difficult to get to know some of the groups you're supporting. In my experience so far, talking with local groups, even if I'm terrible at staying in touch with them (I'm working on it), has provided me with opportunities I wouldn't have otherwise had. They're also resources you can use to find out about shows, and they're great people overall.
No matter how you go about it, supporting local groups is something you should add to your to-do list. They're much more relatable than national acts, and they want to share their passion for music with the community. Who knows? One day, one (or several) of those musicians could become big name acts you can say you personally know, and how cool would that be?
