scene Queens and the 25 minute divide

Soooo...I've heard quite a few comments & rumblings about "scene" recently and let's face it; we don't currently have a strong unity of bands, musicians, fans and artists all working together and supporting each other's causese right now. This includes the "Northampton" scene and the "Springfield" scenes (funny to me because the people who potentially comprise these respective demographic areas only live 25 minutes down the highway from each other but are worlds apart otherwise) ...but, let me digress into a time when there was a common vibe among musicians, bands, fans, etc that an awesome "scene" exisited.

A few years ago, my band realized that we were about to start performing our music live but there wasn't really a scene/market for our music that we knew of. Noho was primarily indie/folk music at the time and Springfield was metal/Nu-metal/Hip Hop/DJ . So, we decided to create something. To do our part, we booked our own shows and asked the hottest bands around (in our opinion)at the time (Under Falling Skies, The Room, America Business Machines, Yucky Octopus etc) and we knew we had to be electric when playing on a bill with these bands because they all really brought it live, had solid followings and were "competitive" enough. We would watch each others sets to check out the live portion and to "size up" the competition, we'd drink together and fans of the different bands came to know and appreciate the different band's styles. Bottom line is that we all did this together and many people got involved in the social awareness that makes up a "scene". We all appreciated the other band's efforts/music/people even if it wasn't totally our thing. We still nurtured a very mutual feeling of unity while doing what WE all do.

These days? Not so much. In Noho we have a wealth of talented musicians -most with no vision for what they're actually doing. I've often felt and stated that "musicians come to Northampton to die", meaning they want to write something and play it for people who will embrace it and reassure tham how "amazing" they are. Extending yourself to the world can be tough...I could be wrong but I can't seem to find bands who have much vision past playing ten times a month @ venues in Noho, EHamp and -if you're really ambitious- Amherst. Very few go even venture out and perform regionally (i.e. CT, NYC, RI, VT, Eastern MA...). So, when you have a band and they play 6 times a month in the same area your fans will eventually not come out to see you. They'll just catch you next week when you're playing at a venue one block away from the last one you just played at. Nothing exclusive there. It's just very comfortable and easy to form a band, book a show (everyone out here is a show "promoter" it seems) and get your friends out for 6 months -if you last that long. Bands come and go. Musicians give up or whatever, they form a "new" band with the usual suspects and...nobody gives a shit because it's usually a reincarnation of something someone just did. Just my take. In Noho, things are stale -save for some isolated shows/events that make everything worthwhile again.

Springfield scene. Shit. I hear of Nu-metal bands putting a few hundred people in Max Cap now and then...cover bands doing decently and random other acts (not Nu-Metal, Metal or Cover) putting on good shows/events. Truthfully, Maximum Capacity seems to be the only venue anyone even mentions in the "Springfield" scene. It's just that people aren't thinking. It's not just about writing a few songs, thinking you're God and then booking shows in your local area every 3-6 weeks. Your fans will get burned out. We need to be aware of what we're giving. Why do people want to spend their money and time to come to our show? What's in it for them? Plan an event rather than just play a set of music. Get bands together that can have a cross-over effect and fans of respective bands may get into the other bands. Bands out there should change their self serving attitudes and actually promote the WHOLE show rather than just their set. Working together is the only way to begin a scene that will: be fun, expose more people to more quality music, get venues, publications and people of influence outside of our immediate area to take notice -thus providing real opportunities for driven/creative musicians who are serious about their careers to "get somewhere"...bands, fans, venues and anyone with an interest of creating this social awareness known as a "scene" just need to drop all the pretense and delusions like yesterday. Maybe stand in the crowd as a band plays that you don't like but do respect? Maybe go to a show that isn't totally your thing? Maybe stop talking shit abut bands that are relatively successful in what they're doing and learn from them? Maybe get so competitive and be clever about it rather than hoard your fan base? Whatever, all I'm saying is that I am hearing a lot and getting the sense that MANY people are ready to enjoy this kind of thing again. Things will need to change before this will happen. Smarten up mother fuckers!!

~ZFJ