The Alpha and the Omega
Below is a message I sent to a new local band trying to get started. They asked for advice, and I like the kid who asked, I ended up kind of venting. I want to have this someplace I will remember it. I need it. it follows:
The best advice I can give? Don't be like every other band in Rockford. Much as I love them, man, none know what they are doing. I try to help and they just go do stupid things.
Can ya tell I am kind of frustrated?
One of the most important things, try not to play a local all ages show more than once a month or no one will care. When you first start out you can play a few times a month to build a fan base, but once you get regulars coming to your shows, BACK OFF, play less, so then they want to see you and it is kind of an event. If you play all the time they think "well, I can see them any time, it doesn't have to be tonight", then no one comes ever again.
This has killed just about every band in Rockford, especially since the Rockbox, then the Wire opened. Both are milking the scene dry so they can have 2 or more shows a week for a market that cannot handle it. We don't have a band in town that can come close to being a headliner now because of crap like this. So they are forced in to it, and when n one watches every one scratches their head and goes "well, why did that happen?"
I have been involved in this scene a long time(a decade now, cripes I am old), and it has always had highs and lows, but this is the absolute lowest it has been.
If we get some good new bands who use their heads it may turn around, but we are getting to the point where it'd be better to salt the earth, and let it start again from the beginning.
Don't let me discourage you though, I am seriously bitter, piss, and kinda depressed lately over this. It isn't easy to watch something you love, and have put so much time in to suffer and die like is has been. It is like our scene has cancer. It really has me in a bad mindset these days.
That said, come in, play and be one of the bands that gives me hope again.
-Steve
The best advice I can give? Don't be like every other band in Rockford. Much as I love them, man, none know what they are doing. I try to help and they just go do stupid things.
Can ya tell I am kind of frustrated?
One of the most important things, try not to play a local all ages show more than once a month or no one will care. When you first start out you can play a few times a month to build a fan base, but once you get regulars coming to your shows, BACK OFF, play less, so then they want to see you and it is kind of an event. If you play all the time they think "well, I can see them any time, it doesn't have to be tonight", then no one comes ever again.
This has killed just about every band in Rockford, especially since the Rockbox, then the Wire opened. Both are milking the scene dry so they can have 2 or more shows a week for a market that cannot handle it. We don't have a band in town that can come close to being a headliner now because of crap like this. So they are forced in to it, and when n one watches every one scratches their head and goes "well, why did that happen?"
I have been involved in this scene a long time(a decade now, cripes I am old), and it has always had highs and lows, but this is the absolute lowest it has been.
If we get some good new bands who use their heads it may turn around, but we are getting to the point where it'd be better to salt the earth, and let it start again from the beginning.
Don't let me discourage you though, I am seriously bitter, piss, and kinda depressed lately over this. It isn't easy to watch something you love, and have put so much time in to suffer and die like is has been. It is like our scene has cancer. It really has me in a bad mindset these days.
That said, come in, play and be one of the bands that gives me hope again.
-Steve