RTP-area local music and culture

["kmr" <rossreport AT bellsouth.net>]

I heart this thread so much. I feel like we all just stood around a big
fire late at night and talked again. I think I need to eat something or
my head will 'splode, too.
There are, as Ross said, a whole lotta places to play and that'll shake
out. I've always tried to separate the music scene from the music
community-the commodification of music from the collection of people
who play and listen and shape the music. Over the past 20 years I've
seen a core of 50 or 100 so people who have given this collection a
center and sustained an emphasis on comraderie among bands, creativity
over cashing in and a support-your-own attitude. It's kept playing, uh,
fun.
I've seen kids grow up in this community and take up playing music
pretty much for that reason. And right now, the place is full of
toddlers banging on toy pianos and learning guitar and drums at mom and
dad's knee.
So, I'm not worried about the music. The next generation will come
ready to rock.
I just hope those of us who write about it, manage the businesses,
institutions and (someday) local governments that support it are up to
the task of keeping things together for 'em.

kmr